The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-06-22
N.aEqL COURT .N.aRTY.aL..

an the har6or Of .NsTv-London, in the stare
Of Connecticut, on the 18Th day IF .@tyii,
1914, and contintied 6v adjoXrnnients to NE
sth IF May oiloqyiag, Geutenant URliam s.
Cor, ofthe navy offhe United States, zcas
trTedon the. foLlosving charges and stecif-
cations thereof pi-:
"CHARGE1."
Cowardicc."
Specification. In that he deserted his
station, in time action with the enemy, and
continued absent therefrom."
CHARGE IL"
Disobedience of orders"
"Sheci fc0tioB. In that, having been char
gcd with the command of the second division
of the gun deck, he lett his station, in time of
action with the enemy, and, after having so
left 1t, was seen BY his commanding officer
James Lawrence, esq. in the cockpit of the
said frigate (Chesapeake.) who ordered him
10 return to his quarters, which order he did
not execute"
"CHARGE III"
"Desertion from his.Quarters, and neglect
of duty
Specification The first. In that, he was
charged with the command OF the second di-
vision of the gun deck, from which he with
drew, in time of action with the enemy, with
out orders, while the men of said division re-
manned at their quarters"
." Sheci fcGtio1 the second. In. that he did
not do his utmost to aid and assist to take, or
destroy, the enemy's vessel the Shannon,
by animating and encouraging, in his own per-
son, conduct and example, the inferior officers
and men to fight couragcously l.; but did, con
trary to orders and his duty as an officer,
leave his station i'll time of action, aud deny to
mdshipman Higginbotham the use of coercive
means to prevent the men-from deserving
their quarters, running, or jumping below,
and thereby compel them to return to their
duty, and repel the boarders of the enemy"
"cHARGE W."
&" Unoffcer-hke conduct"
{" Specification the. fr8t. In that he quit
ted his station, designated in the foregoing
specifications, in time of action with the enc
my, proceeded to the upper deck, and thence,
while the enemy was boarding, or attempting
70 board the fiigate Chesapeake, accompa-
MED The person of his disabled commander,
before named, to the gun deck, and there con-
rnued, without properly exerting himself, du-
ring the remainder of the action
:" Specification the Second. In that, after
having left his station and proceeded to the
upper deck, and thence, while the enemy was
boarding or attempting to board, the frigate
Chesapeake, accompanied the person of his
disabled commander to the gun deck, lie did
not return To the command of his division, but
went forward on the gun deck, and while there
& the men were retreating below commanded
them to 60 to their duty without enforcing
that command himself, or directing, or per-
hitting others so to do; where, and in the
steerage of the said frigate, he continued
during the remainder of the action contra
fy to his duty and the good example of an Off
GER"
To all of which the prisoner pleaded &c nor
guilty"
.Atrii %, 1914.
The court met pursuant to adjournment
PRESENT,
Capt STEPHEN DECATUR, President.
Capt. JACoB JONES,
Mast. Comdt. JAMES BIDDLE,
Lieutenants WILLIAM CARTER, Jun.
joHN T. SHUBKIcK,
BENJAMIN w. BooTH,
ALEXANDER CLAYTON,
DAVID CONNER,
JOHN GALLAGHER, and
JOHN, d. SLoAT,
members; when all the proceedings, and evil
dence, whether ON the part of the prosecution
or the defence, being read, they pronounced
the following
SENTENCE.
I" The court, after mature deliberation,
on the evidence adduced, find the prisoner,
Lieutenant William S. Cox, not guilty of
the charges, first for cozvardice' second
tor disobed!ence oforders,' exhibited against
him.
Ot the third charge, for de8ertion from
ms quarters and neglect Of duty,' the court
ind the prisoner not guilty of desertio7
from his quarters but guilty. of neglect Of
d4ty, III not doing his utmost to aid in captn-
ring the Shannon, by animating and encoura-
ging, in his own example, the inferior Off
GERS and men to fight Comageously, and in
denying the use of coercive means, to prevent
the desertion OF the men from their Quar-
tiers and iii not compelling those who had
deserted from their quarters to return to their
duty"
Gothic fourth charge, for 'unohceylike
c9Hd"ct,' the court find the prisoner glaltv,'
IN that, while the enemy was boarding, or at
tempting to board, the frigate Chesapeake.
the prisoner accompanied his disabled com
mander James Lawrence, esquire, from the
quarter deck, where his presence and com
mand were essential to animate and direct the
crew, III repelling the boarders
OF the enemy and sentence him to be cash
tered, with perpetual incapacity to serve in
the Navy of the United States.''
STEPHEN DECATUR,
President ot-fhe Court.
THO. o. SELFRIDGE,
Lndge advocate.
APPROVED,
JAMES MADIcON