Railroad disasters.
A terrible accident occurred on the New Orleans and Jackson Railroad, on the 27th ult. It seems that a lumber train, going down, collided with a passenger train, on board of which was the 7th Mississippi regiment,
Col. Goode,
en route for
Columbus, killing twenty- five, and severely wounding twenty-six more.
The company which sustained the greatest loss was from
Amite co., Miss.
The engineer of the lumber train, by whose negligence the accident occurred, has not been seen since the collision took place.--The N. O.
True Delta says:
‘
The collision itself would be impossible to describe, so unexpected was it, and so fearful in its might.
The lumber train may have been going at the rate of about fifteen miles an hour, and the soldier train about twenty.
The first being heavier and more solid, was comparatively uninjured, except the engine; but the first and second passenger cars, crushing into each other, made an awful wreck, and piled up dead men and dying in one horrible heap.
It was a long time before they could be all extricated.
Soon after the accident the down train for the city arrived at the scene, and fortunately brought as a passenger
Dr. G. W. Devron, the house surgeon of the
Confederate States Army hospital on Common street. By his prompt care and the services of
Surgeon Bowie and
Assistant Surgeon J. M
Thornhill, of the
Mississippi regiment, the latter of whom forgot, in his sympathy for others, that one of his own ribs had been broken, many a gallant volunteer's life was saved who must otherwise have soon expired.
When the train from this city reached there, the engine was at once sent back for assistance and brought the first exaggerated report of the affair.
Dr. Devron would not wait, however, for the arrival of this aid, but had four cars prepared as soon as possible to bring here all of those who were badly wounded.
The regiment then continued on its way, taking with it between fifty and sixty slightly wounded, and twenty-one corpses to be sent to the homes of the several deceased for burial by their families or friends.
’
Another disaster — a sad Romance.
The
Knoxville (Tenn.) Register, of the 28th ult., says:
‘
An accident occurred on Wednesday evening, on the E. T. & Ga Railroad, by which several persons were injured--one fatally.--The train which was bringing the 23d Alabama regiment to this city, ran off the track a few miles this side of
Cleveland, wrecking the train badly.
A girl, in uniform, who was with the soldiers without revealing her sex, but who did not belong to this regiment, was sitting on the platform of one of the cars, and had her legs so badly crushed that stipulation was necessary, and both were taken off, but without swell; and death put an end to her suffering at night.
She gave her name as
Lilly White, and told a sad story of woman's wrongs.
She had misguided herself in male attire, and joined this regiment with the expectation of finding her deceiver, who is in the army, and avenging her shame.
’
