Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1839 edition. Excerpt: ... serve it. " For neither pension, post nor place, am I their humble debtor." Some may say that this production is the effusion of a disappointed man, as I was dismissed from the navy when gunner; this weapon too, I want to deprive them of by stating that case, in order to set those officers right respecting the affair, who only, perhaps, heard the sentence of the court, and those officers that were on board at the time, may correct me if I deviate from the truth, in stating the occurrence to the public. chapter xix. Court martial--charges--conduct of the court--witnesses--John Beggs--hischaracterand testimony--advice to JohnB--d--e--kindness of Commodore A. J. Dallas and Lt. Henry A. Adams--remarks and conclusion. It can be proved, if necessary, by letters written to my wife previous to my dismissal, that it had been my intention to leave the navy and join the cause of an oppressed people at that time struggling for their independence against a powerful nation who had vowed to wage a war of extermination against them, even to the scalping knife. For some slight reproof from the first Lieut, of the U. S. ship Concord, to which ship 1 was attached, lying in the harbor of Havana, about the 4th of Nov. 1836, I determined to put my intentions in execution, and for that purpose I wrote to Commodore A. J. Dallas, then on board, to accept of my resignation, or to permit me to return to the United States in order to tender it myself to the proper authority. Lieut. Adams informed me by letter, that he was directed by the commodore to inform me that my request could not be complied with. I then wrote to the commodore to say that my reasons were of a private and confidential nature, and if I could see him privately they would be explained. To this no...
