Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-06-29
THE LOSS OF THE PRINCETON.
A "Reminiscences

DedTliS uuIO Il WaleTy ueAtn LnFe6
hundred passengers, the awful
event would have recalled the
great catastrophe which occurred
on board the steamer Princeton,
bound up the Potomac, on the
t2Sth of February, 1914, and hap-
ling on board the President of the
United States, John Tyler, the en-
tire Cabinet, with their wives and
daughters, and a large number
OF Senators, members of Congress,
and women distinguished in the
society of the time. ~
The occasion was a. 5eter given
by Captain Stockton, of the Prince
ton, and on board the vessel was o
huge new gun, the "Peacemaker,7
q cruel misnomer, the shot of
which weighed 225 pounds, As
Alexandra came in view, Captain
Stockton said privately to the
President and Cabinet that he
would fire parting salute from
the Peacemaker, in honor of
George Washington, the great
peacemaker of his country, and
for their particular grati6cation,
as the gun was an experiment in
the machinery of death, aud
great curiosity prevailed with re-
gard to its character. The Presi.
dential party started up the cabi-
net stairs when the President
was recalled to hear toast pro-
posed by young lady, then we'll
known, Miss Wickliffe, who gave
the sentiment, "The Flag Of a.,
merica: the only thing that is
American that will bear stripe"
The Secretary Of State, Mr..
Upshui, had also returned with
the President, whom lie again
urged to the deck that he might
witness the firing, but the an
nOuncement of a national song
detained Mr.. Tyler, and Upshur
went on deck alone. As the name
"WashIngton" was pronounced by
the singer, loud came the report
of the gun, and in the midst of
the excitement, the master of
ceremonies called for three, cheers
Before voice could utter a re-
sponsive shout, the boatswain's
mate rushed into the cabin, black
with powder, and blood dripping
from his garments, eXclaiming in
broken sentences that the gun
had exploded and killed everybody
on deck. The cries of wives,
whose husbands had beenat their
side a moment before, the shrieks
of daughters for their fathers, the
rushing of men, and the tainting.
of women, the trembling of the
ship and the cloud of smoke that.
enveloped the vessel above and be-
low, without and within, combined
to produce a scene almost indes-
cribable for its pain and horror.
When the smoke had risen, the
lower part of the gun lay upon
the lifeless, bleeding body of the
Secretary of State, who expired
before he could be freed from its
trammels. General Gilmer, of
Virginia, lay senseless beside Mr.,
Upshur, and also expired before
any assistance could be rendered
him. Virgil Maxey, of Maryland,
was horribly mutilated, and had
died instantly. Colonel Gardiner,
a member of Congress from New
York, lived half an hour, without,
however, giving any token of
consciousness; and Commodore
Kennon, who had watched the
gun with great interest, lay man.
gled and senseless, and breathless,
and breathed his last within the
same period. The Secretary Of
War, Judge Wilkins, did not !
trust the gun, and retired a mo-
ment before the firing, thus saving
his life. The wife of General
Gilmer, with eyes fixed and tear.
less, gazed at the dead body of |
of her husband, to whom she was
passlonately attached, and who !
had been dancing with her an
hour previously. Dumb with ag-
ony, white with terror, and quiv-
ering i'll the agony of the scene,
she was borne away by sorrow
stricken friends, and suddenly
sent back upon the affrighted air
shrek upon shrek of madness
and despair. The daughters Of
Colonel Gardiner threw them
selves upon the corpse of their
father and piteously bemoaned
his cruel death.
The victims were conveyed to
Washington, where five. hearses
bore the dead to the Presidents
The collins were ar
ranged in the center of the east