AN EPISODE IN THE LIEE OP GENERAL YESEY. 495 
and the ship’s carpenter. Captain Yesey insisted that the carpenter should be 
punished, but Captain Campbell, the master of the vessel, would not punish the 
man. This led to some sharp words between the officers, and it is asserted that 
Captain Yesey said he had a superior force on board and should not hesitate to 
use it when he thought requisite. This language appears to have excited Captain 
Campbell. At half-past eight o’clock at night the captain ordered the booby- 
hatch to be put on; but no sooner was the order given than Captain Yesey, in 
charge of the troops, said it should not be done. Captain Campbell then pulled 
out a pistol and told Captain Yesey that if he attempted to interfere with him and 
prevent any of his crew obeying his orders, he would shoot him through the heart. 
Upon this qualified threat being uttered, Captain Yesey immediatelly called his 
men to fall in round the hatchway and ordered the bombardier to go below for 
arms. This order was instantly obeyed; and as soon as Captain Campbell saw the 
arms being handed up the hatchway he went forward, seized hold of one of the 
muskets, and commanded the soldier to give it up, saying—“ Put that down, it 
does not belong to you, it belongs to the ship.” The soldier refused, whereupon 
a struggle took place for the gun, when someone called out, " Seize him,” on 
which several soldiers seized the captain, threw him against a boat, and wrenched 
the pistol out of his hand, as well as the musket he attempted to take from the 
soldier. Captain Yesey then ordered his hands to be lashed behind his back, and, 
it appears, at the instigation of Captain Neill, he was hurried to the hold and 
secured to a stancheon. The next morning he was unlashed from the stancheon 
and had strong chains fastened to his wrists by padlocks. In this position he was 
kept in the hold twelve days and nights, with an armed sentinel keeping 
watch over him. He was not allowed to communicate with the crew during this 
time, nor was he released from his captivity, even on the arrival of the vessel in 
the roads, till the police went on board and caused him to be unchained. Im¬ 
mediately Captain Campbell was seized and forced into the hold, Captain Yesey 
commanded one of the soldiers to turn everyone belonging to the crew out of the 
cabin and take possession of it, which was done. He then seized the ship’s 
papers, and the vessel was navigated by the mates, by direction of Captain Yesey, 
and on its arrival at St. Helena, on the 26th, he went on shore and obtained a 
warrant against the master on the charge of assault and attempted murder. 
Captain Yesey’s alleged reason for not allowing the booby-hatch to be closed is, 
that the weather was hot, and that it would endanger the health of the men, about 
thirteen in number. 
After four days’ investigation, Captain Campbell was committed for trial on the 
charge of assault with intent to murder. Information was then laid by Captain 
Campbell against Captain Yesey and the others of his passengers for piracy and 
illegal seizure of his ship, which information was taken and signed by the magis¬ 
trates .—The Times , August 2nd, 1851, p. 5, column 6. 
“ The f Levenside.’ 
The case of this vessel, seized by Captain Yesey, of the Royal Artillery, has 
concluded. It will be recollected that while on the passage to St. Helena, Capt. 
Yesey attempted to uncover a hatchway which, being closed, was thought lixely 
to be injurious to the health of the men under his command. The captain 
resisted by force, and Captain Yesey then caused him to be confined till the 
termination of the voyage. The St. Helena Advocate , of the 10th July, says : 
* The Sessions commenced this morning. In the above important case, we have 
just time before going to press to report that the indictment against Capt. Camp¬ 
bell, the master of the vessel, for assault with intent 'to murder, has been thrown 
out by the Grand Jury, and that the indictment for piracy against the passengers 
and first mate has also been ignored.’ —September 5th, 1851, page 6, column 5. 
