224 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 
     
    
   
   
    
     is scarcely doing justice to the feelings of the people, the author 
     
     therefore cannot do better than reproduce the following account, 
     
     clipped from newspapers published at the time :— 
     
    
   
   
    
     “ The Shifting Ordnance during that fatal morning was contested by 
     
     some fifteen teams. That of the Islanders commenced about 3 o'clock. 
     
     The first portion was performed without any hitch. The shift consisted Isl, 
     
     in transferring the gun from one carriage to another by the rear on rollers, 
     
     which was accomplished ; 2nd. transferring the gun from one carriage to 
     
     another by slewing. The carriages were placed side by side and the gun 
     
     transferred from one carriage to another by lifting and slewing, short skids 
     
     being used to bridge the distance between the two carriages. The gun had 
     
     been raised out of the trunnion holes and lifted and slewed and placed rest- 
     
     ing on a short skid which Corporal McDonald had just placed into the 
     
     trunnion holes of both carriages. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘ “ The command ‘ bear down and slew ’ had just been given and the gun 
     
     borne down by the hand-spike men, when from some unaccountable reason 
     
     the short skid slipped, allowing the gun to fall to the ground between the 
     
     two carriages. In falling the gun caught Corporal McDonald’s left leg 
     
     against one of the iron wheels of the gun carriage, lacerating the flesh and 
     
     severing the main artery. He was at once extricated by his comrades, and 
     
     efforts were immediately made to staunch the hemorrhage, which was 
     
     speedily accomplished, as the camp surgeon was on the spot, and was 
     
     assisted by several experienced persons. He was conscious through it all, 
     
     and offered suggestions about the means to be used in stopping the flow 
     
     of blood. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “He was placed on a camp stretcher and made as comfortable as 
     
     possible, and tenderly borne by his comrades to Orleans ferry, en route for 
     
     the city of Quebec, to be placed in hospital, that he might receive better 
     
     care than was possible in camp. During the trip over he engaged in con- 
     
     versation, and seemed quite cheerful. As they were conveying him to the 
     
     ferry he noticed the gloomy faces of his companions, and observed ‘ Don’t 
     
     be disheartened boys, I'll soon be all right, you were not to blame at all. 
     
     It was an accident.’ On arrival at the city he was placed in an ambulance 
     
     and conveyed to Jeffrey Hale Hospital, and left in charge of the doctors, 
     
     under whose care the unfortunate man succumbed on the morning of 
     
    
   
   
    
     the ioth. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ”The Govemor-General, previous to this news, telegraphed the camp 
     
     commandent, asking for information and expressing deep regret at the 
     
     unfortunate accident." 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     ' The death of 00301111 McDonald. in a. measure. was coincident to that 
     
     of a youn man nam James Stewart. inasmuch as they were both fatally 
     
     wounded n the leg hg having the main arter severed. Attending arlflo 
     
    

    
     ractice at Brighton bore on the morning 0 the 22nd June. 1m. a ride 
     
     coded with powder and wad only, was accidentally disc , the wad ~ 
     
     enterin the unfortunate young man's] as already mention . and before 
     
     medi assistance could be procured dep etion had so far done its work that 
     
     surgical skill could be of no avail; poor Stewart died within a few hours 
     
    
   
   
    
     after.