Harrisburg, PA Railroad Collision, Sep 1862

RAILROAD COLLISION.

TERRIBLE DISASTER ON THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY RAILROAD.

A NUMBER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MILITIA KILLED AND WOUNDED.

Bridgeport, Opposite Harrisburg.
Friday, Sept. 26.
A terrible collision took place on the Cumberland Valley Railroad this morning, one mile above Harrisburg.
One of the trains had a number of Pennsylvania Militia on board, returning home from the Maryland border.
Ten or twelve soldiers were killed, and about twenty wounded, including two Philadelphians killed and ten wounded.
The severest case of loss was in Company I, of the Twentieth Pennsylvania Militia, belonging to Reading.
Among the killed is a son of ROBERT HOSMER, of this City.
Many of the Corn-Exchange Guards were killed or wounded.
Capt. MARSHALL'S leg was broken.
First Lieut. A. W. THOMPSON'S leg was also broken.

Harrisburgh, Penn., Friday, Sept. 26.
A troop train, consisting of twenty freight cars, containing the Twentieth Regiment of Pennsylvania
Militia, while on its way from Newcastle this forenoon, met with a horrible disaster.
The train was behind time, and waited at Carlisle for other trains to pass, but none coming along, as expected, the troop train proceeded on its way.
The weather was quite foggy, and when within a mile of the bridge, a short distance from this city, the train suddenly came upon an engine standing on the track.
The engine attached to the troop train was immediately reversed, but too late to prevent a collision, and the two engines came together with terrific force.
The first car immediately behind the tender attached to the troop train, was crushed into fragments, and nearly all of its occupants either killed or wounded.
The second car was driven into the first and completely destroyed.
The third car was thrown on the top of the second, crushing through the roof of it.
Both engines are a complete wreck. The cause of the accident was gross carelessness.
Thirty soldiers were seriously wounded. The following are the names of some of the killed.
Corporal J. HOSMER, of Philadelphia, crushed between the cars.
JOHN McINTOSH, Company F, Corn Exchange Regiment.
M. M. PHATERS, Company F, Corn Exchange Regiment.
REED McKAY, Company F, Corn Exchange Regiment.
ALBERT WARNER, of Reading.
Sergeant HENRY FLECK, of Reading.
AUGUST KELLER, of Reading.

The New York Times New York 1862-09-27
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!