The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1844-03-02
Awful Catast.sphe.
hurting Of the Big Gun on Jourd the
Steam Ship Princeton. and

| MLLANCI;OLf LOSS OF LIFE.
One of the most heart rending accidents
occurred a, Washington on Wednesday
afternoon, that has ever fallen to the lnl
OF an editor to record. The frs, in,elIi
gence that reached us was by the Ba,i
more Sun of Thursday. It's Washington
correspondent. wrote az follows.
VI he District of Columbia is. this night,
one unbrolen scene OF sorrow ant, di .
may. Dea Ia with Its sable wings, again
h"vsrs over us.-"Great GndM " han
shadows we are and what shadows we
pursue"
This morning. a large party of ladies
ana gentlemen. amongst whom were he
PRESIDENT of the Unred States aud family;
inenil ers "i the Cabinet and their families:
members Of Congress, and seye. al dls,in-
gul>iied gentlemen from various ales of
The unl"n-proceeded on boaM the
Princeton, Captain Stockton, down III.
river IN an excnisi n. Every Thing
passed off delightfully."- until, on the return
of the vessel, WHEN abreast of Alexandria.
when salute was abnui To- be fired. The
word was gIven--an unusual sound was
lieald--lhe big gun burs,cd into atoms.
and, my trembling pen can scarce record
The fact that The
Hon. GOV. GlLMER,
lion. JUDGE UPSHUR,
COMMODORE KENYON,
COL. GARDINER, OF New York, and
Hon. VIRGIL MARCY, Of Mary land.
WERE INSTANTLY kILLEDm'
From The National ImeiHgencer of
Thursday.
In the whole course of our lives it has
never fallen TO our lot to announce to our
readers a more shocking Calamity shock
ing III all Its circumstance. and concurn-
tant1-lh than that which occurred on board
The United States Ship Princeton. yes,er-
day afternoon, whilst under way, in the
.vel Potomac, fourteen or fifteen miles
below this city.
Yesterday was day appointed. BY the
courtesy and hospitality "I Capt ST cklnn
Commander OF the Princeton, for receiv-
ing as vlsllers to his fne ship dying on
Alexandria, greet number of guests,
with their families, literally and nuner-
ouslv invited to spend The day on board
The day was most favorable, and the com
pany was large and brilliant. OF both sexes:
not less probably in number than Ionr
hundred. among whom were the Prr>l
dent oflhe United States, the Heads of the
several Departments, and their families.
Alta proper hour, alter the arrival irht
exPecledg guest, the vessel got under wa,
and proceeded down The ,iver, to some |
distance below For Washington. Dur
ing the passage down, one oI The la.ge
guns IN board (carr, ing bali Cd 225 !
i'onnds) was fired more than once, tx
hlbl'mg ahe great power and Capacity OF
that io'm.da lie weapon OF war. The
Ladies had parlaken of a sumpiuous re-
past; the gentlemen had succ, e,Ied them
at table aud some of them had l.f. it; the
vessel was on her return up the aver. oI.-
posi!e to the fort, where Captain ock-
ton consented 10 fire another shot from
the same gun, around and near which, to /
observe lis effects, many parsons had ga
shered, though by no means so many as ON
similar discharges in the morning, the
ladies who then lhronged the deck being
on tins fatal occasion alRinst all between |
decks, and out OF reach oiharm.
Tie gun was fired. The explosion was
followed, before the smoke cleared auay |
so as TO observe its efre,s, BY shrieIs OF
woe which announced a dire calami:> |
The gun had burst, at a point three OF
four feet from the breech, aud scattered
death aud desolation round. hir. Upshur,
Secretary of State, Nh. Giime,, so recently
placed at the head of the Navy, C"mmo-
dose kenmon, one OF its gal'sn, defenders.
Virgil Maxcy. lately returned from
diplomatic residence a. the Hague, Mr.
Gardner, of New York Formerly mem
Der OF the Senate Of that State wa.o among the
s.sin' EGs.des tiffo. er"eGtep7 e~srga p,eye