Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-07-22
CONTINUED from first Page)

NnlNNEn nc
block. The block was blown com
pletelv on and the hundreds of pieces
OF smokeless power. each piece meas
uring two and one-half inches In
length and three quarters OF an ihch
in diameter. which were contained in
the sacks in the breech OF the gun.
belched forth upon the ar'illerymen
with tn force Of rife bullets and
they left death and destruction in
their wake.
Hurled Out Into Creek.
Corporal Bradford. Private Duffey
and another private were hurled out
across the waters OF Mill creek. which
was hes the shore only short dis
lance behind the battery. Private
Duffey evidently was hit by the NY
ing breech block for his body was
cut completely in two. The bodies
were afterwards recovered from the
water Five other men. including
Sergeant Hess. were killed outright,
their bodies being horribly mutilated
by the flying chunks of smokeless
powder Two other men died On the
way TO the hospital and another, Pri-
vate Hogan. died at 4 o'clock tpis at
ternoon His arm was blown away
and his body was pierced by the
pieces of powder.
Captain James l.. Prentice. who was
in charge of the battery. and Lieu
tenat George p. Halves. Jr. who was
Ey hn o.,n trNnn
the explosion occurred. Lieutenant
HAYES was thrown down by the force
of the explosion and momentdrily
stunned, but otherwise was uninjured.
Hero;sm of OFFICERS.
Foreseeing a further sacrifice of
life if the other charges caught from
the smoldering sparks. the two OFF,
GERS sent out a call for surgeons and
then attacked the flames with their
bare hands. Captain Prentice reached
the emplacement first and. then look
ing into the extent of the damage, he
dove through the smoke and sparks
and carried ont bag of powder He
was then Joined by Lieutenant Halves
and the two prevented a further ex-
plosion.
During this time, Lieutenant Van
Dussen lay crumpled beneath the gun,
his leg broken in two places. He was
suffering agony. but when his brother
officers sought to remove him ne
would not permit them TO touch him.
"See TO the Men First"
See to the men first" he ordered.
and. propped against the gun carriage,
he aided in directing the work Of the
rescue party and the surgeons, who
had arrived in the meantime.
Corporal Humphreys and Sergeant
Brinkley a gun pointer. also distin-
guished themselves The formers
head and arms and body were cut by
p.eces Of flying concrete that had been
thrown from the emplacement when
the explosion came. In spite of his
painful wounds. he rushed TO his dead
and wounded companions, extinguisn-
ed their burning clothing and then
hurried 10 a nearby encampment for
water
Sergeant Brinkley was close to the
breech block when it blew out He was
hurled over the sight standard and
when he regained Consciousness found
himself hanging by one arm from
the railing of the sighting platform.
Although severely bruised, Brinkley
refused TO go to the hospital or to-
permit the surgeons to examine him
until after he had assisted in the work
OF the rescue.
Comrandsnt Saw Flying Body.
Col. Townsley. who was directing
the battle practice from the headquar-
tiers platform of the battery command
with General William ". carter, act
ing chief of stan of the army, and
other generals from Washington, need
ed no notice that the explosion had
occurred. He happened to be look
ing toward Mill creek when the acct
dent came and saw an object hurled
out across the waters of the creek
Though too far away 10 see Just what
had happened, he knew that there
must have been an accident and ne
gave the order TO cease firing. Hastily
leaving the platform, he ran up the
beach TO the scene and aided the Of
ficerS in the rescue work. The scene
which met his gaze was a horrible
oneesnd one that Col. Townsley viii
never forget. The ruiilateG bodies
OF the dead. some with arms and legs
blown Of. Law about the emPlacement
and other wounded were crying hi
agony.
Colonel Townsley. who is ore Of
the most popular officers ever station
ed az Fortress Monroe. Won the hearts
Of al by the manner in which he mad
the wounded removed TO the hospitals
and the dead cared for. He was great
" affected by the tragedy and render
ID All the assistance DoSeibie 70 the