The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-03-07

~ 1872 AseAN-e4Ass -
oolai fl0n - Na6oal Iasslligenrrs i
Thasday Iaze
II ne who.e coarse q osr iires iif.s
nesss ellen - cur los 10 ansunnce % Cur
rsadrr mere shockinE cslamisy-sh0ck-
~ N al ils circumstances and c0ncouG.
tAnls-tllan Ghat whirb pccpFrcd On boanl
DE Uniied States Ship Pnnccssa. yes<r-
day afternoon. whist under way, in tie
nFer Polemae. fourteen or khesn niles
bel0w dis city.
Yesterday was day appointed. BIZ De
courtesy and hospitality of Captain Stock
ton, Commander of de Pnneeson, Cor ~
eelEing rs yisiien % his fne ship giving
OF Alexandnal great number Of guests,
with their families. literally and nume-
rOusly invited % spend The eay.on board.
The day was NEST favorable, and he
company was large and brilliant. Of bob
sexes; not less probably IN number than
four hundred. among whom were the Pre-
sideni Of the United States, he Heads Of
ihe several Departments, and their fami-
hes. Al proper hour. afler The arrival
Of he expected guests, the vessel got un-
der way and proceeded down The river, 20
some distance below Fort ATashingion.
During the passage down, one Of the large
guns on board carrying q ball OF 225
ponnds) was fired more than once, exhi-
biing thegreai power and capacity ofthai
formidable weapon Of war. The Ladies
had Fanaken Of . sumptuous repasii the
gentlemen had succeeded them AZ The n
bic, and some Of them had left il ale YES
sci was on her return up the river. oppo-
site % the fors, where Captain Stockton
consented 10 FIRE another shot from the
same gun, around and near which, TO OBJ
serve its effects, many persons had gather
ed, though BY no means 50 many as on
similar discharges in The. morning, the Ia
dies who then thronged The deck being on
this fatal occasion almost all between
docks, and ont Of reach Of harm.
The gun was fired. The explosion
was followed, before the smoke cleared
away 20 as 10 observe is effect, by shrieks
Of wo which announced dire calamity.
The gun had burst, IT point three or four
feet from the breech, and scattered death
and desolaiion around. MFR. Upshur, Sec
rotary Of State, Mr.. GiImer, 80 recently
placed at the head Of the Navy, Commo-
dore kennon. one Of lis gallant officers,
Virgil Maxcy, lately returned from d.
plomatic residence at the Hague, Mr..
Gardner. Of New York, formerly men,
Der Of the Senate Of that Staic,) were
among the slam. Besides these, seven
teen seamen were wounded, several Of
them badly and probably MORALLY. A.
mong those stunned by the conclusion,
we learn not all seriously injured, were
Captain Stockton himself; Col. Benton,
Of the Senate; Lieut.. Hunt, Of the Prince
ton; w. ID. Robinson, Of Georgetown.
Other persons also were perhaps more or
less injured, Of whom, in the horror and
confusion Of the moment, no certain &C.
count could be obtained. The above are
believed, however, TO compnse the whole
Of the persons known TO the public who
were killed or dangerously or seriously
hurt.
The scene upon the deck may moro ca
silly be imagined than described. Nor can
the imagination picture TO itself the half of
its horrors. Wives, widowed in an in
slant BY the murderous blast! Daughters
smitten with the heartrending sight of
their fathers lifeless corpse! The wall
ings Of agonized females! The piieous
grief of the unhurt but hear,-stricken SPEC
ta,ors! The wounded seamen borne down
hclcwl The silent tears and quivering
lips Of their brave and honest comrades,
who tried in vain TO subdue or TO conceal
their feelings! What pords can adequate
ly depict scene like this!
EE- Accounts later than the above
state that Captain Stockton has since d.
ed Of tho injury he received; and it is ale
so umoured that Col. Benton Is dead.