Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-02-02
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FIGHTING JlM.s EIGHT.
Daring Capture of Two Confederate ships
on Galveston.

AAAAbg years III the navy - AOuS
time. 1t is great deal longer than the
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 navy" you might not
know who Fighting Jim is. He IS Rear
Admiral James Z. Jouett He is on the
retired list now. Years have put him
there That's the way Uucle 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 a 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 a volunteer party that
had left the United States frigate San
tee to destroy the two Confederate yes
sells, Gen. Rusk and Royal Yacht. Jou-
EFT was lieutenant then.
The Santee 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
frvf 10 ~ he Co.
ates. His request was granted Two
of the ships cutters, with about forty
men aboard, We're placed under his
command A twelve-pound howitzer
and some fireballs 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
der to fire. There was a snap The
first primer had failed. The sailors
aboard the Royal Yacht now hailed the
cutter. The men clinched their teeth
and rowed as 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 boardl"
shouted Jouett. The recoil of the gun
had destroyed the boats Roadway and
made it impossible for the men to board.
The cutter was so near the schooner
that Carter, revolver in hand, made the
leap and found himself alone aboard
the enemy's craft He dropped behind
the schooner's bits and opened fire.
When Jouett saw that the boat was
drifting back he ordered the oars TO be
got out again. Bell, the pilot, was shot
as the cutter ran alongside the Royal
Yacht He fell right into Fighting
Jim's arms. The coXswain was wound
ed at the same time.
Il can hear his cry now" said Fight
ing Jim in relating the incident to an
old shipmate one night 'He said: oh,
Mr.. Jouett, they are killing us from the
other boat He was right, though he
had been struck by ball from the
schooner. The other cutter had taken
us for confederates and they were firing
on us. We shouted to them, but the
noise of the engagement drowned our
voices, and l ordered all but the four
oarsmen who were pulling to lie down
in the boat"
As the boat neared the schooner again
Jouett sprang aboard with the boats
painter and made her fast Now is
your time! Come aboard" he shouted
and turned to rush forward. In turn
ing he ran against pike held by man
who was braced in the cabiu hstchway
and the blade passed through his right
arm into his side. He was dazed and sat
down on the rail, though, as he after
wards said, he was unconscious of his
wound. The man holding the pike
made a powerful thrust to push him
overheard, and Jouett, then first real
izing the situation, threw himself back.
Then, grasping the pike, still sticking
in his body, he grappled with his as
sailant In the scuffle the pike was
broken and Jouett drew the blade from
his side and, striking his enemy on the
head with it, threw it overheard.
All this happened quickly arG Il the
darkness Jouett then rushed forward
to aid Mr. Carter and the schooner's
crew ran below. The vessel was in
sinking condition, but he was deter
mined to capture the crew. The wound
in his arm bled SO profusely that he
once more became dazed and to recover
his senses struck his head violently
against the schooner's pivot gun. This
reused him.
Meanwhile the forts of the harbor
had opened fire and several gunboats
could be seen coming down the river
Carter had sprung to the hatchway, re
volver in hand, and Jouett shouted to
the crew below to come up and sllrren-
der, but not a man came.
Men go down and drive them out"
he shouted to his own crew, now all on
board, but not one of them went. Mad
dened at this he sprang below himself