Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1879-07-26


have backed these famous pistol
shots on several occasions, but the
Judge is somewhat wary.-[N. Y
!. World.
!. A hide ON u Safety Valve,
chimney Carr came to America in
1885," says the Cincinnati Enquirer,
land took up his abode in this city
soon afterwards. Liking the coun.
try he settled here to work at bis
business of machinist and engineer,
and was altogether q good citizen
and a faithful employee. He was
rather old to begin the profession
OF arms when the war began, but
ne did the next best thing, he
went into the navy, enlisting as as
sistant engineer on the steamer
queen of the West, freight
boat which had been bought by
tho government and altered into q
"ram" here in Cincinnati. The yes
sci, which was under command of
Capt. Elliott, was ordered South,
and it was at the battle of Mem
phis Jimmy Carr met with this par
ticular adventure, which made him
q hero in as peculiar q manner as
sYer hero gainedsa title. we give
the tale as he tells it:
cit was on the 9th of june" said
Jimmy, "that Memphis was taken.
remember it we'll, for it was hot
day, and was in hot place, too,
I can tell you. The feet was lying
five miles above Memphis, and the
Queen was a volunteer that morn :
ing. Early in the day we got or
ders to move down toward the reb.
81 batteries, but had no sooner got
within range than the "Johnnies"
opened fire on us. Our captain
called on Curtis, the first engineer,
to let loose, and he did, and we
were soon steaming down the river.
ave weren't long under way I'M
til we had one hundred and fifty
pounds of steam Oh and still rising.
Curtis detailed me to look after the
b0ilers-we had four hich were ON
deck-and / went off to my post.
Tie first thing noticed was that
the safety-valve wasn't weighed
heavy enough for the extra pres
sure, and the steam escaped. l
couldn't see anything lying around
to weigh it down with but large
lump ofcoal. l lifted that on to
the lever, but it was no use, as it
was tumbled off in minute or two.
By this time we must have had full
~ two hundred pounds Of steam on,
and on looking out 1 saw the rebel
guDboat, the General Lowell, steam
ing up and firing at us. We had
no guns aboard and only eleven
sharpshOOters, and the shot was
flying around us pretty lively.
knew it was the captains intention
to try to sink the Lowell, and I saw
it would never do to allow the
steam to escape as it was doing. l
had to think quick-there was
near that l could weigh
Town the valve with, but l was
bound not to be beat, and l just got
astride of the lever myself and sat
Town OH it. l looked out and the
Lowell was only a couple of hundred
yards off. She stopped to round
@, but the Queen was too quick for
ler, aud with a rush, we were into
her, lust astern the wheel. 1 was i
10 excited that. / never took my 6
ives off her when we we're coming i
I'D, and just bore my weight down &
on the lever never thinking to hold
IN to any thing. When we struck Q
;he shock was so terrible it just q
me head and heels over S
he boilers. Curtis was watching
ne. and thought was killed, and \
lallooed out: "There goes poor d
Jimmy )" but l wasn't gone. Twas a
TUNED for a minute but jumped 81
D and over the boilers and strad- ii
led the lever again, this time TAX cl
lg good hold. I'll
The Lowell sank in about five ia
but we had hardly time to e,
ct clear before another rebel craft, W
le Beauregard, steamed up to us. TO
1e treated her the same way as we ia
Gated the Lowell, but this time l so
,pt my seat and chung Oh for dear W,
e, and the shock didn't knock I'm
9 of. Soon after the Queen, hav- Tn
g nothing more to do, drew out VIZ
,m the fight aud 1 got down from oe
' perch. 1 felt a little sore and 90,
d few burns-for it was u hot ~,
ice was in-but that was all the ;, ,
rise was for the adventure" mo-.
Contemporary History. ni'
o., ~, sh.