Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-10
STAR.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN OLD TAR.
BY A LIMB OF THE LAW.

| Written for the Washington Star
The following ID tho copy of an endorsement
written on the back Of a land warrant that ha
reverted to the Government in due course O
law, the person in whose favor it was issued
| having died shortly before its issue:
james Carr was, according to the best In
formation can get born in the Lower Prov
luce OF Canada, and most probably emigrated
| to the United States in early life; but, owing
to the great length of time since his birth, the
events of his early years are unknown It is
| sufficient to know that he 1oas born, and that
died. The first place find him is in the city
OF New York, where, on the 18th day of JULY,
1914, being in the full flush of youthful mao
hood, and fred with desire to serve his coun.
try,h he shipped on board the brig Eagle, as an
ordinary seaman, and was attached to the
Lake squadron, commanded by the gallant
McOonough.
On the IIth day of September, in the same
year, he participated in the battle of Lake
Champlain, off the harbor Of Plattsburgh,
where it is presumable he performed many
feats of valor Where or how he was employed
from that time until the 1st day of Septemb ber
1913, when he was honordbiy discharged at
Whitehall, N. Y, can give no account
From this point l again lose sight of him for
number of years; but from what know Of his
after life it is fair to presume that he followed
the sea until he became " a jolly old salt"
After he became too old for active service he
for years drifted about the world without
chart or compass consort or friend-sometime.
on reef, sometimes on q shoal-barely es-
Gaping being cast upon a lee shore, and s,ra.
ping his heel upon the rocks Of adversely, In
dismantled condition; bis rigging in ribbons,
his timbers all shivered, his stern sheeting
badly damaged, and his fgure-head sadly in
want Of repair, he finally dropped his anchor
in Charity Bay" Noble township, Defiance
county Ohio. Being unseaworthy, and having
none for whom to care, he was eventually, to
be kept in food and raiment, like the public
works of Ohio, to be kept in repair sold out
to the lowest bidder, (perhaps p Here he re-
mained in port during the most of the remain
ing days Of his life. Occasionally, however,
he would up anchor, and steer for the village
to splice the main brace, spin yarn, and
smoke pipe, always leaving port light, and
returning slowed to the hatch.
In 1855 he came to my Office to make an ap-
plication for bounty land warrant, which his
Government, on the Sd day of March of that
year, had magnanimously resolved to donate
to him for the services he had rendered on
Lake Chsmplain forty gears before The old
follow then looked as though he was badly
water Cor something else) logged, and the
soon fill and go down He could, however,
still hitch his breeches, d-n his eyes, and roll
his quid and L had faith to believe that he
would be able to ride the sea Of time until be
received his governments bounty, as it was
apparently close at hand.
On the 10th day Of April, 1855, forwarded
his application to Washington city, and owing
e e ttrsnnsacfed tthn in the Circumio Pension Office
on the 18th day of May, 1856, I received this
warrant.
On this first opportunity, 1 enquired for
"Oid Jimmy" as he had latterly been called,
and was not only somewhat astonished, but
was also sorely grieved to learn that a month
or 30 before his hull had gone down; but was
solaced by the belief that his spirit had been
waited "to the t'other side Of Jordan" Now
:" The worms gnaw bis timbsrs. his vessel .
wreck,
But when he hears the last whistle, he'll jump
upon deck"
Here was a man whose best days had been
spent in his country's service. He had en-
countered the dangers of the seas and grap-
pied with the enemies of his country on the
oceans bosom. He had nobly and honorably
played his part amidst the din and smoke of
battle. His constitution broken down, his
health gone, he finally became a public
charge, and, after forty gears delay, his gov
ernment grants him a warrant for one hun
dred and sixty acres of land, which, when re-
ceived, is not worth enough to pay for a wood
en- board to mark his grave, because, forsooth,
he died before 1T scaS born. It's virtue dates
from its issue, his vanished with his latest ex-
piring breath. Poor old Jimmy! had he but
manned his pumps and managed to float a
|" little longer" he might have had the fee
simple Of one hundred and sixty acres of land,
and might have pocketed the " simple fes''
Of ten dollars.
The warrant has now been in my office
nearly one year, and, never having resided in
the city of New York, do not understand
how can honestly assign it. therefore re-
turn 1t to the place from whence it came, to be
laid up in the archives of the nation, as O tes.
timony unto all that there once lived a man
whose name was James Carr.
DEFIANCE, OHIO, February 10, A. d. 1857,
A. L. 1857.