Elisha Small
Encyclopedia
Elisha Small was an American sailor
who was sailing with the rank of Seaman. He had served on several kinds of ships, including a slaver
, before joining the United States Navy
.
In November 1842, while serving aboad the brig
USS Somers
, during the return home from a voyage to Liberia
, suspicion arose that Philip Spencer
had formed a plan to seize the Somers and sail her as a pirate ship or slaver
. His friendship with crew members Samuel Cromwell and Elisha Small was cited as evidence. On November 27, 1842, Small and Cromwell were formally accused of being part of Spencer's supposed plot to mutiny
. After a council of officers decided that the threat of mutiny was real, all three men were hanged without court-martial
on December 1 and were buried at sea.
A court of inquiry was convened when the brig returned to New York. After a month of testimony, the commander was exonerated, but he requested that he be charged and tried by a court martial. The court martial acquitted him on a split vote. The government accepted the court's decision, but the acquittal did not satisfy public concerns with the case. Many commentators, including James Fenimore Cooper
, denounced the hangings as murder and criticized the Navy's handling of the matter as an example of what today could be called a "whitewash."
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
who was sailing with the rank of Seaman. He had served on several kinds of ships, including a slaver
Slaver
Slaver has several meanings:*One who deals in slaves - see slave trade*A slave ship*Saliva, i.e. either the result or act of drooling as opposed to normal salivation....
, before joining the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
In November 1842, while serving aboad the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
USS Somers
USS Somers (1842)
The second USS Somers was a brig in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War, infamous for being the only U.S. Navy ship to undergo a mutiny which led to executions....
, during the return home from a voyage to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, suspicion arose that Philip Spencer
Philip Spencer
Philip Spencer , a midshipman aboard the USS Somers, was hanged for mutiny without a lawful court-martial. He was the son of John C. Spencer, Secretary of War in U.S. President John Tyler's administration, and the grandson of Ambrose Spencer, a New York politician and lawyer.-Background:Spencer was...
had formed a plan to seize the Somers and sail her as a pirate ship or slaver
Slaver
Slaver has several meanings:*One who deals in slaves - see slave trade*A slave ship*Saliva, i.e. either the result or act of drooling as opposed to normal salivation....
. His friendship with crew members Samuel Cromwell and Elisha Small was cited as evidence. On November 27, 1842, Small and Cromwell were formally accused of being part of Spencer's supposed plot to mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
. After a council of officers decided that the threat of mutiny was real, all three men were hanged without court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
on December 1 and were buried at sea.
A court of inquiry was convened when the brig returned to New York. After a month of testimony, the commander was exonerated, but he requested that he be charged and tried by a court martial. The court martial acquitted him on a split vote. The government accepted the court's decision, but the acquittal did not satisfy public concerns with the case. Many commentators, including James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
, denounced the hangings as murder and criticized the Navy's handling of the matter as an example of what today could be called a "whitewash."