| From Abingdon Virginian |
| |
| July 17, 1863 |
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| Explosion and Loss of Life |
| Last evening, about 5 1/2
o'clock, when the passenger train from Petersburg {Richmond
& Petersburg RR} was coming up the grade from Falling creek
bridge, six miles from this city, the locomotive, which was traveling
at the rate of about ten miles an hour, exploded her boiler, killing
the fireman, severely scalding the engineer, Mr. Hugh Burnes, and
killing and wounding several Confederate soldiers, who were
passengers. Two coaches, filled chiefly with ladies from the flag of
truce boat at City Point, six or eight cars loaded principally with
exchanged prisoners, and the baggage and mail cars formed the train.
Three cars near the engine were badly injured. In one of them was the
crew of the captured Confederate steamer Atlanta, one of whom was
killed and several wounded. |
| The second car from the
locomotive was blown off the track; one of its inmates was killed and
several were wounded. The locomotive is a complete wreck. It was blown
about twenty feet from the train, turned completely around and tumbled
side upwards in the ditch on the side of the track. The cause of the
explosion is unknown. It is supposed that the water in the boiler was
unwarily permitted to get too low. The conductor of the train, Capt.
T. W. McCrary, exerted himself nobly in attending promptly to the
wounded and taking measures for the speedy removal of the wreck. He
was assisted by many of the passengers, and at a late hour last
evening, with further aid from the superintendent, all was clear. |
| Richmond Enquirer of the 7th |
|