| From the Charleston Mercury |
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| November 8, 1862 |
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| Shocking Accident |
| We regret to record a collision upon the
South Carolina Railroad, by which the State and the South have lost a
valuable and efficient officer. Between ten and eleven o'clock on
Thursday night the down train from Columbia had reached Orangeburg, when
Conductor Passalaigue, who was in charge, was informed by Major Hutson
Lee; Lieut. Gibbes, and another gentleman, that they had reason to
believe that a man had been run over. He accordingly backed the train
slowly to ascertain whether any such casualty had taken place. The train
proceeded for a considerable distance, the three proper signal lights
being displayed at the rear of the hindmost car, but no trace could be
found of the individual supposed to be injured. But, as the train
approached Stilton's, it suddenly encountered a freight engine, which
was also backing from the opposite direction, and on which no light
could be seen. The freight engine was coming too rapidly to admit the
passenger train to be stopped in time. Conductor Passalaigue, with
Lieut. T. W. Veronee, of the Palmetto Guard, was standing on one of the
platforms of the rear car, and the former, seeing that a collision was
inevitable, leaped from the train, and called to his companion to do the
same. Lieutenant Veronee unfortunately hesitated for a moment, and that
moment was fatal. The concussion threw him violently from the platform
upon a pile of iron, breaking both his thighs and injuring his chest. He
survived only about twenty minutes. The Baggage Master and Conductor
Passalaigue were slightly bruised, but no one else on the train was
hurt, though two cars were considerably smashed. |
| Lieutenant Veronee has been a member of
the Palmetto Guard for many years, and was universally esteemed by his
comrades as a brave, zealous and skillful officer. His untimely death
will cause deep sorrow among the many friends who knew him as a devoted
soldier and good citizen. |
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