Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-03-08
Heart Rending & Fatal
Calamity.
EXPLOSION OF ONE OF TIE LARGE
CANNON ON BOARD THE u. STATES
STEAMER PRINCETON.

CANNON On BOARD THE u. STATES
STEAMER PRINCETON.
Trio Members of the Cabinet instantly kill
ed,-dlso, Commodore Kennon, The Hon.
Virgil Marcy, Col. Gardner of Long
Island, and several other persons.
From tic Journal Of Commerce.
Seldom indeed have we been called TO re-
cord a more awful calamity than that which
we are about to describe. On Wednesday
last, the U. S. steamer Princeton, command
ed by Capt Robert +. Stockton, made an
excursion from Washington city down the
Potomac, having on board great number
of persons, among whom were the President
of the United States; the Secretaries OF
State, War, and Marine; Commodore Bev-
erly Kennon, Chief of the Bureau of Naval
Construction, Equipment and Repairs the
Hon. Virgil Maxcy, late Minister to Belgi-
UNI; Col. Gardiner, Of Southampton, l.. J.,
who has been accustomed to spend his win
tiers in this city or at Washington; several
members of Congress, and many ladies.
The Princeton, as most of our readers
know, carried two enormously heavy guns
(besides several smaller ones) throwing
balls of more than 300 lbs weight, and
requiring between 40 and so lbs. of pow
der for a charge. The more formidable OF
the two has been playfully called the peace
Maker" But the event has proved that she
might have been more fily termed "Des-
truction to her Friends"
The steamer made pleasant run as far
down as Mount Vernon, and was on her re-
turn, and within three or four miles Of Alex
andria, Git being about sunset. when the
disaster occurred. The big gun had already
been discharged twice during the trip, and
being again loaded, but not with ball as be-
fore, ESQ says our correspondent the match
was applied, when awful to relate, the gun
burst at the breech, and in an instant the
deck was strewed with death and destruc-
ton. Among the persons killed, we are
panied TO say were
Hon. ABEL p UPsHUR, Secretary Of
State.
Hon. THOMAS w. GILMER, Secretary of
the Navy.
Hon. BEVERLY KENNoN, Chief of the
Bureau of Construction, Equipment and
Repairs, Navy Dept.
Hon. VIRGIL MAxcY, late Minister to
Belgium: and
Col GARDINER, of Southampton, l.. |.
A colored servant Of the President, named
Armis,ead, was also killed, and five men in
charge Of the cannon; making total of
eleven killed outright, except that the Pres
ident's servant lived about ten minutes -
Most of the bodies were shockingly man
gled Judge Upshur was nearly cut into
Capt. Stockton was wounded, it is believ-
ed not dangerously, and Senator Benton
slightly. Further particulars of this melan-
choly catastrophe will be found in the an
ncxed extracts from the Washington papers.
From the National Intelligeaer.
In the whole course Of our lives il has
never fallen to our 10, to announce to our
readers more shocking calamity--shock-
ing in all its circumstances and concomt-
ants-than that which occurred on board
the U. S. ship Princeton, yesterday after
noon, whilst under way, in the river Poto-
mac, fourteen or fifteen miles below this
city.
Yesterday was day appointed by the
courtesy aud hospitality of Capt. Stockton,
commander of the Princeton, for receiving
as visitors to his fine ship lying off Alexan-
dria) great number Of guests, with their
families, literally and numerously invited to
spend the day on board. The day was most
favorable, and the company was large and
brilliant, of both sexes; not less probably
in number than four hundred, among whom
were the President of the United States, the
Heads of the several Departments, and
their families. At a proper hour, after the
arrival OF the expected guests, the vessel
got under way and proceeded down the river
10 some distance below Fort Washington
During the passage down, one of the large
guns on board, carrying ball Of 225 lbs)
was fired more than once, exhibiting the
great power and capacity Of that formidable
weapon of war. The ladies had partaken
of sumptuous repast; and the gentlemen
had succeeded them at the table, and some
Of them had left it; the vessel was on her
return up the river, opposite the fort, where
Capt Stockton consented to fire another
shot from the same gun, around and near
which, to observe its effects, many persons
had gathered, though by no means So many
as on similar discharges in the morning, the
ladies who then thronged the deck being on
this fatal occasion almost all between decks
and out Of reach of harm.
The gun was fired. The gun was follow.
ed, before the smoke cleared away so as to
observe its effect, by shrieks of wo which
announced dire calamity. The gun had
burst, at point three or four feet from the
breech, and scattered death aud desolatiou
around. Mr.. Upshur, Secretary Of State
MIR Gilmer, so recently placed at the head
Of the Navy, Commodore Kennon, one o.
its gallant officers. Virgil Maxcy, lately re
turned from diplomatic residence at the
Hague, MIR. Gardner, of New York, ((or
merly Member OF the Senate ofthat State,
were among the slain. Besides these, sew