The New York herald., 1863-12-26

fHfnkHofr. e-Tne gunOoA foternon was put IN oon-
mission on hs 2ist inst. and is now on guard duty al
rhros's neck Tho following is list OF the officers
Aossng Vossrtecr Ltestcrant-Thomas Pickering
Acting Assistant SuvgooN-Thoo s. Kcitts
Acting Asstaau Paymauer-Josiah II. Dunnam.
Actin9 Enstgss-Goo. r. Morse, W. h. Gibson, W. o
Kruger.
Ac ing Master, 1a,es-Hy. Page, N. s. Puits
Acting Second Assistant Er0treer--John Miller
Ac,,n9 THIRD Assistant Erotc'-aianesl arron Eugene
Mack Robert souders.
EsprUNK Il-Annexed 10 o0lcers OF tho
United ststes steamer NeiAuns
Ccn@p,ander-Jos p Sanford.
Lieut. 1tdnt-T r. Kane.
Ac',n0 Mosfer--John J. Rodg6fs -
-. Acting Ens'1as-Napoeon Boughtoa David Mason,
Masters Ma,es-G. L. sands, Charles O. Chamberlain,
L d Rodocanach
Second Assistants, Jamcs M. Finn, Thomas Dempsey.
Acting Third Assistants John Jordan. George ss John
Brickey, VIM. Swift
Gurner-John Wrau
Odptdtws Clerk "A. q. LAthrOp.
Pdymasier-B. B. Reed.
KsssMoroS 6-The Keusington goes into commission
this week and will 60 South 10 ready. sho
longs to the west Gulf squadron and will sai about tho
timc ths Hartford. Tue following Is list OF nor
officers
Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Commawdine-w FIyo
Aching Assss ant Msryeon-a. Q. Webber.
Actino Assistant Paywaaer-L. ". Turning
Ao.ir0 Master-J. L. Piunkett
Actin0 Ensisns-k Dagsast, Mcsathery, A. a. aar
y u. r.
Engineers-Acting First Assistant, +. A. v. Connor,
Second Assistants. r. G. Stall A. Barnum Third Assist.
ants, q. r Tenny, II. Farmer.
CoMMopoRs PoREes DETxScs, have received tho
dcrenco Of Commodore Porter which was made before
the Naval Retiring Board convened the Brooklyn
Navy Yard 1t Is voluminous and contains summary OF
tho testimony ia his bchalr. He still afrms that OF
his combusSle shells tho OF the firing of the
Arknsas AT any rae sho Is gone and arc rid o. o
troublesome craft. no matter how it dope who
compshed It,
GENERAL oRDEss-No. "a.
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Nov q, 1893.
On tho 23d OF Augus. last the United States steamers
Reliance aud Satellite, attached to the Potomac loa,
ander the command OF Commodore A. A. Harwood, and
stationed 10 the Rsppahannock river, captured by
parties OF armed rebels in boals tho vessels taken pos
crows carried ss prisoners to Richmond Tho steamers
at the time anchored the mouth of the Ran.
Dabannock about two miles from either bank, ana the
capture was made shortly alter IN mdnght.
This occurrence Is mode the moro dscredtabe and
markabe by tho fact that the commander and other o
cers OF tho ota had received repeated warnings for
month previously that the rebels preparing TO at
tack gunboats IN tho Raplhannock and confidently
expecled 10 capture them.
Tho Court of Inquiry ordered by tho department this
case report 1t as their opinion that tho attack with re-
officers and crew potw outstanding tho orders and nt
Of the designs OF tho enemy they had received
In each case the vessel was found not only wholly unpre
pared for the attack but the absence OF preparation
such as would bo nexcusable on board ship. war
even no warning whatever OF any particular danger had
For their gross doreicon Of duty Ia this case Acting
Master John F. H. Robinson tho commanding officer OF
the Satellite, aud Acting Ensign Henry Walters who was
10 command Of the Reliance. arc dismissed from the
Navy
tho Of Acting Ensign Waltos nasmuch tho Court
report that during the attack no acted with bravery
and 10 the best OF his ability and which, n some mea
sure relieves bis want OF precaution against surprise
from It's otherwise pcxcusabe character and shows that
his failure to take them proceeded from nexpsrence
than negligence
The ignorance and want c naval experience" on the
part Of thcSe ocers which the Court advers cannot
their gross neglect Of ordinary aud obvious duty
Depa would consider II just TO tho
whole blame OF this disgracerul upon tho off,
GERS more Immediately implicated.
Tho Department fnds It necessary under present cir.
cumstnces to avail itself OF the services OF officers who
however well skilled in scamanshp. arc known to nave
little experience acquaintance with the duties
and discipline required on board ships Of war Such OH
cers however seldom IL ever employed except under
the supov OF those who cannot plead want OF naval
experience for the omission OF duty and the
department considers II most important part OF their
duty that they should bear in mind and endeavor to
ply by the necessary special instructions and orders the
want OF naval experience on tho part OF their subord
mates
In this case appears that the senior officers Of the
squadron VINO were repeatedly warned Of the attack,
defeat r. One Of them statos that he verbally re-.
quested the commander Of the Satellite sto keep under
weigh e ,ns moon @ set o Aooine H s,od wno company
sells shortly previous to their capture, gives 1t as bis
opinion that the vessels while F." at anchor
pleely at the mercy of the enemy under weigh they
could be takon Their safety depended their
being under woigh" Yet these vessels, commanded by
deficient in naval experience loft exposed to
special danger without having impressed them by
emphatic and peremptory order tho particular means
of avertng the danger we'll known to their seniors.
Constituted as the navy swith numerous officers
possessing energy patriotism and Intelligence, but de
6cient in naval experieucehe Department regards as
duty mperatively Incumbent on tho commanders OF
squadrons 10 make themselves acquainted with the capa
biy Of oil officers holding commands subordinate to
thcm, to inform themselves Of the state OF discipline
board their vesses and to Interfere Whenever necessary
not merely by indefinite exbortalons to duty general
regulations, but by such minute clear and precise writ
ten instructions ami orders the circumstances IN each
may REQUIRE and 70 that such instructions and
orders carried into execution The commander OF a
squadron must be held responsible for the efficiency OF
every part o. IT,
GIDEON wELLGs, Secretary OF the Navy