Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-01-14

The following is extract of the account of the
accident by which General Pierce child was killed
written by the Res Mr. Fuller, Of MANCHESTER, n,
III for the Manchester Mirror
81 was looking out at the window, when NC felt
a severe shock, and The twas dra eyed for a few
seconds The axel Of the front wheel being brok
Perfectly conscious of situation, | remember
thinking what was the matter. | retained through
the whole my consciousness In another second,
The coupling which joined our with the other
broke and our car was whrled violently round.
as to reverse the ends, and we swung down the
rocky ledge. For once, | had no hope of escaping
death. Shall never forget the breathless horror
which came over during our fall. There was not
Shrek not exclamation, till the progress of the
car after having turned over twice on the rocks,
was arrested and with violent concussion, having
parted in the middle, and being broken into many
thousand fragments received personally a few
bruises and flesh cuts of no particular moment, and
found myself amid mass of broken glass and spn-
tered wood, and grooming men and women, with no
limbs, broken, and with heart to praise God for
his sparing mercy ] had no need to get ont at any
door or window for the Il iragmcntary ruin,
The next moment man covered with blood himself
"a noble fellow-Said We alive; let us help
Others passed from frightful part Of the
scene to another, and the whole is before as
a fearful victim. Men came up every side drip
ming with blood. and few escaped cuts and
bruises Before all were rescued, the top. covered
with oil cloth. took FIRE from the stove and added to
the general horror and suffering.
Two incidents among the many terrible ones. are
especialIy present to my memory On the bank sat
mother (Nrs. Stokes, OF this city, clasring her
little boy Of some three or four years of age he had
been rescued from the ruin which had strewn the
rock with splin,ercd agments, and her own person
was considerably burned by the fire, but she was
shedding tears ofgratude over her rescued child and
rejoicing in his safety undmindful of her own pain.
But a few steps from her saw the most appalling
scene of all. There another mother, whose ag-
ony passes beyond any description She could shed
no tears but overwhelmed with grief. uttered such
affecting words as | never can forget. It Mrs
Pierce the lady of the President elect and near her.
in that ruin Of shivered wood and iron, lay more
terrible ruin, her only son. minute before so
beautiful so full of life and hope She was supper
ted by her husband and Prof. Packard
Gen. Pierce was himself bruised in the back. but
not severely. and the wounds of the spirit far
dcd any bodily suffering; yet while deeply affected
he showed all the self-pOssesson and nerve which
only characterizcs great and noble men, and
which few would manifest under similar circumstan-
ces He gave all needlul directions about the re-
covery of his little boy, still entangled in the wreck
about him, and then afforded all that comfort and
sympathy to his partner in sorrow which was aPpro
pirate to the time. She conveyed to a honse
near, and there she gave vent to the grief which
rent her heart, while he consoled and comforted.
may not draw the veil from that picture. Sacred is
the holy privacy Of sorrow and the hearts of those
have
describe.
Soon we were able to convey the wounded and the
dead to the nearest house. which happened to be
the poor farm in Andover. where every possible kind
ness and attention were rendered. Go with me. MIR
Editor. to that house, and look with while on
that scene of suffering and sorrow. In one room
were Gen Pierce and his lady in the opposite apart
ment lay the mortal remains of their little boy-and
oh so sad sight The blow by which he was in.
stantly killed, struck his forehead, and vo-
lens as to remove the upper portion of the head
leaving part of the brain exposed The face, with
the exception of bruise about the right eye still
remained unn ured, but bathed in bood General
Pierce and lady: meanwhile, retired to the house OF
Mr.. Aiken.
In the same room was a laly, Mrs. Newell OF
HilSborough, considerably bruised and her face cut
Her little daughter twelve years of age, lay near
with her foot SO badly nured that amputation will
be necessary She bore her pains sweetly and pa
tiently. In another room Mr.. Kittredge of Pelham
lay with his leg broken. and Mr. Chds, Of Henni-
kerr sat bravely up though with face covered with
! blood. Others much bruised had gone in the
train which returned for us from Lawrence. Every
attention which could possibly be paid to those in
1 jured given at this house. where most of the
wounded were carried The physicians were prompt
of the profession can judge judicious. After the
head of the little boy had been tendery cared for by
the physicians and all possible done to restore The
look OF lfe he was carried by US to the house where
his afflicted parents | shall never forget the
look of extreme pain that childs face wore and vet
there was something resigned and tender impressed
even by the awful hand of death. He was not yet
cold when he was in the room of Mr.. Aikens house.
dressed Just as he had been at the moment of the
calamity The form which had left that house but
little than hour before, full of life and hap
pine<s with heart full of hope and bright aspira-
tons was borne hack to those who had parted from
hm-that heart now hushed and st--that form
motionless, and the limbs fast growing rigid under
the icy touch of DEATH