The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-04-16
ONE DARK PAGE IN OUR NAVAL HISTORY.
Midshipman Spencer, Son of Secretary of
War, Hanged on the Brig Soners for
Mutiny, Along With Two seamen.

Midshipman Spencer, Son of q Secretary OF
War, Hanged on the Brig somers for
Mutiny. Along With Two ssamsn.
In the history Of the navy of the United
States, extending as it does over period
of 1872 years, there is one incident that
stands out against the record of American
patriotism and casts it's shadow down the
long lines that tell OF bravery and devo-
tion to the Stars and Stripes. Although
this event has almost been lost to sight
through the mists of memory, it will never
be forgotten by those who lived during
the two decades Immediately preceding
the Civil War.
Ask any sailor who was in service at
the time to name the single act which
created most discussion and most contro.
versy; ask any man who read the papers
in those days when the telegraph was un-
known and the post uncertain, what news
was most eagerly siezed upon and most
hurriedly devoured, and the reply will
be: The mutlny on board the United
States brig of. war Somers, and the exc
cution of Midshipman Philip Spencer,
son of John G.. Spencer, Secretary of War
uuOcI AicsioCu1 yACi1 IA tu0. AosAOA Pa
of 1912.
This one blot upon the navy records Of
tie Union, and, with one exception, the
only case in which an officer of man Of
war belonging to a civilized nation has
been executed on board ship, created a
sensation at the time. The only previous
case in naval records, and that the one
referred to, was the execution of Lieu
tenant Peterson, at English Hsrbor, sew
eral years before. He was executed by
order of his superior, Lord Came!ford,
for disobeyIng orders. The prominence
If his commander, however, and the tight
reign held upon the British press at the
time prevented the investigation which
the American people demanded, in after
years, IN the case of Spencer.
From the first, perhaps because Of the
position of his father, there has always
been doubt as to whether the Young mid
shipman deserved his fate. 1t is record
ed fact that his death caused the retire.
ment of his father from public life and
that his mother died the year following
his death, never having recovered from
tho shock.
uC OultCu ClotCS OIjS ~oA " al 0OuOCA0
sailed from New York In September, 1S42.
She was one of the best equipped and
fastest two masted cruisers in the Ameri-
can Navy at the time, and was in CON-
mand of Captain Sdell Mackenzie, a
Scotchman, whose training had been re-
ceived in the English Navy and who was
adiudged an excellent officer, albeit he
sometimes INDUCED too freely in his
MADEIRA, and under such circumstances
was, to put 1t mildly, unreasonable. His
ability and discipline were never ques-
toned.
The good ship Somers was under orders
to Liberia, on the west side Of Africa.
Her voyage across the Atlantic was I'm
eventful. Touching at the Azores, she
made port at Madeira, then at Tennerltfe
and waited five days at Port Praya, where
she was to meet the United States cruiser
Vandalia. That vessel failing to arrive,
the brig went about and made for st.
Thomas in the West Indies.
For several days the wind that had
made their eastward journey favorable
combated them, but after week it chang
ed and in the latter part of November the
brig was sailing straight for port, which
was only few days distant. Such was
the condition when mutiny was suspected.
On the night of November 20, Captain
Mackenzie was approached by First Lieu
tenant G. GanseVoort, who told him a
startling tale. According to his story the
purser, j. w. Wales, had come to him
with the news that mutiny was brewing,
that the most influential members of the
crew were working among the seamen,
and that Midshipman Spencer was the
leader and promoter of the plot. Wales
had told the Lieutenant that this CONVEX.
satIen took place the night before-Sat-
urday. Spencer had come to HIM and
asked if he (Wales)was brave. A reply
in the affirmative brought an invitation to
join meeting under the main boom that
night, and Wales went. He was, he said,
asked three questions: Was he bravel
Was he true? Was he friend to the men
gathered there? He replied yes to EACH
They then shook him by the hand and de-
clared him one of them. No oath was
taken. s-..--.
Continuing. Wales told how Spencer
spoke of an oak case, heavy in weight,
winch had been taken on board at Ma
deiIa. He said it contained gold, and
there was more where itcame from. His
plan was to seize the ship, kill such off,
GERS as resisted, and sail for the Isle of
Pines, south Of Cuba only two score miles,
where, he SAID, "a friend and an experience
ed captain" awaited them. Merchant ves-
rels, loaded with the wealth of the Indies,
would then be attacked, the crews killed
and the ships totally destroyed, while
such women as were found would be TAX
en- aboard the Somers and held captive.
This, in short, was the plan Spencer had
laid down, as heard by Wales and repeat
ed to the Captain by Lieutenant Ganse-
WORT. The crew, Wales said, at least
those which Spencer had gathered about
him, were wildly excited over the idea
and were ready for the signal to make q
break for the possession of the brig,
In his report, submitted to the Navy
Department, December 10, 1912, Captain
Mackenzie said:
~ pondered over the matter great
deal. l knew that Spencer had been dis
honorably discharged from tue ships
John Adams and Potomac, and had been
forced to leave the Brazilian squadron
because of drunkenness. But | could
scarcely believe that he would undertake
q plot 80 dangerous and so foolhardy.
Ali night | sat IN my cabin and turned
the matter over in my mind, unresolved
what to do. | called in Lieutenant G..
Ganseyoort finally, and we consulted, and
early that morning | ordered Spencer's