Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-09-30
A Patriotic Rooster.
THE CAPTURE OF FINE PRIZE.

THE CAPTURE OF FINE PRIZE.
Admiral Touett insists upon il
that the Biblical rooster is not the
only historic Chanticleer, for through
the ambitious Growing of a cock he
succeeded in capturing fine prize.
The story is one he is very partial
to, and it gains much from his pic.
turesque way Of telling it. In the
early dBys of the war Admiral
JOuett, then lieutenant, was in COM
mand of the Montgomery, an old
sea monster of q merchantmen con-
Verted into a man-of-war, which,
like the Mary Dunn of Dover, had
three decks and no bottom. Her
battery was poor, and the Chase gun,
ten-inch columbiad, had been con-
demned years before. The powder
was wet and the fuses of the shells
were defective.
This vessel was cruising off the
coast of Louisiana, out Of sight of
land, awaiting the supply steamer
from the North. Lieutenant JOuett
had only recently recovered from
the severe wounds he had received
in his brilliant capture of the Royal
Yacht, which had won him promo
ton and command worthy of his
gallantry. There was little to eat on
board ship, and nothing to do
lSunning through dense fog one
morning about four o'clock, Lieu
tenant Jouett was walking up and
down the deck with the officer of the
mid-watch, when he heard rooster
crow. In his inspection of the YES
sci he had seen no poultry, and had
reason to believe that there was
none on board, but it was some mo-
ments before the significance of that
Growing occurred to him. Turning
to one of the officers, he asked:
Are there any chickens aboard ?n
"No, sir :"
" Didn't the boats bring off any
yesterday ?"
81 think not"
Well," said Jouett, "when we
swung up north ! heard rooster
crow. A blockade-runner has gone
out. Call all hands. Make sail''-
1t was stiff wind" for Havana
Send word to the engineer to give
me all the steam he can, and send
extra men to the fire.room.n
The under-officers exchanged sig
nificant glances.
mo, gentlemen" said Jouett,
reading their thoughts. "Tm not
crazy. / heard "A rooster crow, and
We'll find him when this fog lifts"
AS no predicted, when the fog
lifted at half.past seven, before them
lay schooner, all sails set, making
for Havana. The big condemned
gun was fired, but the powder was
worse than the gun, and the ball, af-
ter rolling on the top of the water
for half mile, sank. They soon
overlook the vessel, which was fly
ing the Louisiana State flag, peli-
can, and as they ranged alongside of
her, found ten hard and desperate
looking men in the stern.
Haul down that rag I" called
Lieutenant Jouett.
There was no response. Thirty
marines stood on the poop deck of
the Montgomery with kets
loaded with ball and buckshot car
tridges.
Sergeant, ready !" was the COM
mand, and down came the thirty
muskets leveled on the gang.
"Haul down that - rag.
yOuW called the lieutenant again,
and down fell the pelican from its
proud position.
The captured captain was curious
to know how he had been discov-
cred.
" You have got rooster on board,
and | heard him crow at four O'Clock
this morning." said Jouett.
"l'll wiring his - neck" said
the captain of the blOckade-runner,
with savage growl.
"No, you won't" responded
Lieutenant Jouett, sharply "he's
mine by right of capture ;" and "A
very game cock that patriotic rO0s-
ter proved to be.