The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-20

1
| Captain Sanford informed me that he did not
feel at liberty to send either marines or officers
| with me to Panama: and when the cars moved
| on, Boatswain Bell and myself were alone to
could not but feel that "to have justice done
them" was in no degree desirable The train was
| special and had no passengers other than
myself and command, with perhaps few excep-
| tons.
| The boatswain sat at one end of the train and
I at the other. On the steep grades, when the
speed was slow, a man, from time to time, would
/ jump off and make for the bush, receiving a
parting salute from the revolver Of the boat
swain or myself; and thus the draft was essened
| by some ten men. Whether we killed or wound
| ed any of them l never learned.
Many more would doubtless have deserted had
they not deferred their object until reaching
| Panama, when, much to their disgust they
| found themselves in large building, with ma
rines stationed at all the exits and tugs in wait
| ing to transfer them on board of the Cyane, Cap
tain Law, who was ii the harbor and ordered to
receive them.
as is usual in vessels of war in making a trans
| fer of men, from time to time would call halt
and give the character or the man and occasion
ally say: IF you have mutiny on board, shoot
| this man, who has already forfeited his lfe and
| inquire about the matter afterward. You will
| find that you have made no mistake" was in
formed afterward by Captain Law that he never
| had such obedient, respectful men under his
| l.
| the character plainly stated in a number of indi
| vidual cases.
A statement of all the facts was given the
Navy Department on my return home in the
| Ocean Queen, in report dated June 5, which
| closed as follows
| Il have been minute, perhaps tedious, in fur
| nishlng such facts as appeared to have even
| remote bearing upon the transactions detailed.
| If anything should suggest itself in forming an
| opinion / will be much pleased to answer as def
| itplu ms hQ inn iVNI1 INV do
mand of the department. If, in the good judg-
ment of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy, any
doubt should exist in regard to the propriety of
my action in the occurrence of Sunday, May 15
| or in connection Herewith, | have to request a
| court of inquiry"
Ten days passed and not even an acknowledge
| nent of the receipt of my report was sent me by
the department. I then inclosed a copy of the
sworn statements and in an accompanying letter
| wrote: II have to ask that the department will
| prefer charges and order a court-martial upon
me- taking the most unfavorable view warranted
by the sworn statements which | inclose AS no
| one IN active life can escape from the malice
| which from time to time arises only from
proper, not to say necessary, exercise of author
| ity, think it due me that my conduct should be
| officially pronounced upon" With the same dis
| regard of courtesy, it may be said decency. the
| department deigned not to inform me of the re-
ceipt of this letter. Perhaps fortnight later a
| gentleman came to my residence and informed
me that he was the Judge advocate of a naval
court-martial, and had a very disagreeable duty
to perform-the presentation of charges for my
| trial. l assured him there was nothing disagree
| able about that
Rear admiral Breese was the president of the
court; he informed me that he had orders to
! hold me in close confinement, and was somewhat
perturbed thereby l replied that had been a
midshipman under his command twenty -four
years before; he knew how far he could rely
| upon my word. / would not venture any opin-
Ion in regard to what he should do, but h could
| rely upon my appearance-that he would not be
able to get rid of me until my trial was con-
cluded.
| At that time there were two naval courts mar
tial in session; it was supposed if the depart
ment sent a case to the one it was equivalent to
an acqulttal; to the other, conviction. l ap
peared before the last named. The head of the
court was highly honorable officer, as were
several others. majority, however. were
CROOKED sticks" "black sheep" and imbeciles.
one of whom had the idea of the Dutch Judge
who asserted that when man was brought be-
| fore him he should be condemned. If he was
not culprit, he would not have been brought
before him. Every against whom the de-
partment preferred charges was necessarily
| guilty.
When my trial was called as required by law,
was asked if desired counsel. replied that
did not, except the advice and assistance of Lieu
tenant-commander Games Parker. of the navy.
| This unheard-of action my part greatly dis
turbed a majority of the members of the court
and it is wonder that was not assigned coun-
gel against my wish. Previous to my trial an Of
ficer of high rank, under whom l had served.
wished to know whom l intended to employ as
counsel, and added that should have one of the
abest, as it was evident that the department
was unfriendly to me-
| replied that knew all the facts surrounding
the attempted mutiny that were shown in the
| sworn statements and would appear in evidence
Had any other course been pursued by me
would have been cupab!e to degree. After
| the trial was not willing to appear to have
| been drawn through the meshes of the law from
the ability of counsel, and therefore would have
| mono. My friend was very much concerned by
reason of my resolve, in which persisted.
| All OF the witnesses were positive in relation
to the necessity of my action, and, alluded to
| before, the chief engineer stated that the first
| night out discussion was had among the draft
as to who could take charge of the enginery and
do this and that after the seizure of the vessel.
When witness before the court Captain
| Tinklepaugh was asked: WAS the conduct of
Commander Ammen cool and collected at all
times when you were present, especially during
the attack in the port gangway, on the afternoon
| of Sunday, May 10"
| Answer-"It was unusually so-unusually
| cool and determined so much so that changed
| my mind; because he was so mild at first that I
| didn't expect when the time for action came he
| would be prompt. l found him, however very
cool and determined. prompt to act Prior to
that thought he was very mild and easy"
Doubtless to the disgust of some of the NOM
bers Of the court the testimony my trial was
so unsquivocal, establishing the absolute neces-
sity of my action, that could not be condemned
Notwithstanding this, the malevolence of the
department prevented one word of commenda-
ton. What, the reader may ask, had done to
have heaped upon me this attempt at injury?
was the friend of an officer of rank and merit
| upon whom the department had opened its flood
gates of wrath and abuse! "Only that and moth
ing more" DANIEL AMMEN
| Rear-adniral L. S. n
! WAsHINGToN, D. c., Nov %. 1885,
The Train Misser.
UNION DEPOT, INDIANAPOLIS