News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-08-13
AT THE YARD.ARM.
fiesoliections Of "a Witness Of the ,Exem-
pIary Execution ON the Brig Somers I'm
1S42.

81 was a boy in the United States
Navy on the brig Somers in AZ, when
those three men were hung" said John
w. Davis, on Chestnut street, the other
day. ''The sight of those three young
men hanging at the yard arm, and their
burial in the sea at night, has haunted
me all my life. 1t often comes up be-
fore me when Pm walking along the
street. can never forget it. l knew
Spencer, the midshipman, well. He
was wild, daredevil sort of fellow,
about nineteen years of age, but good
natured and not maliciously inclined. 1
think the execution of all the young
men was a grave mistake, and in look
ing back at it now, believe it was foul
murder.
eve sailed from New York on the
18th of September, '42, for the coast of
Africa, but first began cruising in the
West Indies. In the latter part of No
vember, before we reached St. Thomas,
Midshipman Spencer, who was the son
of the Secretary of War, was suddenly
seized one day, put in double irons and
kept a prisoner in close confinement.
Two other men, the boatswaln's mate,
who was acting as boatswain, and whose
name was Cromwell, and seaman, who
was captain of the main top, named
Small, were arrested day or two after
ward, followed by the arrest of four
All were put in double irons. We had
marine guard on board. The officers
appeared to be frightened to death about
something, and the men of the ships
company were afraid to be seen talking
to each other. After Spencer's arrest it
was noised around decks that he had
formed plot to seize the ship, along
with few of the ships crew, and turn
it into piratical craft. Among others,
he communicated his plan to the pur-
ser's steward, who got list of the con-
spirators and told the whole story to
Lieutenant Mcintosh, the executive Off
Ger.
1.-TWO or three days after the arrests,
number of the officers met in the ward
room, and called number of the ships
crew and examined them. The state
ments, and even the opinion of each
witness were taken down, but the &C
cused men were not allowed to face their
accusers, and were not told what the
charges were in detail and were not
granted any opportunity for explanation
or defense. On the 1st of December,
four days after Spencer's arrest, he,
along with Cromwell and Small, were
told to get ready to die; that they were
going to swing at the yard-arm at once.
Spencer and the captain of the main top
acknowledged their guilt, and were will
ing to die; but the acting boatswain
cd hio 70 10 loe+ opI
Spencer declared, also, that he, Crom-
well, had nothing to do with the plot.
Call all hands to witness execution, ,
said the first lieutenant. The ships
company sullenly ranged themselves on
the quarterback and other points, while
the officers of the ship stood around
with drawn and sharpened swords to cut
down any one who faltered in inflicting
the awful penalty. When everything
was ready, Spencer and his two COM
panions were allowed to bid their
friends goodbye. Then Captain Mac
kenzie gave the signal, gun was fired,
the colors were hoisted and at the same
time the three men, with caps over their
faces, were swung out on the main yard
arm. 1t was horrible sight to look at.
All of the men died game. Commander
Mackenzie then made a speech to us
about the necessity of discipline and the
awful crime of mutiny. At night funeral
services were read by the light of the
battle lanterns and the bodies were put
on the fitting board and dropped over
board into the sea. 1t was a solemn
scene, I assure you, and it made an i'm
preston on my youthful mind that can
never be eradicated. In day or two
we ran into St. Thomas, and then set
sail for New York, arriving there on the
18th of December.
'There was good deal of excitement
when the news of the mutiny and the
hanging got noised around, and hun
dreds of people came down to the ship
to see us. All of the others arrested
were dismissed from custody. Com
mander Mackenzie was court-martialed
about month afterward, and the court
sat for forty days, but acquitted him. "