BAD NEWS FROM HOME, AND WORSE ON BOARD--NOTWITHSTANDING HIS PREVIOUS
TRIALS, PETER FORCED TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER--MRS. TROTTER AGAIN;
IMPROVES AS SHE GROWS OLD--CAPTAIN HAWKINS AND HIS TWELVE CHARGES.
No other event of consequence occurred until we joined the admiral, who
only detained us three hours with the fleet, and then sent us home with
his despatches. We arrived, after a quiet passage, at Portsmouth, where
I wrote immediately to my sister Ellen, requesting to know the state of
my father's health. I waited impatiently for an answer, and by return
of post received one with a black seal. My father had died the day
before from a brain fever; and Ellen conjured me to obtain leave of
absence, to come to her in her state of distress. The captain came on
board the next morning, and I had a letter ready written on service to
the admiral, stating the circumstances, and requesting leave of absence.
I presented it to him and entreated him to forward it. At any other
time I would not have condescended: but the thoughts of my poor sister,
unprotected and alone, and my father lying dead in the house, made me
humble and submissive. Captain Hawkins read the letter, and very coolly
replied, that "it was very easy to say that my father was dead, but he
required proofs." Even this insult did not affect me; I put my sister's
letter in his hand--he read it, and as he returned it to me, he smiled
maliciously. "It is impossible for me to forward your letter, Mr
Simple, as I have one to deliver to you."
He put a large folio packet into my hand, and went below. I opened it:
it was a copy of a letter demanding a court-martial upon me, with a long
list of the charges preferred by him. I was stupefied, not so much at
his asking for a court-martial, but at the conviction of the
impossibility of my now being able to go to the assistance of my poor
sister. I went down into the gun-room and threw myself on a chair, at
the same time tossing the letter to Thompson, the master. He read it
over carefully, and folded it up.
"Upon my word, Simple, I do not see that you have much to fear. These
charges are very frivolous."
The next morning, the official letter from the port-admiral came off,
acquainting me that a court-martial had been ordered upon me, and that
it would take place that day week. I immediately resigned the command
to the second lieutenant, and commenced an examination into the charges
preferred. They were very numerous, and dated back almost to the very
day that he had joined the ship. There were twelve in all. I shall not
trouble the reader with the whole of them, as many were very frivolous.
The principal charges were:--
1. For mutinous and disrespectful conduct to Captain Hawkins, on (such
a date), having in a conversation with an inferior officer on the
quarter-deck stated that Captain Hawkins was a spy, and had spies in the
ship.
2. For neglect of duty, in disobeying the orders of Captain Hawkins, on
the night of the --- of ---.
3. For having, on the --- of ---, sent away two boats from the ship, in
direct opposition to the orders of Captain Hawkins.
4. For having again, on the morning of the --- of ---, held mutinous
and disrespectful conversation relative to Captain Hawkins with the
gunner of the ship, allowing the latter to accuse Captain Hawkins of
cowardice, without reporting the same.
5. For insulting expressions on the quarter-deck to Captain Hawkins, on
his rejoining the brig on the morning of the --- of ---.
6. For not causing the orders of Captain Hawkins to be put in force on
several occasions, etcetera, etcetera, etc.
And further, as Captain Hawkins' testimony was necessary in two of the
charges, the King, _on those charges_, was the prosecutor.
Two days before my court-martial, I received a letter from Ellen, who
appeared in a state of distraction from this accumulation of misfortune.
She told me that my father was to be buried the next day, and that the
new rector had written to her, to know when it would be convenient for
the vicarage to be given up. That my father's bills had been sent in,
and amounted to twelve hundred pounds already; and that she knew not the
extent of the whole claims. There appeared to be nothing left but the
furniture of the house; and she wanted to know whether the debts were to
be paid with the money I had left in the funds for her use. I wrote
immediately, requesting her to liquidate every claim, as far as my money
went; sending her an order upon my agent to draw for the whole amount,
and a power of attorney to him, to sell out the stock.
I had just sealed the letter, when Mrs Trotter, who had attended the
ship since our return to Portsmouth, begged to speak with me, and walked
in after her message, without waiting for an answer. "My dear Mr
Simple," said she, "I know all that is going on, and I find that you
have no lawyer to assist you. Now I know that it it is necessary, and
will very probably be of great service in your defence--for when people
are in distress and anxiety, they have not their wits about them; so I
have brought a friend of mine from Portsea, a very clever man, who, for
my sake, will undertake your cause; and I hope you will not refuse him.
You recollect giving me a dozen pairs of stockings. I did not refuse
them, nor shall you refuse me now."
Mr Trotter's advice was good; and although I would not listen to
receiving his services gratuitously, I agreed to employ him; and very
useful did he prove against such charges, and such a man as Captain
Hawkins. He came on board that afternoon, carefully examined into all
the documents, and the witnesses whom I could bring forward, showed me
the weak side of my defence, and took the papers on shore with him.
Every day he came on board, to collect fresh evidence, and examine into
my case.
At last the day arrived. I dressed myself in my best uniform. The gun
fired from the admiral's ship, with the signal for a court-martial at
nine o'clock; and I went on board, in a boat with all the witnesses. On
my arrival, I was put under the custody of the provost-martial. The
captains ordered to attend pulled alongside one after another, and were
received by a party of marines, presenting their arms.
At half-past nine, the court was all assembled, and I was ushered in.
Court-martials are open courts, although no one is permitted to print
the evidence. At the head of the long table was the admiral, as
president; on his right hand, standing, was Captain Hawkins, as
prosecutor. On each side of the table were six captains, sitting near
to the admiral, according to their seniority. At the bottom, facing the
admiral, was the judge-advocate, on whose left hand I stood, as
prisoner.
The court were all sworn, and then took their seats. Stauncheons, with
ropes covered with green baize, passed along, were behind the chairs of
the captains who composed the court, so that they might not be crowded
upon by those who came in to listen to what passed.
The charges were then read, as well as the letters to and from the
admiral, by which the court-martial was demanded and granted; and then
Captain Hawkins was desired to open his prosecution. He commenced with
observing his great regret that he had been forced to a measure so
repugnant to his feelings; his frequent cautions to me, and the
indifference with which I treated them: and, after a preamble, composed
of every falsity that could be devised, he commenced with the first
charge; and stating himself to be the witness, gave his evidence.
"I wish," said the second captain who was addressed, "to ask Captain
Hawkins, whether, when he came on deck, he came up in the usual way in
which a captain of a man-of-war comes on his quarter-deck; or whether he
slipped up without noise?"
Captain Hawkins declared that he came up as he _usually did_. This was
true enough, for he invariably came up by stealth.
"But, Captain Hawkins, do you not think, allowing that you came up on
deck in your _usual_ way, as you term it, that you would have done
better, to have hemmed or hawed, so as to let your officers know that
you were present? I should be very sorry to hear all that might be said
of me in my supposed absence."
To this observation, Captain Hawkins replied, that was so astonished at
the conversation, that he was quite breathless, having, till then, had
the highest opinion of me.
No more questions were asked, and they proceeded to the second charge.
This was a very trifling one--for lighting a stove, contrary to orders.
The evidence brought forward was the sergeant of marines. When his
evidence in favour of the charge had been given, the following questions
were put by some of the members of the court:--
"You have served in other ships before?"
"Yes."
"Did you ever, sailing with other captains, receive an order from them,
to report direct to them, and not through the first lieutenant?"
The witness here prevaricated.
"Answer directly, yes or no."
"No."
The third charge was then brought forward--for sending away boats
contrary to express orders. This was substantiated by Captain Hawkins'
own evidence, the order having been verbal. By the advice of my
counsel, I put no questions to Captain Hawkins; neither did the court.
The fourth charge--that of holding mutinous conversation with the
gunner, and allowing him to accuse the captain of unwillingness to
engage the enemy--was then again substantiated by Captain Hawkins, as
the only witness. I again left my reply for my defence; and one only
question was put by one of the members; which was, to inquire of Captain
Hawkins, as he appeared peculiarly unfortunate in overhearing
conversations, whether he walked up as usual to the taffrail, or whether
he _crept up_.
Captain Hawkins gave the same answer as before.
The fifth charge--for insulting expressions to Captain Hawkins, on my
rejoining the brig at Carlscrona, was then brought forward; and the
sergeant of marines and one of the seamen appeared as witnesses. This
charge excited a great deal of amusement. In the cross-examination by
the members of the court, Captain Hawkins was asked what he meant by the
expression, when disposing of the clothes of an officer who was killed
in action, that the men appeared to think that his trowsers would instil
fear.
"Nothing more upon my honour, sir," replied Captain Hawkins, "than an
implication that they were alarmed lest they should be haunted by his
ghost."
"Then, of course, Mr Simple meant the same in his reply," observed the
captain sarcastically.
The remainder of the charges were then brought forward; but they were of
little consequence.