The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-15
A NAVAL TRAGEDY.
OLD-TlME CATASTROPHE RECALLED
BY THE MAINE DISASTER.

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The Bursting of Gun on the Princeton
More Than a Century Ago Scattered Death
and Observation-Disclosures Tyler's Mar
row Escape sroIn Horrible Fate.
The destruction of the warship
Maine recalls fearful tragedy in
United States naval history, in which
the Secretaries of State and the Navy
and other persons were instantly kill
ed, many were wounded, and the
President and several prominent
statesmen and high officials had ex-
tremely narrow escapes from death.
This catastrophe occurred fifty-four
years ago, on the afternoon of Febru-
ary 2S, 1874, on board the United
States war steamer Princeton, Commo-
dore Stockton, on the Potomac River,
about fifteen miles below Washington.
1t was the Peacemaker, one of the
larger guns of the ships armament, a
new and to the commander a favorite
piece of ordance.
To exhibit the superiority of these
new and formidable cannon Commo-
dore Stockton had invited and re-
ceived on board large and brilliant
company of both sexes for an excur-
sion down the river In this party
were included President Tyler, Mrs.
Robert Tyler, Miss Cooper, John Ty-
Ter, Jr., from the White House; a
large number of officers, in full uni
form; all the members of the Cabinet,
except Mr.. Spencer; many other per-
sons of high official rank, Senators
and Representatives attaches and
secretaries of legation; Gen. Almopte,
Minister from Mexico, &C., in all
about 400 persons.
When the Princeton had fairly pass
ed Fort Washington the Peacemaker
was shotted and fired, the effect of
which proved its remarkable power.
and won the admiration of all on
board. An hour afterward, by re-
quest, the piece was loaded for firing
a second time. The gun was now
pointed to leeward, and behind it
stood Commodore Stockton; a little
to the left of him Mr. j. Washington
Tyson, Assistant Postmaster-G General,
BY the side of the latter, little be-
hind him, stood Mr.. Strickland of
Philadelphia, and little to the right
OF but behind him, Col. Benton of
Missouri, who had lady at his arm,
and Judge S. S. Phelps, Senator from
Vermont. To the leeward of the gun
stood Judge Upshur, the Secretary of
State, and Gov. Gilmer, the Secretary
of the Navy; and short distance be-
hind them Mr.. MaXey, the late Charge
'Atfaires to Belgium. By the side of
him stood the Hon. Mr.. Gardiner of
New York and Commodore Kennon,
chief of the Navy Bureau.
On firing the gun murderous blast
succeeded-the whole ship shook and
reeled-and a dense cloud of smoke
enveloped the entire group on the
forecastle; but when this blew away
an awful and heartrending scene pre-
sented itself to the view of the hushed
and agonized spectators. The gun had
burst at point three or four feet from
the breech, and scattered death and
destruction all around!
The lower part of the gun, from the
trunnions to the breech, was blown
Off Secretary Upshur was badly cut
over the eye and in his legs, and ex-
pired in very few minutes. Mr..
Gilmer of Virginia-under whose Off
cial direction, as Secretary of the
Navy, the power OF this great gun was
tested-was likewise mortally wound
ed and soon breathed his last. Mr..
Maxey had his arms and one of his
legs cut off. Mr. Gardiner of New
York-the future father-in-law of
President TyleT-and Commodore
Kennon died in about half an hour.
About dozen sailors were badly
wounded; one was dead, and behind
him, Col. Benton, Judge Phelps, and
Mr.. Strickland, as if dead, were ex-
tended on the deck. Mr.. Tyson of
Philadelphia, near by, was unhurt, al
though a piece of the gun had passed
through his hat about two inches from
his skull. President Tyler escaped by
a close margin, he having been called
back from where lie stood just a mo-
ment before.
Col. Thomas Hart Benton, author of
my Thirty Years in the Senate" the
father-in-law of Gen. Fremont, and
one of the most noted men of the old
regime, gives an interesting account
of his own experience at the time of
the explosion. Among other things.
he says:
Lieut.. Hunt caused the gun to be
worked, to show the ease and precis-
ion with which her direction could be
changed, and then pointed down the
river to make the fire, himself and the
gunners standing rear the breach on
the right. l opened my mouth wide
to receive the conclusion in the inside
as we'll as on the outside, so as to
lessen the force of the external shock. |
saw the hammer pulled back, heard |
tap, saw flash, felt a blast in the
race, and knew that my hat was gone:
and that was the last that l knew of |!
the world or of myself for a time, of
which | could give no account.
The first that know of myself or |
OF anything afterward was of rising up
at the breach of the gun, seeing the
gun itself split open; two seamen, the
blood oozing from their ears and nos
trils, rising and reeling near me, and
Commodore Stockton, hat gone and
face blackened, standing bolt upright.
staring fixedly upon the shattered