The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-05-28 00:00:00

TElli DORCHESTER VOLUNTEERS AT
BLAGDON.

Oa Whil-Moaday the Doesheeter rite Imps amen-
bled a! head qoarlen at 10 o'ideek, for • "mooch In
the 000ntry," the balling plus being naderelooti to be
Blagdon Bill, where Whey bad bees readily gives
permission to amemble by Mr. William Manfield, the
owner of the estate. There was. espiftl mustier, the sow
-
patsy with oaken saabering 80 rive Goo. Capt. Coombe
was in ecienmand„ with Lieutenant Hodges, and Badge
Williams, who came from London specially to be with
the corps that day, sad laud Wein it Blegdon, Batta-
lion Qoarter-MasterSergeoae Newman, Calour-Ser-
geese Gregory, Sorgemsto Darden. Ramsey, and
Greening, with 70 rank sad 11., and fiergeentlndrue-
rirri"Agged havanmeek"l"4"a, lnaledlag the
ed
band.
water bTobti.lee,rifiaTdana
commiaadat *art provided by Private C. Parsons
oontalsed sacooked rations sad the seemeary camp
equipage. Tide department was ander the arrange-
meet of Batt. Q. IL & N.wssaa, and everythiag was
earned out wits the greatest MOMS, thanks to the
experksoe plaid at lb. mato= masaievree. Whit.
Monday being • holiday, there was a large number of
@postman in the street+ sa eit• corps marched to the
Weymouth road, with the bead playing, led by Mr.
Wellspring. The weather was floe, though uniettled,
and high hopm were entartained for a happy day,
although this aatialpatioa was palatally marredbg
terrible thandentores in the afternoon. o
out tb• skirted Maldea Coatis andAehtea,
and along the Nip of the bills, obtain-
ing ostensive views of the tonuttry sad to the mouth-
ward of Portland and the eitaanel When shoat
half-way • brief halt wag mad*, and snag were
piled. Havereaeka and viler-bottles (lluvagh sot
necessarily containing water),were !mini pleasant oom-
pany, and pie-ailing coder the lite of • rime wall
weed a happy ten minutes, Two things attaseted
notioe—the Channel Beet in Portland roadstead, and a
deed dooke; and the latter was voted the most al-
traordinary sight. Here too we descried the wigwam
Better of • pocket hasdkereldef from Blagdon hill, by
our asetrades of the tionmaisarlat. who had gene though
Martinatown and arrived before the came. The luso
of weight in the company hailed the signal of nearness
to the goal with satisfactiou, and those unaccustomed
to long marshes participated in their gladness, for the
road I was .rough enough taking a direct line, end
the bilk ems often enough to remind the "old soldiery"
of Qs Hampshire campaign, although it wee • breezy
enjoyable march. Onward again to Blaidea, whore
ground had been taken for the oorpo mukluk' the
mosumeat, • large einem of Matthias had ageornbled
to see the eorpe—mea, weesea, and ithildrea. Mr.
Williams, of Brideheed, had kindly peat • kilderkin of
beer for the men, and • " refresher " was •dministered,
after which the warps broke off for half-an-hour proper.
story to drill Daring this intonel the sky booms
overcast, and a portantooaly dark aloud gathered la
the south-east. Many of the rißernen and eiviliaaa
present wont to the top of the mosamene to enjoy the
rime of land sad sea there oh noble, Ono of the
parties sondated of Private Coombe (son of the Captain),
Privates Dart, Btookley, Beyer, aad W. Tilley. Am
they were demeadiag the reveres of the order earned,
the thender aloud suddenly overshadowed the plata,
and without the least wended. burst with a terrific
cub, followed by lightalag that neomentanly enveloped
the monument In a shoot of lame. A oroand report
and Basta aneeneded, and than for Bye minutes Heel and
rain pelted down dreaeldeg everybody. It was soon
found that there was something the matter, and In.
minute or two Private Stoekley waa led oat stansed
and betoken while Private Coombs will In stash stupor
that he had to be buried, Private Ormsby fulfilling this
kindly offes. Greet consternation was caused by Ad
sesident &sago Williarniimmedistely started off to
liridehessi for a carriage: He took • direct line over
all olestarden sod did the two miles in little more than
eight misuses I It seemed that aa the men were dee-
(wading the lower, by the winding steps, Indio& their
way with She left hand on the ooluain running through
the moratmeat, the storm broke over the plane.
=ay had naterly reached the bottom, and
Coombe was ooly three or four steps from
the top, The lightning shattered the flagstaff,
long 'pilots
,'Woe Woe thrown several hundred yards,
sod thou, staptreallr streak upon the plateau' of the
tower, by whisk to a mini' extent Its lone was
divided or all ettold not have easspod headset death. •
rzin of tbe current then ponied down the stairs...,
the line of the eiolomia. Coombe was sedans
worst, being nearest the top, and was dashed bead fore-
most. He fell open Dart, and then dropped as the
atone steps. by which the right side of his faee wag
Injured so that blood Awned. The next thou wen
thrown baakwarde, Tilley alone maiatitialag his
Dart shouted out " shot I res shot! Do some barer
and all felt as though violoatly skull as the left aide,
followed by mambos's and temporary patella/. Private
Italland was stmeding in the has. of the tower with
tied baronet to prevent more theta mix Wag 11_,P
monument at • time, and th• lightalariztb,,„____•"•l••
thit woapozig&vbeg everybody war &
the tower felt • shook, as slim*
latialtridff• Dan sad Bayar was sal aag7 ma*

stunned, but the applictation of hot water to their beads
and chafing their logs rostoredionlatiOn, ao i soy alarm
so to them soon subsided. Stockley wee helped out by
a couple ofooffiredet and teemed very much shattered;
sod Coombs. wham picked up. looked like one 4esd, tor
he could Oct rnove, his koala vror , white a• thnugb all
ciroulation had ceased, and his faaa.itute blanch 4. It
was feared he was parslyset. flo was laid upon ovel.
coats, and hi, heal and shod are held up, whist, others
rubbed his limbs, adaiiiiistered spirits. and dippd his
hands in hot water. Mo,r a time be reirverei from the
shook, though he continued very ill. Simile. treatment
had brought ronad Stockley, though his leis Pohlad
him • good dead and he was shivering from the eff
of the shock. Wh4o this was g,ing on • carriage and
pair arrived from Brolehort, rid me and 010 tin formed •
Gooch for Coonsha ant 5...13116ty to lie on, sod they
were driven into Dorchester, Captain Coombs and
Corporal Case itrumpaosing them. On the way
&motley revived • good deal , end was role to walk •
few step. on getting to D orclasster. Private Coombs
eoutinued in • bad stair. Hon. Surgeon gams who
had inteuded arompanying the corps Li Blandon, but
was 'called to • patient, was out of town and Dr
!lon H ia, oule Surgeon of the Dorset CountyAiroltal,
was fetched. He saw both the men. Stoekley's left foot
IVY severely scorched, and he was a good deal shaken,
but it was hope I there were no dangerous injuries.
Coombe had suffered more seriously. The risotto:
said bad buret his left rut, nod thee II would seem to
have nth down the bayonet, sod next touched the calf
of his left leg and entered hi. boot lu which was made
• small round hole, and the sole of his foot was so
rally beret that when his sock was removed the whole
of the akin peeled off with it, and that, were several
wounds burnt in the foot. There was also reason to
fear that he had &attained some internal iujery, bet it
is hopes! this is not serious. In the meantime at
tilsgslon the accident hail greatly damp 4 the pleasive
of the day's canting. The party told off as smoke had
dug firs trenshes, prepared the meat and potatoes, put
them in kettles, and boiled them lip with fano and
wood in the most ingenious way—it was one of the
ireful things learned in the last autumn maroons.
While dinner was being sompleted, the err writ out
to skirmish, and had as stiff an hour's drill as could be
desired; this latter part in • tremendous storm of rain.
Oa referral' the
_report want that the dinner was
"done to a tura,' and partite for mem 110141 soon
formed. The sooks had dons their duty admirably,
and the dinner was moot eojoyable. The sun earns
out, rendering the alfresco meal-tims much pleraurr
than had been entimpated. Mr. Idanfield, who came
from London on purpose to be present, had • carriage
waiting at Upwey for him, but the train ran oeto
Weymouth, r he bed to wet till be could get beak to
Upwey and then come to Blandon. lie now arrived
and brought with him • erilddlied hamper of wins and
spirits, and • baobab of strawberries! for the corps, and
kinders was highly appreciated. Tinos sped no,
and sioff. ea and bread and butter were *erred. Every.
body bad plenty, and there was enough besides for thy
about who iin•re hungry. About six o'elook aster, •••
med. for home, after • "parting glass" provided by the
oarxer of the estate, who reined to enjoy dispensing
Lb. generous liquors. moth as the men did receiving
It.. Lieutenant Hodges, in the name of the oompaoy,
thanked Kr. Mayfield for the kindoemi he had shown,
and the oorpe marched off, returning to Dorahester
by way of Martinstown, and all arrived home thortly
before nine oelo7k. At it •cd ,n tho band, rider Mr.
Wellspriog. pl•yed a metal I ~t ".5 .0. t t,1•1 •14.1.11r.t
of all prts/ut. end the oorot march 1 list, Daraho,cer
to_toele tuneful strains.

Intim hammy on arriving st I) trob.stsr ow •rycne was
union. II know the mete of the toff r,r. Oc Tuesdey
both were mien by the • ,rpi mi Cautsin
Co seam, Lieut. Hodges, an 4 macy of the men viintod
Stock'', to inquire about hie condition. He was ueich
bettor, 'bourn unable to heave &be house; bat Coombe
had parallel • realises night, IMIli showed tut Ii tie if
any improvement. Later in the day, and on Wednesday,
there ware Setter reports, and now iii, believei time
may coms.letely resters bun.
We are 6.4 to learn Shia both C soothe and Stockier
are insane in the Volontser Aecident Fund Society.
The benefita afforded by this moiety on the payment
of only one shilling • year are smith that every vuluns
Ism shonld Weenie a member.