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, &c. &c. &c.
And further, as Captain Hawkins' testimony was necessary in two of the
charges, the king, on _those charges, _was the prosecutor.
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