New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-09-01
Trial of r.Iea.. charles Wilkes, u. g. N.
NAYdL COURT 4MARTIAL.
On board the o. S Snip North Carolina. lying IN
the New York Hsrbor

Of,3I
.adoser the mures of the testimony taken the preceding
day.
Mr. Hamilton stated 70 the Court that Mr.. Stewart, clerk
N Lieut. Hudson, who supposed have written the
,oo Of the cruze Of the Peacock, SIGH Brooklyn
and be proposed that the Judge Advocate and himself
ond be empowered TO 20 and iaksthe examination OF thai
witness.
Lieuf Hndson reca!led-o. VIVA, were the occupations
AZ the squadron while al CaIlao.
A. TIE officers were employed in making observations,
and taking in stores.
O. Mas il possible 10 have convened Court Martial
there without great Inconvenience The public service
A. 1t not
Were the occupasns o! the squadron in Sydney suck
ba. Court Martial could have been convened there
without srcatipjury TO the public service,
a would have caused great delay and injury 10 the
puhlc service.
could BE convened! and not the time for holding it
very limited, owing to the contemplated arrangements OF
the squadront
A. H~nofulu the first place. The time limited
owing that fact.
O. Haa not the squadron LOST much inr owing an nc
cdet 10 the Relief while coming round Cape Horn, aud
did not Lieut. wises always speak of that circumstance
with regret as calculated TO impede the operations OF the
squadron!
A. Yes; and he also waited fer the Sea Gull
o. Ii the squadron bird lost any more time could you brt
get TO the Antafctic in Tie proper season.
4. We would not, we had already lost much time
time that We had to torege visiting the Fcjee group
O. Did you meet Dr. Gulloa alter his vii, TO Lieut.
Wilkes ON the 9th October and did he appear excited.
A. did meet him and he did appear be much excited
q. With the exception Of CalIao, Sydney aud Honolulu
were the Squadron at any time oag enough company
bare held Court Martial!
A. They
q What do you say OF Lieut. wilkes's character in the
Squadron,
a lie ofthe most energetic, perseverng officers,
lfto., nF.
ngs far a, have had the opportunity of observing ana
my opportunities have been very good
By he Judge -ddvocais. How long did the Court Martial
stat Honolulu, and how loHg did the Squadron remain
there alter the Court adjourned,
A. don't know no" long sat, bu, the Squadron &C.
maInea there i6 II days think Mr. Harrisons COS,
was the ast-Read from the Log The 9TH November
his sentence was read The rcaccck sailed the I'd OF
DecemDer The NinceiiEcs saied the day. The Por
pose sailed on the 18th November. had orders TO be
ready 10 sail OF that day.
Ed hd on is 10Th OF January lc4a he and Mr. Reynolds
both reported to you that they saw land that day. ID.
you believe II 10 have been land they saw!
A. 10 ilnk was land, now, they but did think
hen |
@ DID you not tell Mr. Ed at the time that you hnd
doubt bu ii wa, land you saw.
A. rather think not, for / had doubts
was no. ls report made in the cabin and did you 90
on deck IN it,
A. cam; say; The greater portion ormy tine spenl
onitcAi examined The appearance OF The land.
Y. Was the walter much dlscoiored, did you order |
them 10 sound on the 18th!
A. The water was d>coored from the time reached |
Tie harrer did not order them sound; bad been
Eo KING among The ice TO e, 10 this appearance OF land
q Look at The paper now shown, and say if il ht
@der sent you by Lieut. Wilkes, and if the Coui il
sSsl0n VIXEN you got il.
a. The Court in session At the time
Ihe paper was put IN and read Ii order TO
81 The ship ready for sea b, te 18th November II bore
O. Did the Porpose sail on the 18th Of November, and
was her COMMANDER member of the Court
"a She did not sail Until the 10Th Of November and heI
commander member the Court.
O. Could not another officer have been substituted for
Lieut. RinggolG, ard t;ee five members without
him!
A We bad very great difficulty in getting officers to
nrvc IN the Court. think another officer could have
been substituted for Lieut. Ringgod without great ncon
rpiencc.
Here Mr. Hamilton read the lis, of the Cosrt Martial, as
follows: Lieut. Hudson President; Lisuts Ringgod, Carr
Johnson and Alden; r. r. Wadron Judge Advocate
q Could any person who had seen land more easily re-
iBelore
again. they would recognize with much greater ia
City than others who had never seen it before.
y Was not Lieut. johnson The first Lieutenant Of the
Porpoise, and did he not sail in her from Honolulu
a. He was, and he id of course sail in her.
z On all occasions o! The the being in hsrbor
were mol the officers busy employed than at sea?
A. They were All the duties while IN portwere more
Lieut. Ringeold called aud eram;ned-O. Were the Off
Gers and crew so much employed at Calao that Court
Martial could not have been convened without great pre-
JUDGE 10 the public service'
A. A Court might have been convened, but duties
sea- AZ Sydney we were as much engaged as at Caao
Wewere preparing for the Southern crulZe think Homo
lulu was the only place where Court could have been
convened without Inconvenience, and thought II very i'm.
polite TO hold q Court taen-cren there.
Squadron.
A. had not much intercourse with the officers of the
Sqaadon, and did not listen the various reports aoat
think they geReray gave him credit for great industry
and perseverance, attention his duties, &c. do no,
ainh that beard he harsh TWAS my habit excep,
Star as the officers of the Porposc concerned 10
cave much Intercourse with the officers particularly sub
!ee.s OF that kind.
Y Was be harshly thought OF by those alone with
whom he had official difficulties?
a i dont know.
State /. you please what you know OF the difficulties
A. was in one OF the last boats which approached the
sDore on that occasion. There number OF natives
collected on the beach resisting the attempts to land by
0Tg 5 making sa tor the 19a b
aud many stones ocora thrown into his boat by the
atyes de called to me and requested to know II was
provided with shot, saying that he could not land until the
natives were driven back bat that he did want TO hurt
aeIor words to that effect, was delayed in using the
a shot as he requested by having TO draw the balls OF
ny gun II was towling piece OF IL small Galore He
ou me 10 shoot at them sras ready, but NOT to
he, shot the second tme but not until then, the ma
yves LETT the beach, and landed wanted go short
0ance from the beach, but called TO by Capt Wilkes
VINO sad he was afraid woult again get into contact
WIN The natives We remained shore about halt an
hsa making observations but without leaving the beach
saw some person wade the water but certain If
- was Mr CouthoDy hot was too far oil 10 recognize
Tue person near him, but native with spear or
onelhng very ike one endeavorns strike person
ID The water
9 What was the ohicc, which the party in the boat
soush, on the land
A. don't know; it notorious in the Expedition that
e OBJECT was 10 make scientific obSrvatlcns believe
ahns could not have been effected without recourse 10
e-erm stated, rptiaout 6soashed; efforts aade 10
ate the natives by presents without having recourse
90 shore.
ihas been stated that OF the natives was dragged
W because ne was seriously wounded was it So or was
'ct another cause,
A. u was not because he wounded but because he
waited nd 10 stay and resist the exploring party.
landing,
II could not have been effected without loss of life.
L t1,ha