Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-03-08
CATaAMEIl,IaOQyS !

~ q % Rkna G a kAVEh a IN w " ke0 Y |
SUDDEN DEATH OF THE SECRETARY OF |
STATE, SECRETARY or THE NAVY, COM.
MoDoRE KENNoN, AND OTHERS.
BY the bursting of large piece of Ordnance
on board the new steamer Princeton, it will lie
seen from tho annexed account that several dis.
tinguished individuals have lost their lives under
the most extraordinary circumstances. The ship
was on pleasure excursion with party 81 300
or AGO persons, a majority of them Indies. The
party was composed OF the President Of the Uni.
ted States, members Of the Cabinet, and Senators
aud members of Congress, with their families, and
the awful event occurred opposite the house of
Washington ut Mount Vernon. In addition TO
the persons named below, the following were near
the piece when it burst, viz; Mr.. wilkins, Secre-
inry Of War; Senator Phelps of Vermont; Nr.
Tyson, Assistant Postmaster General Miss Wood.
bury, daughter OF Senator w. from N. H.; aud
Mrs. Welhered wife Of Mr.. w. member of Con-
gress from Maryland. The Secretary Of War
turned from the party with jest ut The moment
OF firing, aud thus unqueslionaby saved bis life.
Mr.. Phelps was thrown down, and his hat, as well
US all The buttons on his coat were blown of, yet
he was unnjurod a piece Of the gun pissed
through Mr. Tysons ha. and one of the ladies'
was thrown into the rigging uniniured, and both
were covered with the blood of the unfortunate
victims. The President was provideu,alIy pre-
vented from being with the party near The gun
lie bad been invited to witness The effect of the
shot, but declined for the purpose of hearing
patriotic soug, which n relative d the President
was singing AT the dinner table in the cabin wien
the gun was fired.
We give the following account from the Ma
iiona Intelligencer:
AWFUL CALAMITY.
| The National lntcigenccr thus graphically tells
the affecting story:
| In the whole course of our lives il has never
fallen to our lot To announce to our readers more
shocking notwithstanding in all IFS circunstan.
ces and cuncomants-ihau that which occurred
on hoard the United States Ship PRINCETON, yes
terday afternoon, whilst under way, ia the river
Potomac fourteen or fifteen miles below this city.
Yesterday was day appointed by the courtesy
and hospitality Of Capt. STOCKTON, commander
of the Princeton, for receiving as ,isers 10 bus
fine ship lying off Ahxandfia) great number Of
| guests, wuh their families, liberaliy and numer-
cusly Invited TO spend the day on board. The
day was most favorable, and the company was
large and brilliant, of both less proba-
by in number than four hundred among whom
we're the President of the United Sutrs, the
Heads of the several departments, and their fam
lies. At proper hour, alter 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 IL ball of 225
poundsl was fired moe thnn once, exhibiting the
great power and capacity of that formidable weap.
| on of war. The Ladies' had pnrtaken of stump.
luous repast 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 to
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, ihongh by no means 50 Inauy on sim
liar discharges IN the morning, the ladies who
then thronged the deck being on this fatal occa-
sion almost oil between deckst and ont Of reach
Of harm.
The gun was fred. The explosion wns follow.
ed before the smoke cleared away so US 10 oh.
serve its effect 10y shrieks OF wo which announ-
ced dire calamity. The gun had burst, Mt a
point three or four feet from the breecI, and scat
tered death and dcsoution around. MIR. UPsHUR,
Secretary of state, Mr.. GILMER, so recently plac-
ed at the head of the Navy Commodore KENNoN,
one OF its gallant officers, VIRGIL MARCY, lately
returned from diplomatic residence al The Hague,
Mr.. GARDINER, OF New York, formerly Mem
Der of the Senate OF that State.l were among The
slain. Resides these, seventeen searnen were
wounded, several of them badly and probably
SION we learn that not all seriously injured, were
Capt STOCKTON himself; Col. BENTON, of the
Senate Lieut.. Hunt, of the Princeton; w. ID.
ROBINSON, of Georgetown.
The scene upon The deck may more ensy he
imagined Than described. Nor cun The nagina.
ton picture 10 itself the half of its horrors
Wives, widowed in an instant by the murderous
blast Daughters smitten with The heart-rendiug
sipht of their fathers liieess corpse The wuil-
Ings Of agonized females! The piIeous grief of
the unhurt but heart stricken spectators! The
wounded seamen borne down below The ST.
lent tears aud quivering lips of their brave and
honest comrad,s, who tried in vain 10 sublue or
TO conceal their feelings! What trords ade-
quately depict scene like Ibis!
The Spectator says tina, w. d. Robinson, men,
toned above, twho was clerk in the Post Of
fice,) was killed, also colored servant of the Pre-.
sident. The Globe adds 10 its account:
MIR. Upslur and MIR. Gimer were idols in
the happy family by which each was surrounded.
The elder children of Mr.. Gllmer are just grown
the younger in the nurses arms Commodore
Kennon, Mr.. Maxcy, aud Mr. Gardiner all
torn from family endearments--lrom- wives and
children.
! We understand that Mrs. Gilmer was upon the
deck when her husband Tell. 1t The third
discharge of the gun land fired at the request OF
Mr.. GIlmer) that burst. The daughter oi Mr.. Up
shur, several OF the family OF Com Kennon, and
the daughters Of Mr. Gardiner, were on board the
steamer; but none of them except Mrs. Gilmer,
were npprised OF the death OF those most dear 10
them. uu after their return to the city. Almost
all The ladies were below at dinner when the ca
lastrophe occurred. Mrs, Gilmer was brought to
The city almost in II state OF distraction.
The PRINCETON under the command of Lieut..
McLoUGHLIN, camd TO anchor opposite Aexan-
dra, nnd the surviving visiers reached the city
by The steamboat Joseph johnson.
STILL LATER.
In order TO alluy any unnecessary fears on the
subject OF those who injured we give the ac-
count furnished us 10y gentleman vino came di i
rect from the PRINCETON steamship 10 our office
last night
Capt. Stockton was considered out of danger
by his physicians, and would, in all probability
he ube TO Intend tho funeral lie has suffered lll-
ensely from mental anxiety, but will, wllh little
rest aud proper treatment, soon come round again