The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-07-29
1922 ts
ELEVEN KILLED IN
WAR GAME BLAST
ArtiIayy Was in Practice Smelling
. Dummy Invading Fleet.

A breecfl block of a 12-inch gun Of a
battery at Fort Monroe, Va, blew out
during battle target practice, killing
three non-commiss stoned officers and
eight privates of the Sixty-Ninth COM
pany of the coast artillery. One other
enlisted men received injuries which
probably will be fatal and several
others were slightly injured. The ac-
cident was the worst in the history of
the coast artillery corps. Second
Lieut.. George L. Van Dusen of the
Sixty-Ninth company, was the only
commissioned officer injured. His leg
was broken.
Lieut.. Col. Clarence P. Townsley,
commanding officer of Fort Monroe, Of
ficially reported the accident to the
war department. The accident, he
said, was probably due to the prema-
ture ignition of the powder charge be-
fore the breech block was securely
locked in it's place.
Here are the names of nine of the
dead as reported to the war depart
ment:
HARRY C. HESS, sergeant, Charles
ton, w. Va.
CHARLES O. ADKINS, corporal,
Cincinnati, O.
ALBERT BRADFORD, corporal,
Dorothy, w. Va.
ROY DUFFY, private, Naugatuck,
w. Va
JOHN w. CHADWICK, private,
Tazewell, Tenn.
OLIVE w. KING, private, Dayton,
Ohio.
ALFRED w. SMITH, private, New
York city.
ANDY J. SULLIVAN, private, Per
kins, KY
JAMES H. TURNER, private, Rip
ley, Tenn.
ARLIE ADEY. private, Brandonville,
w. Va.
The man probably fatally injured
was Private Judd F. Hogan, Geyer, O.
The following were slightly injured:
Private Orville T. Rainey, Findlay, o.;
Private Ellsworth w. Hoffman, Pitts
burg, Pa; Private Charles F. Parks,
Menominee, Mich. Private William c.
Sulzberger, Fort Monroe.
Battery DeRussey is located about
the middle of Fort Monroe. 1t con
tains three 12-inch disappearing guns
which command the channel to Hamp-
ton Roads. A large party of high
ranking officers of the army went to
Fort Monroe from Washington to wit
ness the annual battle practice which
was held as part of the commence
ment exercises of the officers school
at the fort. 1t was to simulate actual
battle conditions as far as possible by
firing all the big guns of the fort at
an imaginary enemy, represented by
a moving target, supposed to be enter
ing Chesapeake bay 1t was during
this practice that the accident Oc
Cured.
The first report received by Acting
Secretary of War Oliver was from
Mai. Gen. William H. Carter, assistant
chief of staff, who was member oil
the party that had gone from Wash
ington to witness the firing. Here is
the message:
Regret to report accident at com
mencement of student officers battle
practice to a 12-inch gun from prob
able premature explosion resulting in
death of eight men; two others fatally
injured. Lieut.. Van Dusen had his leg
broken and three additional men
slightly injured. Investigation being
made and report will be submitted
through regular channels
Lieut.. Col Townsley later sent a
more complete report giving the
names Of the dead and injured. The
accident, he added, was probably due
to the premature ignition of the pow
| der charge before the breech block
was securely locked After placing in
the gun a projectile weighing LOAF
pounds and a powder charge of 27(
pounds the breech block is closed anG
locked before the gun is fired. II
the present instance, SO ordnance ex
perts here think, spark from the
previous charge must have ignited the
powder before the gun crew could lock
the breech black. In battle practice
such as was being held, the gunners
fire as rapidly as possible. This, it ii
said here, resulted in the introduction
of the charge into the breech before
sparks of the previous firing had beer
extinguished. The gun was mode
of 1895 and had seen considerable
service. It was regarded as amply
strong and perfectly safe.