| From the Richmond Dispatch |
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| July 7, 1863 |
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| Explosion of a locomotive -- five persons killed and
several wounded |
| Yesterday afternoon, as the mail train on
the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad was coming to this city, having
on board 800 soldiers and about 100 lady refugees from Norfolk, the
boiler of the locomotive exploded with
fatal effect. The engine was blown to pieces and turned completely
over in the track. The engineer, Mr. Hugh Burns, was blown off the
engine some distance and dreadfully scalded. His injuries are such
that he cannot survive. A sailor in the car next to the engine was
instantly killed by the car being smashed, and three soldiers in the
car next to that were also killed. A colored fireman was killed on the
spot. Eight soldiers were wounded, of whom three will die. There were
3 or 4 Federal surgeons aboard the train (a portion of a party of
prisoners from near Vicksburg) who gave medical attention to the
wounded. None of the ladies were hurt, though the bottom of one of the
cars they were in was smashed. The track was torn up for some
distance. The train consisted of 14 cars, and was running at the time
of the accident, which occurred at Falling creek, six miles from this
city. An engine was immediately dispatched by Supt. Gill from the
Richmond depot for the relief of the wounded. |
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