In itself the battle of June 22-23 was not important. The North could quickly replace the loss of 2,300 men. The railroad, although its days were numbered, was still able to deliver a few supplies to Petersburg. But as an indication of Grant’s tactics, it pointed the course of the campaign ahead. It marked the first of several attempts to encircle Petersburg. The others to follow would not all be as disappointing to Northern hopes. In these repeated drives to the west lay the essence of the basic tactics to capture Petersburg. On July 9, 1864, the plan of operations decided upon by the Union high command was revealed in an order issued from Meade’s headquarters. This order gave detailed instructions on the building of fortifications and the development of siege tactics. Thus it became apparent that the Union plan was to reduce Petersburg by a lengthy process of attrition. [Illustration: _Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants, Commanding Officer of the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment which dug the Union tunnel under the Confederate line._ From Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.] There were still those in the attacking forces, however, who felt that, with a little imagination, the city could be taken by direct assault. While most of the troops were digging siege lines, another, and smaller, group had already begun work on a unique plan which would, if successful, make further encirclement unnecessary. _The Battle of the Crater, July 30, 1864_ At several places east of the city the opposing lines were extremely close together. One of these locations was in front of Elliott’s Salient, a Confederate strong point near Cemetery Hill and old Blandford Church. Here the Confederate position and the Union picket line were less than 400 feet apart. Because of the proximity of the Union line, Elliott’s Salient was well fortified. Behind earthen embankments was a battery of four guns, and two veteran South Carolina infantry regiments were stationed on either side. Behind these were other defensive works; before them the ground sloped gently downward toward the Union advance line. [Illustration: _Cross-section view of a scale model of the Union tunnel._] THE FEDERAL TUNNEL Built by the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Colonel Henry Pleasants. THE EXPLOSION OF THIS MINE PRODUCED THE CRATER FEDERAL LINE ESTABLISHED JUNE 18, 1864 TUNNEL STARTED JUNE 25, 1864 TUNNEL SLOPED UP TO AVOID HEAVY CLAY 8000 LBS POWDER PLACED HERE JULY 27, 1864 CONFEDERATE PEGRAMS BATTERY DESTROYED BY EXPLOSION JULY 30, 1864 [Illustration: _The explosion of the Union mine as recorded by A. R. Waud, a contemporary artist._ From Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.]