A most untoward and sad occurrence, last night, created great excitement in our camp. The sentinel on guard at the main gate, nearest to Norfolk, accidentally shot Second Lieutenant Henry R. Storrs, of the “Wetumpka Light Guards”, inflicting a wound just below the left rib, passing entirely through the body, the effects from which he died in about an hour-and-a half The name of the sentinel is Hunt, of the “Gulf City Guards”. I was just being dismissed with the third relief guards at the time of the unfortunate occurrence, and in about fifteen yards of Lieut. Storrs when he was shot, and distinctly heard the challenge of the sentinel and the reply of the deceased. Lieut. S., when challenged, was going out from the camp, at about nine o’clock, and to the sentinel’s challenge he responded, “Lieutenant, with the countersign”. The sentinel directed him to advance and give the countersign. Lieut. S. advanced to within about eight feet of the sentinel, halted, and was in the act of giving the countersign, when the rifle of the sentinel went off, and the deceased fell heavily backwards, and immediately exclaimed, “My God! I am a dead man!” The lieutenants of the guard, Spaulding of the “Blues” and Brown of the Mobile “Cadets”, immediately rushed to the spot and found Lieut. S. mortally wounded as above described. Dr. Lee was on hand in a few minutes, and in response to Lieut. S’s inquiries, told him he could do nothing for him, and that his wound was a very dangerous one. Lieut S. was very quickly moved to Col. Lomax’s quarters. And everything was done that was possible to relieve him, but without avail. He bore himself throughout his sufferings most heroically. He complained of the carelessness of the sentinel, as I learn, greatly, and said it was a great outrage to shoot a man down so brutally, and he would not regret dying if shot on the battle field.The sentinel was immediately arrested and placed under guard. He protests that his rifle was only half-cocked, and he had no idea of shooting Lieut. S., and regrets the whole matter very much. He declares that it was entirely accidental and unintentional. The sentinel was very careless, however, in bringing his rifle to “charge bayonets”, when the challenged party replied that he had the countersign and was in the act of giving it. The sentinel must have full cocked his rifle when he challenged Lieut. S., and may have been in the act of uncocking it when it went off. The fire in front of the Guard’s tent was burning within ten feet of the spot where the sentinel stood.
There was much indignation in camp in consequence of the shooting of Lieut. S., especially among members of the “Wetumpka Light Guards”, and I learn that had it not been for the prompt action of their captain, Ready, who happened to be the officer of the day, that they would have taken Hunt by force and shot him.
The remains of Lieutenant S. will be carried home by the usual military escort. An inquest was held over his boy to day, and the verdict of the jury was that the deceased came to his death by a shot from a rifle in the hands of Hunt; that they thought the shooting was intentional, but that Hunt believed he was doing his duty.
The ladies of Norfolk made a very appropriate wreath to crown the brow of the gallant soldier, cut down so untimely. Who can imagine the sorrow that this event will cause among his friends and relatives?
I learn that Hunt will be court-martialed, and if not summarily dealt with, will at least be discharged from service. He is now confined in jail.