The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-06-12
From the I'D, Of Peace.
EXPLOSION OF A ROMB SHELL.
Bv JOHN s c. ABBoTT.


Street, New York. Aud as ! chanc,d 10
be al the spo, bu, a few moments after the
explosion, will give you description Of
he terrific scene, as it net 10Y eye. was
sitting in my house, about quarrer of a
mile from the place Of The explosion, at 4
o'clock p. NJ. when the whole house was
shaken by the report OF apparently tho
heaviest piece Of artillery. was just IRE.
pairing to 60 down in town, and taking an
omnibus soon saw multitude of men aud
boys running towards Charlton Street,
In moment more crowd came around
the corner Of Charlton Street into Hudson
Street, bearing The body Of well dressed
man. upon window shutter. They
crossed the street directly by the omnibus.
and | observed that tie whole back side Of
the head was blown cf, and the blood and
brains were dripping down upon the shst-
ter. Perceiving indications OF great cx>
ciiemen, IN the rapidly gathering crowd,
and hearing ordinations of 'cxplosion.'
terrible explosion &c., lei The omni.
bus 10 learn the cause of the disaster. En-.
tering Charlton S rect, guided by hun.
dreds who were rushing TO tina; point from
al! quarters. observed on both sides of
the street. for little distance, that the
windows were entirely demolished, ,he
frames in many places blown in, doors
| shattered.and holes blown actually through
the sides Of houses. In one place. forly
rods. | should judge, from the spot whore
the explosion took place, hole was blown
through the front OF frame house. large
! enough for man 10 enter. UPON the
side walk, in front o. shop of old ircn,
lay in disorder, some thirty or forty rus'y
bomb shells, about eight inches in diane
ter. II was said by the crowd that man
had one OF these between his knees, en-
deavoring to loosen the charge with stick,
when it exploded, producing this SC, ne Of
destruction and carnage. The tody Of
this man was torn to pieces, and scat, I'D
in fragments through the stress. Obsetv.
ing a crowd gathered around an Of jrci in
the street al little distance, approached
1t, and saw, apparently, large piece of
butchers meat, which boy was pushing
about with his foot. On examining il, i,
proved to be the lower portion OF mans
! leg. with the crushed bones, and manoled
flesh. The other leg said Lystaudrr
was blown over into Hudson Street. A
crowd was collected round window SUI
gazing ut some object, 1t was n mans
hand, The fingers burnt, aud crushed, ard
blaekencG, having been torn rom the body,
and thrown with violence against the b,ick
wall. The mangled trunk OF the rnfor-
;unate man, headlcss and limb'css, lad
been carried into the house, and the shricks
of his wife were heard over The biz odv re-.
mains. Upon an iron window fame lay
the torn and bloody body OF another man.
A fragment Of The shell had torn away one
half Of his head. He was dead. His
blood and brains were dripping down up-
on the pavement, and day Iaborer had
thumb and finger upon his eyes, to close
them forever. Two young men Who hap.
ptned 10 be passing by in The middIe of
the street, were literally blown up into the
air, and fcl! with broker and mapsl,d
limbs upon the pavement; They bolh
died, believe, the next day. In the strc.s
lay horse dead, and it was singular that
he also had the whole Of the back of HE
head torn of by fragment Of the she'll
A beautiful wagon 10 which he was al
iached, was also demolished, the smokes C
The wheels broken, and the vehicle aluos,
torn 10 pieces.
Such was the devastation produced bv
The explosion of one single she'll. Aud
yet this shell did but perform its function.
1t was made for his very pHlrose--lo de-
stroy property and life. 1t was made to
be thrown into the crowded streets OF n
city, there 10 explode, and blow up houses
and tear limb from limb. This was tho
function OF the instrument. And this is
war. To throw such missiles as these
into the crowded streets OF chy, is the
busin' SIS of war. AS | looked upon tins
scene, and witnessed lis ca'uoee and woe,
and reflected Lhat il mns liz n.y.. |. IL