Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1844-03-07
From the National Intelligencer, ol Th,lrsay Iast
HOST AWFUL AND MOST LANEN
TABLE CATASTROPNE!

n
death, by the bursting
of the large gun ora board the Uni
ted States ship Princeton, of Sec
rcfary Upshur. Secretary GilEuer,
Commodore AemmOn, and Virgil
Maxcy, Esq.
In the whole course OF our lives it has never
fallen 10 our lol 10 announce 10 our readers a
more shocking misunderstanding in all lis
and concomi,ans-lha that
(which occurred ON board the U. S. Ship Prince
3lon, yesterday afternoon, whilst under way, in
1.-The river Potomac, fourteen or fifteen miles be
1 low this city.
Yesterday was day appointed by the cour-
2tesy and hospitality of Capt Stockton, Com
smander of the Princeton, for receiving as visi-
ters 10 his fine ship dying off Alexandria, "a
2grsat number OF guests, with their families, lib
serally and numerously invited 10 spend the day
on board
The day was most favorable, and the COM
5pany was large and brilliant, of both sexe, mol
less probably In number than iour hundred,
among whom were The President Of the United
sStates, the Heads of ,hs several Departments
. and their families. AT proper hour, after the
arrival of the expected guests, The vessel 90,
/ under way and proceeded down the river, 10
some distance below Fort Washington.
During the passage down. one of the largs
l guns on board carrying ball of 225 pounds)
was fred more than once, exhibiting The greal
power and capacity of that formidable weapon
I of war. The ladies' had par,aken of a sumptu-
l Gus repast the gentlemen had succeeded them
I at the table, aud some of them had left il,
The vessel was on her return up river, oppo-
! site 10 the fort, where Captain Stockton con-
ssented 10 fire another shot from the same gun
around and near which, TO observe lis effects,
many persons had gathered though by no
means SO many as on similar discharges in the
morning, the ladies' who then ihrenged the deck
being on this fatal occasion almost all between
sdecks, and out Of reach of harm.
The gua was fired The explosion was fol-
slowed, before the smoke cleared away so as to
sobserve lis effect, by shrieks of wo which an
snounced dire calamity. The gun had burst,
! at point three or four feet from the breech,
/ and scattered death and desolation around
Mr.. Upshur, Secretary Of State Mr. Gilmer
so recently placed a, the head Of the Navy,
] sCommodors Kennon, one of its gallant officers
Virgil Maxcy, lately returned from diplomatic
residence at the Hague. Mr.. Gardiner, OF New
York, formerly member of the Senate Of that
aStaie, were among the slain.
Besides these, seventeen seamen were
wounded, several Of them badly and probably
smortally. Ameng those stunned by the con-
scussion, we learn not all seriously injured, were
sCapt. Stockton himself; Col Benton, of the
5Senate Lieutenant Hunt, of the Princeton
w d. Robinson, Of Georgetown
Other persons also were perhaps more or
4 Hess injured, of whom in the horror and con(u-
1 sion of the moment, no certain account could
/ be obtained The above are believed, howev-
1 Ter, 10 comprise the whole of the persons known
Ito the public who were killed or dangerously
! or seriously hurt
The pileeus grief Of the unhur, but heart
stricken spectators The wounded seamen
borne down below. The silent tears and quiv-
ering lips Of their brave and honest comrades,
i who tried in vain 10 subdue or conceal their
sfeengsl What words can adequately dspicl
Ia scene like this?
The scene upon the deck may more easily
] be imagined than described. Nor can the i'm
ssgnaion picture TO itself the half of It's horrors
wives, widowed in an instant by the murderous
sblast. Daughters smiiien with the heart-rend-
I ing sight OF their fathers Iifsles. corpse! The
waiings OF agonized females
The bodies Of the killed remained on board
! The ship last night. They will be brought 10
! the city this morning.