Original subtitles

Ready port guns!

Ready port guns!

Ready your lines!

Ready your lines!

Sir, will you forgive me?

I have no fear, Mr. Spencer.

God will extend you mercy.

And you, my son?

And you.

Beat the call!

Beat the call!

It's quite an honor, Colonel, lecturing at the Naval Academy.

It would be more of an honor if I finished writing the lecture before it's

to start giving it.

Isn't this a bad week to be doing this?

Six days before my wedding, I was yelling at some caterer about an ice

Did it help?

Nothing helped.

Until I walked into that church and I saw Bud waiting for me at that altar.

An early wedding present, Mac.

Miss Bennett?

Printed from microfilm.

Complete coverage of the Summers Affair in the New York Commercial Advertiser,

1842 and 1843.

You know, I could exchange it for a blender.

No, it's very thoughtful of you.

You, of course, know that that's not the real gift.

I know, but you wouldn't happen to have a lecture in your pocket, would you?

Fascinating case. Wish I could hear what you had to say.

Oh, me too.

The captain's name was McKenzie?

Alexander Slidell McKenzie.

Friend of Washington Irving and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. An author himself.

He was related by marriage to Commodore Perry.

And to you, ma 'am? No, but the name got me interested.

He had an impeccable reputation as a naval officer. Well, until his cruise on

the USS Summers.

What happened? Shipwreck?

No.

War.

Ready your line.

Read the call.

Read the call.

Fire!

Fire!

First Lieutenant Gansevoort reporting to the Secretary of War.

At ease, Lieutenant.

Thank you, sir.

You come from the Summers. How is Commander McKenzie?

Well, sir, we docked in New York on Monday.

You traveled very swiftly to see me.

Why? Sir, the Commander has sent me to inform you of certain events.

I regret to inform you that our voyage was troubled by... a mutiny.

Mutiny? Yes, sir.

And, Commander McKenzie, the ship are well?

All is well, sir.

Except for three mutineers who were hanged.

Hanged? Where?

At sea.

It is my sad duty, sir, to report that one of them was your son.

Philip?

Sorry, sir.

He led the mutiny.

The son of the Secretary of War?

Philip Spencer.

Bright, but a drinker, a brawler. He spent three years as a college freshman

before being expelled.

His father got him appointed a midshipman to straighten him out.

Sid, I'm looking for Al Britton's Law of the Sea.

Oh, sir, that should be in your office.

Or right here, sir.

Philip Spencer had been obsessed with pirates since he was a teenager.

His plan, apparently, was to take over the Summers and turn it into a pirate

ship. What'd he do? Storm the decks? Pistols blazing? Swords drawn?

Actually, the mutiny never happened.

Well, the captain must have had good reason to think that it would.

Well, that question was raised by, among others, the Secretary of War.

The Navy convened a court of inquiry.

I thank you, gentlemen, for this opportunity to explain what befell my

since we embarked New York 13 September last on a training mission for young

sailors and officers.

The officers of the group I was pleased to receive, except Miss Shipman Spencer.

You began the voyage displeased with them, Commander?

Not had reports, sir, of limiting behavior and casual disrespect.

On a previous ship?

Yes, but on the summers I soon saw the character of the man for myself.

And then she says to me, Spencer, where would you bury your chest?

Mr. Spencer.

Report.

Sir?

A naval officer has not reported his captain holding a cigar.

No, it's a fine cigar, sir.

If you refuse to honor your officer's uniform, or properly supervise your men,

will strip you of it.

And you will clean the deck.

And they will smoke cigars.

This way.

Aye, aye, sir.

Back to work.

Or I'll flog you myself. Get back to work.

You hear the captain well?

He requests I attend better to my duties.

Then perhaps you should.

I'd like to catch him on the roundhouse one night.

Plunge him overboard. Perhaps I shall do that.

Damn if I don't.

Improper and punishable.

But he is not the first young officer to denounce his captain.

A few days later.

He approached my master at arms.

A fine day, sir. You were a sergeant. Aye, sir. And a fine ship with which to

enjoy it. Nothing in the fleet can catch her.

I suppose not, sir.

But has the Navy a need to catch her own ship?

I could take her with six men.

You couldn't with three times six.

Six men, sergeant.

Providing their leader knows the lay of the ship as I do.

We would seize the captain and the officers and take the arms chests, and

the rest of the crew see my men in arms, they will all come over.

The officers have swords, sir.

And your six would have... We would run them through with their own swords and

heave their bodies into the sea.

Things came to a head a few nights later.

Good God.

I have... Twenty men with me.

Their names are on a piece of paper in secret writing.

Two of them are going to stage a fight on the folks.

When the officer on the deck comes to settle the matter, he will be thrown

overboard. And the other officers?

We will surprise them in the wardrobe.

Kill them all there.

Call the crew on the deck, select the ones that they want, and toss the rest

over the side.

Why? Why?

Why then we commence cruising for prize vessels.

As pirates.

Can you imagine a better life, whale?

Treasure?

Freedom? And some of the ships we take will have women.

Will you join us?

It is... intriguing.

Whale, there would be a way to throw you overboard.

I want you as my third officer.

We'll talk again.

If you list a syllable about this to anyone, 20 men stand ready to put a

in you.

Nevertheless, Mr. Wales found the courage to report the conversation.

I had Mr. Spencer placed under arrest, and his quarters searched.

Lieutenant Gansavort found this in his shaving kit.

Written in Greek letters, but easy to decipher.

A list of accomplices, two of whom I also arrested.

Commander.

Your intentions at the time were to bring these men home for court -martial,

prescribed by the Articles of War?

Yes, sir.

But I did not have that luxury.

It seems to me, Commander, that it is they who are denied a benefit.

Then you certainly need to understand the situation.

The Summers is swift but small.

There is no place to hold men under arrest other than on the deck with the

of the crew.

Some of whom may be their accomplices.

Some of the accomplices we knew, others we did not.

Overall, the crew became sullen, disobedient.

Whispered conversations broke up when officers approached.

My officers stood double watches.

They grew exhausted.

And they were vulnerable, sir.

And the men under arrest, they remained confident and insolent.

What other explanation than they were expecting to be rescued?

I referred the matter to a council of my officers, who met independently of me,

and concluded we had no other alternative than to rig the gallows.

That was the most terrible decision of my life.

But I would do it again, sir.

For the sake of my duty to my ship.

To my country.

And to my God.

Commander McKenzie, we have heard your evidence and that of your crew, and we

have concluded that owing to difficult conditions aboard the USS Summers and

demonstrated malefactions of the mutineers aboard her, your actions were

justified in every respect.

We stand adjourned.

I told you, darling, there was nothing to fear.

I had faith in you, Alexander.

I did not know if they would.

Congratulations, sir.

It's been a pleasure serving under you. Congratulations, sir.

Thank you.

My dear, let's go home.

Forgive me, Commander, if I don't offer my congratulations.

Mr. Secretary, I am sorry.

The thing had to turn out as they did.

Had to, Commander?

You had no option?

The court just found that he did not.

With all due respect, ma 'am, your husband's reputation is still at stake.

So I would gladly defend my reputation in any venue you propose.

Excellent.

I propose a court -martial.

Allow me to introduce Commander Norris, who will serve as trial counsel.

Commander? Ma 'am?

You would prosecute me, Commander.

On what charge?

Among others, three counts of murder, sir.

The Naval Academy exists today. You are at Annapolis today because of what

happened on a training mission of the USS Summers 159 years ago, where the

for some better method of training naval officers was tragically demonstrated.

That's an understatement.

It's a key point, Nick. There's so many key points.

I was hoping this would be a relaxing break from planning a wedding.

No worries. It's all under control.

Is it?

Gator are coming today. Better check. You delivered it by five, right?

Right. And you faxed the new song list to the band?

Yeah. More Motown.

And did you call the airline about Chloe flying alone?

I'll call them tomorrow.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow.

Am I on trial here?

First charge, conduct unbecoming an officer.

Second charge, oppression.

Third charge, unnecessary cruelty.

Fourth charge, illegal punishment.

Fifth charge, murder on board a United States vessel on the high seas.

How does the defendant plead?

Not guilty.

Will the court admit into evidence the record compiled by the court of inquiry?

No objections.

Whose verdict exonerated my client?

The court may have exonerated him, but the record does not.

Commander, shall we proceed to witnesses and save the argument for later?

Yes, sir.

I call Sergeant Michael Gardy to the stand.

Sergeant, do you swear that the evidence you give in this case shall be the

truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Yes, sir. Be

seated.

Sergeant.

The record of the Board of Inquiry includes an account of a conversation

with Midshipman Spencer during which he said he could take the USS Summers with

six men.

That's right, sir. That's what he said.

Sergeant, were you acquainted with Midshipman Spencer before that

We all knew him, sir. By we, you mean the common sailors on board the ship?

sir.

Mr. Spencer was quite popular with the men because he was...

He was brave because he was strong, he accomplished semen.

Actually, sir, he gave away a lot of cigars and shared his rum.

Even though Commander McKenzie had forbidden tobacco and alcohol to the

That's right, sir.

Sergeant, was Midshipman Spencer a natural leader, one men would follow

action? Oh, they'd follow him into a tavern if he was buying.

Sergeant, Commander McKenzie's account of your conversation with Mr. Spencer

not take us to the end of it.

Would you favor us with your own recollection of it? Yes, sir.

He approached me by the rail. He told me, like the captain said, that he could

take the ship with six men.

Six men, Sergeant, providing their leader knew the lay of the ship as I do.

Oh, I hardly think so, sir.

Be sure of it.

And, sir, you may be sure that when the crew turns up, they would toss you and

your six overboard.

Or we would be a very poor crew.

But once we have the arms... But how would you get the arms, sir?

I have the key to the chest.

If you joined us, Sergeant.

Oh,

excuse me, sir.

Hey,

you laughed.

I couldn't help myself, sir.

It seemed so ridiculous.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Sergeant Gardy, have you ever heard of the HMS Bounty?

Of course, sir.

There was a mutiny on that ship.

And the mutiny aboard the HMS Hermione? Every sailor knows of it, sir. The

captain of the Hermione was slaughtered, along with eight of his officers.

Yes, sir. Do you think any of the mutineers might have mentioned their

fellow crew members before they began killing people?

I don't know, sir.

I wasn't there.

No.

You were only aboard the Summers.

Listening to midshipman Spencer make dire threats and laughing.

How ridiculous might his words have seemed to you, Sergeant, after the

was run through with his own sword and his body heaved into the sea?

Mr. Wells, you occupied the position of purser steward.

That's right, sir. As such, what were your duties aboard the Summers?

Bookkeeping mostly, sir.

Handling the ship's accounts, logging purchases from the ship's stores, like

cigars and rum Mr. Spencer gave to the crew.

Yes, sir.

When Mr. Spencer approached you about being part of his mutiny, how long had

been at sea?

The summer's cruise was my second, sir. I'd been under sail a total of six

months. Mr. Wells, do you know how to navigate?

No, sir.

Organize a watch list?

No, sir. But you do know how to keep a count.

Yes, sir. What was your reaction when Mr. Spencer approached you about being

part of his mutiny?

Fear, sir.

And I'm not afraid to admit it.

Fear, not confusion?

Sir? Why would Mr.

Spencer recruit a bookkeeper to be third in command of a pirate ship?

Did he intend to capture the other vessels by subtracting their guns from

I admit, sir, I wondered myself.

As well you might have.

Your witness.

But then I remembered... Oh.

Oh, am I finished?

No, Mr. Wales, please.

Continue.

Then I remembered that when Mr. Spencer spoke to me, Sergeant Gardy was ill.

I was the acting master at arms.

So you had the key to the arms chest.

That's right, sir.

So, things are clear after all.

Thank you, Mr. Wales.

Ma 'am?

You're making much work of this.

I did not seek the job, ma 'am. The job sought me.

The job?

You're trying to destroy my husband. You should be honoring him. Everyone

should. And someone needs to speak for the men who died.

Mutineers.

Have you ever captained a ship, Commander?

No. Commanded men under arms?

No. Been to sea?

For a while.

Commander McKenzie went to sea at the age of 11.

He's commanded men and ships in peace and war.

And you question his actions from the safety of a courtroom?

How do you think you can begin to understand?

I killed him, sir.

Begging your pardon, sir. You killed whom?

Mr. Spencer and the others.

I was on the lines.

You're compelled.

Well, I hope God sees it that way, sir.

How goes it with the captain?

Will you hang him? That will be up to the panel.

Do you know about the flogging, sir?

I've seen the log.

At least one or two men every day, sir. Twelve lashes at a time.

For skulking, being dirty, spilling tea on the deck.

Tell them. Tell the judges.

It may do no good.

Then show them, sir.

For washing clothes.

Without permission.

Son, if I showed this to the court, it may make them believe the crew was

prepared a mutiny.

I never heard talk of no mutiny, sir. Not from Mr. Spencer, not from anybody.

And if you did, would you have joined them?

Those men didn't deserve to die, sir.

Do something.

Please, sir.

The schedule?

They're expecting you at the Naval Academy tomorrow night.

Speak about the summer's mutiny the next morning at 0900.

46 hours and 11 minutes.

How do you do that, ma 'am?

Thank you, Gunny. Excuse me, Colonel.

Sponsor transportation to Annapolis, ma 'am. Do you need the duty driver?

I'll take my own vehicle. Do you need the travel claim for a mileage

reimbursement? No. Yes, but not now.

So?

Innocent or guilty?

Who? Your great -grandfather, the captain of the Summers. He's not my

-grandfather. You sure?

You know, I still have a lot of work left to do. Is there anything else you

want? Yeah.

You're headed down the home stretch, and I just wondered if everything was okay.

With the lecture?

Come on, Mac. It's your engagement party, you know, with us.

I overstepped the boundaries of a well -wisher.

I overstepped the bounds of a bride.

So we're okay?

I think so.

You okay?

I just need to finish this lecture.

You're familiar with naval regulations?

I am, sir.

Including regulations for the Navy Marine Corps published in February 1841?

I am, sir.

Do those regulations provide that persons accused of crimes have the right

appear before the tribunal judging them, to confront witnesses against them, and

to make a case in their own defense?

I believe they do, sir.

Were these rights extended to Midshipman Philip Spencer and the two men hanged

with him aboard the USS Summers?

We did the best we could, sir.

Under the circumstances?

The best you could.

That must mean the Council of Officers convened by Commander McKenzie? Yes,

We met and carefully considered their case.

Without the accused men being present?

Without the accused men even knowing they were being judged?

They were not present during our deliberation, sir, but I did conduct an

interview with Mr. Spencer after his arrest.

While he was confined in irons on the deck?

Yes, sir.

And what he had to say was very incriminating.

I cannot help it, sir.

Help what?

Fighting mutiny.

You've done this before.

Yes, sir.

On the John Adams and the Potomac.

You turned them into pirate ships also.

I have had not a great success on land, sir.

I imagine a larger way to live.

My own master.

It is a fantasy, Mr. Spencer.

And a dangerous one.

I cannot stop.

I try, but I cannot.

It's mania with me.

John Adams and the Potomac, they were the other ships Mr. Spencer had served

Yes, sir. And he plotted mutinies on both by his own admission.

Lieutenant, was there ever a mutiny on the John Adams or the Potomac?

No, sir.

And for that matter, there wasn't even a mutiny on the summers, was there?

Because we prevented it, sir.

Ah, yes.

Your evidence.

The list in Greek characters of Mr.

Spencer's accomplices.

Three columns.

First, certain. Second, doubtful. Third, to be kept with us, willing or not.

Would you read the list of the certain accomplices, please?

Mr. Spencer himself.

You would hope so.

Elijah Small, the quartermaster, who was arrested and hanged with Spencer.

Daniel McKinley, arrested later and is awaiting trial.

Purser Steward Wales.

Wales was the man who turned Spencer in.

Spencer thought he could trust him, sir.

Very well.

Continue with a certain left.

That is all.

So, he had three certain accomplices among a crew of 120, and one of the

was the man who betrayed the plot.

We were in a dangerous situation, sir.

Commander McKenzie apparently felt that way.

Didn't he instruct you to make sure that the Council of Officers would recommend

hanging the three men arrested?

He only instructed me to make sure that all the evidence was considered.

He was the captain.

It was his option to run things if he saw fit.

Including your testimony here, Lieutenant?

No, sir.

Well, hasn't the captain recommended your promotion?

I object.

The question is not relevant whether it's true or not. It's relevant if

Commander McKenzie has influence over his officers to do his bidding for him.

Your Honor, this is outrageous.

It is loud. The witness may deny it.

The captain did honor me by commending me to the Navy Department.

But for merit, sir.

Apparently, the U .S. this summer was a veritable wonderland.

of excellent sailing.

Commander McKenzie has recommended promotions for every officer on the

except the ones he hanged.

He was supposed to be one of

our finest officers.

I actually wanted my son to go to sea under him.

He could not have foreseen what happened, sir.

I knew my son wasn't perfect, Commander.

I even heard him speak of becoming a pirate.

But I wasn't a big enough fool to believe him.

Seems others believed him as well.

A ship commanded by a Mohammedan will become a nest of Mohammedans. The

has influence over the mind of his men.

Apparently Commander McKenzie did not have much influence over your son, sir.

That would have been a strong point in Philip's favor.

If it hadn't killed him.

Your Honor, I call Mrs. Alexander McKenzie to the stand. The defendant's

Your Honor, she cannot testify against her husband. She cannot testify to

anything confided to her by her spouse, but anything said or done with a third

-party present is already not confidential.

True, but this is still distasteful.

It is my right, Your Honor. Mr. Griffin may cross -examine if he chooses.

I do not choose.

Mrs. McKenzie, would you please take the stand?

Do you swear that the evidence you give in this case shall be the truth, the

whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Please be seated.

Mrs. McKenzie, while this court was in recess, were you present during a

conversation between Commander McKenzie and First Lieutenant Gansevoort?

Were you spying on us, sir?

You made no attempt to conceal yourselves, ma 'am. Because there was no

to hide.

Ma 'am, what did the two men say?

Of you, sir, nothing nice.

I'm not surprised your husband's officers refused to give me interviews.

Your Honor, there must be some showing of relevance here.

I will make it apparent, sir.

Ma 'am, have you ever heard your husband or any of his officers discuss the

testimony they'll give in this court?

I believe I have.

Did your husband ever make suggestions as to how his officers should testify?

He did not.

Did any of the officers ever express a desire to protect Commander McKenzie?

They did not.

Would you tell us if they did?

Are you now suggesting that I, too, am part of some conspiracy of silence?

No, ma 'am. It's only natural. You do love your husband, don't you?

Ma 'am.

I only asked if you loved your husband.

You are under oath.

I don't know.

You don't know what, love?

Morning, Colonel.

Morning, sir.

You're looking a little ragged there.

Not something you should say to a bride -to -be.

I've been having strange dreams, sir, about the USS Summer.

Making it personal.

You dream about taking over a ship, becoming a pirate?

Beginning to seem like an attractive option, sir.

America's just pre -wedding jitters.

I remember the week before my wedding.

Well, actually, I don't, but I'm sure I was miserable. The marriage damn sure

was.

That's another thing you don't want to say to a bride. Right away.

Mac.

Can we talk?

Why not?

Mac, I value you as a friend.

Or whatever.

I know.

But... most of all, I respect you.

And you've made a choice to get married, and I respect that.

That's a lot of respect going on there, huh?

You have the right to be happy, and, you know, whatever's going on between us,

or not going on, I mean, between us,

I want you to be happy.

Even if I'm happy with Brumby?

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the

truth, so help you God?

I do. Be seated.

Commander McKenzie, when you first heard from Purser's steward Wales about the

mutinous plot led by midshipman Spencer, what did you think?

I assume Mr. Spencer had been reading piratical stories and had amused himself

with Mr. Wales.

So you didn't take him seriously?

At first, no.

What caused you to change your mind?

I kept a watch on Mr. Spencer and made inquiries among the men.

I learned he'd been asking about the accuracy of the ship's chronometer, the

basis of the ship's navigation system.

I heard he'd been seen in secret conversations with malcontents among the

He'd made a drawing of a pirate ship.

and he had inquired into the Isle of Pines, a well -known gathering spot for

pirates. And he had remarked, sir, that it would give him great pleasure to roll

me from the round top.

So, you arrested him.

But even then, you intended to return him to the United States for trial, did

you not?

In accordance with the regulations for the Navy and Marine Corps?

Yes. Until, as you told the court of inquiry, you feared an imminent uprising

seize the prisoners and take the ship.

Yes.

Executing the prisoners made that impossible.

None of the other members of the plot had sufficient knowledge to handle the

ship. One of the reasons my officers independently recommended the execution.

Sir, on your way home from the Western Atlantic, did you spy any merchant

Many, all of whom may very well have suffered pillage and rape had I not done

what I did.

Thank you, Commander.

I have no further questions.

It would have given him pleasure to roll you from the round top. He asked about

the chronometer and directions of the Isle of Pines.

He drew a picture of a pirate ship.

Well, there was more, sir.

His conversation with Wales.

Which you thought a fantasy, that's what you said. I said at first.

Shall we go in circles all day, sir?

Can you identify this?

That is a watch bill for the execution, prepared by me.

The day, sir.

30 November.

So, the day before your independent council of officers recommended an

execution, you had made arrangements for it. I did not ask them to recommend

hanging, but I believed the facts would lead them there.

You said the decision to hang Spencer and the others was the most terrible of

your life.

Yes.

That was a terrible day.

Mr. Spencer, I've come to inform you your fellow officers have reached a

decision.

Your life is forfeited to your country.

When? In an hour.

I'm not ready to die, Captain.

Now is the time to set an example, Spencer.

As an officer, to the Ming you corrupted.

A terrible day.

Yet shortly after your return to New York, you proposed your nephew be

midshipman in the position made vacant by Mr. Spencer's death.

You cannot be suggesting, sir, that I hang Mr. Spencer to give my nephew a

No, I'm questioning whether it was necessary to hang Spencer at all.

Well, there is no doubt. You were less than two days' sail from Antigua.

Why not sail there and load the accused men until they could be shipped home for

trial? Heading towards any foreign port would have been a sign of weakness and

may very well have inspired the mutiny I sought to prevent.

Is that what you were afraid of?

Or were you afraid that Mr. Spencer might not hang at all?

Are you not going too far, Captain?

You did not consult me when making arrangements for your mutiny, Mr.

Does the law justify you?

You may think not, but I hardly think you can be objective.

This will kill my mother.

This scandal will surely harm my father. If you had succeeded in your mutiny,

Mr. Spencer, it would have been a greater scandal, as would taking you

How?

How will taking me home for trial harm him?

He is your father.

He would interfere to save you.

That's what you were afraid of. Your hasty judgment might be overturned. I

meant by interfering the Secretary of War would dishonor himself.

So you hanged his son to save the secretary's reputation?

No. I hanged his son because the threat of mutiny was real.

You were still the captain.

The men were plotting.

Your officers had all the guns. They were exhausted.

Were you exhausted?

I may do with little sleep for many days. Might that have affected your

mind? Sir, you were not there.

Well, you were missing sleep. You heard tall tales of mutiny and pirates. You

saw plotters behind every timber.

Are you suggesting I was deluded?

I'm suggesting you were afraid.

Sir, if we were not in this setting... Commander, I'm not in irons.

You might find me more difficult to do in than Mr. Spencer.

It is time.

I am Christian, sir.

Do you think there may be repentance for me at this late hour?

Our savior pardoned the thief on the cross.

Will you pardon me, Captain?

Your mutiny, Mr. Spencer, would have started with my death.

I don't hate you.

It was my fancy to become a pirate.

I thought it an adventure, a noble adventure.

Noble, Mr. Spencer.

Aye, sir.

I'm sorry, Captain.

You may think me a coward, but judge me again after you see how I die.

The question before you was not whether mutiny was afoot aboard the USS Summers,

but whether the captain of the Summers acted honestly to his own best judgment

without corrupt motive when he concluded there was.

We must put ourselves in his place, scanning the disaffected faces of the

breathing the atmosphere of tension and mistrust, struggling to confine the

arrested men on a ship so small.

They could not be separated from a mass of men who might at any moment act to

free them.

Did Commander McKenzie act precipitously?

Ask the captain of the bounty, or of the Hermione, if he had survived, whether

it is reasonable to hesitate in the face of such a threat.

Commander McKenzie honored his duty to his ship, its innocent crew members, and

an untold number of merchant ships.

He did not have the leisure to question his own decisions.

Neither should we.

What kind of Navy do we want?

One where a captain caught up in rumor and random act can, without proof or

trial, snuff out the lives of men given no opportunity to defend themselves?

Or one where all men are treated fairly, command vows to decency,

And law is honored above the noose.

Worship captains for centuries have made themselves into kings afloat. And in

that tradition, Commander McKenzie acted.

But this nation fought a revolution to rid itself of a king. And its navy

reflect the principles we bled and died for and not the despotism that we

overthrew. I respectfully ask you.

to send that message now to Commander McKenzie and to future generations of

officers in the United States Navy.

Commander McKenzie, you will rise.

On the first charge against you, conduct unbecoming an officer, this court

martial finds the case not proven.

On the second charge, oppression, this court martial finds the case not proven.

On the third charge, unnecessary cruelty, this court martial finds the

proven.

On the fourth charge, illegal punishment, this court martial finds the

proven.

On the fifth charge, murder on board a United States vessel on the high seas.

This court -martial finds the case not proven.

Ready to go?

You okay?

Yeah, I'm finished.

Great. How'd the trial end?

Uh, not guilty on all counts. Must have been a relief for the captain.

Not entirely.

It was customary back then to commend an officer who was acquitted of misconduct

to clear his reputation completely.

Commander McKenzie's court -martial specifically stated it was not

him.

Slap in the face.

He never really recovered.

Died five years later at the age of 45.

Summer sank two years before that in the Mexican War.

Well, if we leave now, we can be in Annapolis for dinner.

I don't want to knock up dead.