The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-16
MILITARY COURT OF INQUIRY
RKLATIyEro TIE
LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP SAN FRANCISCO
NINTH DAY

msnt. Present. all the nsaabsrs, the Juese AdvocA'''
Major John r. Les Col Gates ard counsel ospt 1898
Capt. Charles P. Pendletcn master OF the snip Lucy
Thorn pson hrs witness called on me part oil ooL
Gates. Being duly sworn, hs testified as folio W.
Q. liz what did Col GhtsH come from tns huoy 10
the Luoy rhou psop A As my msn,orJ Ssrvss
me- in toe third fourth BRAT IL tas hrt coat only Mr.
Asplnvau aid Mr. 6fshlnl nAos; the ss;snd Drought
some Pasepse Col Gates cIue IL the neat, or the next
after.
o. Were Part of the troops sre ldy board whea Col
Gates the ship A OF the troops and
OF the officers ana thes families quits number.
O Was there ample in tie last DoAt which came
from the Koy the Lucy rho pson to bring men
from the bark, IL they had desired u conner A Yes 1t
was the largest Of my hebosts think she could ave
brought nteer old bring and per aps
Eoru, necessar!; che bad only 10 come 10 lee~srd.
Q. Did you ascertain it 10 % oal- ists,s visa and
expectation that All the would DO brouyh. from lhe
kilby to the Lucy Thomp? Yes; learnt /. throus
Lieut.. Fremont.
9. Did you give orders to stop your boa, running 70
and from the Kilby, and for what rsssonP A. Yes,
did, mad prsezed up and did not CONSIDER 1t safe
cary II on any loDtsr; gave or.srs 10 my mate on
gor to the hnoy, " Gay trat ud be tbs
hxd heard ihat psrs Of tho troops the Kilby had
volunteered TO stay by the iPtu OF her OF her
crew had nutnieo tAe mate on sops said 10 thst he
thought The beat wouo bitg al tDat istt sud my
last orces 10 him TO bring all that wanted C.
O. What port the hiloy tcsing 10 make When ysu
lett her, and cid you safer She wa try
Ing TO come TO New Yua yes thought her safe; shs
was disabled in rigging and ss bat nor hui VISA sou
O. After Col Ga-s h.d red tae COMMAND TO 20
shore, dd you request COL GATES 70 sss his To re-
main on board oTr AMP To- tae night GA your arrival in
him 10 lot me nave them 10 help rs next mornpg with
Capi. P4aeleton was cot cross. examined.
This folloHing letter wf5 received RON Lieut. VIM A.
winder -
MAJOR Jons y. LEE, Judge Advo .a.e &c. - 40 '''''
tho III ass 'Ssn pqss niu71a By
very little, duty on The ~reca respectfully seques, ,has
fsAicr #Sse aud 10 yasiasse M oS.rScss a. an
have bu lev Questions 40 ask aa air vosy res2ee, uy
wILLI,G waDss, 1t Li,a. Sd Infsnsry
ind n Ne
the when the four companies OF third
artillery arrived? A Yes.
O. Was the embsrkAton Ia good military order A The
decks OF the sieAnius in rnisa tho troops wefs
very crowded
G. Did Colonel Gates lsnva the cabin OF The steamer to
go SArd frequently oescn the oath and 18th Of Do
cemberr A Yea.
O. On the Goth and 3oih was there any restriction OF
water A. TheFe was not; the water MAS limited 10 no
Orosse1Amned-o. When old the issues come under
regulation, by whoss authority? A think about tho
third day; BY whose auth rity do not know.
ut Il tthe direeaon OF emoarkAton and the
@ whs, was your RANK Il fLeS a A. 60 NOT haoT A..
third ofcer the in Lao regiment. u! "a' 'n'
The Wituess has staten thAV Colonsl CAFES frequently
went forward did the vita tbs Colone 10
among the EenP A. did mol; confined to saloon
on the 24th until was taken on deck tns sSlh.
Lieutenant Van Vorst ssoTn-Q. State what converse.
tion took place tn. BEL Major W,ss and
yourself In rete ence TO his leaving the sssaer aan going
on board the kiby On tho evening be.oi-, ths
morning OF the osy on which Transferred to the
bark kiiby was with Ma Mrs.. Wyss the lower
cabin OF tho steamer; talking about order 10
which The oficsrs should issve he Shn francisco; l
dsrstood Major Wye ray that every captain should
remain bis rhp uniIl every man OF 6s COMPANY h.i
been aIeerred TO the hiGoy said he should so to
Major Wyse that l would aisy and suysrntend thsss
oompsnes he ssd that did think it you'd
DO AIRY for him to ray
z, We've you there IN cntrse OF any company A.
was ~ that time with Csr, Judd having charge OF part
OF = detachment OF Issrults,
q Dd Col Gates hiuneR assist in cle,rlns the upper
deck 0! The san snsisco the 25th 25h did
give oGers fer lie bosts, &c A. tho Colonel one
fair dtne hist far DAY after tns wreekon Tho maui
q What was he doing therep A. lie seemed TO bs
taking charge IF mattresses ana blAoke1 dying thsn;
think also heard hiri speak with regard 10 the he
boats.
Q. TO whom did the blankets and mattresses b..
long which COL Gates occupied himself WITH A.
do not know whese they rese; l suppo,e they be
iepged TO tbs ships there vas great number CT them
Q. whA. officers did you sss 81 work foswlrd among
the men between the 25th and 2sh OF D,cs nbeis /
saw Lieut.. W. Winder, Lisa. Fremont, Lieut.. S.
Winder, Lieut. Chandler, and Major Wye
Y. What were hey coingS a. Lieut. W. A.
Wnaer Twice IN The engine rom p,riItsndng the bail
isg; ssn Lieut. Fremont Alo supsrn snoipg the
men; Lieut.. S, wibdsr elisved on side OF the
engine by myself; and Lieut. CnAIoler sad Lieut. W. A.
WiDder relieved esch o.h-r ssjor Wyss seemed to be
giving orders or los king on Aw this Maj In ths
CINE room twice. LieEts W. A Winder and Chandler as
sisted in tightening the ship of her csrgo; hjor Wyss
also present endesvorE TO ssst By putting paufs
on the gAogvsyi when saT M.jor Wy AID Lisui FIRE.
mont in the engine rocm they L!sut Chambers
@ How lcpg did Hss Wye remain In the snsns room,
each time you saw him th-rsY A. Absu, minute mors
OF less 50 ca. h'jo Was forward In The pantry; he
toId me he had pisSoo btntEe over the progision5
O. Did you hear Major Wyss give any iportAst orders
or engage in any Ike porsns work A. any sms before
after the wreckP A. saw Major Wye several times;
one time he came up TO mo when WAS ct work, fixing
the main Geek, and told TO keep work until fn
tshed IT. ~ another time he told TO watch ths aen
neis whom be bad placed the smoke pipes sad sss
that they Kept lookout for fire.
O. DID You see Col Gates and other officer making PFC
PArstious for their personal ssety A. Yes made such
preparations myself oeck after the ship struck
and think every oi;er except Dr. Wrz by taking life
time.
O. What report did You make on your arrival on the
Lucy Tnor rsonf A. told him that had reserved an
order porting to from him that Rhould 20 on
board the Lucy Thorn ptos told him that tbs sergeant
had left with the good sergeant that mos. OF
the we,s good and would ebsS him In every in.
stance
q State what important orders were given by Colonel
Gabtf A. nev,r heard the Colonel give any orders
far rs know.
Q. What important work did he engage IL? A. The
only work which taw him engage n was with the blsr
fsts and mattresses.
Ycu stated that he bIIpg was done usder the
supernter dense OF the two Wnder Lieut. Chandler and
yourseif-under whose orders WAS thal2 A. do not
know.
O. Were any orders ssued to resula.s the detail OF OH
GERS for working partiesS A None thst know OF.
O. Was voluntary act the part OF the OIL ,srs 2
A. IL VA voluntary 60 far ~ know; 1t my
In what boat did Col Gates leave the KibJ for the
Lucy thompson A. Ia the second regular boat.
O. Did you see or hear Col Gates Aftsr the wreck
eroisins any specific command the troopss A. Cid
mot.
Or. Writ, reoalled-Q. In what part OF the steamer
were you from the oath 10 the 2sth OF Deccmber7 A.
most Of the time in the after cabin all tbs sck
there, but very frequently vent forward,
times three or four times day; mean TO the for yard
cabin.
q. Was Major Wyse generally 10 the same cabin with
the ladies did he remain long absent from there
He almost AL tbs lime In the after cAba sith the
ladies, and when absent was absent bat very short
time
O. Did you hear Lieutenant Murray or other a,ers
TemonsrAe with Colore Gates other oicsrs FOR crs
atng an unnecessary panic among tie females la the
oAbnS A. Ibid not hear lueran Murray aay other
officer remonstrAte with Colorsi GATES heard HIM
ronstyAte with hsjor Wyfe Major WYE bringing In
LIE preservers; he had brought quite ger when
this officer addressed Major wyss.
The Court notified Ma Wye that this tesia 1ny
bore him. he had the right 70 attend the Ainata
and examine the wtSosss, and TO adaucs othe
necessry testimony, under the saeiion OF the Court.
Witness resumed-Tfs tficer sAic, "Msjor Wyes, you
creating . panic among the ladies' In Bringing in
those life prsservers and they be OF service 70
MI q renlI that b. aantrd 70 MA