The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-05-02

Ftlllbusters kAliAcO anu "V""~ous
The following is an account Of the explo-
sion on the steamer Scott, on the San Juan
river, April 18th, by which fillibusters were
killed:
On the morning of the I'd, between 10 and
ii o'clock, the Scott landed on small sand
bar about mile above Serapqui, and was
preparing to send boat down the river to
reconnoitre the point, not knowing hut 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 so down to the
fort, the boiler blew up with q tremendous
explosion, throwing all those in the forward
part of the boat into the water, killing six
teen or eighteen ANA wounding twenty-five
or thirty. Everything was in the greatest
confusion, every one supposing they had
been fired upon by the Costa Ricans from
masked battery. An instant showed the
true state of the case. The boiler exploded
into the furnace, and was thrown completely
on the boat. having blown only u small hole
in the bottom. The engineer had Just tried
the water and found it three cocks high,
which was more than they usually carried.
There are many cOnjectures as to the cause
of the accident, not few believed it was
caused by gunpowder, but it was probably
owing to some defect in the boiler, which
had been overlooked 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 explosion, in eight feet OF
water.
The woodwork remaining above the water
was burned by order of Col. Lockbridge, to
prevent the Costa Ricans making any use of
it in the event of their obtaining possession
of the wreck. The Rescue was Immediately
despatched to SerapiQui with the sick and
wounded, and every attention shown them
that the circumstances would admit. She
made four trips and conveyed all the soldiers
to Serapiqui, and then took the disabled on
board and started down the river for Puta
Arenas the same night. Owing to low wa
ter she did not arrive there until two o'clock
the next afternoon. A long matched shed,
which was formerly used for wOodshed,
was converted into a hospital, and the woun-
ded removed there Having no beds and
but few blankets. boards were placed for
them to lie upon. The surgeons of the Eng
lish fleet rendered valuable aid in dressing
the wounded and prescribing for the sick, OF
whom there were about seventy, mostly sui
tering from intermittent fever.
Notwithstanding all the efforts of the med
zeal officers, the greatest suffering exists in
the hospital. The men being under no COM
manl refused to assist in waiting upon the
sick. The few who, actuated by noblcr
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 few hours is sufficient t.
produce large colony Of magots. | have
seen man with his face covered with them,
and another from whom they dropped by
scores, as he dragged himself along. There
is great scarcity of medicines. The medi-
cine chest was just behind the boiler, and
was blown into the water, together with DR..
Charlton, the apothecary of the regiment.
The doctor was uninjured, and had suf-
! ficient presence of mind to save two bottles
of laudanum which were near him in the
water, and which were of the greatest use
in alleviating the horrible suiferings of the
wounded, some of whom ran about the boat
with the skin of their arms and hands hang
/ ing in strips, shrieking and grooming, and
begging to be put oat of misery.
Col. Lockbridge was experimenting the
iaunchilS Vi tIe caiioe from tne STEAMER
dock at the time of the explosion, and escap-
ed uninjured. Gen. Wheat being an old
Mississippi traveller, Jumped into the river
the instant the explosion took place, and es-
capped with slight injuries from the filling
timbers. He swan ashore with the body OF
Major Morris, who was instantly killed and
horribly mangled. lie was standing just in
front of the boiler.
Tie wounded officers are in Greytown
most Of them staying at the house Of Dr.
Dieslnan, where they will receive all the at
| tentiOn the Mace affords