Court-martial of Texas’ top sailor

The court-martial of Edwin Ward Moore, former commodore of the Texas Navy, was gaveled to order on May 20, 1844. Although the cocky ex-commander stood accused of 22 specifications on a half dozen different offenses, he welcomed the opportunity to clear his name and to strike back at his mortal enemy, President Sam Houston. The show trial was certain to be a marathon as a quartet of judges…