Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-10-29
A DREADFUL BOMB.
Tho Horrible Carnage Which 1t Produced
During the Civil War.


During the Civil War.
During our civil war many attempts
were made on both sides of the line to
invent n destructive and death-dealing
bomb of extraordinary power. Some
of the inventions were tolcrably success
full, but they did not come up TO tho
popular ideal. What was wanted was
machine that would exterminatc men
by regiments and at the same time
spread conilagraton that could not
be eXtinguished by ordinary means.
One of these bombs created quite n
sensation in its day, but the experiment
with it did not prove altogether salts
factory. 1t was invented by private
in the Georgia militia. His company
was stationed on the Chattahoochee to
intercept Shermans march to the sea.
To vary the monotony of camp life Lge
Peake sent to Atlanta and obtained a
lot of chemicals, with which he pro-
ceeded to manufacture an explosive OF
great power.
Captain lump Limberly took won.
derful interest in Lige's pet hobby, and
soon became firm believer in it. The
other officers in the company had their
doubts, but kept them TO themselves.
One day Lige tried an experiment with
his Greek fire. 1t was quite successful,
burning so fiercely that water seemed to
add to the flame instead of putting il
out. He explained that the mater ais
used were only part of those contained
in his proposed bomb. After the cXplo-
sion of his missile the Greek fire part OF
the business would put in its work.
AT last the day arrived when a public
test was to be made of the new weapon
of warfare. Captain lump Limberly
was the biggest and the happiest looking
man present. He had invited several
officers to be on hand, and altogether
there were about dozen spectators.
The place selected for the trial was a
deep hollow near the river bank. The
officers stood on the waters edge and
viewed Lige and his machine rather sus-
piciously. Ligc bore himself with the
dignity and solcmnty of man who was
about to be blown into fame or eternity,
he hardly knew which. He stood down
in the hollow by giant oak, one of the
monarchs of the forest. a hole had
been drilled through the base of the tree,
and in this had been inserted the iron
tube containing the mysterious explo-
sive. A long fuse was attached to The
tube, and Lige carried the loose end to-
ward the river, where the officers were.
II say, Lige," yelled Captain lump
Limberly.
"All right, Cap"
"But ii may not be all right. Arc
you certain about that blamed thingP"
"Oh, yes" replied Lige, sit will
work. 1t will tear that tree TO film
ders."
AT this some of the crowd became o
little nervous, and n majority asked:
"Are you sure there is no dangerP"
al don't think there is" said Lige.
when / touch off the fuse I'll join you
and we'll all squat down behind that
ridge until the explosion is over. 1t is
all right unless we have made n mis-
calculation. In that event it wouldn't
surprise me TO see hole blown clean
down to the bowels of the earth"
His hearers shuddcred, but it was
too late to get away, and they all drop
ped down on their knees on the river
side of the ridge. In moment Lige
was among them, looking very pale.
He exclaimed:
"Ive fired the fuse"
Whishty-whish-f whish---fzz!'
"Grcat powersr grunted Captain
lump Limberly, who was then lying
flat on his stomach.
Whishity-whish-z -zizz--whish-- --zig"
Great Goodness" calculated Cap
tain lump Limberly.
-whish-zizz-zip- whsh-
ity-r-r-r-r"
"Kerchug"
1t was Captain lump Limbcrly who
had plunged into the river, and was eX-
hibitng nothing above the water but
bald head and a pair of big eyes.
"Zipp-whish- -sizz!"
"KerchugH'
This time it was the Colonel of tho
regiment who had tumbled into the
water. Then there was succession of
precipitous kerchugs, and the entire
crowd including Private Peake, threw
themselves into the water.
-whish-whiz!'
For fully ten minutes this dismal and
alarming noise kept up and then all
was silence. Five minutes more passed
and Captain lump kimberley scram-
bled out of the water, swearing and
spluttering. He was quickly followed
| py tue otner olllcers, also swearing anu
splutter'ng.
~ say, Ligc Peake," roared tho
Captain, whats the matter with your
burned old machinePh
"Well, Cap, | busted this time" an
swered Lige, ~ didn't mix the ingre-
dents right"
A hoarse murmer of dissatisfaction
stirred the air.
"It's my opinion" said Captain lump
kimberley, THAT Lige Peake is an in-
fernal, good-for-nothing rascal"
There was general chorus of in
dorsement, and the drenched and dis
gruntled officers marched back to camp.
Lige begged for one more trial, but
they were all against him, and the poor
fellow was put to work digging trenches.
Atlanta Constitution.