Since impersonating an officer is a Federal offense, the MP went over to that man. The man suspected of "impersonating an officer" was actually Ensign Sam Gravely. When the MP told Ensign Gravely that the chief wanted to see him, Gravely replied, "If the Chief wants to see me, tell him to come here."—following correct naval protocol for an enlisted man to come to an officer. The MP then grabbed Ensign Gravely out of his chair. "Take it easy," Ensign Gravely shouted to the other men in the club who were visibly upset; then added, "This is only a mistake." Then to the MP, he said, "Let's go." However, the word spread quickly that Ensign Gravely was being arrested. Black sailors converged on the MP and the Shore Patrol chief radioed for reinforcements. Two more Shore Patrol vehicles with more men soon arrived, to find Ensign Gravely trying to calm the men and explain the mistake to the Shore Patrol. However, Shore Patrol personnel in the two vehicles quickly emerged and forced a number of PC-1264s crew into the trucks. Ensign Gravely got into the chief's vehicle, and all proceeded to Shore Patrol Headquarters. One of PC-1264s crew ran for the ship to tell the captain what had happened. When Lieutenant Purdon arrived at Shore Patrol headquarters he found the Shore Patrol officer on duty apologizing to Ensign Gravely as the Ensign had explained the MP's mistake. However, the men who had moved against the Shore Patrol, seeking to defend Ensign Gravely, were charged with "Refusal to Obey Orders of Shore Patrol," "Interference with Shore Patrol," two charges of "Drunk and Disorderly," and one charge of "Drunk." The next morning at base headquarters, Lieutenant Purdon was informed that the admiral commanding the naval district wanted Lieutenant Purdon to "institute general count martial proceedings against that ensign for 'conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman'". Lieutenant Purdon, as the commanding officer of PC-1264, refused, citing Navy Regulations that a commandant of a naval district could not order a ship's captain to bring charges against any officer under that ship captain's command. The base adjutant, hearing and understanding the facts behind the incident, advised Lieutenant Purdon to restrict his men to the ship and, therefore, out of reach of the Shore Patrol and the admiral, which Lieutenant Purdon did. PC-1264 spent four more days in training and left Miami for Key West.