United States vs. Frederick August, OS, USS Vincennes

Charges and specification of charge preferred by Lieut. Comdr. H. A. Adams Jr. commanding USS Vincennes against Frederick August, ordinary seaman of same ship.

Charge. Mutinous conduct

Specification in this that said Frederick August, ordinary seaman, on board the USS Vincennes, on the 24th day of May 1862, upon being ordered to the mast, by Acting Master O. B. Maven, did refuse to obey the order though it was repeated three times, and upon being forced to the mast by the sergeant of the guard, the said Frederick August became noisy and insolent to Gunner Wilson (then in charge of the deck) using the most vulgar and blasphemous language, calling the officers 'sons of bitches' and other vile names, and while being confined in irons, he resisted the sergeant of the guard and appealed to the crew for sympathy.

H. A. Adams, Jr.
Lt. Comdr, Commanding USS Vincennes

Record of the Proceedings of a Naval General Court Martial convened on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna off Mobile, Ala.

USS Lackawanna
Off Mobile Bay, July 4th, 1863
10 o'clock AM

The Court met pursuant to adjournment
Present
Captain J. B. Marchand, USS Lackawanna
Lieut Commander S. R. Franklin, USS Aroostook
Lieut Commander J. E. Joulett, USS R. R. Cuyler
Lieut Commander J. H. Russell, USS Kennebec
Lieut Commander E. E. Potter, USS Lackawanna
Lieutenant H. W. Miller, USS Colorado
Lieutenant J. A. Howell, USS Ossipee
and Surgeon Thomas J. Turner, US Navy, Judge Advocate.

The proceedings of Friday, July 3rd, 1863 was read over and the court there proceeded to the trial of Frederick August, Ordinary Seaman of the USS Vincennes, upon charges and specification of charge preferred by Lieut Commander H. A. Adams Jr USN Commanding said ship by virtue of the following order:

New Orleans, May 13 1863 By virtue of authority vested in me by the President of the United States in accordance with the Act of Congress for the better government of the Navy of the United States, approved July 17 1862 a Naval General Court Martial is hereby ordered to convene off Mobile Bay on board the U.S. Ship Lackawanna on the 27th day of June 1862 or as soon thereafter as practicable for the trial of such persons as may be legally brought before it.

The court will be composed of the following officers, any five of whom are empowered to act.

Captain J. B. Marchand, US Navy
Lieut. Commander S. R Franklin, US Navy
Lieut. Commander J. E. Joulett, US Navy
Lieut. Commander E. E. Porter, US Navy
Lieutenant H. W. Miller, US Navy
Lieutenant J. A. Howell, US Navy
and Surgeon Thomas J. Turner, US Navy is hereby appointed Judge Advocate.

D. G. Farragut
Rear Admiral
Commanding W. G. Blg. Squadron

Which was read in the presence of the accused and witnesses.

The accused was then asked if he had any objections to any member of the court to which he replied in the negative.

The Judge Advocate was then sworn by the President and the Court was then sworn by the Judge Advocate.

The prisoner when then asked if he was ready for trial and wished counsel.

To which the Prisoner replied that he was ready for trial and did not want counsel.

The following charges and specification of charge were then read in the presence of the Prisoner and witnesses:

Charges and specification of charge preferred by Lieut. Comdr. H. A. Adams Jr. commanding USS Vincennes against Frederick August, ordinary seaman of same ship.

Charge. Mutinous conduct

H. A. Adams, Jr.
Lt. Comdr, Commanding USS Vincennes

and the Judge Advocate then asked Frederick August you have heard the charges and specification of charge preferred against you by Lieutenant Commander H. A. Adams, Jr., commanding the USS Vincennes - how say you Guilty or Not Guilty?

To which the Prisoner pleaded Guilty and threw himself on the mercy of the Court.

The Prisoner was then admonished by the Court of the consequences of the plea and the COurt was then cleared for deliberation and upon re-opening the Judge Advocate declined to continue the further prosecution and the prisoner declines to make any defense.

The Court then admitted the following statement of the Prisoner

"I don't know what happened on that Sunday. All I can remember is that I went in the Whale boat on board of a schooner and bought a bottle of liquor, gave two of the boat's crew a drink and drank the rest myself. When I work up in the morning I found myself in the sweat box. I wish I could get out of that ship."

There being no further statement before the court - the Court was cleared for deliberation and having considered the plea and the statement of the Prisoner.

Do find the said Frederick August, Ordinary Seaman of the USS Vincennes as follows

Of the specification: Proven
and of the Charge: Guilty

And the court do therefor sentence the said Frederick August, Ordinary Seaman of the USS Vincennes as follows:

To be confined in double irons on ship board for six (6) months, the first month on bread and water.

J. B. Marchand, Captain USN and President
S. R. Franklin, Lieut. Comdr
Jas. E. Joulett, Lt. Comdr
Edwd. E. Porter, Lt. Comdr
Henry W. Miller, Lieut
J. A. Howell, Lieut
Thomas J. Turner, Surgeon US Navy and Judge Advocate

Approved and so far mitigated as to limit the confinement to three months on shore at Pensacola Navy Yard.
D. G. Farragut, Rear Admiral

The court then adjourned to meet on Monday the 6th day of July 1863 at 10 o'clock AM.

[Return to Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry index]