Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-12-26
Danlcotlc f~utellt0eMec.
MU1tNi ON BOARD TIE Us. BRIG som.
ERS. AND EXECUTION OF TIE RING.
LEADERS,

ninilny, thai led Ia the summary punishment of three
r# rsJns. which recently occurred on board the Unitcd
States Brig S1nefs, Crnmlnier Mirkenaie while IN
her passage imrn the coast of Africa To New York.
where she arrived on Thursday morning last, as We have
heretofore announced.
The facts oftlIe mntiny. as far "a they can be- come
at, are thus stated by the Editor of the New York 4
mcHcan. who says he has taken opinc pains to ascertain
llctu:
The Somecs sailed from New York about three
months AZ In The epast of Africa. having on board
eighty apprentices an eight se1men. and no marines.
her Commander, Aiexanler ShdeIl Mackenzie. her Duiv
Lieutenant. Mr. Gansevoori, Of Albany, aud i've or SIX
mrdstipmen, Of whom Philip Spencer, son Of the Sccre
iary Of War, was the oldest. Two sons Of Comm plore
Perry are alnpnI The mtdshipmcn.
It Is believed the planof mntiny was arranged soon
aitCr leaving New York. but al maiured nutil. on her
return from lhe east al Afnca, lhe brig w1s about 10
M into II. 1lomls tf water and provisions. When
within 1OD miles OF The lsl1nl, one of the crow uaye no
nee 10 Gpnmanlrr Alekenze that a mntlny was in pro
gfcss. and spn alter the paper was discovered in which
the " hole plan If 1t was detailed. Md,lipnan S1cn
Ger was ioand tnbe the %Instigalor Of the mutiny, aided by
the Qaartefmaster and BudisXain, one If Wh,m. namcd
Cromwell or Cromnollh. had been a pirate. Il seemed
too. that more Than half the crew were implicated ia Tie
revolt; and the few otli# crs. Ignorant how lar the contl
eipn had extended, aud aware. moreover. that by takinp
of the leaders, the revolt would most readily be qucllcd,
determined upon their immediate execution; and they
were seized aud Their g%ulltbsing aJeertainel, they were
Gran..h - at The yard am, their assJc,alcs in
crime mn1ins then mp. while the oni ,crs, armed. slo,d
by IN witness the execution. A ls,se number of the
guilty were thea put IN irons.
The brig llrn touched at ST. Th1mas, vicfualle |. and
made the RAPID PASSAGE Of eight days 10 New York
when fourteen ar fifteen of the mutincors in iron. were
transferred Ia the North Clr,llna, where they are strict
y guarded a1d prevented from having communication
with any one.
MIdshipnao spencer was over twenty years ofage,
and had, as w learn, been sent home from the Brazil
slpalronby GrunoIoro VI IRIS. with the expires, under
standing thai he should resign hs warrant on arrival,
aS the %e'nltlpn at Ina ut benz brought To IA court mar
lial. Instead Of resignation, he was, II seems, attached
10 the Som rs.
The schcnr Of The mutinrrs. AZ said 10 be detailed in
the paper fund, was In murder all the officers but the
surgeon, sclhe the vessel, and cruise of Sandy Hook
to Interrupt aud rob the packets, aud other inward bound
ships.
The necessity fr thr Immediate execution Of the
fn9lcadcfs arose. We presume, from the fact. that with
out the aud I'll Nj. Spencer. who was To navigate, aud the
4%natcrmasrcr, who were tpslll the vessel, the consplra
lcy would be hopeless. II confined aud put in irons,
without the safeguard ni marines, the temptation to res
cue would have been great; and III total ignorance AS the
officers were Of tho oNtent III tie niutiny, this would have
been a fearful hazard.
We must add that his statement. thonah sfbstanti
ally correct As we believe, dos moi probably prescn, the
mullny IN SpaLlrlvated a t1nu As the facts, when made
public. will ,arrani.
Md,htpnan Perry was despatched Yesterday morn
Ing to w Washington with the oil nal report; and, mean
time. the Spmrts Ines on the Navy Yard. aud no one
IS permitted 10 communicate with her.
From ihc ,loqrnal Of Commerce.
\ Mpsr iloRalaLH ArF AIH-It turns out that events
ot 4 most appa!lhI cha,a ter o'enrrel on board the L. :,
hrta Soners, On her voyage h1ne from Africa, which
were not dis ioscI by the officers IN her arrival, because
IT was thought be~l that lho publication should be made
hy The Government. Such things cannot, however, be
kept secret. The S1ncTs lisa very fine siilcr, has ten
guns, and a crew of alopt twenty able men. and iorIy
apprentice boys, nahlng with the officers, some seventy
five persons on board. Shortly before the brig arrived
at NJ. Thomas. where she put IN To water, ii came /,
the knowledge of 1T. Commander Mackenzie, that 4
mntny was IN preparation on board, headed by Mldship
man Spencer, a son OF the Hon. Secretary of War
Spencer was thcrrnpon arrested, and papers were found
upon hun, Signed by such a number Of the crew as would
haycbcena1lcta carry out their plan by a surprise. Tn,
obligations that had bcen entered INTO. were ufthc mos
desperate KIND, They had sworn tllat they were not a
tralj oi blood; thai all., lla hfig had been watcrcd aud
was prepared fora cruise, they would rise, take pos
session OF her, and kill avery officer except the surgeon,
who might be necessary t,r them; that they would then
proceed oil the Hook of New York harbor, and capture
the hotncward bound packets. whi'h they cNpcctcd
would contain LARGO sums of specie. OF the people on
board the captured vessels, they swurc that no onc
should he left 10 tell tales. After these horrible dlSelo
surts.a louri NJ trttal was held upon Spencer and tloSt
most prominently connected with him. 1t was impnssl-
bic toknowhuw far the contamination had spread though
1t had evidently spread 10 most dangerous extent. +,
crush IT at all haZaids, WAS Indispensable. The Conri
Martial Determined that nothing short OF the prompt exc
cutlon Of the rnlleldcr5 would ensure the safety OF the
ship. Spencer and tMo petty officers were thcrcupun or
.dCrcd Ia be nrNG ON TilE YARD ARM. lcicl icdS don't
~forthprifh, and such other measures taken as entirely
frustrated the dIadoliral plan. The BRIG now hes at tn,
Navy Yard. with all hands On board. all intercourse viii
thc shore beng forbidden. The full details it is inpos
sible 10 obtain, at prescat; they Will be traught Will, ter
rible interest. Lieut.. Mackenzie is n,led for his kind
and Chrlstiauclraractcr bulhasgrca iirmncss IN tlrduiie,
Of his office. Such an occurrence. we are happy to say
Is new IN our Navy, and not likely to be s,on repeated
We Shudlor nj thc tltuught Of the scenes which wnult
have been enacted IN our waters II this conspiracy had
accomplished rs design.
Spencer WAS about 10 years Of age, and received hi,
warrant as midshipnau ON the 2Olh al November, lsll
Ailst sincerely do we sympalhlse with the afflicted fam
lily of which he was a member.
From the Commercial .Hrertiser.
The court martial determined That nothing short 9th,
prompt execution Of the rnclrodcrs would ensure tn
safely OF THE brig. Spencer aud The Two petty officers
already mentioned were t|lureupon ordered 10 hc uUS,
AZ TiiEI>Rp >gN. as stated above. Whether this exc
cutl"n was lnStantCr, or MT. we have not the power o
saying, as the reports are conf cting. One OF then
states that the sentence was pronounced IN the evening
aud carried into effect next morning.
Another account states that it took place forthwith
thai Spencer prayed for a short delay that he might witt
a letter 10 his father; but the request was rtiuscd-th,
young mutlueer being told that his intention had been Il
: murder his ommandrr and officers without giving then
a moment tor preparation, and that they meted out t.
HIM the fate lac had intended for them. 1t was a mo
mpnt IA I,r Il lnb. rloa,, a., h~, ,la- III -,... 49,. e.