From the Richmond Dispatch, 8/4/1864, p.1, c 5

Severe Accident. – On Tuesday afternoon Mr. R. W. Smoot, an employee in the musket stocking department of the C. S. Armory, met with an accident which necessitated amputation of part of one of his legs. From a pile of old muskets which were lying on the floor of the room in which he was at work, he attempted to draw one of them out, when, it being loaded, the manner was cocked by some means, and afterwards thrown upon the cap, causing an explosion and sending its contents diagonally upwards from inside of the left ankle bone, and out about three inches above, on the opposite side of the leg. The bone was shattered in a shocking manner, and soon after Dr. James Bolton, who was called in to see the unfortunate man, amputated his left leg, about midway between the foot and the knee. Mr. Smoot is an old citizen of this place, and has a large family dependent him for a support.

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