The Crater (Stop 8)

The light from the explosion lit up the early dawn morning of July 30th, 1864.

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Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

With the tunnel's completion, Gen. Burnside chose the pre-dawn hours of July 30, 1864, for the explosion and the attack. At 4:44 am, the mine exploded. Contemporary accounts state the blast left a gaping hole 170 feet long, 60 feet wide at either end and 30 feet deep in places. Half of the U.S. forces ended up in and around the Crater. At the same time, the remainder advanced north and south of the hole capturing Confederate troops and trenches. Though the Federals outnumbered the Confederates, they could not move from the Crater primarily due to the intense Southern artillery fire.