Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-10-28

with the horror of the situation, many
found themselves unconsciously observ
ing the perfect discipline of the ship
No seaman stirred from his post: (: Off
GERS continued to give orders and men tt
obey them with the same regularity
and calm precision as had accompanied
the whole trip. while some, happening
to look upward in the confusion imme-
diately following the explosion, beheld
every flag flying at half mast, as though
the hOrrid disaster had been anticipated
MANY were the wonderful escapes
that were narrated by the survivors
when time had enabled them to control
their thoughts. I find a number ol
them here with my collected accounts
of the disaster, and here is one, for ex-
ample, from one William ickland
Esq. Of Philadelphia. I will Fead you
"'If 1 had been one foot further to
the right or left, says he, I would have
been killed. Captain Stockton had all
his hair burnt off and was otherwise in
jured. l was Immediately behind him
while he was explaining the construc
tion of the lock of the gun and when
he ordered her to be ared, and the first
sensation which had was that I was
prostrate on the deck, without the pow
er of hearing
1.-THE mental suffering of Captain
Stockton must have been piteous in the
EXTREME says another Though not
seriously injured he was so stunned by
the explosion as to be incapable Of hear
ing the anguish about him, and was as
one alone with his bitter thoughts. He
had given the word which struck down
those for whose safety he would have
periled his own life'
THE NEWS REACHES THE CITY.
"It was not until the morning of the
2gth that the news of the disaster had
become generally known in Washing
ton, the excursionists reaching home
late in the evening and the bodies Of
the unfortunates remaining on board
the Princeton. On Thursday morning
they were brought ashore. and. at the
particular request of the President, TAX
en- to the White House, where they
were placed in the East room, which
Was hung in the deepest mourning, and
from this moment unto the hour of
burial crowded with sympathizing visi
tors. Both houses of Consrass having
met at the usual hour a message was re-.
ceived and read from the President,
after which both houses adjourned un-
til after the funeral ebseauies. / believe
l have copy of the messages
here it is:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentdtives Of the United States: 1 have
to perform the melancholy outy of an
nouncing to the two houses of Congress
the death of the Honorable Abel P.
Upshur. late Secretary of State. and the
Honorable Thomas w. Gilmer, late
Secretary of the Navy.
"fhis most iamehtabIe occurrence
transpfred on board the United States
ship of war, the Princeton, on yester-
day, at about half past four in the even
ing, and proceeded from the explosion
of one of the large guns of that ship.
1.-The loss which the government and
the country has sustained by this de-
plorable event Is heightened by the
death at the same time, and by the same
cause, of several distinguished persons
and valuable citizens.
II shall be permitted to express my
great grief at an occurrence which has
thus so suddenly stricken from my side
two gentlemen upon whose advice so
confidently relied in the discharge ol
nv arduous task of administering the
Office of the Executive department., and
whose services at this interesting period
were of such vast importance.
I'm some relief of the public sorrow
which must necessarily accompany this
most painful event, it affords me much
satisfaction to say that 1t was produced
by no carelessness or inattention on the
part of the officers aud crew of the
Princeton, but must be set down as one
of those casualties which to greater OF
less degree attend upon every service
and which are invariably incident tt
the temporal affairs of mankind. I will
also add that it In no measure detracts
from the value of the improvement con
templated in the construction of thu
Princeton or from the merits of her dis
| tiDguished commander and protector.
John TYLER.
Washington. February 20, 1874
las particular mark of the publ,
respect and sympathy all the courts ther
sitting within the District then adjourn
ed, public meetings, receptions, thea
tres and all projected public gathering
were postponed Until after the funeral
and every mail from all sections of tn,
country brought announcements of sim
liar action upon the part of legisativ,
and municipal bodies and resolution
of coincidence from public and privat,
quarters.
THE FUNERAL.
Saturday, March 2, was designate,
as the day for the rendering of the las
tribute of respect to the bodies of the vic
Tins, and the Capital, with its near re
collection of the death and burial O
General Harrison, has seldom witnesse,
so melancholy an hour. The funera
services were held at the White House
which was thronged to its utmost capac
ity, as were the grounds and approache
crowded to suffOcatiOn. The procession
which moved about noon, reached tn
entire length of the avenue, and W.
grand and imposing Following tn,
military escort, commanded by Genera
Winfield Scott. came the hearses (Mr
Maxey's remains having been taker
home by bis family on friday, eacl
preceded by twelve pail bearers an,
followed by carriages containing tn,
friends and relatives of the deceased
The Senate and House committee OF
foreign relations, headed by Senate
Archer of Virginia and the House com
mittee by Charles ]. Ingersoll, of Penn
sylvania, acted as guard of honor to th,
body of the Secretary of State; tn
Senate and House committee on nava
affairs to the Secretary of the Navy
the officers of the army and navy t.
Captain kennon, and the Senators ant
Members from the State of New Yorl
to that of Mr. Gardiner.
"Ihese were followed by the Presi
dent and Cabinet, the Supreme Court
both houses of Congress and municpa
bodies, civic societies and the public Gen
orally by thousands. Minnie guns wer
fred from several points along the route
the church bells tolled and manifesto
tions of sympathy shown by the mourn
ful decorations hung from every hous
in the city. Several batteries of artiller,