The national Republican., 1861-05-04
NAVAL GENERAL ORDER.

A. In Al trhcrGl Court Marttel convene ~
the city of Washington, en- the t"c!tA. day Ct
| Nj ,rch, ,ighteel huudr and ,ix y or-, Capt"il
Jnm's a. mtIiorg, uf the Navy, wns uici "n the
following vhars and sr cihra;i ,us, pref'rrei
against him b. dir cton OF the Secretary of tue
! Navy:
CHARGE I.-NEGLEcr OF Durv.
| Specification LIN this that the said Captain
jams Armstrong, being, on the tive fiji day uf
Januarr, e1t te n hundred and sixty o, , in
command Of the United States Navy Yard At
Warrington, State of Florida, and naval force
thereat adequate to II defence of said yard, did
/ then and there, On the demand Of Comin SION
ers Of the State Of Florida, supported by mil
! itary fo ce from the States CT Alabama and Flor
| ida. Surrender to them, without resistance,
! said yard, the public property thereat, snt spor-
/ ton Of the force under his command.
Specification Ala this that the said Captain
! James Armstrong, being, on the se!enth day OF
January, or ihercabout eighteen hundred md
! sixty-onc, in command OF the United Statcs
Navy Yard at Warrington, State of Florida, and
| the naval forces lhereHt and having reason to
| appreh End the approach Of Il hostile force, did
ihen and there and at all times subsequ Mt there
to to the tw"flh day Of January, incusic,
eighteen bundled and sixty-one, fail to take the
ordinary AMI proper measures for the defence Of
said yard, and the public property thereat.
Specification 3.-ln this: that the said Captain
| james HGmelNDOk, UtluS, Va thO Hih'h e"y W
January, eighteen hundred and six,y.one, in
command as set forth in the last preceding speci-
| fcaton did then and there, and at MI timc, sub
| scquent thereto to the twelfth day o! january,
inclusive eipbtcen hundred and sixty -on neglect
| to remove " Fort PickenE, or other place OF
| safety, the mel under his Co,nmand and NUM-
tions of war, and other public property in bis
| charge, or the latt to destroy; although at the
| time aforesaid he was in constant expectation of
| ~ ,r hnet hnlin yal
he could not, with the forces under his command,
successfully resist.
CHARGE ll--nISoBEDIENCE OF ORDERS AND Con-
| DUCT uSBECoMISG Az OFFICER.
| Specification LIN this that the said Captain
James Armstrong, being, on the ninth day of
January, eighteen hundred and sixty one in
command of the United State Navy Yard at
Warrington, Florida, ard the naval forces thereat,
and in charge Of the public property attached
thereto, and in receipt also, at that time, of an
order from the Secretary of the Navy, dated Jam
| uary the third eighteen hundred and sixty -one,
Of the tenor following Be vigilaut to protect
the public property. The commanding officer at
Fort Barrancas has been instructed to consult
with you. You will cooperate with him"-did,
| then and there, and at times subsequent thereto
to the twelfth Of January, eighteen hundred and
sixty lone, in violation Of said order, neglect to
send the marines, and other men under his COM
msnd, to Fort Pickens to cooperate in the de-
fence thereof and to remove to place of safety
the public property in his charge, or to take any
measures or practice any vigilance for the pro-
lection of said navy yard and the public property
attached thereto, except to double the guard AT
one of the gates Of said yard
Specification 2.-In this that tie sail Captain
James Armstrong, beingin command Of the Uni
ted States Navy Yard at Warrington, Florida,
and the naval forces thereat, and under nstruc-
tions from the Secretary Of the Navy directing
him to be vigiiant to protect the public property,
and to co operate with the commanding officer
at Fort Barrancas, who was Lieutenant Sem-
mer United States Army, did, on the tenth day
of January, eighteen hundred and sixty.one, then
aad there, in accordance with an understanding
previously had with Lieuteaant Si-mmcr, dis
patch the steamer Wyandot,e to aid him, Lieu
tenant Slemmer, in the defence of his post, Fort
Pickens, Florida, to which he, LcuteGnnt Slem-
mer had removed; and thereafter, to wit. on
the twelfth day of January, eighteen hundred
and sixiy-onP, the said Captain James Armstrong,
in violation of such understanding aud his in
structions, issued, without the knowledge Of
Lieutenant Slemmer to Lieutenant U. II. Berry
man, commanding said steamer, an order of tie
following tenor: You will con,inue to CO. op-
crate with the commanding officer at Fort Pick
ems but, should an attack be made, you will
not FIRE gun unless it 6e actually necessary IN
| the CtlenCc OF tue NeSscl uNutT your
In the event of the capture of tue for, you will
proceed Immediately to the station 10 which you
have been ordered by the Navy Department. 1t
is reported that the yard is surrounded by armed
men"
Upon these charges and speci6 ,ationJ the " find
ing of the court is in the following terms:
"The court, having maturey considered the
whole Gaze, with the evidence Gud the defence
aforesaid, find rs follows:
al. That the first specification Of the first
charge against the said Capt. James Armstrong
is proved, except as to the words in said specif-
cation adequate to defence of said yard
90. That the second specification OF the first
charge against the said Capt. James Armstrong
is prorsd.
"3. That the third specification OF the first
charge is prored, erecpt that the accused did re-
move or send to Fort Pickens thirty men-a part
Of his command-thiriy muskets aud some au,-
munition and barge load of provisions.
"And the court thereupon further find that
the said Capt. James Armstrong is guilty of the
first charge o. neglect of duty.
"And the court doth further find
al. That the first specification Of the coma
charge against the accused is prored except thai
thirty men-a part of his command-wcre sent
by the said Capt. James Armstrong 10 cooperate
4 in the defence of Fort Pickens.
, "And they further find:
"2. That the seeond specification OF the second
charge is proved.
"And thereupon the court find the Fnd Capt
James Armstrong to be guilty Of tie second charg,
cfdsobsd.ence, r orders and conduct unJccomny a,
officer"
3 And the sentence OF the court is:
"That the said Captain James Armstrong be
suspended from duty for the term of five years
with the loss of pay for the first half of the said
:, term, and be reprimanded by the honorable Sec.
: retary of the Navy in general orders"
have proved this sentence, and Captain
J James Armstrong will accordingly be suspended