Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1910 — ELEVEN KILLED IN WAR GAME BLAST [ARTICLE]

ELEVEN KILLED IN WAR GAME BLAST

Artillary Was in Practice Shelling a Dray invading Fleet. A V v,/ ./ . A breech block of a 12-inch gun of a battery at Furi Monroe, Va., blew out during batttb target practice, killing three non-commissioned officers and eight privates of the Sixty-Ninth company of the coast artillery. One other enlisted men received injuries vv hich probably will be fatal and several others were Slightly injured. The accident 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, officially reported the accident to the war department. The accident, he said, was probably due to the premature ignition of the powder charge before the breech block was securely locked In its place. , Here are the names of nine of the dead as reported to the war department: HARRY C. HESS, sergeant, Charleston, W. Va. CHARLES O. ADKINS, corporal, Cincinnati, 0. ALBERT BRADFORD, corporal, Dorothy, \Y. Va. ROY DUFFY, private, Naugatuck, W. Va. JOHN \V. CHADWICK, private, Tazewell. Tenn. OLIVE W. KING, private, Dayton, Ohio. ALFRED W. SMITH, private, New York city. ANDY .1. SULLIVAN, private, Perkins, Ky. JAMES 11. TURNER, private, Ripley, Tenn. ARLIE ADEY, private, Brandonvllle, 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.j Private Ellsworth W. Hoffman, Pittsburg, Pa,; Private Charles F. Parka, Menominee, Mich.; Private William C. Sulzberger, Fort Monroe.

Battery Deßussey is located about the middle of Fort Monroe. It contains three 12-inch disappearing guns which command the channel to Hampton Roads. A large party of high ranking officer* of the army went to Fort Monroe from Washington to witness the annual battle practice which was held as a part of the commence ment exercises of the officers’ school at thd fort. It 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 entering Chesapeake bay. It was during this practice that the accident occurred. The first report received by Acting Secretary of War Oliver was from Maj. Gen. William H. Carter, assistant chief of staff, who was a member or the party that had gone from Washington to witness the firing. Here la the message: , “Regret to report accident at commencement of student officers battle practice to a 12-inch gun from probable 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 incident, he added, was probably due to the premature Ignition of the powder charge before the breech block was securely locked. After placing in the gun a projectile weighing 1,048 pounds and a powder charge of 270 pounds the breech block is closed and locked before the gun is fired. In the present instance, so ordnance experts here think, a spark from the previous charge must have ignited tha powder before the gun crew could lot* the breech black. In battle practice such as was being held, thj gunners fire as rapidly as possible. This, it is said here, resulted in the introduction of the charge into the breech before-' sparks of the previous firing had been extinguished. The gun was a model of 1895 and had seen considerable service. It was regarded as amply strong and perfectly safe.