Dreadful explosion

Dreadful Explosion. - Extract of letter. - "Portsmouth, June 24. This morning, about eleven o'clock, a dreadful explosion took place, attended with the most melancholy consequences. The 2d battalion of the 8th regiment having been re-landed a few days since, their baggage and ammunition were placed on Point Beach, where they remained till this morning, when an old woman emptying a pipe which she had been smoking among the baggage, the sparks fell on a barrel of gunpowder, and an instant explosion took place. The effect was most dreadful.

About thirty men, women, and children, were literally blown to atoms, and the remains of their bodies, limbs, and heads, are strewed in all directions. One poor fellow was blown over the whole of the buildings in Point street; another against the wall of the Union tavern, as high as the garret window; the thigh of a third was blown as far as Broad street Point. I have seen numbers of legs, arms,&c, taken from the tops of the houses, and the whole presents a scene shocking beyond description.

All the houses below Broad street Point have had their sashes blown out; and the Star and Garter, and Union, together with every house from the beach upwards, have had the whole of their windows completely demolished.

The barrel of powder which exploded stood in a tier with sixteen others, which for several hours were every moment expected to explode, as the smoking fragments were literally strewed over them; but a company of the Worcester militia, with some resolute sailors at their head, ventured to the spot, and cleared the burning fragments from the remaining barrels. Previous to this bold enterprise, which will doubtless be duly rewarded, almost all the families fled in confusion to Portsdown Hill, expecting the whole town to be destroyed by the apprehended, explosion; but they have since returned, imploring blessings upon the heads of the brave fellows who saved the town from general destruction.

Lindergreen's store, the Star and Garter, and Union, were on fire for some time, but not destroyed.

Many windows were broken at Gosport, and two ovens were blown down."