Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-04-29
Explosion on the Stcamcr Scott..FiEty
Eillibustcrs Killed and wounded.

lne IOlOWlnS Is all account OF tue explosion
on the steamer Scott, on the San Juan river,
April lth, by which fifty tlbusters were killed;
On the morning of the I'd, between 10 and III
O'Clock, the Scott landed on u small sandbar
about a mile above serapqui, and was preparing
to send boat down the river 10 reconnoitFe the
point, not knowing but the Costa Ricans had
again taken possession of the place, They had
been there about twenty minutes, when Just as
the men were getting Into the canoe to go down
70 the fort, the boiler blew up with trcneu-
dous explosion, throwing all those in the Tor
ward part of the boat into the water, killing six
teen or eighteen and wounding stwenty-h or
thirty. Everything was in the greatest coniu-
sion, every one suppoSing they had been fired
upon by the Costa Rcans from masked bate
ry. An instant showed the true state OF the case.
The boiler exploded into the furnace, and was
thrown completely off the boat, having Blown
only small hole in the bottom The engineer
hau inst tried the water and found it three cocks
high, which was more than they usual. carried.
| There are many conjectures as to the cause Of
| the accident, not a few believed it caused
by gunpowder, but it was probably owing to
some defect in the boiler which had been over
looked when she was repaired. The Rescue was
close at hand, and rendered every assistance
possible. Everything was removed from the
boat, and she sunk four hours after the explo-
SlOH Ill elSHI leet vi WATER. |
The woodwork remaining above the water
was burned by order of Col. Lockridgc, to pre-
vent the Costa Ricans making any use of it in
the event Of their obtaining possession OF the
wreck The Rescue was Immediately despatch
ed to Serapqul with the sick ana wounded, and
every attention shown them that the circum
stances would admit She made four trips and
conveyed all the soldiers to Serapiqu ana then
took the disabled on board and started down the
river Tor Puta Arenas the same night. Owing
to low water she did not arrive there until two
o'clock the next afternoon. A long matched
shed, which was formerly used for Il woodshed,
was converted into hospital, and the wouaded
removed there. Having no beds and but few
blankets, boards were placed for them 10 lie
upon. The surgeons OF the English fleet ren-
dered valuable aidin dressing the wounded anu
prescribing for the sick, OF whom there were
about seventy, mostly suffering from intcrmit
tent fever. 10 -7s. fs .-.s -...-. ,. s Y.s.
Notwithstanding all the efforts of the medical
officers, the greatest suffering exists in the hos
pltal. The men being under no command, re-
fused to assist in waiting upon the sick. The
few who actuated by nober spirit, remain in
the hospital, are unable to give such attention
as each case demands. 1t is important To keep
the flies away from the wounds, and a few hours
is sufficient to produce large colony OF mag
gOts. l have seen man with bis face covered
with them, and another from whom they drop
ped by scores, as he dragged himself along
There is a great scarcity of medicines. The
medicine chest was just behind the boiler, aud
was blown into the water, together with DR..
Charlton, the apothecary of the regiment f.
The doctor was uninjured, and had sufficient
presence of mind to save two bottles Of laud,-
mum which were near him in the water, and
which we're of the greatest use in alternating
the horrible sutferings of the wounded, some OF
whom ran about the boat with the skin oil their
arms and hands hanging in strips, shrieking and
groanng, and begging to be put out of misery.
Col. Lockridge was superin ending the launch
ing of the canoe from the steamers dock at the
time of the explosion, and escaped uninjured.
Gen. Wheat being an Old Mississippi traveller,
/ jumped into the river the instant the explosion
took place, and escaped with sightinj uries from
the falling timbers. He swan ashore with the
body OF Major Morris, who was Instantly Killed
and horribly inangled.f He was standing jus,
in front of the boiler. { :s .,t .a. , u,
The wounded officers are in Greytown, most
of them staying at the house OF DR.. DiesDiau,
| where they will receive all the attention the
place affords. a.8ss s43 zF.s H. -. ..s4 So .. -