Editing Mutiny on the Bounty (section)

=== Aftermath ===
Much of the court-martial testimony was critical of Bligh's conduct—by the time of his return to England in August 1793, following his successful conveyance of breadfruit to the West Indies aboard ''Providence'', professional and public opinion had turned against him.{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=284}} He was snubbed at the Admiralty when he went to present his report, and was left on half pay for nineteen months before receiving his next appointment.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|pp=318, 379}} In late 1794 the jurist [[Edward Christian]], brother of Fletcher, published his ''Appendix'' to the court-martial proceedings, which was said by the press to "palliate the behaviour of Christian and the Mutineers, and to criminate Captain Bligh".{{sfn|Alexander|2003|pp=340–341}} Bligh's position was further undermined when the loyalist gunner Peckover confirmed that much of what was alleged in the ''Appendix'' was true.{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=286}}

Bligh commanded [[HMS Director (1784)|HMS ''Director'']] at the [[Battle of Camperdown]] in October 1797 and [[HMS Glatton (1795)|HMS ''Glatton'']] in the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1801)|Battle of Copenhagen]] in April 1801.{{sfn|Frost|2004}} In 1805, while commanding [[HMS Warrior (1781)|HMS ''Warrior'']], he was court-martialled for using bad language to his officers and reprimanded.{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=290}} In 1806, he was appointed [[Governor of New South Wales]] in Australia; after two years a group of army officers arrested and deposed him in the [[Rum Rebellion]]. After his return to England, Bligh was promoted to [[rear-admiral]] in 1811 and [[vice-admiral]] in 1814, but was not offered further naval appointments. He died, aged 63, in December 1817.{{sfn|Frost|2004}}

Of the pardoned mutineers, Heywood and Morrison returned to naval duty. Heywood acquired the patronage of Hood and, by 1803 at the age of 31, had achieved the rank of captain. After a distinguished career, he died in 1831.{{sfn|Hough|1972|p=284}} Morrison became a master gunner and was eventually lost in 1807 when [[HMS Blenheim (1761)|HMS ''Blenheim'']] foundered in the Indian Ocean. Muspratt is believed to have worked as a naval steward before his death, in or before 1798. The other principal participants in the court martial—Fryer, Peckover, Coleman, McIntosh and others—generally vanished from the public eye after the closing of the procedures.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|pp=377–378}}