Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-03-16
IN isfflta ne q II s .


Inc LOSS OF the Pf2fCeEOn-A NemfnfS
cenCe.
If the Tennessee had gone down, bear
ing unto watery death three hundred
passengers, the awful event would have
recalled the great catastrophe which oc-
| Cured on board the steamer Princeton
bound up the Potomac, on the 2Sth o
February, 1874, and having on board tht
President of the United States, Johr
Tyler, the entire Cabinet, with their wive.
aud daughters, and large number o
Senators. members of Congress, and
women distingu ished in the society 81
the timo.
= The occas ion was ,3tts given by Capt
Stockton, of the Princeton, and on board
the vessel was huge new gun, the
"Peacemaker,' cruel misnomer, the
shot of which weighed 225 pounds. As
Alexandria came in view, Capt. Stockton
said privately 10 the President and Cabi.
act that he would fire a parting salute
from the Peacemaker, in honor of George
Wash'u gton, the great peacemaker of his
country, and for their particular gratif-
cation, as the gun was an experiment in
the machinery of death. and great curi-
ositY prevailed with regard to its tharac-
ter. The Presidential party started mp
the cabin stairs when the President was
recalled to hear toast proposed by a
young lady then vel, known, Miss Wick
life, who gayo the sentiment. The Flag
OF America ne Oil " thing that is Ameri-
can that will bear stripes" The Secre-
tary of State, Mr. Upshur. had also re-
turned with the President, whom he
again urged to the deck that he might
witness the firing, blu. the announcement
of national song detained Mr.. Tyler, and
Upshur went on deck alone. As the
name of "Washington" was pronounced
by the singer, loud came the report of the
gun, and iii the midst Of the excitement.
she master of ceremonies called for three
cheers. Before voice could utter u re-
sponsive shout, the boatswain's mate
rushed into the cabin, black with powder,
and blood dripping from his garments,
exclaimiug in broken sentences that the
gun had exploded aud killed everybody
on deck. The cries of wives, whose hus-
bands had been at their side a moment
before, the shrieks of daughters for their
fathers, the rushing of men,, and the
fainting of women. the trembling of the
ship and the cloud of smoke that envel-
oped the vessel above and below, without
and within. combined to produce scene
almost indescribable for its pain AID hor-
ror. When the smoke had risen, the
lower part of the gun lay upon the life
less, bleeding body of the Secretary of
State, who expired before he could be
freed from its trammels. General Gil
mer, of Virginia, lay senseless beside
MIR. Upsbar, and also expired before as
sistance could be rendered him. Virgil
Maxcy, of Maryland, was horribly mutt
lated, and had died instantly. Colonel
Gardiner, member of Congress from
New York, lived half an hour, without,
however, giving any token of conscious
ness and Commodore Kennon, who had
watched the gun with great interest, lay
maugled and senseless. and breathed his
last within the same period. The Secre-
tary of War, Jadge Wilkins, did not
trust the gun, and retired moment be-
fore the firing, thus saving his life. The
wife of General Gilmer. VITA eyes fixed
aud fearless. gazed at the dead body of
her husband. to whom she was passion
ately attached. and who had been dane
ing with her an hour previously. Dumb
with agony, white with terror, and duiv-
ering in the agony Of the scene, she was
borne away by sorrow stricken friends,
and suddenly sent back upon the alright
ed air shrek upon shrek of madness and
despair. The daughters of Colonel Gar
diner threw them selves upon the corpse
of their father, and piteously bemoaned
his cruel death
The victims were conveyed to Wash
ington, where five hearses bore the dead
to the Presidents mansion The collins
were arranged in the center Of the east
room, according to the rank of those who
slept within them.
The catastrophe had occurred on
Wednesday on Saturday the funeral took
place amid all the mouruful pomp the
living could pay as tribute to the dead,
aud with tollihg of bell, and heavy
resonance of minute gun. the collins were
laid within their fnal resting place in the
Congressional burying ground.