The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-12
By TELEGR.A.PH
Ev ENKNG PAPERS.
Terrible Explosion at City Point = A Iesset
Loaded sctth -A8Dsaaittoa Btosca Cp-hdfy
Persons Killed and One Hundred FOUNDED
Great Destruction OF Property.


Loaded sestA Amns,nisson Bloc" UP-titfy
Persons Killed and One Hundred Wounded
TREAT Destruction or Properly.
WASHINGTON, Aug. IL.
A letter from City Point dated the 10th,
says:
About IL O'Clock yesterday morning a noise
resembling the explosion OF a magazine was
heard at the Headquarters of the Army of the
Potomac.
During the afternoon word came that boat
loaded with ammunition had exploded at City
Point, causing a irightful loss OF lie aud great
destruction OF property.
When the correspondent of the Associated
Press reached the scene of the disaster. a
spectacle presented itself utterly indescriba-
bic. Buildings demolished, tents thrown down,
and horses killed in every direction. The de-
pot building that had just been completed,
was q mass OF ruins, while the ground for hun
dreds OF yards, was covered with property of
every description. The dead and wounded
had been extricated IRON the ruins and car
ried some distance back, the former for burial
aud the latter to be sent to the hospitals.
The boat, loaded with various kinds of am
muni'ion, was being unloaded by negroes OF
the Quartermaster's Department, nearly one
hundred in number, and the only theory ad-
vanced as to the cause of the calamity is that
shell must have been dropped by one of
them, thus communicating tre TO the entire
mass. The noise lasted about thirty minutes.
Witnesses say that the shock was felt for a
long distance.
On the side of the road in front of the land
ing were located number OF offices and
stores, among them the post-olfice and Ad-
ans express office, which were almost entire
ly blown down. TIL large number of persons
occupying them miraculousy escaped with
slight bruises. In the rear of these buildings
is a steep bank covered with tents on the sum
init, occupied chiefly by colored lahorers and
their families. Had the ground been level the
loss OF life would have been greater. Shells,
balls and shot OF every kind struck this bank
in perfect shower, while the ground in the
vicinity is actually covered with all kinds of
stores. A large number of old saddles and
pieces of harness are among the debris. A
boat loaded with stores lying alongside was
tom to pieces, a large portion being raised
completely out of the water and thrown
through the storehouse on the dock.
Capt Benedict and Capt. Ames, of the
Commissary Department, were in the build
ing and buried beneath the ruins, but after
considerable difficulty were extricated, Meth
er being fatally injured, although good deal
bruised.
Capt. Daniel d. Wiley, who was in his tent
quite distance from the spot, was struck in
tue head by piece of shell and injured,
though not dangerously. Mr.. Mckee, his
clerk, was severely Injured and cannot reeov-
er. A. NJ. Baxter, a citizen of Cold Spring,
was killed.
Lieut.. Fame, of the navy was slightly injur-
ed. A citizen named Wright was slightly in
jured. James Thorp, clerk in the Ordnance
Office, was killed. Mr.. Fay, of the Sanitary
Commission, was slightly injured. Richard
Stone, a citizen, was killed. Mr.. Spencer, Re-
lief Agent, was slightly injured.
Tho casualtipS hplipyed tn bn fftv killed
and about one hundred wounded. A number
of bodies of colored persons were found be-
side those above mentioned, and there are six
teen in Post hospital, while others are scatter
ed in different localities.
Twenty-Five colored men, more or less
wounded, were taken to the colored hospital,
where several amPutations have been per-
formed.
Five shells passed through the Sanitary
Commission boat, but fortunately no one was
injured. 1t is believed that many bodies were
blown into the river, which will never be re-
covered. Capt. Schuyler the Provost Mar
shsl, who was sitting on the top OF the rivers
bank was lifted up and blown a distance of
ten or twelve feet, receiving shower of shells
around him, but strange to say escaped with
out a scratch. Our loss is put down by him
at about 80 killed and 10 or 50 wounded, Il of
the killed being soldiers. Nothing has as yet
been discovered as TO the cause OF the calam-
ity.
At the commissary department six men are
known to be killed and some twenty-five
wounded. Three men belonging to the rail
rosd were injured
The loss of property is not known, but viii
be large.
Tho Goth n. Y. Volunteers lost six killed
and seventeen wounded. The 14Sth Ohio lost
three killed and four wounded.
The boat Lewis caught fire, when wreck
ing tug ran her ashore aud extending her hose
put six streams on the fire and extingushed
it, thus saving a large amount Of ammunition.
Considerable firing is going on in front this
morning. One of our gunboats opened dur
the night and threw a number of shells at
what was supposed to be moving rebel force.