Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1842-12-22
THE MUTINY-MoRE PARTIcIIIAns

PREVIOUS question: pending which the House adjourned
THE MUTINY-MORE PARTICULARS
The New York Courier gives the following as '.embra
cling most of the particulars of Mr. Mackenzcs report Il,
the Secretary Of the Navy
Having delivered the dispatches with which he wn,
charged to the commanding officer the coast of Aficn
Captain Mackenzie sailed for this port with the pubclv
avowcd intention Of touching ST. Thomas for provisions
A day previous December ls and when he va.
sci was within 500 GOO miles from ST. Thomas Midsbin
man Spencer limited part Of his plans TO MIR Wales ,be
Pursers steward who affected hearty cooperatiop ,ooL
oath OF secrecy, &C., which Spencer administered
when he was nude more fully acquainted with the plan of
the mutinecrs. r
They bad arranged 10 raise scufile on IN. f,,o...
some night after leaving ST. Thomas while the deck was
in charge Of Midshipman Rogers a nephew of the late
CON- John Rogers; and when the engaged in il would
oil course be ordered aft for of the die
urbance and Mr. Rogers thus engaged they were 10
SEIZE and throw him overheard with as little noise M
possible Spencer was then to enter the cabin and kill
Iept Mackenzie; and others appointed be station
ed al the main hach through which the crew must pass
to get deck, and the steeruge hatch through which
all the officers except the Captain, pass. All the Of
hce except the Surgeon To be murdered thrown
overheard; and all the crew. who below were to be
mustered on deck. The after guns were To be pointed
forward TO secure the munees from attack such of
the who had joined, but who then elected TO
come IN with them, were 10 be admied, while the others
were To be thrown overheard,
They then get all the boats and tighten IN.
vesse after which they make Isle OF Pyrs
chere they 10 a confederate They were then 10
cruise IN search OF merchant vessels trading this
port and Europe; which after being pundered and the
males on board killed, be ndscrminately sunk;
and there CHANGED be females they were To be
taken board the omer violated retained so long
the Pirates might DESIRE when they to be COM
United TO the deep. The arrangements the divisions of
the spos the allotment Of the females the off.
ce on board &C., all completed, and drawn up
tail In Spencers HANDWRITING; and he assured Mr. Wales
that he had f,oenfy of the with him sure.
From the moment Spencer made the above
known to Mr. Wales, he watched with Argus eyes by
Samuel Cromwell, boaswains mate and Elisha Small sea
man. who were the principal ringeaders with Spencer and
VINO threatened to throw him overheard the
the least signs of detection in him. or had the lens,
suspect that he had made intended to make anv
disclosures TO any person.
Mr.. Wales not daring communicate with Capt Mac.
kenzie, made all the circumstances detailed by Mdshp
man Spencer known the Purser who promptly convened
the intelligence To Capt Mackenzie, when measures were
Immediately taken the truth the case Spen
GERS papers thercupon examined and all the details of
their plans narrated by Wales, fully confirmed
Spencer, Cromwell and Small then sccured-and all
hands being mustered deck Capt. Mackenzie addressed
them ON the subject OF the proposed mutny apprsing them
that all the plans of the had been discovered and
frustrated and warning them of the consequences of any
similar attempt.
Capt Mackenzie then addressed circular letter to each
OF the officers on board the vessel except the acting Mid
shipment requesting their opinion the course of con-
duct which should be pursued towards Spencer and the
two men who had been arrested with him. Each
turned for that they deserved immediate DEATH and
Captain Mackenzie's opinion coincidng with that of his
officers 1t determined carry the punishment into i'm
mediate execution. All hands accordingly called to
witness punishment. Whips then rove into each end
of the fore yard arm, and inner part Of the ward
The prisoners then broug deck and informed ohe
TO be executed upon them. Small at once
fully confessed his fault and asked penenty the for
gveness OF his commander and the officers which was nj
once accorded to him. lie then obtained permission
address the which he did, warning them against per-
uniting themselves be seduced he had been into
the commta OF the crime for which he about suffer
death.
Spencer asked respite of MINUTES for himself and
companions in guilt in order that they might prepare TO
die hss, II y l.. L.
'nre 10 has father mother; but he replied that lie DID
He then acknowledged his guilt and the Justice of
has punishment, and remarked that he would rather meet
such death there sea- than be subjected the nf
my OF exposure shore. The minutes asked for by
Spencer, extended upwards of hour nearly the
whole OF which time employed by him in endeayoring
to obtain iorgvncss OF Small for having scduced him
the cOmmta of a crime for which he so soon TO ex
pataie with his life. Small withheld his forgiveness for
length OF tme but AT last in reply Speneers reiterated
request OF "Do forgive Small" he said that he fully
pardoned him.
Every thing being in readiness, the moose was placed
around the neck Of of the cuprts and the officers were
stationed about the decks that very had both
hands the rope. About o'clock, Isea time on the
LIST OF December the signal for execution given by fir
ing gun TO eeward, and the guilty were run up
After hanging about an hour, the bodies were lowered
down and delivered their several laid
out and scwed up and in the evening they
TO the deep, Captain Mackenzie reading the usual
the occasion Of buTiaLs Smas last words were
20 invoke blessing the American flag, and ask for
gyeness for having dishonored it, but the others died
without any marSs of penence Immediately after the
execution all hands called 10 cheer ship: and three
hearty cheers given for the American flag which
then waving the gaff after which all hands were
Pped down and the usual duties Of the ship resumed
-Four Of the men who appeared to be deeply impl
Gated placed in irons Immediately upon the discovery
OF the projected mutny but the Others suspected be
cerned permitted togo duty they reached this port
when they also ironed and board the North
Carolina.
These unquestionaby the material facts attending
this attempt 10 seize upon national ship and convert
her into Pirate and the consequent prompt and pun
ishment Of the rngeadcs What adds greatly TO the dis
graceful character of this dangerous and daring attempt to
take possession Of national vessel ia the fact that the
officers Of The ship devised and the head Of the pro-
ected muny and when we bear in mind that Spencer in.
formed Wales that he had cOnedrdte at the Isie Of Pines
where the Somers had been, and that his chief cone.
deates Cromwell and Small, shipped board after Spen.
Ger had joined there be reasonable doubt but the
muiny arranged in this port
What confirms this superstition is the fact asccr.
ned that Spencer declared before his departure that he
would this city; and the passage out as.
sumod TO be able tell mems fortunes and sured his fell
acknowledgement in the steernge that they had long
hve!-words which the time treated badinage,
but which doubtless based upon a knowledge of his
desperate schemes.
All the petty officers who have remained true to their flag
have behaved in the exemplary manners and the Ser
geant Of Marines whose has escaped left the sick
report the day the muny discovered and performed
his duty daily until his arrival in port when he convey
ed to the hospital seriously and dangerously III.