VoL. VIII, No. 3.] PUBLISHED BY THEODORE H. CREMER, T .7. Vii. The .Joutorst." will be published every Wednesday morning, at two tiOiltirs a year, if paid IN ADVANCE, and if not paid within six months, two dollars and a hall. No subscription 'recei veil for a shorter per rind than six months, nor any paper discon tinued till all arrearages arc paid. Advertisements not exceeding one square, will be inserted three times for one dollar, :old for every subsequent insertion twenty five cents. If no definite orders are given as to the time an advertisement is tube contmu jt will be kept in till ordered out, and ch irged accurdieelY • Mutiny on Board the Somers. The following is tie Narrative of Com mander MACKENZIE, respecting the Muti ny and Execution on board the U. S. brig Somers, which was read before the Naval Court of Inquiry at New York. It is identical with the Official Report uhich he transmitted to Washington. U. S. Beta SOMERS, New. York, Dec.l9, 1942. lion. A. P. Ursaua, Secretary of the Navy [coycLuDED.] Small alone,whom we hail set down as the poltroon of the three, and on that account had at first determined not to iron, re ceived the announcement of his fate with composure. When asked if he hail any preparations to make, any messages to send, he said, " 1 have nobody to care for me but my poor o!d mother, and I would rather that she should not know how 1 had died." I returned to Mr. Spencer, and asked him it he had no message to send to his friends. lie answered, tt None that they would tiish to receive." Vs hen urgeil still further to send some word of conso• lotion in so great an affliction, he said, " Tell them I die, wishing them every blessing and happiness. I deserve death for this and many other crimes. Tl•ere are few crimes that I have not committed. I feel sincerely penitent and my only fear of death is, that my repentance may be too late." I asked him it tht•re was any one whom he buil injured, to whom he could vet make reparation, any one who was suffering °Wiley fur crimes which lit had committed. Ile made no answer, but soon alter continued, " I have wronged many persons, but chiefly my parents" lie said, " Thi, will kill my poor motile'!" !vas not before aware thiit he hail a mother. When recovered from the von of this announcement, I asked him it it would not have b. en still more dreadful had he succeeded in hi, attempt; :our, tiered the officers and the greater part of the crew of the vessel, ard: run that ca reer of crime which, with so much satis faction, lie eel marked out for himself ? Ile replied, after a pause, " I du not know whit would become of me had I succee ded." I told hint that Cromwell would soon have made way with hint, and NieKinley probably have cleared the whole of them from his path. " 1 fear," said he, " this may injure my lather." I s o ld bun it 'via 11111141,t, too late to think of that ; that hail he succeeded in his wishes, it would have injured his father much inure ; that, had it been possible to have taken him home, as I intended to do, it was not in nature that his father should not have interposed to save him; that fur these who have friends or money in Ainer iea, there was no punishment for the worst of crimes ;* that though this had nothing to do with any deterininalion which hail been forced upon the in defiance of every etThrt which I had made to avert it, I on this account the less regretted the dilem• ms in which I was placed. It would in• jure his father a great deal more, if he got home alive, should he be condemned, and yet escape. The best and only service he could now render his father was to die. " I will tell you frankly," he said, " what I intended to do had I got hotne— I should have attemp.ed to escape: I had the same project un board the John Adams and Potomac. It seemed to be a mania with me." "flu you not think," I asked, "that this is a mania which shoud be discouraged in the navy?" "I do most certainly." Afterwards he said to ma, "But have you not formed an exaggerated estimate of the extent of this conspiracy?" I told him no ; that his systematic efforts to corrupt the crew and prepare them for the indulgence of every evil passion since the day before our departure from New York, had been but too successful. I knew that the conspiracy was still exten sive. 1 recapitulated to him the arts which he had used. He was startled by my telling him that he had made the ward room steward steal brandy, and had giv en it to the crew. Ile said, " I did not make him steal it," I told hint it was • Perhaps this was an extreme and errone oils opinion, which, I do not Atempt to jus• tify. 1 ant only faithfully recording what - • - 3^ l- iis - Z . :;1:: k • er,' A _..„ . Oce I • , "4 CO brought at his request; that he knew where it came from; and it was, if possible, more criminal to seduce another to commit crime than to commit crime one's sell.— He admitted the justice of this view. Ile tut nit again to say to me, "But are you tot going too far? are yGll ant gairlg too fast ? tines the law entirely justify you ?" I replied, that he had not consulted me in making his arrangements ; that his opins ions could not be an unprejudiced one ; that I had consulted all his brother offi cers, his tnessmates included, except the boys, 4.1 placed before him there opinion. Ile stated that it was just; that he descry death. Ile asked what was to be the manner of his death. I explained it to hint. tie objected to it, and asked to be shot. I told him that I could not make any distinction between him and those whom he had corrupted. Ile admitted that this also was just. He objected to the shortness of the time for preparation, and asked for an hour. No aliswer was made to this request; but he was not hur ried, and more than the hour which he asked for was allowed to elapse. Ile re quested that his face might be covered ; ills was readily granted, and he was ask ed what it should be covered with. Ile did not care. A handkerchief was sought for in his locker; none but a black sue found, and this brought for the purpose. I now ordered that the other clintioals should be consulted as to their wishes in this particular. They joined in the re quest, and frocks were taken from their bags to cover their heads. Mr. Spencer asked to have his irons removed. This could tot be granted. lie asked fur a Bi ble and Prayer Baia:. They were brought and others entered to be furnisilied to his accomplices. "I am a believer!" he "Da you think any t•epen time:, at this late hour can be accepted?" I called to his recollection the case of the penitent thief who was pardoned by (ter Saviour upon the cross. He then read in the Bible, kneeled down and read in the Player Book. He again asked it I thougt that his repentance could be deceived, that the time was so short, and tie did not know ii he Was really chattged. I told him that God, who was till-merciful as well as all wise, could not only understand the dif ficulties of the situation, kit extend to him such a Mealy.. a airol,y :IQ 1/14 novou. sities might reqeire. Ile said, "I beg your forsiveness for will' I have melte. • test against you l" I gave him aly and assured him of my sincere forgi vent: , I asked if 1 had ever done air hitn to make him seek my life, or whe.l.••r the hatred he had conceived for me, and of which I had only recently become a ware, was fostered for the peps. , of giv ing himself some plea of ju t.tioa ion. Ile said, "It was only a fancy; perhaps there might have been something in your man ner which offended inc.'' He read over what I had written down. I had stated hurriedly in the third person "He excused himself by saying that he had entertained the same idea its the John Adams and the Potomac." Ile asked that that might be corrected : I did not offer it as an ex cuse, I only stated it as a fact." More than an hoar had elapsed during the continuance of this scene. The petty officers bad been assigned, according to rank, to conduct the several prisoners to the gangway. At the break of the quarter deck is a narrow passage between the trunk and pumpwell. Mr. Spencer and Croutwelt met exactly on either side. I directed Cromwell to stop to allow Mr. Spencer to pass first. At this moment Mr. Spencer himself paused and asked to be allowed to see Mr. Wales. He was called, and Cromwell now passed on al most touching Mr. Spencer. Nut one word was now said by Mr. Spencer of the innocence of Cromwell ; no appeal was made by Cromwell to Mr. Spencer to at test his innocence. %V ben Mr. Wales came up, Mr. Spencer, extending his hand to him, said, "Mr. Wales, I earnestly hope you will forgive me fur tampering with your fidelity:" Mr, Spencer was wholly unmoved, Mr. Wales almost over come with etnotion; he replied, "I do for give you from the 'Anton. of my heart, and I hope that Gott will lorgive you also!" "Farewell!" exclaimed Mr. Spencer; and Mr. ‘Vales, weeping, and eausmg others to weep, responded, "Farewell!" Mr. Spencer now passed on. Ab.ut this time he asked for Midshipman Rod gees. The message was carried to Mr. Rodgers ; but he had no orders to leave his station. l was only afterwards aware of the request. At the gangway Mr. Spencer met Small. With the same calm manner, but with a nearer approach to e tuotion,he placed himself in trout 111811101, extended his hand, aud said, "Small for give me for leading you into th 18 trouble." Small drew back with horror. "No, by !God! Mr. Spencer, I can't forgive you." Do a repetition ot the request, Small ex claimed in a searching voice, "Ah, Mr. Spencer, that is a hard thing for you to ask m e ; aVe shall soon be before the face of God, and then we shall know all about it." went to Small and urged him to be more "ONE COUNTRY, ONE CONSTITUTION. ONE DESTINY." HUNTINGDON, PENNSYVANIA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1. 1843. generous—that this was no time for re sentment. Ile relented at once, held out his hand to take the still extended hand of Mr. Spencer, and said with frankness and emotion, "I do forgive you, Mr. Spencer! May God Almighty forgive you also !" Small now asked my forgiveness. He was the one of the three who was must entitled to compassion. I took his hand and ex pressed my complete forgiveness in the strongest terms that I was able. I asked him what 1 had said or done to him to I make him seek my life? Conscious of no injustice or provocation of any sort, I felt that it was yet necessary to my comfort to receive the assurance from his own lips. If any wrong had been done him, if any word of harshness in the impatience of ex citement of duty had escaped me, I was ready , selt to ask also for forgiveness. I had hardly asked the question before he exclaimed, ' , What have you done to me, Captain Mackenzie ./ what have you done to me, sir? Nothing, but treat the like a man." 1 told him, in juttification of the course which I was pursuing, that I had high responsibilities to fulfil ; that there were duties which I owed to the Govern. meat which had entrusted me with this vessel, to the officers placed under my command, to those boys, whom it was in tended either to put to death or reserve for a fate more deplorable. There was yet a higher ditty to the flag of my country. Ile was touched by this : "You are right, sir; you are doing your duty, and I honor you for it. God bless that flag, and prosper it I" "Now, brother toptuates," he said, t • • wog to those who held the ship, "give 'me a vick and easy death:" He was placed on the hammocks forward of the ' gangway, with his face inboard. Me. Spencer was similarly_ placed abaft the g:tngway, and Cruntwell'also on the other Mr. Spencer about this time sent for Lieut. Gansevourt, and told him that he might have heard that his courage had been doubted ; lie wished him to bear tear (lawny that he died like a brave man.— He asked me what was to be the signal of the execution. !Mtn him that, being de s:rous to hoist the colors at the moment of execution, at once to give solemnity to the act and to indicate twit bx , it the colors of the f;iiiners were fixed to the masthean, had intended to beat to as for hoist • tog the colors, then roll dr, and at the third roll lire a lie asked to be al lowed himself to give the word to lire the gun. I ttccerdeti to the request, and tine . - MAI i ,ad tile were dismissed. Ile ask ed , r gun were under him. I told 111.11 that it was next but one to him. Ile beg g,ed that no interval might el,pse between giving the word and firing the gun. I ask ed if they were tiling witlt the lock and wafer, which had always proved quick and sure, but was told that they hail a tube and priming, and were prepared to lite wills a match. Some delay would have been necessary to have opened the arm ' chest and get out a wafer. I ordered a supply or live coals to be passed tip from the galley, and fresh ones perpetually sup plied, then assured him thole would be no delay. Time still wearing away in this man ner, Small requested leave to address the crew. Mr. Spencer having leave to give the word, was asked it he would consent to the delay. He assented, and Small's face being uncovered, he spoke as follows: "Shipmates and topmates: take warninl: by my example. I never was a pirate. I never killed a man. It's for saying I would do it, that I am about to depart This life. See what a word will do. It was going in a Guineaman that brought me to this. Beware of a Guineaman." Ile turned to Mr. Spencer and said to hint, "I am note ready to die, Mr. Spencer, are you?" Crionwell's last words were,"Tell my wile I die an innocent man; tell Lieut. Morris I die an innocent man 1" But it had been the game of this man to appear innocent; to urge Mr. Spencer on —to furnish hint with professional ideas ; to bring about a catastrophe of which Mr. Spencer was to take all the risk, and from which he, Cromwell, was to derive all the benefit. lie had tilted a great many pre cautions to appear innocent, but he had not taken enough. I now placed myself on the trunk in a situation front which my eye could take in every thing. I waited for some time; • but no wor,l was given. At length Brown. ing saluted me and said, "Mr. Spencer says he cannot give the word ; he wishes the commander to give the word himself." The gun was accordingly fired, and the execution took place. The crew were now ordered afr, and I addressed them front the trunk on which I was standing. I called their attention first to the fate of the unfortunate young man, whose ill reg ulated ambition, directed to the most infa mous ends, had been the exciting cause of the tragedy they had just witnessed. I spoke of his honored parents, of his dis tinguished father, whose talents and char acter had raised Win to one of the highest stattons in the land, to be one of the six appointed roans-11nm of the representative of our national sovereignty. I spoke of the distitiguished social position to which this young man haul been born ; of the ad vantages of every sort that attended the outset of his career, and of the protession• al honors to which a long, steady, and faithful perseverance in the course of du ty might ultimately have raised him. Af ter a kw months' service at sea, most wretchedly employed, so far as the acqui sition of professional knowledge was con cerned, he haul aspired to supplant me in a command which I had only reached at% ter nearly thirty years of faithful servi tutle ; and fur what object I had alteady explained to them. I told them that their future fortunes were within their own eon ti ol; they had advantages uf every sort and in an eminent degree fur the altain• meat of professional knowledge. The sit uations of warrant officers and of toasters in the navy were open to them. They might rice to commands in the merchant service, to respectability, competence, and to fortune; but they must advance regu larly, and step by step ; every step, to be sure, must be guided by truth, honor, and fidelity. I called their attention to Crom well's case. He must have received an excellent education, his handwriting was even elegant, But he had also !alien, through brutish sensuality and the lour dictate thirst for gold. The first fifteen dollars given to him by Mr. Spencer had bought hint, and the hope of plunder held oat to him by Mu. Spen cer, who, to completely win him, had con veiled a box of old wine into a treasure, haul secured the purchase. There was an anecdote rob! by Collins in his mess, which, with Cromwell's com mentary upon it, had reached my ears. caused tollins to stand upon the pump well, and relate it to the boys. Collins had been in an Intliaman,on board of which the supercargo, a Mr. Thorittlye, had bro't a keg of doubloons. Collins stowed it in the run, and was alone entrusted with the secret of its being on hoard. lii Wild not a word about it until it went ashore. Crom well, on hearing this, laughed at Collins, and said had the case been his he would have ran away with the keg. The story, and what had passed betiire their eyes, contained all the moral tutn. n,cousary to enforce. • I told the bop, conclusion; Luau to choose between the morality of Crom well and that of Collins ; Cromwell at the yard•arm, sod Collins piping with his cell. Small had also been born far better things. He had enjoyed the benefits of education, was it navigator, had been an officer in a merchantman. But he could not resist the brandy which haul been proffered to him, nor the prospect of dis honest gain. He had at least died invo king blessings on the Ilae• of his country. The crew wee: , now plll.l down from witnt“sing puitislument, and all han .l ds cal led to cheer the ship. I „save the order, " Stand by to give ll ra. hearty cheers for the fl ug of our country:" Never were three 'tartler cheers given. In that elite tric moment I do not doubt that the pl trout ism 41( even the worst of the conspira tors for an instant broke forth. 1 felt that I was once more completely commander of the vessel which had been entrusted to ; equal to in with her whatever the honor of my country 'night require. The crew were now piped down and pird to dinner. I noticed with pain that 'natty of the bovs, as they looked to the yarti-arm, indulged in laughter and deris ion. I Will earnestly desired that Mr. S. should he buried. as officers usually are, in a coffin. I ordered One to be made forthwith from a portion of the berth deck; but Deut. Ciaosevoort having offered to relinquish two mess chests used instead of a ward I mon, they were soon converted into a substantial coffin. When the hour usually given to the crew's dinner was over, the watch was set, and the bodies lowered . from the yard areas and received by the messmates of the deceased, to be decently laid out for burial. 'I he midshipmen assisted in per son. When all was ready, the first Lieut. invites me to accompany him to see that these duties hail been duly performed.— Mr. Spencer was laid out on the star board arm chest, dressed in complete uni form, 'crept the sword, which he had for- Idled his right to wear. Further Forward, the two seamen were • also laid out with neatness. l noticed with pain that the taste of one of the sai lors had led hint to bind the hands of Cromwell with a riband. having on it in Cold letters the name of that chivalrous Somers who had died a self-devoted vie tint in the cause of his country. Bat that particular badge hail been dishonored by the treason of its wearer, and it was suf fered to remain. Traces of a sabre were visible on his forehead, and on the removal of his hair four or live more were discovered, indica ting that he had been where wounds had been given and received. Cromwell, by Ins own admission, had been in a slaver, and had !yen an ism rte of Moro Castle at Havana. It was the general impression of tie honest part of the crew that he had already been a pi• rate. He only could answer to the de scription of the individual alluded to by Mr. Spencer "as having already been in the business." At this moment a sodden squall sprung up, rendering it necessary to reduce sail. ft was attended by heavy rain,and tarpaulins were thrown over the bodies. The squall over, the sailors were sewed up in their hammocks. The body of Mr. Spencer was placed in the coffin and the other two corpses, arranged according to rank, Mr. Spencer aft, were placed along the deck. All hands were now called to bury the dead. The procession vas for med according to rank reversed. Of the colors, which had continued to By, the en sign was lowered to half-mast. Before the corpses had been pla,d oil i the lee ham mock rails ready for lowering overboard, the night had already set in. All the bat tle lanterns and the other lanterns in the vessel were lighted and distributed among the crew, collected with their prayer !woks on the booms, the gang ways and lee quer ter boats. The service was then read, the responses audibly and devoutly made by the officers and Ci ew, and the bodies cones signed to the deli. This service was closed with that prayer so appropriate to our situation, appointed to be read in our: ships away : Peeserve us from the dan• gems of the sea, and from the violence of enemies; that we may be a safeguard to the United States of America, and a se- eerily for such as pass on the seas en their lawful occasions ; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietude serve thee our God ; and that we may ,return io salety to enjoy the blessings el our land, with the fruits of our labor, with a thankla I reinetnhrance of thy mercies, to praise and glorify thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord." In reading this, 'anda in recollecting the uses to which the Somers had been destined, as I now find, before she quitted the waters of the U. States, I could not but humbly hope that Divine sanction would not be wanting to , the deed of that day. As the last transaction connected with this subject, I may mention that ott the Sumlay. tits Ad, nr atm tneiaws tor tle government 01 the !navy had been read, according to our in variable custom in the Somers on the first Sunday of the month, I took occasion to draw from the past history and example of the crimitiali, whose execution .they had so . recently beheld, all the useful lessens that they allbrdeil to win back to the paths ado ty and virtue the youthful crew which they had been so instrumental in leading astray. I showed how the leader in the projected mutiny had turned asid.• from the example of hii honored parents, and trampled on the wise coun sels and •oleinn warnings which had been lavished on him. In the Bible of poor Small I had found a letter to him from his aged mother, tit- IA with affectionate endearment and pious counsel. Site expressed the joy with which she haul learned from him that he was so happy on board the Somers ; (at that time Mr. Spencer haul not joined 11 , 1'0 that no grog was served on board of her. Within the folds of this sacred volume lie had preserved a copy of verses taken from the tailor's Magazine, enfor cing the value of the Bible to seamen. I read these verses to the crew. Small had evidently valued his Bible ; but he could not resist temptation. I urged upon the youthlul sailors to cherish their Bibles with a more entire love than Small hail done ; to value their prayer books ; that they would find in them a prayer for every necessity, how ever great, a tnedici ne. for every ailment of the mind. I endeavored to call to their recollection the terror with which the three tnalefactors had found themselves suddenly culled to enter the presence of an offended God. NO One who had wit nessed the scene for a moment believed even in the existence of such a feeling as honest atheism; a disbelief in the exis tence of a God. They should remember that scene. They should also remember that Mr. Spencer, in his last moment, had sa id that he hail wronged many people, but chiefly his parents." From these two circumstances they might draw two use ful lessons: a lesson of filial piety, and of piety toward. God. With these two prin ciples !Or their guides they could never go astray. In conclusion, I told them that they had shown that they could give cheers fur their country they slow Id now give three cheers to their God, for they would do this when they sting praises to his name. The colors were now hoisted, and above the American ensign, the only banner to which it may give place, the banner of the cross. The hundredth psalm was now sung by all the officers and crow. After which, the usual service followed : when it was over I could not avoid contrasting the spectacle presented on that day by the [ W HOLE No. 367. Somerg, with What it would have been ha , she been in pirate's hands. But on this subject I forbear to enlarg. I would not have described the scene all, so different from the ordinary top: of an official communication, Lot for unwonted circumstances in which were placed, and the marked effect %, it pioduced on the ship's company, on these deeply guilty ►nenmbers who sat manacled behind, me, and it was cotiguleied to have done mu, h wards restoring the allegiance of crew In closing this report, a pleasing solemn duty devolves upon me, which feel unable adequately to fulfil, to do j , tice to the noble conduct of every one the officers of the Somers, from the fit • . Lieutenant to the commander's clerk, At has also since her equipment done t duty of midshipman. Throughout tl whole duration of the difficulties in whit we have been involved, their conduct ha been courageous, determined, calmly sett possessed, animated, and ii ! e!ield alway by a lofty and chivalrous patriotism.— Perpetuallj seined by day and by night waking and sleeping with pistols often cocked for hours together, the single ac cidental discharge which took place was from a very delicate weapon, a repeatin , pistol, in the hand of the first Lieutenai. when he was arresting Cromwell in th night. I cannot forbear to ?peak particular) of Lieut. Gansevoort. Neil to me rank on board the Somers, he was n equal in every exertion to protect a. defend tier. the perfect harmony of to. opinions and our views of what sh'euld done on each new deyelopement of • dangers that menaced the integrity of I . command, gave us a unity of action 1: added materially to our strength. N. since the existence of oar navy ha commanding officer been more ably t zealously seconded by his first Lieut. Where all, without exception, have hayed etlintrably, it miget seem inn id ••• to particularize. Yet I cannot rest from calling your attention to the not: conduct of Purser IL. M. Hieskell ono Passed AsMatant Surgeon FL W. Laeo fur the services which they tio freely y &Fit. health; Passed Assistant Surgeon Lac was indeed in no condition to go to when he joined the Somers. He had cently returned its the Dolphin from coast of Africa, and his constitution been completely Shattered by a fever • tracted in the river Nunez. He cut. however, to his duty, determined and a parently likely to ale at his post. L. has partially recovered, but is still in . de , irate health. Beth he and Mr. Hieskell cheerfully obeyed my orders to go perpet ually armed, to keep a regular watch, and to guard die priioners. The worst weath er could nut drive them from their posts, or draw from them a murmur. I respectfully request that Ike thanks. of the Navy Department may be preset, el to all the officers of the Somers for their exertions in the critical situation in winch she has been placed. It 1 , true that they have but performed the, duty; but they have performed it wi fidelity and zeal. If it shall be prov that, when solemnly called upon by I: 'they gave an erroneous opinion that in , ved no (acid responsibility, the up also the act which followed it, and sponsibility, were mine; and I ii •: meet that responsibility, trusting t•• consciousness of rectitude within bosom, which has never for one mu. forsaken me or wavered. I respectfully submit that Mr. J. 'O, Wales, by his coolness, his preset), c mind, and his fidelity, has rendered • American navy a memorable servte. had a trifling difficulty with him, n • creditable to his character, on the pre, • cruise to Porto Rico ; on that acconht was sought out and tampered with. • lie was honest, patriotic, human; hr • ',hated temptatipn, was faitlful to his fl j and was instrotowtal in saving it trt 'dishonor. A pursership in the navy a handsome pecuniary reward, wog after all, lie an inconsiderable recompet. • compared with the magnitude of his se vices. Of the conduct of Sergeant Michael H Garty 1 will only say that it was worth of the noble corps to which he has t honor to belong. Confined to his mock by a malady which threatin,e be dangerous at the moment wh.. conspiracy was discovered, he once upon his feet a well man. It out the whole period, from the d.ts Spencer's arrest to the day after • rival,and until the removal of the neers, his conduct was calm, stead soldier like. But when his duty -- done, done, and health was no longer in i• • sable to its performance, his malady ned upon Wm, and he is still in Ins '• • • mock. In view of this fine condo reTfictlully recommend that S: Harty be promoted to a second
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