Great, Great Uncle Charles
Charles Henley was born in Bath, Somerset on 27th December 1843. When he was 15 he emigrated to the United States of America.
Charles was in America just at the start of the Civil War, and enrolled in the US Navy. He was an Assistant Masters Mate, and as such was a commissioned officer.
Family folklore had it that he left the navy after the war and became a ferry boat captain in New York.
Having been in the Royal Navy myself I thought I would try to find more about Charles Henley, so I wrote to the department of the Navy and gave the scant information I had to see if they could fill in some of the blanks.
They replied that they did have a record of him including the ships that he had been on. Almost as an aside they mentioned that he had been Court Martialled. Knowing that there would be a record of the Court Martial proceedings I sent off for a copy of the microfilm.
He had been charged with being drunk ashore, attacking two Marines that had been sent to apprehend him with a knife, assaulting the wife of one of the towns residents, threatening the interrogating officer, and several other charges. He finally was carted off to the barracks lock-up where he spent the night on the floor securely bound.
He was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to be demoted to Landsman (how much lower can you get in the Navy) and to be confined in jail for three years, the first six months in double irons, legs and hands. After that he was to forfeit all pay and to be discharged with dishonour.
As the only person who testified on his behalf said “He was a good officer when he was sober.” None of this was known to the family back in Bristol who thought he had succeeded well in the US.
Further research dug up a Coroners report in the Bristol local paper relating how his father had died. He had fallen into the River Avon while in an acute state of inebriation and drowned.
Original text by Frederick G Young Nov 2005
Charles was in America just at the start of the Civil War, and enrolled in the US Navy. He was an Assistant Masters Mate, and as such was a commissioned officer.
Family folklore had it that he left the navy after the war and became a ferry boat captain in New York.
Having been in the Royal Navy myself I thought I would try to find more about Charles Henley, so I wrote to the department of the Navy and gave the scant information I had to see if they could fill in some of the blanks.
They replied that they did have a record of him including the ships that he had been on. Almost as an aside they mentioned that he had been Court Martialled. Knowing that there would be a record of the Court Martial proceedings I sent off for a copy of the microfilm.
He had been charged with being drunk ashore, attacking two Marines that had been sent to apprehend him with a knife, assaulting the wife of one of the towns residents, threatening the interrogating officer, and several other charges. He finally was carted off to the barracks lock-up where he spent the night on the floor securely bound.
He was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to be demoted to Landsman (how much lower can you get in the Navy) and to be confined in jail for three years, the first six months in double irons, legs and hands. After that he was to forfeit all pay and to be discharged with dishonour.
As the only person who testified on his behalf said “He was a good officer when he was sober.” None of this was known to the family back in Bristol who thought he had succeeded well in the US.
Further research dug up a Coroners report in the Bristol local paper relating how his father had died. He had fallen into the River Avon while in an acute state of inebriation and drowned.
Original text by Frederick G Young Nov 2005
Officers of the U.S. Navy 1775-1900
Name: Charles Henley
Rank Information:
Military Branch: US Navy Officers (1798-1900)
Name: Charles Henley
Rank Information:
- 22 Jun 1863: Acting Master’s Mate
- 27 Oct 1864: Reduced to Landsman by General Court Martial
- 24 Oct 1867: Discharged as Coxswain
Military Branch: US Navy Officers (1798-1900)
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