Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-01-07
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FIGHTING JIM.s FIGHT.
Daring Capture of Two Confederate Ships
or Galveston.

time. 1t is great deal longer than thN
majority of 'navvies" serve. But to
this day the men who have long since
discarded the wide tapped trousers de-
light in recalling the days when they
answered eight bells. New York is full
Of them.
Every one of them can tell stories of
Fighting jim" OF course, if you are
not an old war "navvy," you might not
know who Fighting Jim is. He is Rear
Admiral James L. Jouett He is on the
retired list now. Years have put him
there. That's the way Uncle Sam does
with his old soldiers and sailors
Ask any old tar, and he will tell you
that there never was drawer officer
than Fighting Jim. Unfortunately for
the service whose uniform he graced
for nearly forty years, Admiral Jouett
happened to celebrate his siXty-second
birthday couple of years ago In ac-
cordance with the regulations of the
United States navy, Fighting Jim was
retired.
1t was thirty years on the day before
election that Jouett earned for himself
the name of Fighting Jim. He was at
the head of volunteer party that
had left the United States frigate San
tee to destroy the two Confederate YES
sells, Gen. Rusll and Royal Yacht. Jou-
EFT was a lieutenant then.
The Santce lay off the harbor of Gal
weston. The two confederate vessels
lay in the harbor. Jouett requested to
be placed in charge of volunteer par
ty to go and destroy the two confeder-
fno lie tod Nyy-<N
of the ships cutters, with about forty
men aboard, were placed under his
command. A twelve-pound howitzer
and some freballs were put in the
boats. Jouett took command of the
first cutter. Gunner Carter was at the
gun. Lieut.. Mitchell commanded the
second cutter The two boats started
for the ships, about seven miles distant
up the harbor. Approaching the Gen.
Rusk in the darkness the first cutter
ran ashore, and the second, close behind,
ran into her. Several oars were broken
and noise enough was made to warn
the look-outs aboard that vessel The
cutters then headed for the Royal
Yacht The sailor in the cutter pulled
like good fellows. Jouett gave the or
der to fire. There was snap. The
first primer had failed. The sailors
aboard the Royal Yacht now hailed the
cutter. The men clinched their teeth
and rowed us if for dear life. Carter
quickly adjusted another primer and
fired, placing shell in the schooner
below the water-line.
Trail oars! Stand by to board!''
shouted Jouett. The recoil of the gun
had destroyed the boats headway and
made it impossible for the men to board
The cutter was so near the schooner
that Carter, revolver in hand, made tho
leap and found himself alone aboare
the enemy's craft He dropped behinc
the schooner's bits and opened fire
When Jouett saw that the boat wa
drifting back he ordered the oars to be
got out again. Bell, the pilot, was sho
as the cutter ran alongside the Roya
Yacht He fell right into Fighting
Jim's arms. The coNswain was wound
ed at the same time.
II can hear his cry now," said Fight
ing Jim in relating the incident to al
old shipmate one night 'He said: oh
Mr. Jouett, they are killing us from th
other boat He was right, though h
DcCb ny IL oiii iioili lii
schooner. The other cutter had takel
us for confederates and they were trin;
on u.s. We shouted to them, but tn
loise of the engagement drowned ou
yoices, and / ordered all but the fou
,arsmen who were pulling to lie dow
n the boat"
AS the boat nearcd the schooner agail
Jouctt sprang aboard with the boat
painter and made her fast. Now
your time! Come aboard!" he shoute
and turned to rush forward. In turn
ing he ran against pike held by maj
who was braced in the cabiu hatchwa
and the blade passed through his righ
arm into his side. He was dazed and sa
down on the rail, though, as he after
wards said, he was unconscious of hi
wound. The man holding the pik
made a powerful thrust to push hir
overheard, and Jouett, then first rea
izing the situation, threw himself bach
Then, grasping the pike. still stickin
in his body, he grappled with his Us
sailant In the scutfie the pike wa
broken and Jouett drew the blade fror
his side and, striking his enemy on tn
head with it, threw it overheard
All this happened quickly and in tn
darkness. Jouett then rushed forwar
to aid Mr. Carter and the schooner
crew ran below The vessel was
sinking condition, but he was dete
mined to capture the crew. The woun
in his arm bled SO profusely that h
once more became dazed and to recove
his senses struck his head violentl
against the schooner's pivot gun. Th
reused him.
Meanwhile the forts of the harbt
had opened fire and several gunboa
could be seen coming down the rive
Carter had sprung to the hatchway, r
volver in hand, and Jouett shouted
the crew below to come up and surrel
der, but not man came.
"Men go down and drive them out
ne shouted to his owE crew, now all {
board, but not one of them went. Ma
dened at this he sprang below himse