USS Badger Spanish American War Ship's Log

May 14 – Clear and pleasant – heavy dew At 9:30 mustered at quarters. Commanding Officer inspected crew and ship. Went on shore with Navigator to obtain magnetic bearing etc. Came back in a hurry – saw over 3 scone heads stuck on sticks in an old field – The natives had a scrimmage while we were ashore – thus our speedy return to ship – Saw natives beheaded – foe threw head in air after it was severed from body, and held sort of war dance over it – then he smeared his own face with the blood from the head of his victim – They were uncivilized - Some speak English quite well – The men are tattooed from the hips down to the knees - Wear nothing but a cloth around lower part of body – women the same – exposing upper part entirely – children are entirely nude. They row about in canoes – Came aboard, and if you give them something to eat – they'll bring fruit in abundance. They have a fad for red hair and use some sort of brine to turn their hair red. Toward evening took a row in wherry...

May 15 – Clear and pleasant. At 5:50 Union S. S. Co. Steamer Manapouri came in an anchored. Crew engaged shifting coal below. It's nothing but work, work, work for the boys. Captain went on board "Flagship" in obedience to signal; also visited German Council. Rain at 5:00 PM. Charges and specifications were delivered to J. Murphy, J. Joyce and J. Muleahy, and they were placed under sentry charge to await trial by General Court-Martial - Murphy and Joyce for jumping ship at 'Frisco' and Mulcahy for striking Master at Arms. May 16 – Went ashore with navigator from 7 until 12 – Partly cloudy. Passing rain showers about 1:30 PM. Painting ship outside. The 'Manapouri' went to sea at 5:00 PM. Raining and blowing all night. May 17. - Went ashore with Navigator - (armed) at 10:00 the General Court Martial of which Comdr. James M. Miller is senior member, met, for the trial of J. Mulcahy and of such other persons who may be legally brought before it. Hoisted Jack a...

May 18 – Clear and pleasant. General Court Martial met at 9:30. Sent 58 men ashore fully equipped. Court adjourned to meet again tomorrow. Have a General in the Samoan Army wash my clothes for 3s per month and all the fruit I can eat thrown in. May 19. Clear and pleasant. General court-martial reconvened at 9:30 and adjourned at 1:30 PM. An American brig came in and anchored. Wrote to J. and sent mail ashore. Skoch returned to the ship from landed party, having been shot in the arm. Took Bjornson to relieve him. The Samoan Malieato Tami (who ought to be king, succeeding his father) came onboard to see the Commissioner. The ‘Alameda’   Royal Mail  steamer, eastbound, came in.   Heavy dew in evening. Rowed Ensign Morrison over to ‘Alameda’ for newspapers etc. May 20. Cloudy and dewy early part of morning. Toward 8:00 AM clear and pleasant. The Samoan Matafa with a retinue of chief came on board and held a conference with the Commissioner. Transferred two caskets to the Flag...

Insert Second  Boxing Tournament  on board the  United States Flagship  Philadelphia Apia Samoa, Friday, May 19, 1899 Beginning at 8:00 PM Mr. T.T. Craven, Master of Ceremonies Mr. J.J. Doyle Referee Messrs. Tripp and DeGrace, Timekeepers (Philadelphia) Program Middle Weights W.W. Stewart (whipped in 9 rounds) vs. James Trainor Welter Weights J.H. Harris (whipped in 14 rounds) vs. J.L. Mainert Events of the Evening C.N. Parker of U.S.S. Brutus (whipped in 2 rounds) vs. F.H. Williams of U.S.F.S. Phila- delphia (victor) Moriortity and McCarthy (seconds) Badger Read the fight by rounds in next issue of OUR FLAG Harry A. O'Dell. Ship's Printer

May 21. Clear and warm. At 9:40 mustered at quarters. The following General Court-Martial cases were read of us, concerning Privates Joyce and Murphy on a charge of being “drunk and on-duty”. To be confined on board the USS Badger until an opportunity shall occur, when they shall be transported to the US, then to be confined in such place as the Sec’y of the Navy may designate for a period of 6 months, and to lose all pay that may become due them during their confinement, except the sum of $3.00 per month for necessary prison expenses. In view of the unanimous recommendation of the court to   clemency, that part of the sentence involving confinement is remitted by the revising authority, Rear Admiral Kautz. The flagship left for ‘Frisco’ at 11:30. All ships in the harbor cheering, except German Cruiser ‘Falke’. Played Sousa’s “Stars & Stripes Forever” which set one Himmel crazy. Carpenter was confined for theft. This ship hoisted Senior Officer’s pennant.

May 22 – Clear and pleasant. Mr. Osborne, US Consul General, came on board, and upon leaving the ship was given a 9 gun salute with the U.S. Ensign at foremast. Had morning quarters – at 10:15. Mr. Rose – Imperial General Consul came on board and upon his leaving fired a 9 gun salute. Mr. G. B. Maxes. British Consul came on board and upon his leaving fire to 7 gun salute. Specifications and charges were read to McSweeney. Rain towards noon. The Senior Officer of HM. Ships visited Captain Miller and asked him to dress ship in honor of H.M. the Queen's birthday, the 24th inst. May 23 Clear and pleasant. Had morning quarters. At 10:15 a Summary Court-Martial met to try Private McSweeney for being "drunk while on duty " May 24. At 8:00 dressed ship, British Ensign at main mast in honor of Queen’s birthday. At noon all public vessels in harbor fired a 21 gun salute - Volleys of musketry were fired on shore. McSweeney was sentenced to solitary confinement in double irons, on br...

May 25 Clear and pleasant. Turpin was confined for 10 days, double irons on bread and water for theft. Wainwright, Connelly and Soffel reduced to 4th class for returning intoxicated from ship visiting. Mustered at quarters at 9:30. Took doctor ashore in wherry to attend sick call on shore. A Danish barque came in and anchored. King was, brought on board under arrest for being drunk on shore duty – tried by Summary Court-Martial. Captain Stuart of 'HMS Taranga' visited the Captain and extended his thanks for dressing ship on the Queen's birthday,   May 24th.   Specifications of offenses were given to King. Brought all prisoners on deck from 3 to 4 to exercise. May 26 Clear and pleasant. The German Vice Consul visited the ship. Went swimming.

May 27 Clear and pleasant – Very warm. Published the Summary Court Martial sentence in the case of T. F. King as mitigated by the revising authority, namely: Solitary confinement on bread and water, in double irons for 10 days. - full ration every 3rd day and to lose 10 days pay -   Damp toward evening – went swimming from 4 to 5:00 PM. May 28 Clear and pleasant. At 9:30 mustard at quarters. Captain inspected crew and ship. Rowed doctor ashore in wherry. Corporal Woods was returned from the camp ashore, and placed under arrest for being drunk while on duty: also Private Miller, Kelly and Johnson. They are to await trial by Court Martial. Sent men to replace them ashore. Damp toward evening. Went swimming. May 29 Clear and pleasant. At 9:30 had morning quarters. Exercised at battalion drill. Commanding officer notified American Consul that the American ships would observe tomorrow the 30th Decoration day, and would send a detachment of sailors on shore to decorate graves at Malunu. ...

May 30 – Clear and pleasant. At 8:30 sent two companies of seamen ashore to decorate graves of American Seamen and Marines buried there; one company, being equipped as a firing party, went to graves of Americans – fired a volley over grave – proceeded to German grave and fired volley over same. At 10:30 returned to ship. Rain in the afternoon. Sent swimming party ashore at 3:45 PM. Lightning all evening. May 31 Heavy rain. At 5:45 got underway – on going out mail steamer came in – Hoisted the American, English and German flag, and proceeded to Malau to obtain arms and ammunition from Mataafa. The German steam launch brought mail to us – Received over 2000 guns from natives. H.M.S. Porpoise came in behind mail steamer. At 1:30 went back to Apia. Raining Feel very bad today – worse than I ever felt. Why? Because no mail leaves here for more than two weeks and I am anxious to let Mrs. C knew everything. Letters explaining circumstances arrived today – dated April 31st. I wish I could ...

June 1st - Overcast, cloudy and rainy. A few seattening shot were fired on shore early this morning. Began receiving arms from Natives at 6:30 – at 8:00 hoisted the Ensigns to the three parties to the Samoan Commission. Clear and warm later in the day. Published a S.C.M. sentences of the four men tried on the 29th ultimo -   Wood proved to be absent from the camp without permission, and under influence of liquor. Was disrated from Corporal to Private. Johnson, Miller and Kelly, each, 1 days confinement, and to lose 3 months pay for being absent from camp. Malietoa and chiefs came on board and interviewed Commissioners. The Brutus left at 7:00 with 700 Tutuila Samoans on board, to proceed to that Island. Received from Malietoa adherent 1338 rifles.

June 2 clear and pleasant. At 9:30 mustard at quarters: inspected divisions. June 3 clear and pleasant. At 10:30 the officer from HMS Taranga came aboard to announce the death of one of the seamen on board. At 8:50 the German man-of-war Faulk left harbor. Commissioners agreed to our men being removed from the shore, owning to sickness. A funeral party to attend the burial of a British seaman went ashore at 4:00 and return at 6:00. E. J. Sadlo, Naval Cadet, and Lieutenant Hall returned on board with the detachment landed on the 15 ultimo. June 4 clear and pleasant. At 7:40 HMS Porpoise left harbor - at 7:55 the German Falke came in. Inspected at quarters, and had General mustard, at which the Captain read to all hands, a letter of thanks from Comd'r Sturdee R.N. Commanding the Combined British, American and Native forces on shore, for the commendable manner in which the American force has cooperated. The London Missionary Societies steamer "John Williams" came in and ancho...

June 6th Clear and pleasant. Mustard at morning quarters, and exercised at Company drill. At 12:45 the ‘Porpoise’   came in. At 2:00 Malietca and Chiefs visited Commissioners. At 5:00 HMS Torah left going to Ed. At 5:20 Norwegian barque ‘Bappho’ came in and anchored. At 5:40 LM Society’s Steamer ‘John Williams’ left port. June 7th Clear and pleasant. At 6:25 the ‘Falke’ left work. At 9:30 mustard at quarters. had fire drill. Still receiving arms from Mataafa and Malietoa adhenents. Wrote to J. June 8th Clear and pleasant. Very warm. At 6:00 the ‘Brutus’ left the harbor and at 6:05 HMS Torch came in. At 7:45 HMS Porpoise, left harbor, bound for home – all hands cheering – manning rail and rigging– In afternoon, rain, thunder and lightning. Wrote to Lizzie. June 9th Clear, but damp. The LMS “John Williams” came in and anchored. Sent a guand of Marines ashore for Commissioners! Mustered at morning quarters. Exercised at divisional drills. The English merchantship “Manapouni” came in a...

June 10 Clear and pleasant. Received arms from Malietoa and Mutaafa adherents. Crew engaged at target practice. – Heavy rain during afternoon. ‘John Williams’ left port. Thunder   and lightning during evening. British steamer "Manapouri" left port at 9:00 PM.   June 11. Clear and pleasant. Mustered at morning quarters. A party of 30 petty officers went on liberty from 1:00 to 4:30. Boat upset coming toward ship. Swam back to landing and signaled for another boat - Badger too far away to see signal. Swam from landing to ship and notified officer of   deck of accident. Sent a boat in for rest of party – The interis land mail steamer “Taviuni”    came in and anchored. June 12 Clear and pleasant. At 9:30 had quarters and exercised at Divisional drills. Crew engaged at rifle and revolver practice – rifle Army “B” target 500 yards from ship – revolver Army “A” target 50 yards from ship. Received several guns from “Mataafa” adherents. Discontinued target practice at 4:...

June 13. Clear and pleasant. Rain towards 8:00 AM at 6:30 German man of war 'Falke' left the harbor. At 9:30 mustered at quarters and  exercised at dimensional drills. Crew engaged at revolver and rifle practice. By order of the commanding Officer, C.Larson Mate – was restricted to the ship until further orders, for being absent from the ship on the 10th instant, without permission, and for returning to the ship in such condition as to be unfit for duty – and necessitated him being put on a the "sick list" from the excessive use of alcohol. At 3:30 the 'Brutus' was sighted standing in towards Apia from the Ed. The 'Brutus' anchored at 4:30 PM. Passing rain showers during evening. The Commanding Officer of the 'Brutus' called officially after anchoring. A search light was visible towards the Ed about 10 PM. Went swimming from ship.   Wrote to Jennie and Liz - sealed letters and send same ashore - sent pictures in Liz's letter. Also wrote a l...

Before proceeding farther, a brief resume of the events, leading up to the present war in Samoa, may prove of assistance   to a clear comprehension of the present state of affairs; To go back for a space. – Malietoa Laupepa, the father of the present King, was formally made King of Samoa on July 12, 1881. His accession was followed by a series of petty wars until 1888, when the Germans attempted to sieze the Islands, captured   Laupepa and sent him into exile, and replaced him with Chief Tamasese, who was a puppet in their hands. This action of the German government was followed by remonstrances from the powers, and Civil War in Samoa. The native opposition love by Mataafa defeated Tamasese and beheaded and killed a number of German sailors, who had been landed to assist him. On the heels of this disaster came the great hurricane and tidelwave of March 16, 1889 in which three American and three German ships were lost, together with many lives. As a result of this great catastr...

 ….into that office, and exercised the authority of that position thereafter until the day of his death, which occurred August 22, 1898. Now the protocols of the Berlin treaty   expressly declare, that “Count Bismarck consented to the principle of the election of a king   by the free right of the people, but did so upon the condition, that one exception should be made in the person of Mataafa, on account of outrages committed by his people, and under his authority dead and wounded German sailors lying upon the field of action. “   The justice of this exception being apparent, the British plenipotentiary voiced the sentiments of all agreeing to it. Therefore, since a treaty can be interpreted only in the light of the meaning given to it by the protocols upon which it is-based, it is clear that this clause of the protocol, is binding as though it were incorporated in the treaty itself and it was chiefly upon this ground, that Chief Justice Chambers gave his decision, d...

as King of Samoa, that on him had been bestowed all the titles, and that he was therefore Taitafa and Tapu, according to the laws and customs of Samoa. They further informed the Chief Justice that the Oa Malietoa had been duly conferred.   Now according to the customs of Samoa, certain men possess the right to confer a title. If they are unanimous in their selection, the title will be given to one man, but one dissenting individual may   bestow the title upon a different candidate, from the one chosen by the rest, and indignant though the majority may be, they cannot question the validity of the title thus bestowed. In old Samoa the districts were more united than they are now, and the men having the right to bestow a title generally accepted the wishes of the people as declared in the "fino" (meeting) and so were unanimous in their choice, but of the late   years, as a consequence of the division of parties, this rule has not been observed, with the consequences that now...

High Chief Mataafa, has been duly elected King of these islands. But where the hell does the Berlin treaty come in and Bismarks objection to Mataafa ?????   On the last day of December 1898, the Chief Justice rendered his decision declaring Mataafa ineligible under the treaty, and Malietoa to be King, with the result that, morally and materially aided by the Germans, Mataafa and his men descended upon the town and before New Year's Day was done, the Chief Justice had taken refuge on the English Man-of-War "Porpoise"– Malietoa Tanu was in hiding, and the Vice King Tamasese, with his principal chief and several hundred friendly natives had taken to their boats and placed themselves, under the shelter of the English cousin's guns – this is history and these are the facts.

June 15 – Partly cloudy – Cool and pleasant early in day with a very stiff breeze blowing from the S. E. At 9:30 had quarters and exercised at General Quarters. An officer from the "Tauranga" called on the Commanding Officers, to notify him of the death of a seamen on board of the "Porpoise" who died at 2: 00 AM on the 14th, and who would be buried today at 2:30 PM. At 2:30 sent ashore one section of "blue jackets" without arms to take part in funeral ashore of a deceased British sailor. Following motions of English ships – half masted colors during funeral. At 5:45 the German Cruiser "Falke" came into the harbor, and took her usual anchorage. "Falke" playing her search light on land to the E'd until 11..... went swimming. Very warm. June 16 – Clear and pleasant, at 7:00 steamers "Mariposa" came in and anchored. Had quarters and exercised at divisional drills. The German cruiser "Cormoran" anchored off the port a...