A. Ludlow Case Letter 28 Febraury 1870
Feby 28,1870
Sir,
The Bureau has received the report of a Board of Officers on the explosion of a 12 pdr shrapnel at Fort Norfolk on the 9th inst.
From the report of the Board it is apparent that the accident resulted from the carelessness of the Magazine men, and exhibits a neglect of duty on the part of the Officers in charge of the Magazine which cannot be allowed to pass without notice.
The regulations for Inspectors of Ordinance, Gunners and all other persons employed on Ordinance work are distinctly set forth in Bureau Circular Nos 38 and 42, and no deviation can be made from them which is not a violation of orders and which is not calculated to frustrate the due regard for life which those regulations are designed to exercise.
The Bureau desires that you will not permit this neglect of duty to pass unnoticed, but that you will mete out to the offenders such punishment as many in your judgment prevent a reoccurrence of such accidents.
The Bureau directs that hereafter you will not permit shells or shrapnel to be filled, emptied or refused in any part of the Magazine Grounds, except in the shed prepared for the purpose.
I am Sir,
Your obedient servant,
A. Ludlow Case
Chief of the Bureau
Commodore A. H. Kilty,
Comandant Norfolk
Fort Norfolk Documents
1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799,
1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809,
1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817,
1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859
1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869
1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875
Source of Information
National Archives, Record Group 74 Records of Bureau of Ordnance
Letters Sent to Navy Yards & Stations, 1842 - 1882.
Norfolk
May 1867 - Oct 1881
Box No. 16, Entry 3
Page 184 - 185