Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-06-11
@boektmg catastrophe.



ton.-Between two and three clock yesterday
afternoon, AL explosion took place ca oosrd the
steau friga,e Fulton. l,lnc Al the Navy Ward, |
BROOKLYN This vessel has been employed ga
receiving ship. snd was m0ored within ~O0
yaids OF the shore; and, at the time Of the ax
blossom, the Off Gers whose names arc gwen be.
low, we're diniar in the ward room. The lady |
of Lieut.. Breckenridge, and toe 200 OF Lieut..
Plat, we're present a, the table ~ guests, aud
both we're slightly wounded.
This dreadful accident vas oceasioned by the
Gunners going into he Magazine. TO procure
powder TO FIRE the evening gun. He wss ea,s'
toned by one OF the ofhcsrs previously to hes
going below, 20 be careful; add soon after, toe
expIosion took lace We uBjerstand thath
was man between so and 81 years Of age, and
had inst been appointed to that Office; the old
gunner having been discharged the day Prev
Gus But in what particular msnner hru wss
communicated to tie powder IS not known, as
the gunner IS among the unfortunate dead.
The magazine was ir the bow Of the ship,
and continued, at the time Uf the explosion,
but three barrels OF damaged powder. The
explosion was no, louder than that produced BY
the discharge e single osaDoni and many
persons IN the Navy Yard supposed the report
10 have proceeded from such source, until
they sav the immense column ot smoke stts'
ing from the vessel Others about the yard
saw the mss,s rising into the AR before the ex'
piosion, ana immediately after, the AR was hled
with fragments OF the vessel. The Fulton Is
aoomplete wreck; the bow being destroyed
nearly to the water, and ,he whnie OF this in
mense vessel, whose SIDES were more thsn 4
feet thick and all other parts OF corresponding
Strengths now lying an entire heap OF runs,
burst asunder in all parts, aud aground al the
spot where she WAS moored. Although she
was but two bundred yards from tue Navy
Yarl and many vessels near her, not one OF
them received the least damage; nor was tue
bridge which led from the shore to the Fulton
CT all damaged.
There were attached TO the Fulton, by the
roll of the ship, l43 persons; and, at the time
OF the explosion, there were supposed to have
been on board the vessel from 90 To lOo persons
OF the latter number ID we're killed and ~
wounded, max ing a., leaving tue rest to De
accounted for. A small number on board es'
csped with very slight wounds--lhe remain
der j; is feared have persisted.
Commodore Chauncey was on board the
Fulton vest erday, inspecting tae ship, and lett
her, IN company with John I. Newton, Esq.
who commands the Fulton only ten or hfseen
minutes before the explosion.
Lieut.. piati, who was severely wounded. had
returned from months absence only yester.
day morning.
rhe room in which the officers were dining,
was situAted about mdships The whole com
psny stthe table we're forced by the concus
sion, against The transom, with such violence
as 10 break their limbs, and otherwise cut and
biuise them in shocking manner.
All the officers that were board are &C
counted Tor in the list of the killed and wounded
which follows:
1t vas fortunate circumstance that there
wss much smaller number OF men on board the
Fulton Yesterday than she is accustamed 10
have. On Tuesday there were sixty-two OF the
crew drafted, who proceeded to Norfolk TO
JOIN the Constellation irigate.
The bodies OF The dead were shocklng'y
fnsngled; their features distorted, and so much
biackened that it was difficult to recognize
them They were placed in cofins shortly at
ter the accident. and an inquest wss held over
them,
The decks of the Fulton were torn up from
stem to stern, and among those missing. many,
II is feared, have been thrown into the water
and drowned.
NAMES OF TIE KILLED