The New York herald., 1850-05-03

Naval Court OF Inquiry.

FIRST DAY.
Minutes Gf he Proceedings Of a Naraf Court ~
I,,0u;yf, C0areHed az Annapolis, Hdryt4nd, on
fhe I.uh dav # ApT, 1907, bs rirtye Of pre-
celf frcsl ne HonoIaLfe lie sG0ciargof Of the Nary.
ANNAPOLIS, April Is, 1850.
Present Commodore Ch Iles Morris, Presidents;
Commodore VIM. h. Shubrck, aud Commander
Samuel L. Dupont; Alexander b. Hagner, Esq,
Judge Advocate.
Commodore Perry was duly sworn.
Nv the Court-Sttte whether YOU were in COM
lland OF the United States naval forces, in the
Gulf OF Mexico, during the latter part of March
and the first of April, 1917 Answer-I was. by
the Cour-Do you know any thing relative to the
surrender and occupation of the town of Alvara-
do and iis dependencies, in Mexico, about that
time? IL so, state particularly all you know IN re-
laton thereto 2 Answer-l do: Three years have
elapsed since that time but will state all know,
from the best of my recollection: immediately
after the surrender, and, ] believe, before the
evacuation of the city and castle OF Vera Cruz,
General Scott and myself concerted measures for
making a land and naval demonstration TO the
south of Vera Cruz, 10 take possession of the
country and of Alvarado and lis dependencies, in
view of detaching the interests of the people of
that country from the cause OF Santa Anna, and OF
procuring supplies of horses and cattle for the
army and navy, of which they were greatly in
want and in which that country abounded ii was
perfectly well undens TODD, or supposed the time
that no defence would be made after the fall of
Vera Cruz but very considerable detachment OF
troops and large detachment of the squadron
were detailed, III view of ntimldating the people
them by Kindness into more pacific measures as il
was generally thought, both by the officers of the
army and navy, that, after The fall OF Vera Cruz,
there would be no fuIther active operation in that
quarter against the enemy. The naval force was
thus large because II was in contemplation 10 un-
deIlake expedition against Tuspan; squadron
1T cayaly was attached 10 the land force,
for the purpose of more active operations.
ON The day Of the evacuation, as ! believe, Gene
ral Quman, who was detailed by General Scott
10 conduct the land forces, called on me, on board
my flagship, the Mi sirslppl, with directions from
General scott 10 confer with me; General (luitman
and mysclf concerted measures for approac hing
AKaIado; il was thought desirable that the troops
should be IN the immediate vicinity, and near the
town, by the time that the small steamers and
boats Of the squadron should enter The river, in
view Of surprising, If possible, and cutting OIL the
garrison and nterccpllng some of the leading ci-
Zens, thinking Uat they might he induced to forward
the policy ui plclhcatOu; signals were established
between Gen. Quitmun and myself for the night
as well day. tha the two forces, the army and
navy, should be in communication; boats were sent
from the Ohio. To assist Gen. Qutmin's command
to cross ihe Nadeln river which l.y ON the march;
some Ci ihC vessels wercinOvcd tom their anchor
age az SacTfcios To Anton l.izaIdo. that day. or
The next tie og-b0ok viii show when: on thr
2Dth Of March, gave orders TO Captain Brecse,
commanding the Albany. to get under weigh for
Alvarado, and proceed off that river. and continue,
we'll ~ ] recoiiect. about twelve miles from the
mouth Vi tie river. 10 intercept any vessels tscap-
ine-hayibs knowledge that there were three Mex
lean vessels Of war and steamer in the river.
which was anxious TO c.pmre, and feared might
slip out; ] gave particular orders 10 Captain
Bfccrc no' To 90 near thc mouth Oi The river
to alarm the people shore also stated 10 him The
objects md plans had in view Lieutenant Hun
ter who had arrived the day before from the United
Siaics, IA Command Of the ScouIge. received writ
ten orders 10 report 10 Captain brccsc, for The pur
pose ofCC-op opcrgtioE with bins and think hc was
also madc acquainted with ms designs: INV i'm
prrsson- are. that when was conycrsiRg with
Captain ircc-c. IN my cabin, Lieutenant Hunter
present, and suppose heard IN, give my insiruc-
lions 20 Captain BTeese IA regard 10 not approaching
ihc river; Captain Brcese and Lieutenant Hunter
len my cabin, as supposed, TO execute my ord -,
and NOccrdcd 10 carry out my part of the plan.
On 3lst March the Mississippi moved down TO
Anton iiIaTdo, from Sdcrtcios, keeping along
With thr tsCtps on shOrc-signals being made, dur
lng The might and day, To show their relative posi-
lions; thc Mississippi anchored AZ Anton Iizirdo
ON the afternoon or evening Of the 3lst April heavy
guns were heard, and reported to me. from the d-
fecion oi AivaTodo, which was about sixteen or
eighteen miles distant; | sent for Comm lnler
sands, oi the vixen, and told him that was fear
fui that Lieutenant Hunter of the Scourgc wa
committing some iudiscretion, which might drfca
my plans, and ordered him Ia 90 down aud look
after the Scomge, and act according To crcum-
stances, and report 10 me; hc obcyed the order
and returned in the night, ! think. and reported hc
could zee nothing; next day. the troops having
passed li1ardo, wc got under way with the Mis-
sisspp' aud other vessels, and stood down oil Ava
RADIO. The small steamers and light vessels were
prepared for going in, and the larger vessels werc
necessary. Approaching the river. on the afternoon
OF that day, saw nothing oi the Scour9c. aud get
ting close n flag was discovered on the FORT ON the
north POINT, ~ the mouth of the river: IL was somr
time before We could distinguish the character oI
the flag, hnt ultimately asccriaincd il 20 be the
American tag much 10 the surprise of myself aud
The oihctrS; the TROOPS havi0g arrived near the
town. went INTO the river. and proceeded TO It,
landed, and found that the SOurgc had been in aud
the town bad surrendered: Pissed Nl~hipm,n
Temple and i'c men had b-ca lcit 10y the Scourgc,
ard she had proceeded up the riycr; inm siiaicly
on hcaIii ilot Lieutenant Hunter, had entered n-
~ SiipulaiCfs with the autlOfitir- di-.VOwrd his
st ~ unarl orizcd and Illegal: General Onitn,1n
arrived st-,ui halt an hour after myself when IN
fomcd him that nav, tisaNowcd The acts Of Licu-
tenant Hunter, "a unauthorized and contrary to the
conccnifHiei arrangement between Gen. Quitnln
and myscii, and expressed 10 him my mortcal,ou
and cinburri rsnicnt that such thing should have
occurred; that night or the following morning the
troope arrived and on the second they were in Oc-
cupauon al the town. and the naval force OF
the riYtT; Captain Isaac Mayo. If the Navy
was aiFoniied civil and military governor; a
depu'aiicn Wa received from Jlacotalpan and,
ON the same day, I went with The dpu-
lniton " llacCiilDln, ~ company with some of
General Quitman's stsii, he remaining behind,
and there received the Submission Of the town from
the euthoniics disayowed the acts Of Licuicn-
ant Hunter, and declined granting them any terms !;
my fVtuin 10 Ahargdo, finding that General
Quitman was about 10 return to join the main army,
! established government, appointing Captain
as gsriEon. aud some small vessels whilst at
Alvarado, ] received report from Lieutenant
Hunter, dated 20 April. giving am account of his
proceedings liom the 10Th March. lsi5. to the date
of his rrToTi and, during my stay there, think,
but not positive. ordered his arrest and directed
hs uial 10y cUurt.mGfiial; he was afterwards
trcd. and the sentence approved aud carried into
elect; the proceedings Of the court my orders fer
carrying the sentence iuto execution. with two lct-
tcrs dated April l0ih. setting forth reasons for
bringing lieuicnnnt Hunter 20 trial. were forward
cd To tic Navy Department.; | let Ayarado on
the lih April Tor Anton lazarl0. and on the same
day niudc trport To the Secretary of the Navy
OF the surrender and occupation Of Avar,do.
srCoNu Day.
Commodore Ferry drsircd to explain portion o
bis testimony of Yesterday. n reference To the r.
mark that aittr the fall at Nem Cruz. Il was sup.
poecd that there would be no further active opera.
tions against tie enemy IN tha, quarter. lie pro-
ccedcd 10 explain. II was generally supposed IN
the amy and navy serving n the neighhorhood of
Vera Cfuy considering the defeats of the enemy Ia
northern Mexico, by Gensral Taylor. aud the sub
sequcut fall Of the stronghold of Vera Cruz aud tn