Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-04-29
Explosion on the Steamcr scott..fifty
Elllibustcrs Killed md MOuMded.

The following is an account OF the explosion
| on the steamer Scott, on the San Juan river,
April lth, by which fifty tlhbusters were killed:
On the morning OF the I'd, between 10 and IL
O'Clock, the Scott landed on u small saudbar
about mile above Serapiqui, and was preparing
| to senda boat down the river TO reconnoitre 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 Tito the canoe TO 60 down
70 the fort, the boiler blew up with a trcmcn.
dous explosion, throwing all those in the for
ward part of the boat INTO the water, killing six
teen Or eighteen and udjHg twenty-five or
thirty. Everything was in the greatest cnEiu-
sion, every Que suppo,ing they had been fired
upon by the Costa Ricans from masked bate
ry. ninstant showed the true state of the case.
The boiler exploded into the iurnacc, 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
Ligh, which was more than they usually 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 alter the cxplo-
sion, in eight feet of water. .-tns. So ~,
The woodwork remaining above the water
was burned by order of Col. Lock ridge, to pre-
vent the Costa Ricans making any use of il in
the event of their obtaining possession OF the
wreck. The Rescue was immediately despatch
ed to Serapiqul 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 Serapiqui, ana then
lc1 ,1,oa ar4 dot, a ,ha
river Tor Puta Arenas tho 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 a 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 feet ren-
dered valuable aid in dressing the wounded anu
prescribing ior the sick, OF whom there were
about seventy, mostly suffering from intcrmit-
tent fever. y5=s#Ee-;t ... .l t,--. IL. 2. s;t.
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 nobler spirit, remain in
the hospital, are unable to give such attention
us each case demands 1t is important to keep
the flies s'away from the wounds, and IA few hours
is sufficient to produce large colony OF mag
gots. have seen man with his 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, and
was blown into the water, together with DR..
Charlton, the apothecary of the regiment 90
The doctor was uninjured, and had sufficient
presence Of mind to save two bottles OF lalIn-
mum which were near him in the water, and
which were of the greatest use in aileyi,ting
the horrible sutferings of the wounded, some OF
whom ran about the boat with the skin 0. their
arms and hands hanging in strips, shrieking and
groaning, and begging to be put out of misery.
Col Lockridge was supern attending the launch
ing Of the canoe from the steamers dock at the
time of the explosion, and escaped uninjured.
Gen. Wheat being old Mississippi traveller,
jumped into the river the instant the explosion
took place, and escaped with slghtinj juries from
the falling tmbers. He swan ashore with the
body OF Major Morris, who was Instantly killed
and horribly lnansled.s He was standing just
in front OF the boiler. ( s4 .s..n g.
The wounded officers are in Greytown, mos,
of them staying at the house of DR.. Dicsuan
where they will receive all the attention the
| place affords. 2.lds-g II Et, h. = ...ft 81, e.. a.