Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-03-16

Inc company were at dinner-a most boun1inn
repast. Toasts were passed around, and ne
most ecstatic feelings OF pleasure patriotism. ani
social cheer reigned among the collected ccmpa-
ny in the cabin. At this time, (the ship besnr
in the neighborhood Of Mount Vernon Num-
Der Of gentleman, in addition to the few who
continued on deck, were invited to witness M
discharge of the "Peace- ssakey,o the name ~
the great wrought-iron gun at the bow of ,hs
ship. From our letter describing the C.nryrx-
sional excursion of the Princeton. of Tuesday
week, it will be remembered that the ssp.ac.,
makero weighs ten tons, requires twe,.t -Gyc
pounds of powder for an ordinary ciargr, ard !
ball Of 225 pounds weight-that is addition "a
this the ship is armed with IL forty.iwo pound.
ers, six to each side, and another great vi oaght.-
iron gun at the stern, fellow TO the "Prace.
maker,n called the eOregon," and that all this
armament is on the upper deck. Nearly the en-
tire company were at dinner, when the expert.
mental discharge was made, (and it is reported
that it was very heavy charge, as if to test ths
strength and prodigions powers of the gun) 81
Mr.. Waller, son-in-law Of the President, Va,
singing a.patriotic song at the festive board
when the qua was fred on the deck above
There was sudden stiffness on the upper del
among the spared, deep groaning among the
wounded and dying, and then succeeded scene
Of tumult, horror, alarm and despair--a scene q
tears, of blood, of mangled men, dead and dv;n,
and Of shrieking women, calling npon the de,S
and searching among the living for them. r
Strewed in their blood around the gun. amon~
the ponderous fragments, lay the mangled cor,ses
Mr.. Gardner cut in two at the thighs. IN
Upsher with the shoulders and abdomen sh.,ts1.
ed into mass, Mr.. Gilmer with his skull ard
shoulders torn 70 pieces--the flying metal. from
the height Of the gun, striking nearly ali ihe
dead most fatally.
Col Benton If the Senate, was ,emno,,,;ys
paralized by the tremendous conclusion. Can.
tain Stockton was slightly injured, but from ri,
position, standing in the rear ofthe gun, he 80.
capped One Sailor was carried by the ernla.
sion. shapeless body, far of into the river.
Mrs. Gilmer was on board, as also number
Of female friends and relations Of the deceased.
The deep and fearful agony Of one Of tae ladies'
affected all the living present, as deeply as The
fearful spectacle. Scarcely weeping herself.
from the excess Of her despair, she locked upon
the dead, and exclaimed: ssTs It so?-Is il SOP
Do Is,e?-Do live?-Do ] dream? NV noble
husband is it, is it nv husband widow and
an orphan, am I, am alone in the. world7 OH
God have mercy, and take this fearful dream
from mel II Is MOTT cannot be--yes il is
il is!!''
We give you these hurried particulars ~ we
have received them from gentleman on board.
who describes the scene as terrible beyond con-
ception.
Two summers ago, when the steamship Mis-
souri, was coming up the river, and NOT far from
the spot Of this calamity, fifteen lives were lost
bv the slipping Of an anchor chain. which drew
the boat and crew bearing the anchor to the bJt-
tom. To-day we have another accident which
throws not only the country into mourning, but
the government itselfinto disorder and all tie ex
detrimental war-ship excurs oos into eternal disre-
pute.
On the excursion of the Princeton with the
members Of the House. on last Tuesday week,
we stood at the side ofthi. &C Peace-maker', du.
ring several of her discharges. The conclusion
seriously affected our hearing for several DAYS,
and until yesterday we had suffered necessarily
from our teeth, all of which seemed to have been
Jared from their sockets. Butthen the gun was
only charged with IS pounds Of powder-to-day,
the Captain (from wish. herhaps, to exhibit his
big gun to>the best advantage, poor fellow, y had
charge put in Of 40 pounds. Had we risen an
hour earlier this morning, so as to have prepared,
IN season. for the visit. your reporter might have
been ere this ushered with the dead Of the Prince
ton, into eternity. We are thankful that il is
otherwise. Dreadfnl-dreadful day!