New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-21
TWO CANNONEERS HURT.
AN ACCIDENT MARS THE GOVERNORS VISIT
TO CAMP.
A GUN OF THE SECOND BATTERY ExPLoDEs PRE-
MATURELY WHILE A SALUTE Is BEING
FTRED-GovERNoR HILL TAKES

this afternoon and one OF the results is that two
members of the I'd Battery were badly injured
by premature explosion of one of the guns while
the salute was being fred. Robert Reid was
badly burned and cut about the face, chest and
arms and George Rynne had his left arm badly
cut and burned by the blowing out of the fire
from the vent hole The accident occurred on No,
gun, after the twelfth round had been fired.
The camp was exceedingly quiet place at about
5:1s O'Clock, when telegram came from Peckskill
saying that the Governor would be here in half
hour. This message was just what every one was
least expecting. General Porter was just taking off
his uniform and putting on his civilians clothes
preparatory to trip to NewYork. Colonel Phisterer
and Captain Holmes had the non-commissoned
officers cut on the parade ground instructing them
in tho duties Of guides. Over in Colonel Scott's
tent the officers were all at school, and the men
about camp were taking it easy in emphatically
undress uniforms When the news was passed
around there was hubbub Immediately Order
lies were sent out at double quick with commands
f. the different officers. But it took some time to
do even this, and meantime the supper call had
sounded and the men had marched into the mess
hall They had just taken their first swallows
of mush and milk when the order came for them
TO get back TO their quarters and get their uniforms
on at doube-quick. Out they all came again just
as the assembly sounded Every one hurried, but
they went ut it in an orderly manner The battery
men ran the second 12-pounder, which was near
their quarters, out on the parade ground and put
both of the brass Napoleons in position for firing
the salute
In the meantime the members Of the two regi-
ments had been getting their dress uniforms
and the companies had already begun to appear
at the heads of their respective streets. 1t was
splendid exhibition of quick work In exactly
twenty-five minutes from the time General Porter
first received the telegram, the men were all In
line and ready to receive the Commander-in-Chief.
CAPTAIN Judson, the assistant inspector OF guard
DUTY stationed himself on the bluff at the top OF
the hill where 7I1e road leads into the camp.
Inst as the carriage containing the Governor,
General Earle and General James W. Hustled
enneored at the brow Of the bill Captain JudsOn
waved his handkerchief to the batteTymen Sta
TONED on the other bluff 500 yards away, and
Boom!n went the first gun of the salute The
guard had been turned out, and were the nrst
70 present arms as the Governors carriage camo
along The call "Turn out tie guard, the Com
mandcr-in-C Chiefln is one which q sentry on post
No. ! only has q chance to utter about once ID q
lifetime. and the sentry on that post called out
lustily lust as the Governors carriage approached
The 74th Regiment was stationed next To tho
enard-house and just as it saluted General Forler
came riding down from his quarters, ana passing
between the two regiments he hlted ms hat 10
his chief Governor Hill returned the salutatlon
and the carriage drove on past the Sth Regiment
while the band played " Hail to the Cbief'' AS
the Governor passed the sth Regiment "ehcrol
Porter and his orderly, Allen, went TO the rear
Of the regiment. and started on short cut to
Governor
party there.
The air was exceedingly worm and humid at
this time. and the smoke from the burning powder
in tbc > pounders hung like pail over the
battcfvmen. so they could not be seen by tine
spectators just as the Governors party arrlNeu
opnosite the battery there was one report coming
- iittlc ouiclzcr than it should have come in It's
regular order.
Ambulance corps! Ambulance corps! came
tbe shout from the midst OF the smoke.
The call was quickly passed down to where
tbe two regiments were standing at attention, ana
. score of men from the Red-Cross brigade
dropped ont of the ranks and started on run
towards the battery, which stationed 200
Yards away. The smoke cleared up just little
tbon and one man with blackened and bleeding
I face WAS seen to be lying on the ground fe"
feet in front and TO one side OF The gun, ana
another had blackened and bleeding arm.
Then the splendid training of the ?d Battery
mon came into play The men on gun NO.
picked up their companion, but those on NO.
never faltcred.
Boom boom, boom!' went the single gun oil
regular intervals, until the remaining seven shots
| were fired Long before the last one had ceased
70 reverberatc among the mountains. the amou-
lance corps men had the Injured man on a COT
| he'd and carried him quickly to the hoSpital-tent
TI,ere were surgeons in plenty, and Reid received
| tbe best care that could be bestowed upon any
| one. >,
Inst how the accident happened will not be
| known until Reid gets in a condition that he cai
tell of it, No. man had put the charge oi
| ,o,ydor in tbe gun and Reid had inserted the
! ramnlcr 10 ram it home. According TO the storS
| Of No . man. Reid had hold Of the rammer WIN
! ore hand as he had been Instructed, ana stoou
| we'll back from the gun, a circumstance 10 Wiio'
he probably owes his life. Rynnc had MS hnsei
| on the thumb-stall over the vent ana nc WIS
knocked down as the gun exploded ana tlie Priiiel
aeSg ont cutting and burning ms hand oauIS
| The other men at the gun were somewhat s'"'ii,o u
| by the report Of the gun, ana wheh 'Ie- S"o''
| cleared away they saw Reid lying on thc Rrouh"
| lie was not knocked uncon6couh Dy the olo"' Du'
| cot TO his feet. lie w0ulu nave I'"
however if his companions had not causnV ni'"
Rynnc said afterward that the gun was i'oO "i''i
the accident occurred. No water had peeh uSe0
90 spongc the guns, and thc sponees were ehurelS
drv. The thumb-stall with which lynne wa
stopping the vent was found after the acc,''n
fully twenty feet away from the gun, purheu "n'
blown ont of shape. This fact was pretty eooo
evidence that Rynne had the thumD-S'ali Oh vn'
vent properly The rammer, or pieces oil IT, spun
| tered into matchwood, was iouhu ulS,i i'"'oO
over a space OF 200 yards in front OIL Sno gun
The theory Of the cause Of the accident Is '@' Son'
If thc fire in the gun from the former shot was
NOT mt ont by the sponge, which was somewhat
worn and dry. so that before the powder Ia,
reached the breech of the gan sfaIA 'uih''
through the cartridge and set it on fire.
| As soon as General Porter saw that the h'J"ieV
man was carried 10 the hospital tent, he hlrrleu
| Immediately out 10 the field ana su'hhoneu a.,
nj