Wake County, NC - Archives File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Guy Potts THE STATE JOURNAL DAILY EDITION Vol III WEDNESDAY, October 29, 1862 FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT on the RALEIGH AND GASTON RAILROAD FOUR KILLED AND SIXTEEN WOUNDED List of Killed and Wounded A most frightful and fatal accident occurred on the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad yesterday (Tuesday) morning, resulting in the instantaneous death of three persons and wounding some fifteen others, three of them it is feared, fatally, and in the destruction of two engines and several cars. From what we can learn, it appears that after the morning mail train had left, an engine and two gravel cars started out from Raleigh. On reaching Huntsville, the engineer resolved to run through Forestville intending to make that point at which to pass the accommodation train coming South, and dashed on at a rapid pace. On nearing its destined point, and while dashing round a short curve, it came upon the accommodation train, running at a speed of about twenty miles an hour and down grade. The collision was frightful. The force was such that we are informed, the engine of the gravel train was forced over the engine and tender of the accommodation train, and into the first car of that train, dashing the passengers violently to the back of the car and through its shattered sides and windows. As we ___ stated, three persons instantly lost their life and ___ were wounded. The engines are a total wreck and the cars are terribly smashed up. Doctors McKee and Hill of this city, on hearing of the accident immediately departed to the scene of destruction with a special train. On their return we ___ obtain full particulars. We learn that the accommodation train was a little behind time when the accident took place, in consequence of having to wait up for the mail train. ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS Since the forgoing was put in type, the dead and wounded have been brought to town, of whom the ___ list has been furnished us by an unknown ___, himself, we believe a passenger on the illfated train. The list reached us through Mr W C Upchurch, of this city. List of Killed and Wounded ___ Nesbitt, supposed to be from Concord, NC Lieut. Clarke, Newbern, NC J J Berryhill, Charlotte, NC Thomas Roland, Stanly County, NC Wounded Col. Robt. Mewman and son, Newberry, SC, very slightly. W D Kivvin, Darlington District, SC, slightly Sergt. Hardy, 59th Regiment, Bertie county, NC, breast bruised, not seriously Wm G. Templeton, Iredell County, NC, contusion face Andrew J. Wright, Granville county, left leg broken Mrs. Jane Hayworth, Davidson county, NC Mrs. Eva C. Roland, Stanly county, NC, left leg broken Mr. Roscoe Barras, Pollocksville, Jones county, NC, breast bruised William Moore, High Point, NC, arm shattered L. L. Conrad, Davidson county, NC, left foot ___ off Albert Ellington, Henderson, Granville county, NC, both legs broken below the knee Blk. servant of Mr. White, Louisburg, NC, hand broken Henry, brakesman, servant of Maj. Vass, Treasurer of the R. & G.R.R. Company, legs bruised Several others slightly injured We saw the bodies of four dead men as decently ___ as circumstances would allow and lying side by side in one of the cars near the machine shop of Raleigh and Gaston Railroad Company. Of the sad specticle, there will suggest itself to the mind of the reader than we can now say. Lieut. Clark was a son of Col. H. J. B. Clark of Craven county and was an officer in the 2nd Regt. NC Troops. Mrs. Roland, who is mentioned among the injured, presents a lamental case. We learn that she left home accompanied by her father-in-law, to visit her sick husband in an army hospital, but found him dead. She was returning with his corpse, and by this sad accident her father-in-law was killed and she herself terribly mangled. Doctors Hill and McKee, of this city, put her under the influence of chloroform and amputated one of her legs Tuesday evening about 4 o'clock. Previous to the amputation she bore her pain with more than human courage, howling, it is said, to the genuine christian piety for which she has been distinguished. We were accidently passing the house where the operation was performed and more or less than man would he have been, who could have withheld a tear, on listening to one of her favorite hymns which she was then singing. She felt happy under the influence of the magic drug and gave vent to her feelings in her accustomed song. We visited the Messrs. Barras and Mr. Cunningham's hotel, in this city, and were glad to find them getting up and conversing upon their providential escape. If not internally injured, their wounds are not serious. Charles Holleman, the engineer on the wrecked train, is universally acquited, as far as we could hear of all blame. By waiting for the mail train going North, at Wake Forest, he was detained 15 minutes behind schedule, and as soon as that train passed him, he started his train for Raleigh, not expecting that any other train would be on the track. But Sidney Hinton, engineer of a gravel train, started from Huntsville immediately after the mail train, started from Huntsville immediatelly after the mail train going North, which he passed Holleman's train at Wake Forest, of course to reach that point before Holleman's train could switch off on the track. But he was too late. As he went round a curve about a half to three quarters of a mile south of Wake Forest Station, Holleman approaching him saw the white smoke of his engine and immediately blew his whistle and reversed his engine. But before this could be well done the engines were almost in the act of colliding, and the engineers saved themselves by jumping off. The engines met and plunged into each other with a fearful crash, where they remain so fastened together that, some say, they can never be disentangled. The tender of Holleman's train was forced with a bound over the ladies car, passing over it in an angular direction, and smashing everyting to atoms. The terrible suffering and loss of life which we have recorded is the deplorable consequence. We have only to add that we heard it remarked by passengers, that if but one freight car had been between the tender and ladies car, this awful catastrophe, in human suffering and loss of life, would have been averted. We saw Mr. Lindaay, late of Norfolk, who saved his life by instantly falling down on the floor of the coach, at the same time dragging a boy down with him, whose life was also saved. We further learned that in consequence of a consultation among surviving passengers about punishing Hinton, the engineer, that gentleman has not since been seen. We can only say, in behalf of the public, that as he was running out of time and, as it is said, contrary to others, he has incurred an awful responsibility. P. S. We learned at 10 o'clock, last night, that Mrs. Roland was doing as well as could be expected. Surgeon General Warren assisted the other physicians mentioned in the amputation of her leg. ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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