The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-03-29
| NUMBER 2G.

| tnt same time Chief oil one OF the bureaus
IN The Navy Department.
When the gun was fired the whole ship
shook-a dense cloud of smoke enycloped
the whole group on the forecaste; but
when this blew away an awful scene pre-
scented itself TO the view Of the spectator.
The lower part Of the gun, from the
trunnlons TO The breech, was blown of, and
one half section Of il laying on his breast
1t took sailors TO remove it.. Mr.. Upshur
was badly cut over the eye and in his legs
his clothes were literally torn from his
body he expired in about three minutes
Governor Gilmer, of Virginia, was found
equally badly injured. lie had evidently
been struck by the section of the gun be.
fore II had reached Mr.. Upshur.
Mr.. Sykes, the member from \. Jersey,
cndeavorcd to raise him from the ground
but was unable. 4 matrass was procured,
and he was placed on ii before any medi.
cal assistance could be procured, lie was
no longel among the .iying.
Mr.. Maxcy had his arms and one Of
his legs cut off, the pieces Of flesh hang
/ ing to the mutlated mSg, cold and blood
less, in manner truly frightful. lie died
Instantly.
Mr.. Gardiner, Of New York, and Com
modore kennon, fingered about half an
hour, but they did not seem to be conscious
Of their fate, and expired almost without
groan. The flags Of. the Unjon we're plac-
ed over. tho dead bodies as their winding
sheets.
Behind the gun the scene, though at first
equally distressing, was less Alarming
+. Captain Stockton, who was knocked down.
almost instantly rose to his feet, and jump
ed on the wooden carriage TO survey the
whole effect Of the calamity. All the hair
of his head and face was burnt eli, and he
stood calm and undismayed, but silent
over the wreck. In addition to the deaths
already mentioned, about a dozen sailors
were badly wounded and behind him Col.
Benton, Judge Phelps and Mr., Strickland,
as if dead, extended on the deck. On that
side. by singular confederation Of cir.
cumstances, Mr.. Tyson, Of Philadelphia,
was the only person who stood his ground,
though piece Of the gun, weighing aboat
two ouHds,~had passed through his hat,
about two inches from his skull, and fallen
down by the SIDE OF hQI.
The lady who had Col. Be6fon's arm
was actually blown into the rigging, but
not hurt. Col. Benton exclaimed, imme-
diately after he fell, Lord, am hurt y
bu, be was only stunned, He was carried
aft and placed on a matrass, where Mrs.
Benton and his friends administered to him
what aid they could, which, however, he
repeatedly declined, saying there was moth
ing the matter with him. /, lie tasted a lit
tie brandy, fno cologne being near at hand,)
and was soon AFTER able 10 walk, with some
slight assistance, over the railing of the
ship on board the steamboat that took the
company off to Washington.
Judge Phelps, of Vermont, had his hat
blown or knocked off, and the buttons Of
bic coat torn, but he was not otherwise
injured.
Mr.. Strickland, of Philadelphia, was not
at all injured, and instantly recovered his
position.
Miss Woodbury. and Miss Cooper, who,
in company of Capt. Reed of the Army,
and Mr. Welles of Philadelphia, had been
standing on leeward gun, were not hurt;
but Miss Woodbury., Che beautiful and ac-
complshed lighter Of the Senator from
New Hampshire,) had her whole face
sprlnked with blood, which, However, |
am gladGo say, was not her own.
Such was the force of the explosion,
that the starboard and larboard bulwarks
were literally shattered, and that part Of
the gun described was blown INTO twenty
or thirty pieces besides the two principal
sections.
Judge wilkins was only saved by wit
tcsm Of his. He had taken his stand by
The side of Gov. Gimer, but some remarks
falling from the lips of the latter, and in
percelying that the gun was about to be
fired, exclaimed, Though Secretary of
War, don't Ike this firing, and believe
that shall run" So saying he retreated,
suitiug the action to The word, and was
saved.
The President himself had taken his
position but few minutes previous, pre-
ciscly where Gov. Gilmer was killed but
for some reason or other went aft, and was
thus providehtially saved.
The most heart.rending scene, however,
was that which followed. The two
daughters of Mr.. Gardiner, -oi New York,
we're both on board, and lamented the
death Of their father, while Mrs. Gilmer,
from whom they in vain attempted to keep
the dreadful news Of the death of her hus-
band presented truly spectacle fit 10 be
depicted by tragediau.
There she sat on deck, with her hair
dishevellcd, pale as death, struggling with
her feelings, and with the dignity Of a wo-
man. Her lips quiycring, her eyes fixed
and upturned, without tear, only the cor
ners a little moist, soliloquising "oh
certainly not, Mr.. Gilmcar cannot be
dead Who would dare to inlure HIM
Yes, oh Lord, have mercy upon me Oh
Lord, have mercy upon him p And then
still more apparently calm and discerning to
be collected, with the furies tearing her