Unexploded Ordnance

ANOTHER AWFUL WARNING-THREE MEN KILLED AND TWO WOUNDED BY THE EXPLOSION OF AN OLD TORPEDO.

-On yesterday-afternoon. a large torpedo having lodged on the John's Island beach, it was regarded as a valuable prize by the poverty-stricken inhabitants, and a great crowd gathered round,while six, all freedmen, engaged in the fool-hardy attempt to unload the destructive contrivance. They had been engaged in the hazardous enterprise about fifteen minutes, when suddenly there was a tremendous explosion, and the crowd of bystanders were covered with sand, and enveloped with a stifling smoke. As soon as the first shock of the explosion was over, and the smoke had cleared off, it was found that Pompey Legare, the principal workman, had been blown literally to atoms, his head, arms and legs being all severed from his body. Jack Hamilton and Robert Cunningham were killed and frightfully mangled, and William and Joe Rivers were severely wounded. The sixth man, as if by a miracle, escaped unhurt. That none of the surrounding crowd were killed or even injured is passing strange, and can only be accounted for on the supposition, that the force of the explosion was upward

Charleston Mercury, 21st.

 -Edgefield Advertiser(Edgefield, S.C.) May 29, 1867

An Early Mushroom Cloud . . . or Palmetto Cloud

The Charleston Courier of the morning of the 20th—its last (Confederate) issue—thus describes the horrors of the evacuation of the city:

The terrible scenes through which this; immunity has passed since our last issue can only be conceived by those who witnessed the dreadful reality.—The saddest part of all is the loss of life which occurred between eight and nine o'clock Saturday morning from an accidental explosion of powder and the blowing up of the Northeastern rail road depot. About one hundred and fifty persons —including men, women and children —were either instantly killed or perished in the flames, and about two hundred wounded, of the immense destruction of property no estimate can be formed, but it will amount several millions.

Early Saturday morning, before the retirement of General Hardee's troops, every building, warehouse or shed, stored with cotton, was fired by a guard detailed for the purpose. The engines were brought out; but with the small force at the disposal of the Fire Department very little else could be done than to keep the surrounding buildings from igniting. On the western side of the city the conflagration raged with great fury. On the wharf of the Savannah railroad depot several hundred bales of cotton were awaiting shipment on the blockade-runners; also, several thousand bushels of rough rice. On Lucas street, leading to the depot, was a shed containing twelve hundred bales of cotton, which, together with several other sheds and buildings filled with cotton, belonging to private parties, fell a prey to the flames. Lucas's mill, containing some thirty thousand bushels of rice, and Mr. It. T. Walker's warehouse, at the foot of Broad street, tilled with commissary stores, were also destroyed.

Shortly after eight o'clock occurred the terrible explosion at the Northeastern railroad. The explosion tremendous, and shook the whole city. It appears, from all accounts, that this dreadful catastrophe was caused from the careless handling of powder by some boys, taking handfulls and throwing it into the cotton fire at the depot. In doing this they unwittingly laid a train to theI aliment in which it was stored. The spectacle which followed was horrible. —an instant the whole building was enveloped in smoke and flames. The cries the wounded, the inability of the spectators to render assistance to those selling and perishing in the fire, an incredible a scene of indescribable terror. The flames spread with great rapid communicating to the adjoining buildings, including the fine large residence of Dr. Seaman Deas, on the northeast corner of Chapel and Alexander streets, all of which were destroyed. The buildings on the opposite side of the street were soon enveloped in flames, and the fire now became unmanageable. All the buildings embraced in the area of four squares on Chapel, Alexander, Washington and Charlotte streets to Calhoun street, with few exceptions, were destroyed. About 10 o'clock, fire broke out in the large four-story brick building of Madame bultee, at the northeast corner of East Ray and Laurens street. This, with the adjoining building on the northeast corner of Minority street, were all burned. Another fire broke out about 11 o'clock in a range of buildings on the west side of Meeting street, next to the courthouse. Five buildings were burned ; the walls only were left standing.—The alarm of fire Saturday night, In Ward four, was caused by the burning of the inside of a millinery establishment on King street.

In addition to the above fires, the new bridge from the city to James island was set on fire, and was still burning on Sun day night

The burning and blowing up of the ironclads Palmetto State, Chicora and Charleston was a magnificent spectacle. The Palmetto State was the first to explode, and was followed by the Chicora about 9 o'clock, and the Charleston about 11 A. M. The latter, it is stated, had twenty tons of gunpowder on board. —Pieces of the iron plates, red hot, fell on the wharves and set them on fire. By the active exertions of Superintendent Thomas Turner, the gas works were saved. The explosions were terrific—Tremendous clouds of smoke went up, forming beautiful wreaths. A full Palmetto tree, with its leaves and stems, was noticed by many observers. As the last wreath of smoke disappeared, the full form of the rattlesnake in the centre was remarked by many as it gradually flew away.

-The Daily Dispatch. (Richmond, Va.) March 03, 1865

Christmas Shelling- Update

. . . an update to the post, Christmas Shelling.

The siege of Charleston.

--The Charleston Courier, of Thursday last, has the following:

One of the Yankee gunboats in Stono shelled John's Island for a short time on Tuesday. They succeeded in carrying off the two howitzers left behind by our troops last Friday, and incorrectly reported by passengers as having been recovered. One of the Timbers was left behind.

The enemy are again busy at Gregg. On Wednesday morning the embrasure for the 10-inch Columbiad bearing on Fort Sumter was reopened. It is believed that the old fort will soon be treated to another storm of shells.

Since Tuesday afternoon the enemy, with two barges, have been dragging the channel off Morris's Island, opposite Battery Wagner, with the supposed object of raising the sunken Weehawken. --Miss Plane, the lady reported as injured from a shell on Christmas morning, died on Wednesday from the effects of the injuries received.

-The Daily Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) January 4, 1864.



So, Miss Plane didn't make it.

Christmas Shelling

THE SIEGE- ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SECOND DAY.

The Christmas of 1863 will long be remembered by those who passed the day in the City of Charleston. for hours before the eastern sky was streaked with the first grey tints of morning, the cold night air was rent by other sounds than the joyous peals from the belfry and the exploding crackers of exhilirated boys.

At one o'clock, a.m., the enmey opened fire upon the city. Fast and furiously were the shells rained upon the city from five guns- three at Battery Gregg, one at Cummings' Point and one at the Mortar Battery. The shelling was more severe than upon any former occsion, the enemy generally throwing from three to five shells almost simulaneously. Our batteries promptly and vigoursly replied to the fire, but wtihout their usual effect in checking the bombardment, which was steadily maintained by the Yankees during the remainder of the night and all the following morning, until about half-past twelve o'clock. Up to that hour no less than 134 shells had been hurled against the city.- There was no more firing until about five o'clock in the afternoon, when one more shell was fired. On Sunday morning about three o'cock, four shells were thrown in quick succession. There had been no further firing up to a late hour last night.

The damage, we are glad to say bore no proportion to the severity of the bombardment. Several houses were struck, but in most instances the tremendous missles buried thmselves harmlessly in the earth. There were but tweo casualties: Mr. WM. MCKNIGHTON, aged 83, while sitting by his fireside, had his right leg taken off by a shell, another fragment of which crashed the foot of his sister-in-law, MISS PLANE. Up to last evening both sufferers were doing well.

At Fort Sumter all has been quiet since our last report. An old shell exploded on Christmas day, wounded Privates THEODORE ICAULT and JOSEPH LEE, of company K, 1st S.C.A.

Our batteries kept up a steady fire Sunday afternoon on a Yankee working party at the extremity of Cummings' Point. The enemy have closed the embrasure at Gregg, formerly occupied by our 10-inch Columbiad. They have now at Gregg, but one gun (a heavy Parrott) bearing upon Fort Sumter, but they have constructed the embrasure of this piece with a view to giving it a very wide field of fire. On Saturday evening our lookouts noticed that at the signal of a steam whistle a large Yankee flag was run up at their middle battery. In their first attempt to hoist it the "old flag" went up union down, a mshap which evidently caused much confusion amongst the crowd present.

On Friday morning, about daylight, in the midst of the shelling, our citizens were startled by the report of heavy and rapid artillery firing in the direction of Stono. Many conjectures were made and varoious rumors circulated. The facts, however as we have learned them, are as follows: An artillery and infantry force was ordered up thrusday evening to proceed to John's Island for the prupose of reconnoitering the enmey's position at Legarville, and, if possible, to drive away or sink the gunboats genrally lying in Stono near that place, and also, if deemed feasible, to capture the garrison and post at Leagrville.

Accordingly, every preparation for the expedition having been made, the batteries were got in readiness and everything in position by daylight Friday morning. At the hour fixed, our batteries opened with spirit upon the Yankee gunboat Marblehead, lying about three hundred yards from the wharf of the village landing. the Yankee garrison at Lagare's was found to be strongly posted on a little island, with narrow defile leading to the village; Col. PAGE, of the Virginia brigade, resolved to make an attack on the enemy's position with the field artillery and the infantry, and awaited the driving away or sinking of the Marblehead by our siege guns from the wharf. The gunboat received our fire in silence for about twenty minutes, and then opened with full braodsides. Our batteries continued the engagement about an hour, but failed to drive her away.

The Pawnee and a mortar boat , during the action, ran up the Kiawah River, opening a heavy fire on the flank and rear of our lower batteries, and compelled our troops to fall back a short distance. The loss on our side was Private W. H. ANCRUM, of the Palmetto Guard, killed on the field, and five others severly wounded, two of them mortally, and since dead. The last words of the gallant young Ancrum were an exhortation to his comrades to press on and save their pieces, regardless of himself. Eight artillery horses and one ambulance mule were killed. No casaulties occured among the infantry.

In consequence of the loss of our horses, two howitzers were left behind, which were afterwards brought in, at a later hour in the evening. The expedition was well planned, but partly miscarried from unavoidable contingencies. Our troops, however, have been stimulated by the trial, and will yet show what they are able to accomplish whenever they are called upon for action.

-The Charleston Mercury (Charleston, S.C.) Dec 28, 1863