Homer Bartel
Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, 31 October 1863, page 3
NEWPORT NEWS
MAN SHOT-About six o'clock on Thursday evening, a man named Homer
Bartel was shot and killed by one of the guards of the Magazine, on the
Alexandria road, about one mile from the city.
From what we can learn, Bartel, who was a sort of half-witted fellow, went up to the soldier and commenced striking at him in a playful manner. Finally he snatched the soldier's bayonet from his side and thrust it back at him, inflicting a slight wound. Whether he intended to hurt him or not is unknown. He than ran off with the bayonet. The soldier ordered him to halt, which he failed to do, when the former discharged his gun at him, the contents entering into the breast of Bartel, producing almost instant death.
The deceased is well known in this city. He resides in the Cold Spring District of Campbell County.