Struck by lightning

[Stiles/Akin]

From the Archives: Check out this photograph of a Model 1861. The barrel is twisted and warped from being struck by lightning. A Confederate sentry who was on duty was the unlucky soldier who had this rare experience. Records indicate that the soldier was not injured but merely the soles of his shoes were burned off. The weapon was still loaded with the original charge and powder was intact when the weapon was disassembled for preservation here at the Springfield Armory.

https://www.facebook.com/SPARNHS/photos/a.579891078703964.149832.148438071849269/tee/?type=3&theater

Springfield Armory National Historic Site

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[JOHN42768]

That poor soldier should have gotten an immediate honorable discharge (no pun intended).

 

[diane]

Wow!

A still worse thing happened to the famed New York Artillery when a battery was struck by lightning at the battle of Fair Oaks. The bolt apparently hit a cannon and went down all over the place like a sheet of flame - 20 men were paralyzed or burned and one was killed, all the horses.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/july/fairoaks-battle.htm

 

[Stiles/Akin]

 

[Miles Krisman]

Wow!

A still worse thing happened to the famed New York Artillery when a battery was struck by lightning at the battle of Fair Oaks. The bolt apparently hit a cannon and went down all over the place like a sheet of flame - 20 men were paralyzed or burned and one was killed, all the horses.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/july/fairoaks-battle.htm

A report of the same storm from a Confederate.

A violent rainstorm swept through the camps, uprooting trees, scattering tents, and stampeding horses and mules. In late afternoon, another fearful storm occurred with vivid displays of lightening. Tents were struck in both the Union and Confederate camps. Four soldiers of the 4th Alabama were slain by one bolt. When darkness fell, the storm intensified. In the Federal camp, bolts of lightning shattered gun carriages in the artillery park and fire leap from muzzle to muzzle of the artillery pieces.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great photo and story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Waterloo50]

Still happening today,
18 paratroopers injured in lightning strike at Fort Bragg.
Eighteen paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were injured in a lightning strike Wednesday — the second lightning strike in eight days to injure soldiers. soldiers in Wednesday's incident are from 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. They were conducting a live-fire exercise on a training range on post when the incident happened.

Everyone was okay, in fact they were all 'Discharged' from hospital with minor injuries, its 'shocking' to read that so many were unable to avoid the lightning. They were on a live firing exercise, at least they weren't 'Static' line jumping......puns intended.

 

[Waterloo50]

View attachment 115213

From the Archives: Check out this photograph of a Model 1861. The barrel is twisted and warped from being struck by lightning. A Confederate sentry who was on duty was the unlucky soldier who had this rare experience. Records indicate that the soldier was not injured but merely the soles of his shoes were burned off. The weapon was still loaded with the original charge and powder was intact when the weapon was disassembled for preservation here at the Springfield Armory.

https://www.facebook.com/SPARNHS/photos/a.579891078703964.149832.148438071849269/tee/?type=3&theater

Springfield Armory National Historic Site

​

I'm wondering how that poor soldier explained the condition of his weapon to his superiors, I can just imagine him lined up with the rest of his regiment, weapons presented and ready for inspection, smoke coming from his melted boots, hair stood up on end and a blackened face, 'What the hell happened to you soldier?' well its like this sir....