Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-28
NSDRAW LIGHTNING.
Soldiers Court Death in Thun-
- der Storms.
MANY HAVE so BEEN KILLED
Bayonets Make Every Man Walk
ing Lightning Rod.
GEN. LEARY GIVES OPINION
Tells Of Havoc Wrought by Elec-
tricity, Which he Has Wit
/. messed During His Service.
GEN. LEARY GIVES OPINION

When g. soldier steps out on the pa
rade grounds during a thunder storm.
with his musket thrown proudly over his
shoulder. ready for the afternoon drill in
times Of peace, although he may not know
it. he is in just as grave danger Of being
killed as though he faced the death
dealing bullets of some enemy.
The great risk that the members Of the
National Guard or the sturdy fellows in
the United States Army. for that matter.
run in being struck down in a storm by
the uncurbed lightning attracted by the
steel in their guns was brought, closer
home to army officers by the terrible car
mage wrought by the storm in the mill
tary camp at Gettysburg, Pa, a few
days ago.
The susceptibility of camps and SOL
diers to the ill-effects of storms fury
has been the subject Of discussion among
eminent authorities on electricity since
the death of the young men Of the Penn
sylvania militia.
Prof. Edwin ]. Houston of Philadelphia.
who has an enviable reputation as an
electrical expert, says that he knows OF
nothing more dangerous than for SOL
der to attempt to handle gun or to at
tempt any maneuvers whatsoever In the
midst Of a storm. The views Of the Qua
ker city expert are thoroughly concurred
in by Brig. Gen. Peter Leary, U.S.A., re-
tired, who has seen many years Of serv-
ice in the army and knows whereof he
speaks.
Men in Constant Danger.
Taking the havoc wrought by the storm
at Gettysburg as a basis for his remarks.
Dr. Houston declared that the great
amount of steel in the arms that natu-
rally play part in warfare would. in
a large degree, act as an attraction for
the lightning with which the heavy air
was charged, and that as a result SOL
diers, either in camp or on the parade
grounds, are in constant danger Of being
killed.
Any soldier, he asserted further, who
attempts to carry a gun with the bay
onet attachment Is merely q walking
lightning rod Of the most dangerous type.
The upper part of the gun, he explained.
will in many instances receive a charge
which invites a discharge from the cloud.
which has not been provided with any
means whatever Of passing on down
toward the ground. And this. the eminent
expert says, will invariably result In the
soldiers death.
Gen. Leary says that the explanation
given by Prof. Houston was perfectly
plausible: in fact. he said. he himself had
often realised the danger that soldiers
who move about either before or during
a thunderstorm are encountering at every
step.
There may not be SO much danger"
said Gen. Leary. las long as the men are
confined to their tents, as the steel In
the guns and leggins that the men wear
Is hardly strong enough to attract the
lightning: but the danger is great the
minute the soldier steps out OF his tent
in a storm. II he has bis leggins on and
carries a gun with a bayonet on 1t
should say that a man in such posi-
ton was certainly counting death. Dur
ing a storm the air is surcharged with
electricity; it has accumulated In the at
gnosphere and plays around anything
that gives 1t half chance. Nothing
could be more inviting than the steel in a
gun or that Of bayonet.
Saw Havoc Wrought.
my service in the army" continued the
general. II have been an eyewitness to
the havoc wrought by electrical storms
SO far as human life was concerned.
Down at Tampa two Of my men were
killed instantly by lightning while
thunderstorm was raging. Then, again.
while was stationed at Fort Hancock
one of my men was killed by lightning.
The unfortunate fellow was not carrying
a gum but had an ak thrown across his
shoulder, and the steel in his az invited
a discharge.
1.-The safest place for soldier is in
his tent, as hardly think there is enough
steel in the arms used by the men to
have much effect on lightning, under
cover But out in the open air is another
more grave and death is liable to be in
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