The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-09

Il Proceeding to the landing place with
his machine in a box. Maxwell learned
that the captain OF the barge next .ths
wharf had gone ashore. A sentry was
posted at the edge Of the wharf. and 10
him. on being halted. Maxwell represented
that he had been sent by the captain OF
! the barge to put the box on board. He
then. with perfect assurance. hailed a
laborer on the barge and requested him
10 take the box. The man did so and
carried it aboard the barge.
. The box contained twelve pounds Of
powder and mechanism for exploding il
in an hour
HaVing planted his mine Maxwell left
/ the vicinity OF the wharf without exciting
suspicion by his movements and retoined
ms companion. The two men waited for
the explosion. which occurred at the mo-
ment Tor which it was timed
The roar and shock was so great that
I the spy's guide was rendered deaf by II
At the time the report was made he bad
( not regained his hearing.
Lingering near the scene long enough
10 CLEAN some details Of the damage done
the two plotte-s escaped through the lines
and proceeded down the James on tbair
original errand.
nnrs of Human Fragments.
Men who witnessed the explosion fror,
the neighboThOod Of the wharf retained
a common impression Of il that tbera
was tremendous roar. tina, the skv
was darkened with debris. and the air
filled with deadly missiles
The two ammunition barEes seemed
10 explode at the same moment. and
they and the third were broken INTO
innumerable pieces. BY a phenome-
non hat mystIfsd every one as to the
initial cause Of the explosion. the deb
us nearly all rose clear Of the water
some parts Of the barges were thrown
TO a great height. and a part of the keel
OF 'one was picked up more than
quarter of a mile inland
one witness Of the explosion was a
correspondent Of a New York nevspa-
per. VITO had just boarded the rrsigh.
train. 10 20 to the front 4 quad nd
warned him not TO get into a certain
car. as II was 3" he sealed. and he had
gone to the reay Of the train and
climbed TO the top Of a car
The explosion knocked him down and
,tInned him On resaining his senses
he found the car he had wished 10
enter blown TO fragments and buried
in debris. Tn" wharf presented a r.
markable aSper:. About a third ~ 80
disappeared. with CORRESPONDING
length Of the shed The smaller h:gt-
inss were shattered. Timber spr,--
"rs great and small. and broken small
arms. fragments Of shells. solid >Ho-.
bullets. grape. canister. bolts nails and
scrap IRON lay in heaps and windrovs
The slightest inspection showed the
terrific force OF the explosion ! SOL
der who had stood guard on The am
munitlon barge was blown To pieces. his
torso being found quarter Of a milo
from the rest OF his body
\ bor at the Guartermasters' head
quarters los all hi clothes blown s.or1
his body. and strangely was not NUT
Hands. feet and soaps Of negroes. vho
had heen employed on the har=es v0re
mingled with the debris horrible
bloody object that looked - he the o.
trails Of an animal proved to he he
nanEled tr,.1k Of . man Twenty bass
II human fragments were picked VI ~
parties,
The dead included twelve soldiers.
three white civilians and twentv-eIEr-
'olored laborers. The wounded included
three officers. four enlisted men, fifteen
white civilians and eiEhty-six colo-ed
ahorers, al Of whom had been on dl!rv
AZ the wharf. and eighteen other per-
sons
The explosion led Grants staff - de-
wise A system for securing greater Sc
,uri;y 10 his person. by establishing a
watch, N addition 70 the usual guards
At headquarters. with one stan c4cs-
llway~ on duty in the vicinity @: the
-eHerals tent.
fCoTy1Eht. lg4l
Tomorrow: In the Peter,burr
Trenches.