Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-01-24
Coming Home for Promotion.

Captain (by courtesy, commander by
the Blue Book Mad Jack Percival,
commanding the old balliho q. S. sloop- Of
war Falmouth, had banged out years
service in the Pacific, another On the coast
of Africa, and six months in making pas
sages, and then, just about the time the
ship ought to have been ordered home. and
PAID off, out goes a department edict to
Mad Jack, to wheel his old wagon off up
the Mediterranean, and join the squadron
under Commodore Porter at Palermo.
Away went Mad Jack down the coast
and up the cursing Gen. Jackson's fresh
water bead of the navy department into
hawser-lad ratine stuff.
1t happened, that, the very day on which
the Falmouth arrived at Palermo, Porter
was getting his feet under way to run
down to Port Mahon, and, without per.
hitting The old water cart to come to an
anchor, the commodore signaliz-d her to
fall into the rear Of the line, and stand
back to the westward.
If | go into Port Mahon, NAV b.
damned Mad Jack swore to himself -
though he would just as soon have swore
to the secretary of the navy, had the gen
tleman been within swearing range.
For three or four days the feet had
light battling wrather, tn" Falmouth al
ways behind everybody; but one after
noon, when the squadron got down within
fifty miles or SO of Minurca, there bur,r
out Regular tearing Levanter, with rain.
the weather "a thick as mush, and aftri
everybody had got their ships dressed in
nardweather suits, down along the lin
c'lme The commodore's signal. Steer snnth
west Mad Jack knew there was mis-
take IN the course some where; as they
had come through the Straits Of B0nifacio.
and w. S. w. was the course to Por.
Mahon. But he took the order As he GOT
1t from the last ship, and kept the old
wagon southwest till he was up with Can.
DrGaIt, then west, out through the Straits
Ut Gibraltar, and then westerly all the way
across the Atlantic, till he brought I'D of
che Biooklyn Navy Yard.
Mad Jack reported himself at nava}
head quarters, and within ten days wa,
c"ed before court martial convened in
Washington to try him for diSobedence OF
orders, and contempt of the secretary Of
the navy. Off he went to Washington.
and on the next short tack stood in the
"hte House, aud the presence of Presi-
dent Jackson, to whom he told the whole
story, winding up with
And now, general, if you allow them
bloody Stay-ashore lubbers to try M.
they'll find me guilty, and I'll BE- damned
# you won't lose the very best man you've
got in your navy.
Old Hickory looked at Mad Jack Ike
an eagle for about five minutes. But Jack
never winked under the fire.
Then old 'Taadrga' said
WHAT did you come for, sir?'
BY the eternal, general, l came home
Tor promotion =
And by the ETERNAL, you shall have
It, Come back here at two, Captain.
The next day Mad Jack walked into
The courtroom, and laying his captain
commission before the a$tonished members
Of the court, Observed
Gentlemen, it will be scarcely worth
pending three weeks IN the trial of Com
mandor John Prrcival No such officer
IN the United States navy
Every body looked foolish and dumb
founded, but Mad Jack soon brought OUT
the sunshine by jolly invitation to al
hands to suck champagne over his promo,
ton and appointment to first class frigat+.