Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-01-08
A NARROW ESCAPE.
The Appalling Situation of "a Careless ArtiI-
Ieryfnan.

In the winter of 1862, the 9th Massa-
chusetts battery Captain John Bigelow,
was stationed at Fort Ramsay, on Up
toms Hill, Va. This was one of the
chain of forts in the outer defense Of
Washington, and sketch made at the
time shows it to have been a well built,
circular earthworll $50 feet in diameter,
with embrasures for eleven guns. Part
of these were empty The others were
occupied by the bras 'Napoleons' of
our battery.
Besides these. there were within its
walls the tents of our Captain, and first
officers, with guard tents. etc In adj
dition TO these was the structure COIN
mon to all large forts, the powder mag
azine, in this case of special Importance
10 my story Like most magazines, it
was a deeply sunlen cellar near the
center of the fort, well drained, and
lined with plank walls. Its roof was Of
heavy, squared oak logs. these covered
with a mound of solid earth many feet
thick, and rising high above the walls of
the fort The entrance TO the magazine
was through two doors-the outer one
heavy, the inner Of lighter material, but
shutting very tightly. Leading down
TO these from the terre plain or floor of
the fort was cut passageway, not in
straight line, but zigzag making what
is known as blind alley. The form
will easily be seen to give the greatest
safety against fires or an attack by shot
or shell
THE ~, ray;,,o c,r+a;raJ - tba t;,,,a
between seven and eight tons of ammu-
milton To the description it may be
added that it was built on the lawn in
front of Mr.. Uptons plantation resi-
dence. which at the time was the head
quarters Of General William Quincy of
the Pennsylvania reserves, whose camp
partly surrounded the fort. Our own
camp lay in front Of the gate, with our
pack of wagons and stables, containing
over one hundred and fifty horses.
We had been firing little by way of
practice the day before, and this morn
ing the chests Of our guns needed refill
ing. | was in charge of the ammuni-
tion of one piece, and armed with list
of what was needed. sought the pres
enee of the ordnance sergeant, who
held the keys to the magazine. This
officer had been unusually busy that
morning and was now taking a late
breakfast with the quartermaster.
Like most hungry men, he was not
overpleased to be disturbed, but my err
rand admitted of no delay, so he rose,
and, taking his keys and an open can
die stick, led the way to the door of the
magazine. The regulations of his office
required him to change his heavy rid
ing-boots for slippers and also place
the candle in lantern, but, without
doing either, he lighted the candle,
threw open the inner door and bidding
me follow, this also against the rules
strobe into the death stored vault with
no more precaution than farmer would
use in going into his root cellar.
went with him, amazed slightly, but
without demur.
My requisition called for number of
cartridges, and when ! obtained the
supply my arms were filled with about
fifty pounds Of powder and iron. the
mass well wrapped mp in the long, fbrous
pacllingtow used in transportation.
a
box of ammunition. where it had rested
during our stay, the sergeant hastily,
and, fear unduly moved by thoughts
of breakfast. started before me TO the
magazine door. As he opened this
draught of air caught the fame of the
candle, and, though | was fully two
yards behind him. it streamed back.
and some of the flying 6laments of flax
fell in its blaze.
In an instant the whole mass in my
arms was in flames, and the sudden and
awful glare lit up the dark vault as
though lightning had pierced the roof
With his hand on the door, the sergeant
turned his head; but all he could see
was mass of swirling fire. With cry
of horror he flung open the door and
was out of sight. | was left to my
own resources, with little time to utilize
them. My first impulse was to throw
the blazing mass on the floor But my
second thought decided against it. The
whole floor was sire wn.with intlammable
flax and paper cartridges, while around
the stacks of ammunition boxes the
ground was black with powder. My
fiery burden would no sooner touch the
floor than its flames would flash to every
corner of the magazine, in it would
not do Uncle sam its proper service.
On the other hand could but get my
flaming burden beyond the inner door
it might explode comparatively harm
less in the blind alley, and the service
would lose only few pounds of pow
der and reckless artilleryman.
With this decisio@ made, the distance
TO the inner door was soon passed; and
sprung up the steps and through it,
kicking it shut as l went; then, with
all the vigor of my arms threw the
blazing mass far up the dark alley. ex-
pecting nothing but that the shock
would explode the whole To my sur
prise no explosion followed. and feel
ing that chance might even be left foI
me, sprung over the smoking hear
with a bound that would have done