| From the Charleston Mercury |
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| February 11, 1862 |
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| The Sad Accident at Wilmington |
| A correspondent sends us the following
correct account of the late terrible accident in Wilmington, N. C., to
which allusion has already been made in our columns. |
| Last Tuesday night about 8 1/2 o'clock,
whilst a crank car containing Capt. S. Mercer Keith, Mr. David
DeCoppett, Stephen Rhapp, and two negros, Peter and Alexander, was
coming round the curve near the Depot of the Wilmington &
Manchester Railroad, it came in collision with a train consisting of
one locomotive and six cars, which was backing out to go on the
turnout just beyond the curve. The whole of the cars went over the
crank car, which resulted in immediately killing Messrs. Keith,
DeCoppett and Rhapp. The negro Peter died soon after, and Alexander
submitted to amputation of the leg, and has since died. The bodies
were mangled considerably. |
| Messers. DeCoppett and Rhapp were at work
on the railroad engaged in repairing the bridges, &c. They were
Frenchmen, but had been residents here for some time, and were very
highly spoken of. At the time of the accident they were coming from
the Brunswick River Bridge where they had been at work, as also were
the negros. Captain S. M. Keith was in Wilmington on a visit, but on
the day before went out to see Messrs. DeCoppett and Rhapp. |
| Captain Keith was a young man, a native of
Timmonsville, S. C., where his parents, Mr. Jesse Keith and Mrs. Sarah
D. Keith, reside. He had been in command of the Timmonsville Minute
Men, a part of the 8th S. C. Volunteers, in Virginia, but on account
of ill-health had recently resigned. His body was sent home to his
parents, and interred at the family burial ground at Lake Swamp
Church. The negros were the property of Mrs. M. E. Durant, of Sumter,
S. C. |
| The occurrence appears to have been purely
an accident, resulting from the belief of those on the crank car that
no train would be moving at that time; and indeed the train with which
they came in contact was simply backing on the track, even that being
somewhat unusual at the time of night when the accident occurred. |
| Messrs. DeCoppett and Rhapp were personal
friends of Capt. Keith, and had formerly lived in the village of
Timmonsville, which is the village where Capt. Keith's parents live.
They had invited him to spend a few days with them to shoot ducks, and
see if a little recreation would not improve his feeble health. But,
alas! for human hopes, what he and his friends hoped would restore him
to health has caused them all to mourn his untimely death. Capt. Keith
was born on the 21 day of September, 1842, and had just entered his
22d year. Previous to the secession of South Carolina he had devoted
his attention to the study of law, but as soon as volunteers were
called for he laid down his law books and put on his sword, and
bravely defended his beloved country till his health failed him, which
compelled him to resign his commission about the middle of January
last, and returned to South Carolina. He was in command of his company
and fought bravely at the Battle of Bull Run, 18th July, also at the
Battle of Manassas on the 22d of July. He was ever spoken of by his
superior officers with respect, and was beloved by all who served
under him as their Captain. |
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