The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-03-07
Horrible Calamity!
Explosion of the Princeton's Great Gun

correspondence Oi tle boston 4 INES.
Washington, Wednesday Eve. }
Feb. %, 1914, 10 p. NJ. :
The city is in mourning: another mel
anchol y event has befallen the country.
Having been an eye witness 10 the scene,
will, as minutely as possible, give an
account of it,
Capt. Stockton, of the steamer Prince
ton, invited some three or four hundred
ladies and gentlemen, including the Pres.
ident and his family, the members of his
Cabinet, and Foreign Ministers, some
Senators and members of the House, and
a large circle of his especial friends, to
take an excursion with him down the
Potomac to-day, and witness the beauty
and movement of his noble vessel, and
the discharge of his immense gun. All
lhe invitations were most eagerly accept.
ed-and at about o'clock, the company
were safely pu: on board the Princeton
from small steamer which took them
from the wharf
The day was clear and pleasant, and
there were as many ladies on board as
gentlemen, and everything promised a
delightful excursion. After a salute of
twentyone guns from the small pieces,
the big gun was put in readiness for the
firing of ball weighing $50 lbs. The
ladies were all "piped to decis," and OBJ,
tanned prominent places to see the dis
charge. The word " FIRE" was given,
and all eyes Immediately beheld the mo.
ton of the ball upon the water, giving
some half-dozen bounds, and going IA dis
lance of about two miles before il finally
sunk. The experiment was in every re.
spect successful, aud all were delighted
AS the vessel was nearing home, the
Captain concluded to have another fire
with his big gun - and it was then that
the fatal event occurred which will now
detail.
The gun was ranged 49, and the gen.
tIemen whom the Captain most desired
should see the operation, were speedily
invited up to witness it, The gun was
fired -the breech exploded, killing in
stantIy. Mr. A, p. Upshsr, Sec. of State
Mr.. GiImer, Sec. OF Navy; Virgil Mar,
eN Esq. of Mary land; Com. Kenaon,
Chief OF the Bureau of Construction !;
and Mr., Gardner of New.York - scri-
ously injuring Capt. Stockton; also one
of the midshipmen, and three or four of
the hands of the ship; and more or less
lnjuring some half dozen others of the
ships crew.
The gentlemen killed were all standing
upon the leward side of the gun, nearly
IN row, and when the gun bursed the
pieces went in that direction, and killed
them instantly - not q ,grOan eoas heard
10 escape their lips The President but
a moment previous TO the discharge for
tanately left its vicinity. AS the smoke
cleared away, Capt. Stockton was dis
covered with his hair and face scorched,
and his dress covered with powder. He
jumped with one spring to the top of his
gun, and exclaimed, MY God! wO1ld
that l pere dead too"
He was Immediately handed down and
conveyed to the Cabin, aud a more heart
broken man never saw. He is to be
pitied for the calamity, though he is in no
wise to blame, for it has resulted as | will
now state, from causes over which he
could have had no control.
The public should bear in mind that
the gun had been discharged several
times,-how many an unable TO say |;
and especially three times during the day.
When the accident happened she was
only charged as usual, but on examining
the break and the pieces, the only fresh
break that could be discovered was on
one part. place as big as two hands, and
another part as big as one hand.
1t would be impossible for me to de-.
scribe to you the distressing scenes that
followed the accident, for am entirely
Inadequate 10 the task. Tbs living will