The daily Wabash express. (Terre-Haute, Ind.) 1857-1867, 1864-08-10
a Remarkable Stroke Of Light.
ming.
The xkol< lsfh Missouri Regiment Stunned
aEd Blinded - = ioo Men Killed and eighteen
Serere!4 Wonndsd
CAMP FurrEE BRIoADr. I

CAMP FuLLER BEI0ADE.
Mar RosKvILLE. Ga. July Is, 1861
Editor Of CAafianoogs Gazette;
SIN A most retna' kabls stroke OF light
hing oarurrcd sssl evening in this camp. kill
ing and woundiog sbou fifteen soldiers, AID
killing md shocking severely several teams,
a description OF which may be interesting
% your fesders-
Dir Pollock. TegimeBtal wagonmsster, a
scientific gentleman. who observed the be-
ginning OF the storm closely, relates. that al
about SIX o'clock. ? n the heavy clouds
gathering in The west divided, one part pas
siog southwark AMI the other passing north
ward. both emitting lightning and rain. aud
finally coming together again ght over the
I 9th army cofps. camped on the high bills Oh
me soutb bank OF the Cattahoochee, at the
Roesille BIZ dgc, AT the moment Of the un-
/ ION OF the two clouds, the most vivid and In
cessant fishes Of lightning were emitted
/ followed By thunder peals, almost eQuaiing
our own cannon--a.most appalling Effect
/ The discharge which did the principle dam
age 10 the l5th reiment Missouri infantry. al
observer relates, descended from the cloud
At a very low altitude. and shot across the
road lurid. horizontal volume OF fame
about the thickness Of mans body. II
struck tall oak about ninety feet high and
thirty inches thick. on high point OF ground
and descended, splitting IL from the heart
but throwing no splinters. At the base oil
the tree where a large number Of soldier:
had bivouacked. the II lid seemed to leave
the tree and its roots aud dart out in every
direction in a great number OF luTid jets
similar 10 those OF a large mass of pig -iror
At white heat under the trip-hammer, ex-
cept, instead of flying in sparks. they wer,
ia continuous streams All this was the
work OF only an instant Nearly the Who'll.
regiment was stunned aud blinded. Man,
lay shocked 70 irsensibiiity. A whole ii,
mule team, at the distance OF 20 yards, were
thrown down. just at this iuncture the die
charge OF the cloud seemed 10 strike in rapif
succession At other places In the brigade.
have since learned. killing and wonndinl
men and animals.
Now for description OF freaks. Thos,
little Jets running from the trunk of the col
umn of electric fluid. something like th'
roots and fine rootiets OF large tree. pene-
tratsd everything they came In contact with
more penetrating than bullet: and some o
them no larger than knitting needle. Ii
the- pometures they make no indie -tion lik,
a bullet but burn their way. Everything
they toucb-bankets clothing. hair, skin
paper, etc had tho appearance of vitro
sprinkled over them. The appearance II th'
vicinity generally was that of large quaint
" of vitrol having burst and sprinkled in flo,
gets around ! examined one soldiers KNAPP
sack and contents. Que Little Jet about tn
Size OF buck-shot had entered it, penetla
ted twenty six folds OF his blanket. penetre
ted through his pofttolio-thTough letters
envelopes, quires OF paper, dagueuootype
aud the brass clasp OF tie portfolio Sewers
men were burned, and the appearance OF th
skin is like that Of scslding water having ru
from toe head TO the heels, singing hair an
burning skin to a blister. and ia some instau
ces deep into the flesh Eight guns stand
ing by the tree were discharged without 10
J jury 20 the guns.
Corporal John Taylor. company 1. and pr
vate John Hensel of the same company sc
verely burned. Those near the tree receiv
ed currents of fluid which ran along the the
; bodies. Ihose at 4 distance bore the az
pearance.On their skins OF having stood
the s1atters and corruscations of molten iro
from a trip hammer. Three men OF the
! U s. battery we're killed. A white lot
mule team with driver and negro man on a.
opposito side OF the river were killed.
Examining the topography of the eountr,
| am Of the opinion thar the vast number
arms, muskets and sleel cannon, drew thol
i two clouds together over the spot. as il vi
. 10 higher than many other hills in the
Couree in the vicinity. The clouds passed
The whole route for milea, hut did not uni
I nor dschrge until arriving over the 10
\ corps. which was campsd close together.
1 Yours. VIM HEMSREET.
= Captain 18Th Missouri Infantry.