s was also refused, when he said, "Let her be called the
'_Valdivia_,' in memory of your conquest of that place;" her name was
accordingly changed from the _Esmeralda_ to the _Valdivia_.

The command of the frigate had been given to Captain Guise; and after
her change of name, his officers wrote to him a letter deprecating the
name, and alleging, that as they had nothing to do with the conquest of
Valdivia, it ought to be withdrawn, and one more consonant with their
feelings substituted. This letter was followed by marked personal
disrespect towards myself, from the officers who had signed it, who made
it no secret that the name of Guise was the one sought to be
substituted.

As the conversations held by these officers with the rest of the
squadron were of such a derogatory nature as regarded my character and
authority, as might lead to serious disorganization, I brought the whole
of the officers who had signed the letter to a court-martial, two being
dismissed the service, the remainder being dismissed the ship, with a
recommendation to General San Martin for other appointments.

During the arrest of these officers, I had determined upon an attack
upon the fortifications of Callao, intending to carry them by a coup de
main, similar to that which had succeeded at Valdivia, and having, on
the 18th, taken soundings in the _Potrillo_, was convinced of the
feasibility of the plan.

On the 20th, this intention was notified by an order, stating that on
the following day I should make the attack with the boats of the
squadron and the _San_ _Martin_, the crew of which received the order
with loud cheers, volunteers for the boats eagerly pressing forward from
all quarters.

In place of preparing to second the operations, Captain Guise sent me a
note refusing to serve with any other but the officers under
arrest--stating that unless they were restored, he must resign his
command. My reply was that I would neither restore them nor accept his
resignation, without some better reason for it than the one alleged.
Captain Guise answered, that my refusal to restore his officers was a
sufficient reason for his resignation, whereupon I ordered him to weigh
anchor on a service of importance; the order being disobeyed on the
ground that he could no longer act, having given over the command of the
ship to Lieutenant Shepherd. Feeling that something like a mutiny was
being excited, and knowing that Guise and his colleague, Spry, were at