The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-08-18
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The Explosion at City POint-Fearful
Loss of Lye-Fifty Persons Reported
Killed and One Hundred Wounded.
WASHINGTON, Aug. II, 1861.

Killed ana One HundfeU HOuHue0'
WASHINGTON, Aug. II, 1864.
A letter from City Point, dated August
10, says: About IL o'clock yesterday, a
noise resembling the explosion of a mag
azine was heard at headquarters of the
Army of the Potomac, and many surmi-
ses were lndulged in as to the direction
from which it came and its cause.
During the afternoon word came that
boat loaded with ammunition had ex-
ploded at City Point, causing frightful
loss of life. On the correspondent Of the
Associated Press reaching the scene of
disaster, spectacle was presented to him
utterly indiscribable.
Buildings were demolished, tents
thrown down, and number of horses
killed. The depot building, which had
lust been completed, was mass of ruins,
while the ground, for hundreds of yards,
was covered with property Of almost every
description.
The dead and wounded had been cx-
tricated from the ruins and carried back
the former for burial, and the latter to
the hospital.
A boat, loaded with various kinds Of
ammunition, was being unloaded by the
negroes of the Quartermaster's Depart
ment (nearly hundred in number), and
the only theory advanced as to the cause
of the calamity is that shell must have
been dropped by one of them, thus COM
municating the fire to the entire mass.
The noise lasted about thirty seconds,
and witnesses say the shock was felt a
long distance on the side of the road.
In front of the landing were located a
number of offices ard stores, among them
the post Office and Adams Express, which
were almost utterly torn down, the larger
number of persons occupying them es-
Gaping with slight bruises.
In the rear OF this is steep bank, Its
summit being covered with tents which
are occupied chiefly by the colored labo
rers and their families Had the ground
been level the loss of life would, nc
y doubt, have exceeded that which result
ed Shells, balls, &C., struck this camp
r in perfect shower, while the ground IL
the vicinity is actually covered with al
kinds of stores, a large number of ole
n saddles and pieces of harness being a
i mongst the debris.
A boat loaded with those stares was ly
! ing along side and was blown to pieces
+ large portion being raised entirely on
of the water, and hurled through th'
i store house on the dock.
- Captain Benedict and Captain Ames
of the Commissary Department, were il
~ the building at the time, and were burieC
q beneath the ruins. After much labo
: they were extricated from their perilou
, situation, neither being fatally injured
. but good deal bruised.
~ Capt Daniel D. Wiley, who was in hi
rs tent, quite distance from the spot, wa
IT struck in the head by piece ofshell an
IS injured, though not dangerously Hi
le Clerk, Mckee, was so severely injured a
10 the same time that he cannot recover
4. NJ. Baxter, civilian, from Col
Spring, New York, was killed. He KEEP
- a soda-wa stand Priyates Asnell an
= Metcalf, of the 5th Cavalry, were killed
20 A sergeant named Morris, in the ord
nance office, was injured, and died 500
10 after.
Lieutenant Lane, of the cavalry depot
= was slightly injured, as was also citize
70 named Wright, James Throp, clerk i
- the ordnance Office was killed Mr.. Fay
a of the Sanitary Commission, was slight
~ injured, and Richard Stone, citizen
u killed. Mrs Spencer, relief agent, re
4 ceiyed slight injuries.
); The casualties arc believed to be a
a least fifty killed and nearly one hundre
wounded. A number of the bodies G
70 colored persons have beeu found, beside
10 those above mentioned, and there are SIX
~ teen in the Post hospital, while others ar
scattered in different localities.
4 Twenty-Five colored men, more or les
s wounded, were taken to the Colored Ger
rt eral Hospital, under charge of DIR. Ca
o hoin, whore several amputations wer
n. performed
a Five shells passed through the roof {
n the Sanitary Commission boat, but no on
ce upon it was injured.
rs 1t is believed that many bodies wei
10 blown into the river, and may never /
&c recovered ~ ta
of The loss is put down at about 80 kille
re and 70 or 80 wounded, l3 of the kille
Sc being soldiers.
el Nothing has been discovered as to th
II cause of the calamity In the commiss
r.. ry departn ent six men are known to |
in killed, and some twenty-five wounded
Twelve men belonging to the railroa
lv were wounded. The loss of property
y. not know, but will prove to be very larg
be The 20th New York lost six men killC
,b and had seventeen wounded; and IL
h. l4Sth Ohio lost three killed and 70,
q wounded. -a aaa
81 The boat Lewis, fire and wrecking tu
n ran ashore, and extending her hose thre
,e, six streams on the fire, putting out Il
to flames, and thus saving the entire an
Al