commodore kennon was one of the six victims killed when a gun exploded during a firing demonstration on february 28, 1844. britannia herself was onboard the boat as were a number of very important individuals, president of the united states, john tyler, former first lady dolly madison, a number of other cabinet members, but britannia did not directly witness the explosion that killed her husband. she was likely below decks enjoying the dinner, the food that was served as part of this day sailing excursion. the funeral for the victims was held two days later in the east room of the white house. one can only imagine the loss that britannia must have felt after just 16 months of marriage, thus widows, she was also a single parent to her infant daughter. she spent nearly two weeks confined to her room after the loss of her husband. it's possible that the events surrounding the 1844 disaster on the princeton represented such a dark and painful time of her life that she couldn't even bear to speak of it more than 50 years later. another incident from february of 1904 further illustrates th