Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-05-27
F1oa. the n.I.inors American. May u.
cAsG OF LlEUA. sluNTER.

CASE o. ls4ESAs HUNTER.
This young officer has been dismissed fpm
the Squadron in the Gulf OF Mexico for dong
BIS dug TOO well. Ffom the proceedings q
the Court Martial in his case. il appears that
he was lrled for treating VITA contempt his
superior, and for disobedisnce of orders. The
specifications charge iaa, he arfogaied 10 him
self the authority of Comnlandeg-sn Chief BY
entering INTO s,ipulatons for the surrender OF
Avarado; that he proceeded without orders
from Alvarado 10 F'iaco -lalpan, and received
the capitalization Of that place also, without
waiting for the presence Of the Commander
in Chief, although aware Of his approach;
that having captured four sehooDesS he set
one on fire and abandoned anolher-.'ihus
substituting his own will ior the discretion Of
his COMMANDMENT Chef, vino was within a
few hours reach OF communication" TIE
spec. locations Tor l.Sobedenee Of orders aiiegs
that Lieut.. iiusTEa, IA cemmand Of the siea-
Eey SeouTee, being ordered 10 blockade the
port Of Alvarado, did, 10 disregard Of orders,
enier the harbor and take possession of that
place; and further, that being ordered TO re-
port himself 10 the Communicated on a
certain day, he failed 10 do so.
Dor these offences the gallant officer was
Squadron and to be TeprimandeG bv The COM
nlander.in- chief-lhe TepEimand 70 be read on
the quarter deck ofevery vessel 10 ihe Squad
ron in the presence OF the officers and crew.
We believe that the facts ct the case
show this to be an undeSerred senieace. The
duty Of obeying orders is ofcoprse an essen
ual priuclplein military and naval affairs; but
then il is % be remembered that orders are to
be obeyed according to their spitit and in view
ofthe objects contemplated BY them Upon
the very face Of il the the matter yindicates
itself. Lieut.. HUNTER IL sent To blockade a
town; he finds on arriving there that he
intake ii, and be does so. Now the purpose
of blockading the town was that it might be
taken eventually; and is it not strange that an
officer should be punished for accomplishing
fully the objects he was semitic further! sMy
orders were" says the Lieutenant in his de
fence, $40 report to Captain BREEsE, and 10
assist in blockadiug Alvarado. did not con-
slider them (can they be fairly considerably as
forbiidmg he to annoy the enemy in every
way IN mr. power, as modifying IN the Slight
estdegree the general duly Of every officer
having military command in time Of war.
to molest and cripple tie enealv II every pos
sible way"
a far and generous Interpretation wsud
certainly sanction this view. We quote some
passages FROM Lieut. HUNTER's defence:
s'On the evening Oh the Both March, being
sufficiently near, opened upon the fort at Al
yarado with she, and shells. Appiehensiye
Of norher, stood off and on during the
night, with a strong breeze apda rough sea.
Towards morning, il having moderated,
stood close in 10 the bar, and again opened on
the forts. Shortly afterwards ! discovered
two horsemen rpon Tx. beach. holding a waite
flag, and a boat crossing The bas 81 the same
time This boat brought me an oler On the
part Of the authorities TO surrender the CITY,
Permit me here 10 observe, Nj President,
that as there are two sides 10 every question,
50 there may be TWO rosu.ts 10 every affair Of
this kind. AlvaJ2do is now IN our possession
but le, Us suppose ihal 4 was not that We had
been lolled third i,nIe IN OR efforts to take
it, What would have been my position,
say. i'll haYng refused tie eGer Of lie town
when the authorities Were ready 10 yield II
1.-The American forces had been thi:l time
bafFisd IN their efforts 10 capture II! Mir.
President, the worst that can beiall uir, IS a
trife 10 The iniayny aud Disgrace which would
have remained attached 10 ny name, perhaps
loag after was IN the grave.
IF YOU, Mir President, Tor any member Of
this honprable Court,) viii fancy yourself IN
my place when the oAer Of capiinaion reach
ed me, | think you must perceive that it plac.
ed me in a difficult, a most embarrassing po-
that might have gog much more
experienced officer lhan myself mic trouble
| had % declde upon The disobeying OF my
orders on one hand, and the possible conse-
quepces which my refusal 10 take such res
ponsihiIiiy might lead ON the other. | had 10
decide between TWO courses--the one leading
to present personal safety, and the possibility
Of future iniamy; the other 10. some personal
risk, perhaps, but by which the honor of the
navy. and my honor al least Were safe.
have stated thus the view which | took Of my
position, and the motives on which my &C
IONS were founded, | will no, say. ,.AE.
President, that under similar circumstances
you would have a similar view Of your posi-
ton; but think may say without the dan
ger OF dissent here or elsewhere, that taking
the same view did---that you or any other
member of this honorable court, would have
done just what ] did,"
The capture OF Flaco.Talpan and or the
eneny's vessels followed because Lieut. UUN.
TER learned, on taking Ahaado, that the
vessels containing government property and
munitions OF war had proceeded up The llgcr
10 the former place, and he though II his duty
10 pursue Immediately. One of the captured
vessels he burnt, because j got aground api
might have fallen into the eneny's hands,
another beng worthless, was abandoned; Two
laden with stores, were brought % Alyarado.
The Llelienant's defence, throughout; is
manly and simple, and we must say that 10
point of good Iaste itappearF TO advantage BY
the side otCoGa, PgsRY's somewhat pelnlant
reprlmand. 1.-THE two we should prefer TO
be the officer reprmanded rather Than the Of
ticer reprlnaHdIng. Discipline and slbopl-
nation must Be preserved IN tie Navy uG-
doubleday, and 50 must the daring spiril Of
enterprise aud gallaatry. Alter ieading the
passage we haye quoted and the following
oae from the Lleulenanrs defence, who wul
not think that the chiyalfous young oilcer
has been harshiy deali wilhl
Il regret my error, apart tom the trouble
il has Brought upon me. ttgrei II. because
II has gwen offence ;othe commaalef-l cAier
Il speak from rumUr ouy--l have no GER
tam knowledge Of the facD as hare heard
there was an understanding between the com
and the commanding genera
ashore, that there was TO be a combined atlacA
ms lie BIZ tie squadron and army, on these
places; i mighi laus seem tLal ! had sought
'orob 81 rs Jusl participation u his affair mai
arm ogthe service which IN he progress OF
this war. has acquired for ourcoupuy 50 much
aonor and CORY. Nothing could bs farther
from my intenlioaS--I knew nothing Oh any