- Whether from the Orders Capt. Saltonstall was at liberty to call Councils with the Land & Sea Officers and to abide by their determinations in all respects.–
Lt. Green[e] – no right
Lt. Waterman – no right
Lt. Pritchard – no right
Lt. Brown[e] – Yes- a right
Lt. Yeaton – no right
Lt. Thaxter – Yes – a right
Capt. Jones – I do not know
Capt. Baxter – no right
Capt. Smith – no right
Capt. Tucker – Yes a right
Capt. Rathburne – no right
Mr. President – no right
Extract from the Vote of Court;
October 6th 1779. Boston; George Richards Nav. Jud. Advoc.
At a Court Martial October 7, 1779
Boston Col.o Mastins
Upon question of Capt. Saltonstall, moving for the opinion of this Court “whether by his orders he had authority to call to a Council of War the several commanders of armed vessels which sail’d under his command,” after debated respecting the propriety and impropriety of the question the Court agreed to the following “whether it is the opinion of this Court that the “Last Claim of Capt. Saltonstall’s orders were meant for the government of his conduct at Penobscot.” Answered in the negative; after which resum’d the matter of Captain Saltonstall’s question & Capt. Saltonstall withdrew the same——-
Abstract
From Proceedings
Of Court Geo Richards Nav Jud Advoc.
Saltonstall’s Court Martial Board consisted of:
Marine Corps Lieutenant Peter Green, serving in Boston.
Marine Corps Lieutenant William Waterman served on the frigate PROVIDENCE and the DEANE.
Marine Corps Lieutenant Samuel Pritchard of the DEANE.
Lieutenant Brown could be Marine Corps Lieutenant Peregrine Brown or Navy Lieutenant Philip Brown, who served on the court martial of Navy Commander in Chief Esak Hopkins in 1777, when Hopkins was charged with disrespect.
Navy Lieutenant Hopley Yeaton of the RALEIGH. He later became the first commissioned naval officer in the precursor of the Coast Guard.
Navy Lieutenant Adam W. Thaxter served on the court martial of Navy Commander in Chief Esak Hopkins in 1777, when Hopkins was charged with disrespect.
Marine Corps Captain William Jones of the PROVIDENCE.
Marine Corps Captain Seth Baxter of the frigate BOSTON.
Marine Corps Captain Jabez Smith hailed from Saltonstall’s hometown of Groton, CT and served on board the TRUMBULL, until killed in action with WATT on June 2, 1780.
Navy Captain Samuel Tucker of the frigate BOSTON.
Navy Captain John Peck Rathburne and Saltonstall both fought in the naval attack on New Providence, Bahamas in 1776. In 1779, he took command of the frigate QUEEN OF FRANCE and captured a British merchantman while cruising off Newfoundland.
Navy Captain Samuel Nicholson served as president of the court martial aboard his ship DEANE.