Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-03-08

unhurt but heart-stricken spectators =
| The wounded seamen borne down below =
The silent tears aud quivering lips of their
brave ard honest comrades, who tried in
vain 10 subdue or TO conceal their feelings
What ,cords can adequately depict scene
like this.
The bodies of the killed remained on
board the ship last night. They will be
brought to the city this morning.
From he Globe.
Colonel Benton and Captain Stockton
we're slightly injured. The accident hap
pened about. 3 o'clock, some two or three
miles below Alexandria. Col. Benton's in
jury arose not from any fragment Of the
gun, but merely from the conclusion. He
was at the butt Of the gnn, taking its range
when il fired. He was not sensible of its
stunning efiec; until he had called for aid to
The bleeding sailors. lie was stunned for a
time, but was enabled to walk after reaching
the shore, and has given distinct account
of the dreadful scene. Captain Stockton
was burnt by the powder, but not seriously
injured
Captain Stockton having on successive
DAYS, extended invitations to visit his ship
to the executive and Committees of Con-
gress, and then to both Houses-invited the
ladies' of the city to an entertainment on
this, which was meant as the gala day of his
beautiful ship. 1t opened brightly, but has
closed in the most dreadful gloom over
our community Mr.. Upshur and Mr.
Gilmer were idols in the happy family
by which each was surrounded The elder
children Of Mr.. Gilmer are jus; grown; the
Younger still in the nurses arms Commo-
dore Kennon, Mr.. Maxcy, and Mr.. Card.
ner are all torn from family endearments-
from wives and children. We understand
that Mrs. Gilmer was upon the deck when
her husband fell. II was the third discharge
of the gun land fired at the equest of Mr.
Gilmer) that burst il. The laughter of Mr.
Upshur, several of the family of Com Ken
non, and the daughters of Mr.. Gardiner,
were on board the steamer; but none of
them, except Mrs. Gimer, were apprzed of
the death of those most dear 10 them until
after their return to the city. Almost all
the ladies' were below, at dinner, when the
catastrophe occurred. Mrs. Gilmeri was
brought to the city almost in state Of dis
traction.
There were two hundred ladies on board
and during the two discharges Of the gun,
were on deck and many of them approach
ed very near to observe the course of the
ball after it struck the water.
From the .uadisonisu.
The same number Of our paper which
contains the unfortunate Gilmer's address to
his constituents, bears them also the ac-
count of his death.
The last paragraph in the'official notice
respecting the Canadian prisoners, in the
number of our paper, was written by the la
menled Upshur, Just starting on the excur-
sion, and are the last words he ever wrote.
The following are extracts Of letter from the
correspondent of the Journal Of Commerce, which
contains some particulars that we have not met in
other accounts.
This day will be ever memorable as day
of calamity. A large party Of gentlemen
and ladies were invited to ball on board
the Princeton, by Capt. Stockton. The
ball was a topic of conversation here for a
week past. i, was to be highly exclusive.
1t was given out that no clerks nor subor-
dinate officers were to be invited to it,
Still, the invitations were as numerous as
the capacity of the ship justified. 1t was
known week ago, that the President and
bis family were to be present; that the
Heads of Departments and their families
were to be there; and that a magnificent
entertainment was to be gwen.
AT ten o'clock, this morning, the fashion,
ables were moving towards the arsenal, in
long lines of carriages, where they were to
be taken into boats or barges to be conveyed
to the ship. They went down the river, as
far as Mount Vernon, numerous and hap
py party, as ever hoated on the waters of
the wide and sparkling Potomac. They
passed Mount Vernon. The big guns-the
''Oregon" and the "Peacemaker" were dis
charged The Peacemaker was. discharged
three times, with its ball of 22S pounds,
which was sent skipping down the river for
miles, to the great qualification of the look
ers on.
The ship returned. She came up the
river. Some miles this side of Mount Yer
non, and, after dinner was over, and about
FIVE o'clock, the forIoGrd gun was again dis
charged, but without ball, and with pow
der only.
One gentleman tells me that he saw a
flame rising from the middle Of the gun,
before the sound of the explosion. The
gun had burst.
1 My principal iniormants were Mr. Pratt,
member of the House from New York, and
Mr.. Barney of Baltimore.
Mr. Pratt states that he heard the explo-
sion, being near the gangway, and went for
ward instantly. He was the first person on
the spot, except one or two sailors. He saw
men on both sides of the guns, Frustrated, -
and two persons, particularly, on the lar
board side, with mass Of iron lying on