From the Richmond Enquirer, 10/25/1862, p. 2, c. 6

ACCIDENT AT THE ARSENAL. – On Thursday, between 12 and 1 o'clock, a workman named Horner was employed at his bench in the Arsenal, when another, working at the next bench, was engaged on an old loaded musket. As the latter was taking out the breech-pin, the load exploded, and the bullet penetrated Horner's right hip and glanced down the leg, producing a severe but, fortunately, not a serious wound. Such accidents are of frequent occurrence here, and we are informed – that the workmen are astonishingly careless. The benches all over the establishment bear traces in the shape of bullet-holes of their style of extracting bullets from old muskets on the accidental principle.

Go to top