The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-08-31
General Naval Court Martial, on board the
U. 3. Ship North Carolina
TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 1872.

The Court met pursuant TO adjournment, all the
members present. The journal Of yesterday was
read by the Judge Advocate.
Purser SrEEpEs, wishing 10 correct his testimony
OF yesterday, was recalled by the Judge Advocate,
and stated as follows
"My evidence Of yesterday before the Court con-
vsys the idea that the marines did resp as well as
the seamen. wish now TO be distinctly under
stood that do not know from any evidence IN my
possession that the marines did reship, but infer
from the fact Of their being mustered al the same
time the seamen were, and afterwards received the
bounty, as did the seamen, TO go the cruise IN the
exploring expedition, they did Misunderstanding
the terms In the same light did the seamen. And
would further state that the marines are never re-
quredto sign the same articles with the men. These
are the sentiments have always entertained since
the sailing OF the expedition, and have frequently
expressed them' fGlA
Major HowE called by the Judge Advocate, and
sworn
Questioned by JUpGE ADVOCATE State whether
there Is file in your Office any evidence that the
marines attached 10 the exploring expedition ever
re-enllsed, or that there ever been any such eyi-
dence these.
A.-No, Sir; have searched for such articles,
and could find none whatever.
Q.-Has any evidence OF any kind ever come
to you TO lead you to believe that these men ever
re-enlisted after joining the squadron'
A.-None.
OFF there had been any such re-enlistment,
would not record of il be on file in your office1
Ayes, there should be.
ever known of the re-enlistment OF any marine who
had three years TO serve!
A.-No, have no such recollection.
Cross.srantined by Mr.. Hamilton, through the
Judge Advocate.
Q-You have said you have never known of the
reenllstment of marines who have had three years
TO serve, | ask you fyou have ever known OF the
reshlppins OF seamen who had three years TO
TA.-I know nothing of the shippingTof seamen.
Q.-ls or is not the only Information you have
on the subject derived from the fact of not having
seen articles of re-enlistment file in your Office
A.-That is the only knowledge have on the
subject .i.
sLieut. HUDsoN recalled by Mr. Hamilton; and ex.
amned through the Judge Advocate, who read over
his testimony OF yesterday
which he wished made in regard TO phrase ology,
&c., and in the of an ersarion
with the Judge Advocate, said that he had seen In
this mornings Herald letter OF his referring to
his report TO the Secretary OF the Navy falsely
printed, as il made him say that On Sunday morn
ing, Jan. l9th,'' he made what was believed to be
land, &c, whereas his report the Secretary reads
: on Sunday the 10Th, ;" &c. syt
The JUDGE ADVOCATE took up two documents
from the table, and called the attention of the Court
TO the fact that they were two reports on the same
subject, bearing the same date, both signed by 1t.
Hudson, and directed the Secretary of the Navy
The official Report on the Record of Inc Court and
which was sent to the Secretary by Ii: Wilkes at
tached TO his report, No. %, stated that :" on
Sunday morning, January l9lh,, they saw appear
ances of land from on board the Peacock, while the
other Report was verbatim transcript of it, with
thus important difference that 1t read . on Sunday,
January 18th" leaving out the word morning.
which was a most serious alteration.
Mr.. HAMILTON said that the Report which the
Judge Advocate characterised as official, was not
the paper put by him in evidence, and he did
cognise il; that the other report in which the word
morning did not occur, was the correct report,
and the only one on the record.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE replied that the report to
winch Mr. Hamilton referred had just been handed
TO him by the Repo ter for the Express, ard not
the report on his files.
Ii. HupsoN was asked which was the report he
had shown to him yesterday, and said the one in
which the word morning did not occur, when Mr..
HAMILTON again repeated that II was the one he
read from, and which was ordered 10 20 on the re.
cord, and he supposed the Reporter had taken il
from the table and returned il again.
The JUICE ADVOCATE said. he supposed yester.
day that Mr. Hamilton was reading correct copy
OF the repor. sent by 1t. Wilkes 10 the Department,
or ne would not have consented that il should have
been received.
Mr.. HAMILTON remarked that the difference be.
tween the two reports was unimportant.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE replied that the difference
YVES of the greatest importance, that the copy offer
ed by Mr.. Hamilton left out the point on which The
whole question now before the Court hinges, as 10
whether land was seen on the morning OF the 10Th
not. Lit. Hudson hau prepared report to the Secrc-
tary Of the Navy, saying that on Sunday morning,
the 10Th, he cav from the Peacock what they be-
lieved to be land and another report appears eav-
ing out the word " morning." and is also claimed as
the original report, evidently showing that most
important alteration had been ma somewhere.
After some further conversation, the Cour pro-
ceeded with the examination Of 1t. HUDSON.
BY Mr.. HMhToN--Were any alterations in your
report made IN consequence ofwhatt the French Ex-
poring Expedition was reported to have done in the
Antarcticl u kE
Al don't recollect what day we heard that the
ot. Lel H. H. Al.
was made ont before heard that they claimed ma.
king discovery. ia
The question was repeated TO the witness, at the
suggestion OF Mr.. Hamilton, when he answered.
Odd you, when sending the report TO Lieut.
Wilkes call his attention to the omission of the
word morning" in one report, and which was in
the other
Al did not.
OBS il usual when receiving two copies OF re-
ports to coate them with each other for the purpose
Of ascertaining whether they are literal copies or
not; is not confidence in such matters reposed in
those who send them!
Alt is not usual tor those who receive them,
but it is the duty Of those who send them to do So
Q-When did you first know that the word
morning was in one report and not the other7
A.-This morning, when saw it in the Herald.
Q-Were they not both copied by your clerk}
A.-They were.
Odd Lent Wilkes ever suggest to ycu what
you should put in your report in any mannerl
A.-No.
Q.--How were your compasses to be depended
upon for giving correct bearings in the Antarticl
A.--They could not be depended upon at all with
out continual shaking. The ship has wore round
without the compass card moving.
Q.-Would the two ships on the morning Of the
18th make different bearings OF the same objectl
From their position they would
O. From your recollection will you state which
Of the two reports represents the fact in regard to
time, of the appearance OF land that which contains
Ihe word "mOrnuQ. - the Otherl
A.-That which leaves out the word incoming"
Cross-examined by the Jupeg ADVOCATE.
JupoE ApvocArE-You have said these two re-
ports were both copied by your clerk; compare them
or not1
Al can't say;ihc clerk can tell his own hand. |
writing.
Q.-Where is that cerkl
Ale Is confined to his house by sickness; his |
name is Stewart.
Q.-Iook at the report now shown YOU, and say |