Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-16
A REMARKABLE STROKE OF
LIGHTNING.
The Whole Eighteenth Missouri Reg
iment Stunned and Blinded-TwO
Men Killed and Eighteen severely
WOunde d.. '
From The Chattanooga Gazette.l

A most remarkable stroke of lightning
occurred in the Camp Fuller Brigade, near
Rossville, Ca, July IA, 1864, killing and
wounding about fifteen soldiers, and killing
and shocking severely several teams, a de-
scription of which may be interesting to
your readers. ...'..'..
Mr.. Pollock, regimeDtal wagonmaster, a
scientific gentleman, who observed the be-
ginning OF the storm closely, relates that
at about o'clock P. NJ, the heavy clouds
gathering in the west divided, and one part
passing southwark and the other passing
northward, both emitting lightning and
rain, and finally coming together again
right over the Sixteenth Army Corps,
camped on the hills on the south
bank of the Chattahoochee, at Rossville
bridge. AT the moment of the union OF
the two clouds, the most vivid and inces-
SAINT flashes Of lightning were emitted, fol-
lowed by thunder peals almost equaling
our own cannon, with deafening, stunning,
almost appalling effect.
The discharge that did the principal dam
age in the Eighteenth Missouri Infantry,
an observer relates, descended from the
cloud at very low altitude, and shot across
the road, Iurid, horizontal volume OF
flame, about the thickness of mans body.
1t struck tall oak about ninety feet high
and thirty inches thick, on high point of
ground, and descended, splitting it from
the heart, but throwing no splinters. AT
the base of the tree, where large number
of soldiers had bivouacked, the fluid SEEM
ed to leave the tree and its roots and dart
out in every direction in great number of
lurid jets, similar to those of large mass
of pig iron at white heat under the trip
hammer, except, instead of flying in sparks,
they were in continuous streams. All this
was only the work of an instant. Nearly
the whole regiment was stunned and blind
ed. Many lay shocked to insensibility. A
whole siX-mule team, at the distance OF
twenty yards, eere tDfown down. Just at
this juncture the discharge of the cloud
seemed to strike in rapid succession at 9TH
er places in the brigade, have since learn
ed, killing and wounding men and animals.
Now for a description of freaks. Those
little jets running from the trunk of the
column of the electric fluid, something like
the roots and fine rootlets of large tree,
penetrating everything they came in con-
tact with, more penetrating than bullet;
and some OF them were no larger than
knitting needle. In their punctures they
made no indentation like bullet but burst
their way. Everything they touched
blankets, clothing, hair, Skin, paper, &c.,
had the appearance OF vitriol sprinkled over
them. The appearance of the vicinity gen
orally was that of a large quantity of vitriol
having burst and sprinkled in fine jets
around. l examined one soldiers KNAPP
sack and contents. One little jet, about the
size of a buckshot had entered it, pene-
trated 26 folds of his blanket, penetrated
through his portfolio, through letters, en-
velopes, quires of paper. daguerreotypes
and the brass clasp of his portfolio. Sew
eral men were burned, and the appearance
of the skin is like that of scalding water
having run from the head to the heels.
singing hair, and burning the skin to a
blister and in some instances deep into the
flesh. ~
Eight guns standing by the tree were
discharged without injury to the guns.
Corporal John Taylor, Company /, and pri-
vate John Hensel, Company l, were killed.
Eight members of the same company were
severely burned. Those near the tree re-
ceived currents of fluid. which ran along
bodies. Those at a distance bore the APP
pearance OH their skins of having stood in
the spatters and corruscations of molten
iron from trip-hammer. Three men of
the Second United States Battery were kill
ed. A white four mule team, with driver
and negro man, on the opposite side Of the
river. were killed.
Examining the topography of the coun-
try, am of the opinion that the vast num-
Der of arms, muskets and steel cannon,
drew those two clouds together over that
spot, as it was no higher than many other
hills in their course in the vicinity. The
clouds passed low in their whole route for
miles, but did not unite nor discharge until
arriving over the Sixteenth corps, which
was camped close together.
Yours, WIN. HEMPSTREET,
Captain Eighteenth Missouri Infantry.