Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-01-19


ment y The proceedings of The Court Of
| Inquiry.
u. S. BRiG SoMERs,
Nrw YoRK. Dec. 10, ISl2.
Hon. a. y. UpshT. Secry Of The Nary:
Sin: Since my communication TO yon nf
the l4h instant, on which day | arrived
here with the vessel Under my command, |
have been engaged in preparing a narrative
oi The cruise OF the Somcrs, which should
embrace all the facts that might in any way
illustrate the late mutiny on board Of her, but
have been subjected to so many interrup.
tons, from which II was the less easy to es-
cape ms they grew out of the sympathy aud
solcltnde at real friends, and the narrative
grew so internllnnbly as | advanced, that |
have deemed 1t cue TO the anxiety of the
Navy Department To receive a more detailed
statement OF tie facts OF the mutiny than
was at first 'e to communicate. 10 break off
at once from the elaborate narrative in which
! was engaged, and confinr myself to a state.
incnt OF the principal occurrences.
will therefore simply premise that, after
having made the Azores and touched at
Madeira, being thus far diverted from my
course py constantly opposing winds, pro
ceedcd, III iulfilment Of your orders of the
9Th aud 9th September last. to Tcneriifs and
Port Praya, and not finding the United States
ship Vandslla there. continued onward to
Liberia there understood, as n matter Of
common report, that she had sailed on the
9th OF October from Cape Pamos for the
United States. The orders under which
was acting supposed the VandalIa to be still
on The station ut oil epcnts The dispatches
with which was charged could be of no
value at home. therefore placed them in
the hands Of DIR. |. :. Day, the United States
Agent, whose receipt for them have the
honor TO cnclose, and, having thus reached
The appointed limit of my orders, sailed on
the lith OF November for the United States
by way Of ST. Thomas where prudence aud
a just regard Tor The health aud comfort of my
crew required that should stop to obtain
supply OF bread, wuter, aud refreshments.
/ On Saturday, the 26lh OF November, Lleut.
Ii. Ganscvuurt culne into the cablu and III
formed me that conspiracy eXi6tcd oU
board the brig TO capture her, murder the
conniander, The officers, and most Of the
crew, and convert her into pirate and that
acting MldrhIpman Philip Spencer was at
The head of ~: lie stated that Mr.. II. NJ.
flieskcll, The Pnrser, had Just informed him
thai Mr.. J. w. Wales, his steward, had ap.
prouched him us # to converse on their JOINT
duty, and revealed to him, for the purpose Of
Ills beng communicated 10 the commandsr,
the following information:
4 The night previous, being that of the 25ll
of Noyembcr, between the hours OF SIX aud
eight o'clock, he had been accosled by Mr..
Spencer, aud invited by hlm to get up on the
buoms, as he had something of Importance to
communicate. When on the boomS, Mr..
Spencer addressed hm us follows: "Do you
fear death? DO you fear dead man ? Are
you afraid to Kill q man." Mr.. Wales, thus
accosled, and having his curiosity excited,
with admirable GOODNESS induced Mr.. Spencer
To 90 on, aud took the oath Of secrecy which
was administered to him. Mr.. Spencer then
informed him that no was ltagued with about
twenty Of the crew to get possession Of the
vessel, murder the commander aud olicerp,
! choose from among those of the crew who
were willing Ia JON HIM such as would be
| useful, aud murder the rest aud comme nc G
! piraiing. lie mentioned all the details OF
: the plan as you will find 1t in the statement
i of Mr.. Wales, and which was well suited 10
the attainment of his object, involving much
better notions OF seamanshlp than he was
himself capable Of forming. AS one Of the
inducements To her capture, he stated that a
boX, containing wine Of rare value, brought
off with much care at Madeira, a. II present
from J. II. Burden, ESQ, United States Vice
Consul at Funchal, 10 Commodore J. b.
Nlcolson, contained money or treasure To- q
large amount. 1t was his object to carry the
vessel To the Isle of Pines, where one of his
associates who had been IN the busne be-
fore had friends 10 attack no vessels that he
was not sure 10 capture 10 destroy every
vestige oi the captured vessels, after having
removed what was useful to select such %
f the female passengers as were suitable, nn,
after they had used them sufficiently, to dis
pose Of them. Mr.. Spencer also stated lha
j.
h Note.-Tho following statement is due t.
the wardroom officers ol the Somers: Whoi
the vessel was first equipped, told the Firs
Lieutenant that it was NY wish that no wine
aud of course no ,pirItuous liquors, should b.
used in the stccrage mess. gave as u rcasor
that The obligations of hospitality in our pub
lie vessels Tell altogether on the cabin an,
wardroom, and when The midshpmcu became
wardroom officers, they would have their fui
share of this duty. This hint, accompanie,
by no word of compulsion, had lis effect, and
never had occasion to give any order on th
subject, which i was al any time ready to d
had II been necessary. la the wardrOun, Tia
officers of course had their wine. | knov
what had been the views on that subject of ~,
friends, Comm rs Pendorgrast and Du Poni
on board of the Ohio, aud what had been thei
practice with regard to the total exclusion q
splrituous liquors from the wardroom of tha
ship. knew that Lieut.. Gansevoort's view
were identical on all sub jects with those of III
two distinguished mosslnates above named
aud did not, therefore, interfere with regar,
to the wardrOom, and it had done IL at all,
would have been with extreme caution, an,
only in the way OF friendly advice. il nov
appears that, when ordered To the coast q
Africa, some brandy was ordered for Tia
wardruom mess, 10 be used incidentally, il
consequence of adNico gwen by the Assstan
Surgeon OF the Somers aud the Assistant sur
geon OF The Grampus, who, for time, had re
hoyod DR.. Loecock on board tho Somcrs =
They had been recently on the coast OF Africa
n and considered brandy as saluiary ~ prevent
. ing the effects of malaria By accident, as
: was thought at the time, but, rs subsequen
u dovelopcments would rather 60 to prove, b
design, the wararoom steward conlriNcd {
$ make mistake, aud the supply of brandy wa
ordered from two different groccrs, thus doul
ling the quantity intended tn be- taken. W
were not exposed to the Influence of the mali
= TIA, none oI the brandy was used ~ the mcs,
i and all of " is still on board, except what va
: stolen by the steward ai the request of VI
Spcnc,t, aud drunk by him aud those ho tt