Letter of Acting Vol. Lieut. George E. Welch
Honorable Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy
Sir,
I am under orders to report myself to the department from Flag Officer Farragut, and it is due to the department no less than myself that I should explain the reason why I asked to be detached from my command.
Near or about the 10th of last January, I had reason to suspect Morris Henry Assistant Surgeon of the Kittatinny for having applied a most opprobrious epithet to a brother officer and threating to rip him up with a knife. The officers, petty officers and crew preferred charges against him, which were approved by me, and presented to flag officer McKean, who, in consequence of pressing public business declined taking any action in the matter at that time and instructed me to give him another trial, and if any more difficulty occurred, to place him under arrest. He continued the application of offensive language to the ward room officers, thanked God that he was an Englishman with no taint of Yankee sin about him, was told defiant and disobedient, treasonable in his intercourse with prisoners of war, arrayed the English portion of the crew in bitter enmity against their shipmates, and became an eyesore to every right minded man aboard. I addressed hum in a note couched in proper terms informing him that a continuance of his conduct would lead him to his close arrest, it had no effect but to bring forth a most insulting answer, which was wantonly offensive in its terms. I directed the executive officer to arrest him giving him the range of the ship, to demand his sword, forbid communications with him except by special permit, see that he was deprived of no one comfort that the ship afforded, and accord him the respect due his rank. On the 22d of February, I went on board of the Santee to report to Capt. Eagle and while there received a message from one of the officers that my presence was required on board, on repairing on board, I found all my officers, the masters, carousing with him in the face and defiance of my express orders. I suspended two of them and was advised by Capt. Eagle to put the doctor in irons, but declined to so there except by a written order from him. On my arrival at Ship Island, I was ordered alongside of the Colorado to lighten her of her gun deck tackle, he requested medical advice which request I complied with, but refused to let him go out of the ship to receive it, he then commenced to cry out saying he would go out of the ship in spite of any Yankee son of a bitch. I ordered his room door closed. He broke the door and window and when I went down to make him desist, spit in my face. I ordered him placed in double irons, Capt Bailey and the 1st Lieutenant was standing on the bridge at the time and were evidently gratified of the course I had pursued. The next day, the Flag Officer arrived, and ordered a Court of Inquiry limiting the term of Court to two days, but afterwards extending the time one more day. The result and finding of the court has been forwarded and I most respectfully solicit your attention to the following fact bearing upon the action of the court. I made no charges whatever but simply made a statement and presented the charges made and signed by the officers, some months previous my object being to avoid any charge of a malicious prosecution, these charges were not acted upon but mislaid or lost by the Court. Then by most adroit prosecution on the part of same member of the Court it was decided that the witness should be examined in regular gradation according to the seniority and the result was that the term of the court was faster up by the examination of officers under arrest and a great part of the witnesses for the prosecution were not examined at all. Although, I was the the prosecution, I was turned out of the court, was not present and had no chance to cross question any witness. By the advice of Capt. Alden, I requested the Court to allow me to subpoena the 3rd Lieut of the Richmond as a witness, the Court sent me word that it would take my request in consideration, the court considered it until the Richmond was at sea and the witness was no longer available and then told me my request was granted. I claim that the action of this court was unjust, injurious and as the Flag Officer has since declared, illegal, and evidently a court martial on myself instead of a court of inquiry on my surgeon. I could not serve any longer in command of the Kittatinny with the slightest show of self respect as I know the time of the Flag Officer was taken up by more important matters, I tendered my resignation. I claim that since my entry into the service, I have performed my duty, honestly, faithfully and efficiently and have received the encomiums of my immediate commanders for my perseverance in blockade duties and confidently appeal to the well known justice of the department to accord the rights that belong to me and relive me from what cannot but be conceived to be an unjust and unmerited reproach.
I remain very respectfully
your obedient servant
George E. Welch
A. V. Lieut, late in command
of the US Gun Boat Kittatinny.
To
Honorable Gideon Welles
Secretary of the Navy
Brooklyn, April 27th, 1862
Please address
care commandant
Brooklyn Navy Yard.