The New York herald., 1879-07-29
CAPTAIN JOUETTS COMPLAINT.

UNITED STATES NAVY OFFICERS AsToNIsHED AT
THE STATEMENTS OF THE GALLANT CAP
TAIN'-How irish PROMOTION" WAS BE-
SLOWED DURING THE WARS JoUErr THE
ONLY OFFICER WITH A GRIEVANCE?
TO THE EDITOR THE HERALD
Captain James L. Jouett United States Navy has
published statement in pamphlet form. in which
be gives in detail careful record OF his services
during the late civil war. and in which he claims to
"exhibit eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle
Or extraordinary heroism." and which by the
statute authorizes" but does not command. the
advancement of an officer of the navy in rank not
exceeding thirty numbers. The transactions de-
tailed IN this pamphlet for which Jouett seeks pro-
motion now occurred only eighteen years ago.
1t may easily be believed that all those who
acquainted with the Captain. and especially all Of
his old comrades. will readily and heartily concede
TO him the character OF brave man. and of one
who performed the perilous duties Of his profession
during the with zeal and earnestness. While
they cheerfully give to that officer Communications
TOR his gaantry they cannot find justice or reason
In the extraordinary claims he is now putting forth
, Tor promotion to the grade Of Commodore for
actions performed eighteen years ago. which actions
were weighed and considered duly by the Secretary
of the Navy. those Of his brother officers
throughout the navy. In the published statement.
tain. there adduced in evidence extracts from
official reports clippings from various re-
cords and newspapers and from Ha,per'S
Weekly, all of which hatterng and pleas
ant. One reason gwen why this statement
Is made now is. that a sense OF modcsty prevailed
ut the time, and prevented tho ''gallant Captain
from making full official report, which would
deeply inculpate his subordinate next in command
Lieutenant Mitchell. in gross violation of duty
except that he young officer of high scientific
atainments and that certain members OF his family
are counted to be among the most learned men and
women OF this country. Now, it seems to be
strange fact that the officer next in command in this
expedition to cut out tho schooner Royal Yacht
should not only have fatty disobeyed Captain
Jouett's order to attack the enemy, but to have
opened fire Captain Jouett himself. and
yet he, Jouett. failed to do his impera-
tive duty and bring Lieutenant Mitchell to a
court martial. 1t surely quite as much
the duty OF Captain Jouett to bring SO great an
offender to trial it to open fire upon an
enemy. and the failure to do SO was failure to
perform of the most solemn obligations that is
imposed on officer of the (here we are dis
appointed in the gallant captain that he was'). II
It were an act Of modesty to neglect to lay his
charges against his subordinate eighteen years ago
1t can hardly be modest act to do it now. No man
ever yet erected monument his own valor on the
grave of dead comrade; and better. q thousand
times better is it Ito let the dead bury their dead"
AMAZING Observation-Disclosures PROMOTION
There is d very remarkable paragraph in Captain
Jouett's Statement which reads follows:-
"My advancement in rank has only been in the
regular course when. vacancies existing above me-
It became my turn to be promoted to those posi-
th oy Length o, service ana seniority in
peace war;" The officers OF the navy who were
promoted tor good service during the war received
that reward in 1885, and they utterly unable to
comprehend this amazing assertion. 1t seemed to
have been the fixed purpose of the Navy Department
during the war not to promote officers for gallant
services at all. We believe there six off,
GERS III the navy who were advanced u few numbers
tor gallantry during the OF the rebellion, and
that al In early part of the war there were
quite u number of old lieutcnants in the navy
who assigned as executives to the large ships
ON which it was thought the brunt of the heavy
fighting would fall. and others in command OF gun
boats as leutenants commanding of course the
next step in the way OF promotion to the grade
OF commander, and while many OF these officers
were expecting the customary route Of promotion
to be followed, they were suddenly astonished by
receiving commissions as lieutenant commanders.
This was dpom,tcaiiy called promotion for these
officers. II retained them in the same positions
Conferred a new rank aud took away from each one
o. them about $500 per annum and il stopped their
promotion to the grade OF commander for about
iour long In the navy this called "Irish
promotion. No government in the world could
have done thing ike that in the midst OF mighty
war without incurrng the charge OF infamy from
All other nations. and 30 was this received by the
English naval officers.
WASHINGTON.
After the war ended, alter the Union
saved. quite as much by the heroism and pluck of
gunDoat captains as by the army Adlirals Farrugut
aud Porter recognized with shame that the officers
and men who had nobly and gloriously stood by
them i'll their Uloody victories had been neglected
forgotten. and they took it upon themselves to
urge the Navy Department to rcdeem even at latc
date. the outrage committed the navy officers.
They saw that the army rank and file had been pro-
NOTED. and there were gray -liaircd men of every
gallantry in the navy who began the war as
as licutp md tlay
were leutenants yet. The Secretary of the Navy
himself seems to have experienced slight reaction
IN his sentiments toward his officers, and he
lnst induced to order Board ct the ranking. officers
OF the navy to select peace basis for the navy and
had distinguished themselves for the most
efficient and faithful services during the war
and who possess the highest professional qualifca-
tons and sttalments.' OF course here was a case
or selection by Board of ranking officers and
yet the gallant Captain Jouett forgets this. far
the organization of this Board was concerned
there place for political influence. special
pressure from improper sources, and the leaders of
the great fleets, who personally knew the services of
every officer under their command. could be
to make their selections No honest honorable
board OF officers assembled than that to
select officers for promotion account of their
services and fidelity to the country. and If there
we're blundcrs of omission or commission 1t may
safely be charged to the Navy Department. which all
through the war had acted in open hostility the
officers of the navy. OF the 140 lieutenant COM
manders the list forty -four selected pro-
motion. and among these forty-four Lieutenant
Commander James L. Jouctt who became a com.
mander and who by that very advancement passed
the heads OF about his own and rank
the navy list. But Captain Jouett tells the Navy
Department that ho has not received Advancement in
rank except in the regular course"
NO COMPLAIN.
Wretched and niggardly a the policy of tho
Navy Department toward the officers of the navy
who. in the war. distinguished themselves AS the
equals and rivals of any in naval annals the gal
liant Captain "that he is" should not complain
since he was ranked among the heroes and re-
ceived the full benefits of the favored few There
we're no Kentucky delegations before the Farragut
and Porter Board, and there need to be none
The urgent nominations and ofnme enations made
by Farragut and Porter not by any means fully
acted on. Captain Jouett, no doubt. recon-
pcnded for advancement thirty numbers and there
many others we'll known to have been urged by
the Admirals for like number and for promotion
aud acknow wedgment they would have received
in any other navy in the world. Captain Jouett
IL far. very far, from being alone in having
recommendations In his behalf overlooked IL ia to