
 
<^^ -n? 
 
 XT'. A 
 
 % 
 
 
 ^'' %/ .'»fe\ \/ ''^': %/ '^ 
 
 
 
 .-^.% -^.^ .^-^ ,^^mc. %.^^v ,^, ^^,^/ ;^', t^^^^<^ 
 
'^/6 
 
 3'^'i 
 
 MA MEMORIES: 
 
 PERSOML EXPERIENCES IN THE U. S. NAVT 
 IN PEACE AND WAR. 
 
 BY AN OLD SALT. 
 
SEA MEMORIES; 
 
 OR, 
 
 PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE U.S. 'NAVY 
 IN PEACE AND WAR. 
 
 BY AN OLD SALT. 
 
 DEDICATED TO 
 
 STj^e ©fHcers anti $ail0rs of tfje Jleiican TOar, 
 
 James D. Bruell, Biddeford Pool^ Me. 
 
 PART OF WHICH HE SAW, AND PART HE WAS. 
 
 Biddeford Pool: 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 
 
 1886. 
 

 4 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 ca- 
 
 AFTER a lapse of more than forty years since 
 I first commenced sea-life, and, with no guide 
 but memory to aid me, the story of my life on ship- 
 
 ^•y board must, of course, be lacking in many partic- 
 
 ulars ; yet, with the incidents firmly fixed in my 
 
 ^ mind, I can recall the most of them in the order of 
 
 their occurrence. Although a man of more than 
 sixty years, the events that I have related in my 
 book come as freshly before me as if they had 
 happened but yesterday, many sulphurous with the 
 smoke of war, and others relating to companionships 
 that were pleasant, 'mid scenes of more quiet 
 import. The Mexican war, of which so little is 
 now known, forms the main feature of the work, 
 some of the leading events of which the writer 
 participated in, on sea and shore, and was an inter- 
 ested spectator of others. The facts I have given 
 without exaggeration, and told them in a style as 
 nearly flavoring of salt-water as I could, without 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 rhetorical flourishes or any aim to set off the truth 
 with artificial coloring. Simplicity pure and unpre- 
 tending has been my effort, confining myself to 
 presenting my facts so that they might be under- 
 stood. If the "old salt" has succeeded in inter- 
 esting his readers, his object has been gained. 
 
 The Author. 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 I COMMENCED going to sea when thirteen 
 years of age, and for three years remained 
 on small fishing and coasting vessels, at the end 
 of which time I trimmed my sheets for deep water, 
 and made several voyages to Europe, until 1845, 
 when, on the 28th day of December, I shipped in 
 the United States navy, and on the 31st joined 
 the "North Carolina" receiving-ship at Brooklyn, 
 N.Y., navy-yard. There were some three hundred 
 men * there awaiting orders . Of course employment 
 must be given them, and every morning at nine 
 o'clock a party was detailed for shore service, some 
 to work in one place and some in another, one field 
 of their labor being the woodshed, where they were 
 required to take the bark from ihe wood to be 
 used on board men-of-war, as the bark made dust 
 
 on the deck. 
 
 This wood business was very well for a short 
 time, but finally some of the men thought it time 
 for thte wood-pile to play out ; so a vote was taken 
 one morning, and it was resolved to "strike," 
 
6 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 which was done by striking all the handles from 
 the axes, and when the officer who had charge came 
 round he found us with nothing but the handles in 
 our hands. He saw the ^tuation, and ordered us 
 to the ship. We made little out of our act, for in 
 the spring came an order from Washington to send 
 a draft of men to the receiving-ship " Pennsylvania," 
 at Norfolk, Va., and we found that all of the wood 
 barkers were called to " lash hammocks " and 
 " shoulder ba^rs " for that destination. There were* 
 one hundred and sixty men to go, besides the 
 officers, and we embarked on board a schooner that 
 was to take us to Norfolk. The vessel was in bal- 
 last, with a flooring over it, and we were given jltife.-* 
 entire hold to ourselves. All we had to eat was 
 raw pork and hard bread for the entire passage 
 of three days. Some of the men thought, they 
 would like one square meal, and accordingly made 
 arrangements to procure it. 
 
 The galley, or cook's house, was on deck, the 
 weather door of which was usually closed. One 
 day the officers were to have a nice dinner of roast 
 chickens, that the men were determined to capture. 
 They accordingly })laced a sentry on each side of 
 the galley, one of whom was to pass and repass 
 the open door, to see when the cook took the 
 chickens from the oven, when he was to signalize 
 the one at the windward side, who was to rap on 
 the door, as if he were an officer, and thus, by 
 
LIFE AFLOAT, 
 
 attracting the cook's attention, allow the other to 
 make off with the prize. The sentry accordingly 
 rapped smartly, anil called " Steward, " which 
 call was obeyed by th^' " doctor's " opening the 
 door. There was no one there, and while he was 
 wondering what it could mean, the other sentry 
 made off with the chickens. He turned around to 
 find his dinner gone, which I saw passed from 
 hand to hand down the fore-hatch. There was abiof 
 "'fow aft, but in vain, for when the officer got forward 
 the chickens were all devoured. 
 
 We arrived at Norfolk on the night of the third 
 day at twelve o'clock, and anchored within hailing 
 ;»*,<fetance of the "Pennsylvania." The schooner was 
 hailed by the officer of the deck, to know what we 
 wanted so near, and when informed that we had a 
 draft of men for the ship, in a few moments the 
 whistle of the boatswain's mate was heard at the 
 hatch calLng^ "All hands lash and carry for the 
 ship ! " It was kind of rough on the boys, but in 
 the navy every one has to start upon the word. 
 
 It is the rule on Uncle Sanuiel's ships, as I 
 found, that the last order must be obeyed. If the 
 captain should order you to go to the purser's ward 
 and tell him to " splice the main brace," and on 
 the way you should meet the boatswain, who should 
 tell you to shift the guy to windward, you are bound 
 to obey him. If you pass on to obey the original 
 order, the boatswain may report you at the mast. 
 
8 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 It was so while I was in the navy, and punishable as 
 ''disobedience of orders." 
 
 But I am running off my course, and will square 
 yards for a return to the "Pennsylvania." The boats 
 from the ship came alongside to transfer the men on 
 board, and it was half-past one o'clock when the 
 boatswain gave the order to " pipe down." At 4 
 A.M. all hands were piped to " up hammocks ! " that 
 were to be stowed in the nettings. The "Pennsyl- 
 vania" was a vast ship, with a company of fifteen 
 hundred men and boys on board, with room for 
 more. She was a four-decker, and pierced for 
 one hundred and forty-four guns. She had re- 
 mained in one place so long that she had grounded 
 on the beef bones that came out of the nien's 
 kettles. 
 
 Among so large a number of men as were here 
 gathered together, as may be supposed, all sorts 
 of characters were to be found : all sorts of 
 mechanics, with thieves, gamblers, and shoulder 
 hitters. While rambling about the decks a great 
 variety of occupation was to be observed. Some 
 were rigging ships, some platting sennit to make 
 hats of, others making frocks or pants, and in some 
 quiet nook yarns were being spun by old tars of 
 their early voyages. One I heard telling the story 
 of the "Constitution" and " Guerrierre." He was 
 on board of " Old Ironsides " as a powder-boy, and 
 though only about fifty years old, his weather-beaten 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. y 
 
 features, and his white hair and beard, made him 
 appear, as he was, a true son of Neptune, aged 
 before his time. When he spoke of his old com- 
 modore, Hull, his eyes would sparkle and his veins 
 swell out like whipcords. He told of his being 
 struck on the head by a splinter ; and the captain of 
 the gun tied up his wound and sent him for more 
 powder. 
 
 Thieving was denounced as g, great crime on board, 
 and closely guarded against ; but it was nevertheless 
 practised to some extent. I was witness of a speci- 
 men of these stirring tricks on one occasion. I was 
 going up the fore-hatch one evening about nine 
 o'clock, when I discovered a small line that led down 
 the hatchway. I stopped on the spar-deck to in- 
 vestigate the water. In a short time I saw what 
 appeared to be a blanket coming up the hatchway 
 and disappearing in the foretop. Presently the 
 line descended from the top again, which had a hook 
 attached. A man seized the line and descended the 
 hatch. The hammocks were all hanging on their 
 hooks on the gun-deck, with some of the men in 
 them. I watched the man who held the line, the 
 hook in his hand, and saw that if a blanket was 
 lying loose on an empty hammock he would attach 
 the hook to it, when, upon some signal, the blanket 
 would start for the top. I found that the articles 
 stolen were sold to bumboat men, or smuggled ashore 
 in boats. 
 
10 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 Gambling was practised in every conceivable 
 place on board where the officers could not see 
 what was going on. The tops were favorite resorts 
 in pleasant weather for these tricky gentry, who 
 continually violated the rules of the navy, that for- 
 bid gambling in any form. So boxing-gloves were 
 disallowed, but they were plenty enough, and much 
 trouble sprung from them, as the men using them 
 were noisy and quarrelsome, for which they were 
 put in irons, gagged, and, when sobered and subdued, 
 had to receive twelve lashes on the bare back. All 
 sorts of devices were practised to relieve the mo- 
 notony of life on shipboard. 
 
 About this time trouble was seen arising from 
 the disputed question of the boundary between 
 Mexico and the United States, and work at the 
 navy-yard was brisk. At Norfolk ships of war 
 were being repaired and fitting for sea, and the new 
 United States ship " St. Mary," built at Washing- 
 ton, arrived at Norfolk. The interest of the men 
 was awakened, and knots of them assembled, talking 
 over as to what ships they wished to go in, and what 
 officers they would like to sail with. Men were 
 detailed every few days to go with the water-boat to 
 the Dismal Swamp for water, bringing some 60,000 
 gallons, and things began to look lively generally. 
 The Dismal Swamp water was very good. It was 
 called "juniper water," because it smelt and tasted 
 of juniper. It made very nice tea. 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 11 
 
 One day the executive officers of the " Saratoga " 
 and the "St. Mary" (Lieuts. Farragut and Ken- 
 nedy) came on board to take a look at our men, 
 and a few days later they came again to pick out 
 crews for their ships. The men were drawn up in 
 lines upon the gun-deck. The able seamen were 
 in the front line to be drawn from, the ordinary 
 seamen and boys in lines by themselves. After the 
 number of able seamen for each crew was picked out, 
 the ordinary seamen and boys were taken. The 
 Lieut. Farragut here mentioned was to be the hero 
 of Mobile and New Orleans. The officers went to 
 the head of the line of seamen, each taking one 
 alternately, who would fall back as he was chosen. 
 Jack Savage and myself were side by side, and 
 feared w^e should be separated, but upon saying to 
 Lieut. Kennedy that we would like to volunteer for 
 the "St. Mary," he eaid, "All right, my men, fall 
 back ! " and we had our wish. The two ships' 
 companies were picked out, and in a few days the 
 ship " Saratoga " went into commission, transferring 
 her men on board. 
 
 I have thus far failed to speak of Jack Savage, 
 with whom I had sailed several voyages before I 
 shipped in the navy, whom I found on the " Penn- 
 sylvania." Jack and I had walked deck in calms 
 and storms, and spun yarns of our early days. He 
 told me of his home scenes in the old Pine-Tree 
 State, and of his mother, sisters, and brothers, 
 
12 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 whom he had left, to earn his bread upon the sea. 
 He described the parting from his mother, who 
 threw her arras about his neck, and, with her 
 motherly kiss upon his brow, bade farewell to her 
 boy. Poor Jack I That was his last kiss from 
 her, for on his return, after ten years' absence, 
 he found that his dear old mother had slipped her 
 cable and gone to rest. Jack was what we could 
 call a true Yankee sailor : faithful in his duty, 
 obedient to his officers, and kind to his shipmates. 
 It was pleasant to know that w^e were not to be 
 separated. 
 
 The " St. Mary " was not likely to be ready for 
 some time, and her company was transferred from 
 the "Pennsylvania" to the frigate "Constellation," 
 then lying up, stripped to her gantline. We were 
 on board this ship for two weeks, during which the 
 "St. Mary" was taking her battery, shot, shells, 
 water, and stores on board ; and we worked on 
 board of her each day. We liked our new ship. 
 She was a first-class sloop-of-war, of one thousand 
 tons, mounting twenty-two guns, eighteen 32- 
 pounders, and four 64-pounders, commanded by 
 Capt. John L. Saunders ; executive officer, A. 11. 
 Kennedy ; lieutenants, William Taylor, Charles 
 Steedman, Charles Morris ; sailing-master, Joshua 
 D. Todd ; and six midshipmen. The ship's company 
 numbered 212, all told. 
 ' Our ship went into commission April 1, 1845 ; 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 13 
 
 and I heard Lieut. Kennedy tell Lieut. Farragut 
 that of all crews within his experience he had never 
 seen so fine a lot of men. All were Yankees with 
 a few exceptions. In the main-top, where I was 
 stationed, out of eighteen men, ten of them were 
 more than six feet tall, and throughout the ship the 
 men were of like average proportion. The officers 
 were very proud of the company. I must say, as 
 one of the crew, that there were some officers — two 
 especially — that were disliked by the men, but as they 
 have gone to Davy Jones' Locker, I will let them rest 
 in peace. Lieut. Kennedy, our executive officer, was 
 a little man, but his heart was as large as a thirty-two- 
 pound shot ; a man who behaved himself, and per- 
 formed his duties like a man. He was the sailor's 
 friend, and respected by all of us. Lieut. Steed- 
 man — at this writing an admiral, stationed at the 
 California navy-yard, — was a noble specimen of the 
 American naval officer. He was strict in his dis- 
 cipline, but kind to his men, and was beloved by the 
 entire ship's company. Lieut. Morris, son of the 
 late Com. Morris, w^as one of natupe's noblemen ; 
 but we did not have him long with us, as he was 
 fired at by a treacherous Mexican, while in a boat 
 with a flag of truce, and killed. Our middies were 
 a fine lot of gentlemen, those who are living, com- 
 manders in our navy; and our warrant-officers, 
 boatswain, sail-maker, carpenter, and gunner were 
 all o^ood men. Of one officer I have foro^otten to 
 
14 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 speak, and he was too good a man to pas8 by un- 
 noticed : our purser, Mr. Littleton T. Waller, a 
 Virginian. He was a most exemplary person, be- 
 loved by all on board. 
 
 Jack Savage and myself belonged to the ward- 
 room boat. This boat is used by all the officers in 
 the wardroom. The captain has his boat by him- 
 self. There are on board six boats. The launch is 
 stowed on deck, built to carry one hundred men ; 
 the first, second, third, and fourth cutters and gig 
 are hoisted to the davits. We had some nice times 
 in rowing the officers back and forth between the 
 ship and shore while we lay at Norfolk. An inci- 
 dent occurred affecting one of the boat's crew that 
 shows how the appetite will run away with the rea- 
 son. A middie, commanding the first cutter, with 
 a crew of men, went to the yard to fetch on board 
 the spirits belonging to the ship's stores. The 
 spirits were in barrels, and they had to be rolled 
 down from the storehouse to the boat. W^hile the 
 crew were doing this, the officer's eyes being turned 
 just then in the wrong direction, they ended up one 
 of the barrels, took the head out, and were all 
 "tight" in no time. The officer was sent below 
 for a week, and each of the men received twelve 
 lashes on the bare back, — a sore job for them. 
 
 There were several men-of-war at Norfolk, — the 
 "Princeton" (Com. Stockton), "Saratoga," ''St. 
 Mary," and" Porpoise," — and appearances indicated 
 
■ LIFE AFLOAT. 15 
 
 that there would soon be a movement. The men 
 were drilled at the big and small guns, and also at 
 reefing and furling sails, and sending spars up and 
 down. Our ship was " A No. 1" in all the manoeu- 
 vres. The order came at last, and all the ships 
 dropped down to Fortress Monroe, safely anchoring 
 in Hampton Roads. Nothing of note occurred here 
 except a severe gale, during which we sent down 
 yards and let go the third anchor. As soon as the 
 gale Wiis over the commodore made signals for all to 
 get under way and make sail for Galveston, Texas. 
 
 As our ship passed Cape Henry she came up with 
 the commodore, when all hands manned the rigging 
 and gave him three cheers. The " St. Mary" sailed 
 so fast that we had to shorten sail, for the "Por- 
 poise " to keep up with us. The " Princeton " did 
 • not utilize her steam, but kept on under canvas only. 
 
 j The passage to the Hole in the Wall was very pleas- 
 ant, with fair winds all the way. We were con- 
 stantly being drilled at the big guns, and our 
 executive officer made me captain of gun No. 5. 
 
 Regarding rations at sea. Our ship having but 
 two decks, we had to spread our mess-cloth on the 
 upper deck, between the guns. This mess-cloth was 
 painted canvas, about seven feet square, upon which 
 I • the grub was placed, and the men, twelve in num- 
 
 ber, seated themselves around it on the deck. Each 
 mess was allowed a chest to keep its stores in, which 
 contains tea, sugar, molasses, butter, cheese, pickles. 
 
16 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 and dried fruit, together with mess-kettle, pots, pans, 
 and spoons. Each mess has its cook. He stops his 
 rations and gets the amount in cash, $21 every three 
 months, which pays very well. The rations for 
 each man in the United States navy are : three 
 pounds pork, two pounds beef, one pound flour, 
 lialf-pound rice, quarter-pound dried fruit, half a 
 dozen pickles, six dozen biscuits, fourteen ounces 
 sugar, one and three-quarters ounces tea, four 
 ounces butter, one and one-half pint beans, half a 
 pint molasses, half a pint vinegar. These were 
 the rations when I was in the navy, but at the 
 present time there are more preserved meats and 
 less salt provisions. 
 
 It may be interesting to know, especially by my 
 female readers, how cooking is managed in the navy. 
 The ship's cooking-range is about eight feet square 
 and six feet high, with two tanks in the after end, 
 in charge of the ship's cook. These tanks are six 
 feet by four, and four feet high, one of which is for 
 tea-water, the other for cooking the pork, beef, and 
 bean-soup. There are two large faucets by which 
 to draw the soup and tea-water. The tea is not put 
 into the tank, and half an hour before meal time it 
 is reported to the officer of the deck, who gives his 
 order to the mess cooks to draw their tea-water, put 
 their tea and sugar into their mess-kettles, and oo to 
 the ship's cook to obtain about a quart of hot water 
 for each man. These are covered up, and placed 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 17 
 
 in the mess-chest • to cook for half an hour, when 
 about five minutes before meal-time they stir up the 
 tea, fill the several pails, and serve it to their men. 
 The forward part of the range is used by the 
 cooks for the oflScers. The tanks, or coppers, after 
 every meal, must be thoroughly cleaned. The cook 
 jumps in with his cloth and cleans the coppers until 
 they shine like burnished steel, and then reports to 
 the chief cook, or " doctor," who takes a piece of 
 white paper and rubs it on the inside ; if it stains 
 the paper it is not clean. I never saw the cook's 
 coppers go back on him. The cook has a certain 
 number of sticks of wood served out to him at every 
 meal. 
 
 We had been out ten days from Norfolk when the 
 man at the mast-head reported land ahead. In an 
 hour's time we could see it from the deck. It proved 
 to be the Hole in the Wall. The "Porpoise" was 
 booming along with every sail set, while we were 
 under topsail, with the mizzen clewed down to the 
 cap. At 12 M. we were abreast the light with the 
 squadron in sight astern. The morning following 
 we passed the " Isaacs " with a stiff breeze from the 
 eastward. The lookout reported a large ship ahead, 
 steering the same course that we were. The com- 
 modore made signal to our ship to chase and speak 
 her, she being twelve miles ahead. This was the 
 first time that we had been allowed to see how the 
 " St. Mary " would go, and every rag of canvas was 
 
 k 
 
18 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 set that would draw. The log showed that we were 
 going fourteen knots an hour. In three hours we 
 overhauled the ship, which proved to be the " Isaac 
 Newton," of Boston, bound to New Orleans, in 
 ballast. After speaking her we hauled in studding- 
 sails, and shortening sail, waited for the fleet to come 
 up. Then the order was given to " splice the main- 
 hrace,'^ which piece of seamanship may deserve a 
 brief explanation. It was usual on board ship, when 
 taking in or making sail, if the work was performed 
 in first-class style, and the captain was in humor, for 
 him to order up the grog-tub and give the men a 
 "tod" all round, which delicate operation was called 
 "splicing the main-brace." No one is compelled to 
 perform the duty unless he chooses. 
 
 For two days we sailed alon^ w ith fine breezes 
 and pleasant weather, and plenty of exercise at the 
 bis: ffuns. On the third mornino- the commodore's 
 ship came up and spoke us, ordering us to make sail 
 for our destination. We then manned the rigging, 
 gave him three cheers, and made all sail, with a fine 
 breeze from tlie eastw^ard. In three hours there was 
 not a sail in sight. At 1 P.M. the lookout aloft 
 reported sail right astern, and at 4.30 P.M., the 
 "Princeton," under steam and sail, with the " Por- 
 poise" in tow, came up within hailing distance of 
 us. So much for steam and canvas together. 
 
 Our ship was now nearing her destination, and 
 approaching the Texan coast at midnight, sounded 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 19 
 
 in fourteen fathoms of water. We sent up rockets 
 and burnt blue lights to learn whether there were 
 any ships lying off Galveston. We got no answer, 
 and lay to till morning, when, finding no land in 
 sight, we crowded on sail, and in about an hour 
 made the land. At 9.30 A.M. we came to anchor 
 in ten fathoms of water, five miles outside of Galves- 
 ton Bar. We furled sails, sent down top-gallant 
 and royal yards, and spread awnings. At 4 P.M. 
 the squadron arrived and came to anchor. The 
 commodore sent a boat ashore for orders and mail- 
 bags for the fleet. We heard that night that Gen. 
 Taylor had landed at^Corpus Christi with his army. 
 The war-star we knew was rising. 
 
 After lying here three days we had orders to sail 
 for Rio Grande del Norte, where we found the United 
 States ship " John Adams " and brig " Somers," with 
 transports. We lay within two miles of the beach, 
 and while tliere the battle of Palo Alto was fought. 
 We could hear the guns very plainly from the ships. 
 As soon as the battle was over news of the victory 
 was telegraphed to the ships, and the death of Major 
 Ringold. 
 
 We remained here until the battle of Resaca de 
 la Palma was fouglit, when our ship and the " Sara- 
 toira" were ordered back to Galveston for a short 
 time. While lying there the officers thought it a 
 good time to get some fish. The " Saratoga " had a 
 seine on board, and so, taking two boats, one from 
 
20 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 each ship, officered by Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Steed- 
 man of the " St. Mary," and Mr. Farragut and two 
 officers of the " Saratoga," manned by twenty-five 
 men, provided with frying-pans, pork, etc., we pro- 
 ceeded to the fishing-ground. The harbor of Gal- 
 veston has the disadvantage of a bar, inside of which 
 are a number of spits. We rowed in on the back of 
 one of these spits and hove the seine. There were 
 plenty of mullets jumping out of the water, and a 
 part of the men held the seine by one end on shore, 
 while the rest ran around with the other end until 
 the two came together, when all hands hauled in, 
 and when the seine was landed there was a sight 
 to behold ! We had barrels and barrels of fish, — 
 hundred of barrels, apparently, — about the size of 
 ordinary herring, with plenty of mullets for all 
 hands. We spread the seine to dry, brought wood 
 for the fire, cleaned the fish, and sent one boat back 
 loaded with them, for the ship's use. 
 
 One day while lying at Galveston the third cutter 
 was sent on shore in charge of one of the midship- 
 men for the mail-bags. They arrived all right, but 
 returning in the afternoon, the wind began to blow 
 very fresh, and it was a hard pull to get to the ship. 
 After rowing some time, and not making much head- 
 way, the men tossed their oars and refused to pull 
 any more in that direction. The officer tried to 
 force them to proceed ; but it was of no use. Then 
 he ordered them to ship their oars and return to land. 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 21 
 
 They arrived at Galveston before night, where the 
 officer went ashore, ordering that the boat should go 
 alongside the cutter, that lay a short distance from 
 the town. The crew left their boat, dropping her 
 astern, and went on board the cutter. The officers 
 were all on shore except the boatswain, who had 
 been left in charge. Jack Stubbs, the coxswain of 
 the ship's boat, proposed to the boat's crew that they 
 should steal the boat and run away. They all con- 
 sented, and the j^lan they adopted to get into the 
 boat again was ingenious. The coxswain went aft, 
 and told the officer, who questioned him, that he 
 wanted to go back to the boat to get his jacket. 
 Then he slid down by the painter. The others then 
 came aft, and all were clamorous for Jack to pass 
 their coats, one after the other sliding down the 
 painter. It being dusk, the officer did not detect the 
 trick until it was too late. When he came aft the 
 painter was cut, the sails were set, and the boat on 
 her way up the river. They went up Red River, 
 sold the boat, and escaped to New Orleans. As 
 the boat did not arrive at the ship during the night, 
 the fourth cutter was ordered in the morning to go 
 in and learn where she was. They found Mr. 
 Yates, the officer of the boat ; but his crew had 
 skipped. On his return with his report the cap- 
 tain was very angry, ordering him off duty and to 
 keep below for a week. 
 
 A few days after this occurrence we got under way 
 
22 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 for Vera Cruz. On the passage down we fell in 
 with a schooner that had lost her foremast. She 
 was bound to Vera Cruz, with a cargo of stores for 
 the fleet, and, giving her a hawser, we towed her in. 
 We came to anchor at the island of Sacrificios, four 
 miles from Vera Cruz, the castle of St. Juan de 
 Ulloa, bearing N.W. by N. At the time of our 
 arrival we found quite a fleet of men-of-war and a 
 new commodore, Com. Connor. Com. Stockton had 
 been relieved to go to California, to succeed Com. 
 Sloat. The "John Adams" was flag-ship, the 
 squadron consisting of the " John Adams " " St. 
 Mary," " Saratoga," " Mississippi," " Porpoise," 
 and "Somers." The " Princeton " was blockading 
 Vera Cruz. We were called to bury one of our ship- 
 mates, who had died of consumption. We buried 
 him on the island of Sacrificios, with a board at his 
 head and feet. Jack Griffin painted the following 
 epitaph on his head-board : — 
 
 ** Stop, sailors, stop, as you pass near: 
 Away from friends and home so dear, 
 I died a stranger in a foreign land, 
 And was buried here by my shipmates' hands." 
 
 One day while lying there a very large and peculiar 
 fish made his appearance on the surface of the water, 
 and John Downing, the captain of the foretop, asked 
 permission to go and harpoon him. Mr. Kennedy 
 gave his permission, and so he took the first cutter 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 23 
 
 and crew, with harpoon and coil of rigging, and 
 went for the fish. The other ships began to send 
 boats to see the fun. Downing was an old whale- 
 man, and when he came up with the fish he gave 
 him the iron. The monster started like a racer, 
 moving round in a circle. The other boats made 
 fast to ours, and there were eight boats in tow. He 
 kept up the same speed, round and round, for about 
 an hour, when he began to slack up, and finally 
 grounded upon the island. All hands got ropes on 
 him to drag him up for inspection, when he proved 
 to be a devil-fish of enormous size, estimated by the 
 officers to weigh fully five tons. 
 
 An incident happened that gave us great regret. 
 We had to part with our veteran shipmate. Bill 
 Fraser, who was ordered on board the brig " Somers," 
 to serve as gunner. He was a favorite of the whole 
 crew, who were loath to have him go. He was very 
 interesting in spinning yarns, and possessed a great 
 memory. He was born upon the sea, and had 
 passed all of his life afloat, improving his spare time 
 in writing his experiences on the ocean. It made a 
 large book, concerning which he said: "If I live 
 till this cruise is over I will have it printed." Poor 
 old Bill ! his cruise was about ended, for six months 
 after leaving our ship he was drowned by the cap- 
 sizing of one of the " Somers ' " boats in a gale. This 
 occurred about seven miles from Sacrificios, and was 
 seen from the ships, boats being sent in relief; but 
 
24 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 owing to the wind and sea the foundered boat went 
 down in about ten minutes. But two boats reached 
 the spot, — one French and one American, — three 
 hours after the "Somers"' boat had sunk, finding 
 several of her crew clinging to some wreckage; but 
 Veteran Bill, our old shipmate, was with the lost; 
 his life closed on the ocean, — his. cradle and grave. 
 Orders came for us to relieve the " Princeton " on 
 the blockade. That ship the Mexicans called the 
 " Yankee Devil, " as she cruised round without sails, 
 and showed no smoke. We feared we should have 
 a long drag at it, and our water was becoming short, 
 our commodore putting us on one pint per day, be- 
 sides our tea- water. The " Stockton " came to 
 anchor as we received orders to weigh. A descrip- 
 tion of " weighing anchor " may interest some. 
 There is a place on board ships called a " manger," 
 under the heel of the bowsprit, where there is a 
 laro^e sheave horizontal with the deck. The mes- 
 senger, which is a chain with long links, has one 
 end passed through this sheave and carried to the 
 capstan, around which it is placed, and the two 
 ends tackled together* There are slots in the cap- 
 stan that receive the links of the messenger, and 
 rope or iron stops taken to the messenger and chain. 
 When ready for weighing, the capstan bars, having 
 been shipped, then heave away, with, if possible, 
 a man sitting on top with his violin, playing some 
 lively air. I have seen our ship with thirty fathoms 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 25 
 
 of chain ahead, and in fifteen minutes the anchor 
 was on the Jbow and royals set. We were now to 
 take our place in blockading Yera Cruz, where we 
 spent three months, with nothing of note to relate. 
 We were under sail all the time, looking out for 
 vessels that might try to run in or out, not one of 
 which we saw, except a French, sloop-of-war. 
 One day we made her, running down for our ship. 
 As she drew near we took her flag to be Mexican. 
 We were hoping for a brush, and all the men 
 were spoiling for a fight. The ship was about five 
 miles away, and was putting for us with all her 
 speed. We took in top-gallant sails and hauled up 
 the courses. We beat to quarters, cast loose the 
 guns, sanded the deck, passed up shot and shell 
 (grape and canister), put out the fires, opened 
 magazine stoppers for the rigging, and plugs for the 
 hull, men all ready in their places, oflficers with their 
 side-arms and pistols in their belts , some of the men 
 even having taken off their frocks, and everything 
 was in perfect order for an attack. As he neared 
 us we could hear his drum beating to quarters, 
 and were sure that we were to have a game of hall. 
 On he came with the wind well abaft the beam, his 
 flag, which was partly behind the mizzen top-sail, 
 not appearing at all, w4ien he luflPed up two points, 
 and we then could see that his flag was French. 
 Our fun was all up. He came down to speak to 
 us. His men were all at their quarters. He w^as 
 
26 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 from Havana, bound to Vera Cruz : so we beat the 
 " retreat, " secured the guns, closed the magazine, 
 and made sail. 
 
 As our water was very low, and the men were 
 suffering for want of it, we kept off, and ran in where 
 the commodore's ship lay. We went on board the 
 flag-ship and made our report. The commodore 
 gave orders to go to the Rio Grande and fill up with 
 water. We made the passage in four days, and 
 anchored in seven fathoms of water. A small 
 schooner came off, and she was chartered to bring 
 water to the ship. A number of large casks were 
 on board, which the crew would fill and bring off, 
 but it was so rough they would not come alongside. 
 She came to anchor some twenty yards abeam of 
 the ship, and to get them on board we started the 
 bilge hoops and put two beckets under them. We 
 then drove the hoops on again, and reeving a line 
 through the beckets, one end at the ship the other 
 at the schooner, with a drawing line each way, the 
 caskF were lowered overboard and pulled to and fro 
 till sufficient was procured. We were four days in 
 filling our tanks in this way. 
 
 We enjoyed a great treat while at the Rio Grande. 
 One day a boat came off to the ship with a logger- 
 head turtle, weighing about one thousand pounds, 
 which was bought for the ship's company, to be 
 made into soup. Delmonico was nowhere for soups, 
 compared with our cook. After it was dressed and 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 27 
 
 taken to the cook it looked as if it would be a per- 
 fect success ; but some of the veterans thought it 
 would be more palatable were there some spirits in 
 it. So one of the old quartermasters went to the 
 officer on deck with a requisition for two gallons of 
 whiskey to put in the soup. The officer was a mid- 
 shipman, rather green, who signed the requisition, 
 and the whiskey was served out to the ship's cook. 
 It was put in the soup, and after it got to cooking, 
 and the steam began to come up through the grating 
 in the deck, the old shell-backs smacked their lips, 
 exclaiming, "That is the boss cook!" At 12 M. 
 dinner was served out, the mess-cooks were ordered 
 to draw their soup, the mess- cloths were spread on 
 deck, and the boatswain and his mates piped to 
 dinner. As the covers to the men's kettles were 
 taken off, the whiskey scented the ship. The cap- 
 tain was on deck at the time, who began to sniff, 
 and wanted to know if the men had boiled whiskey 
 for dinner. The officer of the deck explained it to 
 him, and he had a hearty laugh over it. He thought 
 that as it was cooked there would be no trouble, as 
 they could not get tight on that. Those who did 
 not drink whiskey would not eat the soup, and those 
 who had the appetite for rum went in for filling up 
 their skins .^ We had several turtle-soups after that, 
 but there was no whiskey in them. 
 
 As we had our water all in, and the men their 
 whiskey soup, we got under way again for Vera 
 
28 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 Cruz, where we relieved the "Porpoise," and took our 
 place on the blockade. 
 
 About this time we had orders to look out for 
 steamers, it being rumorqd that Santa Anna was on 
 his way to Mexico to make peace. We were to 
 stop him if found on his passage, and one day we 
 saw a black smoke denoting a steamer in the offing, 
 for which we made all sail. \Ye found that she 
 was steering for Vera Cruz and seemed desirous of 
 avoiding us, as we were right in her way. This 
 made us more anxious to stop her. She was under 
 full head of steam and attempted to cross our track, 
 when we gave her a 32-pound shot across her bow, 
 which caused her to stop. She was flying English 
 colors. We hove to under the lee of the steamer and 
 sent a boat on board. Passing under her stern, we 
 saw Santa Anna and his wife looking out of one of 
 the cabin windows. Mr. Kennedy was the board- 
 ing-officer, who exchanged salutations with the 
 officers of the steamer and stated his errand, when 
 he was invited into the cabin and introduced to 
 Santa Anna, who produced a paper and handed it to 
 Mr. Kennedy. It was a pass from President Polk 
 permitting the bearer to go into Mexico. We re- 
 turned to the ship, and the steamer went on her way 
 to Vera Cruz. 
 
 As our ship's company had been living on salt 
 provisions for a long time, the scurvy began to make 
 its appearance. For four months we had been 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 29 
 
 without fresh provisions, and something had to be 
 thought of to remedy the evil and prevent the terri- 
 ble disease. One morning, after breakfast, the 
 painters were ordered to paint out the white streak 
 around the ship ; and when this was done we made 
 sail for the land, hauling down the American flag 
 and hoisting the English. We ran within two miles 
 of the land and came to anchor in six fathoms of 
 water. We were about forty miles from Vera Cruz, 
 and, lowering our boats, we went ashore, where there 
 were some ten men waiting to find out what we 
 wanted. Our errand was made known, which was 
 to procure some beef cattle, and we found them 
 ready to trade. The price was named, which was 
 satisfactory to us; and then, mounting their horses, 
 they proceeded to lasso the cattle and bring them 
 to the beach, where our boats would each take one in 
 tow, and bring it to the ship. A strap was then 
 placed around the horns and the animal hoisted upon 
 deck. At 5 P.M. we had twenty head on board. I 
 think those on shore knew that we were not what 
 our flag denoted, but they were very kind and oblig- 
 ing, letting us have goats, chickens, and everything 
 we wanted, at fair prices. About $300 were left 
 with them. Our stock was stowed in between 
 the guns on deck, the goats, etc., placed under the 
 top-gallant forecastle. At 6 P.M. we hauled up the 
 boats, got under way, and made sail for the 
 squadron. At 2 A.M. hauled up till daylight, and 
 
30 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 at 6 A.M. bore up for the fleet, at 8 A.M. coming 
 to anchor under Green Island, where we made sig- 
 nals to the commodore that we had cattle on board 
 for the fleet. He sent his boats to help land them 
 on the island, and at 12 o'clock we had them all 
 landed, and commenced butchering. We had some 
 of the meat served several times, which affected the 
 men badly, and we had to give that up as "poor 
 fodder." We kept one goat for a pet, and we 
 taught him many tricks, in the performance of one 
 of which, one day, he forgot the number of his mess. 
 Mr. Kennedy was forward and started to go aft, 
 when Mr. Goat seemed to think that the oflScer being 
 a small man he had a soft thing in attacking him. 
 He made sail to "run the fleet," and Mr. Kennedy, 
 beino- directly in his course, received a butt that 
 hove him on his beam-ends. That was his last ex- 
 ploit, for next day he was served up for the officers' 
 dinner. 
 
 About this time we experienced a very heavy 
 "norther." It blew big guns, and we had to send 
 down all the upper yards and spars. The top- 
 gallant and royal yards and top-gallant mast were 
 lowered on deck, with the fore and main yards across 
 the hammock netting, the top -mast with top-sail yard 
 across the rim of the tops. There were four anchors 
 ahead during the gale, and, after it was over, the 
 commodore signalled to hoist up the lower yards, top- 
 mast, top-gallant mast, top-gallant and royal yards. 
 
^ LIFE AFLOAT. 31 
 
 It wanted seven minutes to eight-bells when the order 
 was given, and, when eight-bells struck, everything 
 was in its place, and the men were piped to break- 
 fast. Some merchant sailor might say that this could 
 not W don^ } but, with everything ready and plenty 
 of mefi, as on a man-of-war, it was easily per- 
 formed. 
 
 After a few days the commodore ordered our ship 
 to blockade Tampico. We made sail and proceeded 
 to our destination. We found the " John Adams " 
 there, the qommodore having changed his flag to the 
 "Cumberland." The day after we arrived we had a 
 severe norther. The day before the gale was beau- 
 tiful, with not a cloud to be seen in the sky. The 
 peak of Orizaba was in view some twenty-five leagues 
 from the coast, in lat. 19^ 3'. This mountain burst 
 forth in 1545, and continued in action twenty years, 
 since which time there has been no appearance of 
 combustion. Its height is 17,176 feet above the 
 level of the sea. To the north of Orizaba is Cofre 
 de Pezote, 13,992 feet above sea level. These 
 mountains upon the morning of the gale were very 
 bright, and the old sailors said, as they gave a hitch 
 to their pants and turned their quids over, " Look 
 out, boys ! you will have wind enough before night." 
 After breakfast all hands were called to reef top-sails, 
 get up storm-sails, and unshackle chains, to be all 
 ready to slip and crawl off sliore when the gale came. 
 At this time there was not a ripple on the water, nor 
 
32 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 a cloud to be seen. At 10.30 A.M. there was a 
 small cloud at the north, and at 11 A.M. the norther 
 struck the ship, sea and wind together, and in fifteen 
 minutes we had to slip or founder. We set the fore 
 and main top-sails with four reefs in them with lower 
 storm-sails, but the top-sails were blown out of the 
 bolt-ropes. There were no hemp sails. New ones 
 were immediately bent . The " John Adams " lay fifteen 
 minutes after we slipped. She made one plunge that 
 filled her decks with water. We set our top-sails 
 close-reefed and hauled off. At 1.45 P.M. we 
 shipped a sea, which carried away one of our boats 
 from the davits. It was blowing very heavy, with a 
 tremendous sea running, and the ship going oflf 
 shore like a thing of life. At 3 P.M. we got a good 
 offing and hove the ship to. She lay like a duck. 
 The morning after the gale the wind had moderated 
 80 much that we made sail to get to our anchorage 
 again, and by 12 M. we had all sail set. We spoke 
 an English man-of-war brig bound for Tampico. 
 At 2 P.M. we made the land, and at 4.30 picked up 
 our boat, which we had lost, all right. At 6 o'clock 
 we reached our anchorage, and soon found the buoy 
 to our chains. The " John Adams " did not arrive 
 till the morning followino^. 
 
 Tampico Bar is situated in lat. 22° 15' 56" N., and 
 long. 97° 50' 18 ' W., and the entrance of the river 
 is, I think, the most dangerous I have ever seen. 
 The general depth of water on the Bar is from eight 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 33 
 
 to fourteen feet, and the strong run of the river 
 coming out and meeting the surf makes one con- 
 tinuous «heet of broken water, the Bar beino: com- 
 posed of quicksands, that shift with every gale of 
 wind. Even with a fine day, and smooth water at 
 the anchorage, the Bar has a very alarming appear- 
 ance to a stranger. Much greater danger is incurred 
 when rowing out with a boat than going in, and 
 coming out with the wind blowing in ; one should 
 consider well before attempting it, for should he be 
 prevented from pulling out by a heavy sea and 
 wind he will find great diflftculty in getting back 
 against the current of the river, and " winding " the 
 boat is attended with greater danger than all the 
 rest. Within the river are from three to five 
 fathoms of water, and it is about three-quarters of a 
 mile wide. It is navigable for some ninety miles 
 from its entrance, and about five and a half miles 
 up is the old village of Tampico, on the south side 
 of the river. 
 
 The " John Adams " went to Pensacola for water 
 and provisions, leaving us alone on the blockade. 
 While sounding about we found a shoal spot of 
 seven fathoms, with a rocky bottom, and it was 
 thought it might prove a good place for fish. Some 
 conchs for bait were procured from spits, and we 
 struck out for the ledges. With baited hooks we 
 threw over for a bite, and did not have to wait long. 
 In about an hour we had all we wanted, of a kind 
 
34 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 called red-fish. Mr. Kussell, the officer of the 
 boat, got one on that he could not haul. The crew 
 bent on and captured it. It weighed fifty pounds. 
 
 The blockade was tedious without company, but 
 the monotony was relieved one morning by the sight 
 of a small skiff with one man in it rowing for our 
 ship. He came alongside, and proved to be an 
 Englishman from Tampico, who reported that the 
 Mexicans were fitting out three gun-boats at that 
 port, mounting one long 24-pounder each, and 
 carrying forty men. They were to guard the river 
 entrance. We had seen men building up fortifica- 
 tions of sand-bags, and the man informed us that 
 they were to aid the gun-boats in their defence of the 
 river, which was very narrow at the entrance. A 
 few days after this the gun-boats came down and took 
 their stations. They were beauties, of about one 
 hundred and twenty-five tons each, schooner rig, 
 built in New York three years before. 
 
 The officers kept chaffing the captain to cut them 
 out, and after a while he gave his consent to this. 
 The cutlasses were ground up, and every thing got 
 ready for active service. We were about five miles 
 from the mouth of the river, and one dark night we 
 hove up anchor and dropped in as near as the 
 water would allow, about two and a half miles from 
 the gun-boats. We hoisted out the launch, and 
 placed the 12-pound gun in her upon a slide, then 
 the first, second, and third cutters, — four boats in 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 35 
 
 all, — with crews amounting to sixty-five men. Mr. 
 Kennedy had the third cutter, with the Englishman 
 as pil(jt, with twelve men, myself included. We 
 were to find the channel, and the rest of the boats 
 were to follow us. Mr. Steedman had charge of 
 the launch, with twenty-five men ; two midshipmen 
 and Mr. North, the carpenter, were in the first 
 cutter, with eighteen men ; and one midshipman, 
 with Mr. Todd, the sailing-master, twelve men, and 
 boatswain, all armed w^ith cutlasses and pistols, in 
 the second. Our orders were to board on each side, 
 forward and aft. At 10 P.M., all being ready, 
 we started with mufifled oars, Mr. Kennedy taking 
 the lead. After rowing around for an hour we 
 found the entrance to the river. It was so dark 
 that we could not see a boat nor hear one. The 
 current was running very strong from the river, hut 
 it was smooth on the bar. We lay on our oars for 
 a short time, to see if the rest of the boats would 
 come up, and we had to remain very quiet, that we 
 might not alarm the enemy, ^e were within but a 
 short distance of a battery at the point we had to 
 pass. We here saw a light in the launch astern, 
 wdiich had got aground on the bar. The sentry 
 on the point saw the light and, gave the alarm. 
 We were so near that we could hear the enemy 
 talk and their officers give orders. Mr. Kennedy 
 gave the order to give way with a will. We had 
 to pass within fifteen yards of this fort, garrisoned 
 
36 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 by five hundred men in and around it, and when we 
 were abreast of it they let us have it, grape and 
 canister, together with musketry. It being very 
 dark, and we so near the beach, the shot went over 
 us, with the exception of one musket-ball that went 
 through he boat under the bow. In a few minutes 
 we were by the fort, and between the fort and 
 gun-boats. Firing commenced from the gun-boats 
 at the fort and from the fort at the gun-boats, the 
 former thinking we had possession of the fort, and 
 the latter that we had captured the gun-boats, and 
 were firing to prevent our getting out with them. 
 We rested upon our oars and let them blaze away 
 at each other, their shot passing over our heads 
 quite briskly. We waited half an hour for the 
 boats to come up, but they did not make their 
 appearance, and as we could not take three gun- 
 boats with our one crew, and it was getting very 
 hot for us, Mr. Kennedy gave orders to turn the 
 boat and " give it to her." We had the tide in our 
 favor, and she fiiirly flew out by the fort. They 
 again let drive at us, but did not do any harm. 
 
 As we got by we met Mr. Steedraan in the 
 launch, coming in like a steamboat. Mr. Kennedy 
 hailed him, and told him that it was of no use to 
 go in, as the enemy were on the alert. Mr. Steed- 
 man replied, "I don't care a d — . I am going to 
 have one shot at them." He ordered the launch 
 rowed to the shore, bow on, and gave them the 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 37 
 
 12-pouiider, loaded to the muzzle with musket- 
 balls. They did not return the fire, having all 
 skedaddled and left the fort. We did not know the 
 fact at the time. We then rowed out to the ship, 
 and, as we passed over the bar, we fell in with the 
 other boats, ashore on the spits. When we got 
 alongside, the captain was on deck, and, as he 
 listened to the report of the failure of the expedition, 
 he was the maddest of the lot. The surgeon had 
 all his instruments ready, with his bandages at 
 hand, but no one had received a scratch. 
 
 It was now 3 o'clock A.M., and all hands were 
 called to get the stream anchor out astern to bring 
 the ship broadside on the gun-boats. The two star- 
 board shell guns were shifted over to the port side, 
 thus bringing four shell guns to bear upon them. 
 As daylight made its appearance we could see the 
 gun-boats' crews standing by their guns, ready, as 
 it seemed, to commence the ball. At 5 A.M. the 
 drums beat to quarters. We opened w^ith the first 
 battery, but it was a long range for our 32- 
 pounders, — some two miles and three-quarters. 
 The shot would pass over them, but it was too 
 far for a direct shot with our three 32s, so we com- 
 menced with tbe shell guns. All of this time they 
 were firing at us ; but their shots flew over our 
 ship, not one hitting her. The first shell from the 
 ship burst a short distance beyond the gun-boats, 
 the second burst close alongside, the third one 
 
38 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 landed on the bow of one of the gun-boats, taking 
 the bowsprit and foremast out of her. Upon this 
 they all cut their cables and went up stream as fast 
 as the wind could carry them, taking the wounded 
 one in tow. After this we hove up anchor and 
 moved oiF to our old berth. 
 
 In about twenty days the " John Adams " arrived 
 from Pensacola to relieve us, in order that we might 
 go to that port on a like errand. She brought our 
 mail-bags, the receipt of which gives the greatest joy 
 to the sailor away from home, tied up as w^e had 
 been for a year. We revelled in letters, and papers 
 from all parts of the country. Mr. Waller, the 
 purser, let me have all his papers to read. He was 
 always very kind to me, and whenever I wanted a 
 book or paper he would send me to his room to get 
 whatever I wanted. 
 
 We got under way and made sail for Pensacola, 
 where we arrived in three days. We found the 
 commodore there. We came to anchor the first of 
 the evening, and on a man-of-war coming to anchor 
 there is always a man stationed in the fore chan- 
 nels to " stream the buoy." Jacob Ambrister was 
 stationed at the buoy, — a perfect dare-devil of a 
 fellow, a good sailor and shipmate, but who would 
 run the risk of losing his life for a pint of rum. 
 When Mr. Kennedy gave the order to stream the 
 buoy and let go the anchor, Jacob went with 
 them. Only a few were aware that Jake had gone 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 39 
 
 ashore to get some rum, in spite of sharks, with 
 which die harbor was full. Hammocks were piped 
 down at 9 P.M., and all hands turned in. I did 
 not know what time it was in the night when I was 
 awakened by the rattling of tin pots, denoting that 
 Jack had swam on board with skins full of rum 
 wound round him. He and his friends had a "good 
 time" that night, but were very quiet. 
 
 As the commodore had taken all the water from 
 the water-boat we had to go on a water-expedition. 
 There was a steamboat at the yard employed at times 
 for such expeditions, and so we manned her, fired up, 
 took the water-boat in tow, and started up the river 
 about forty miles. We were three days in filling the 
 tank and getting back to the ship. 
 
 The flag-ship went up to town, that the crew might 
 have " liberty." There was a circus that stopped at 
 Pensacola navy-yard, and our ship sent one watch on 
 shore to see it, but I think not one attended the show. 
 Every man made sail for town, that is nine miles from 
 the yard. I was one of the watch, and we started 
 oft' for Pensacola as soon as we landed. There were 
 several small streams to cross before we reached the 
 town, over which we were ferried in flat boats. We 
 arrived in town about nine o'clock, and found the men 
 from the '* Mississippi " on "liberty." They had ap- 
 propriated all the hall there was in the place, and 
 when we came to the door, finding them all three 
 sheets in the wind, and the other one shivering, our 
 
40 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 boys thought it best to " clean them out," so we took 
 charge ; but they had eaten up everything that was 
 in the house, and we got the proprietor to buy us 
 some coffee, while we went to the bake-house and 
 bought that out. By this time some of the men 
 were getting pretty full of fire-water. With the 
 coffee and gingerbread we had bought we had quite 
 a feast, but before we got througli with our supper 
 several of the party were thrown upon their beam- 
 ends who did not right till some of their rum ballast 
 was hove out. Those who kept sober had a very 
 pleasant time ; but there was no sleep for any of us. 
 In the morning we made sail for some grub, find- 
 ing all we wanted to eat and some nice bouquets of 
 flowers. In the afternoon we saw the launch coming 
 for us. We went to the wharf, and on calling the 
 roll it was found that six were missing. Every man 
 was sober, and each had a large bouquet. When 
 we went over the side of the ship the officers laughed, 
 to see our floral decorations. I gave my bouquet to 
 Mr. Kennedy's boy to put in his state-room, and that 
 evening, as Mr. Kennedy was under the top-gallant 
 forecastle smoking, he called mc to him, and giving 
 me two nice cigars, thanked me for the flowers. 
 
 Having about all of our stores on board, and the 
 water-tanks filled, the commodore sent word to say 
 that he would like to see some of our target practice, 
 as he had heard that we were very proficient in gun- 
 nery ; so we made a target of a hammock put upon 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 41 
 
 stretchers, with a staff set in the bung-hole of a cask, 
 which w^ placed about two miles from the ship. 
 At 2 P.M. we saw the commodore coming, when 
 all hands were beat to quarters. The starboard 
 battery was cast loose, and all was ready when he 
 arrived on board. The officers of the divisions 
 wanted us to do our level best to hold the belt. 
 We were to commence with No. 1, of which Joseph 
 Fletcher was captain. He gave the order to fire, 
 and when the smoke cleared away there was no tar- 
 get to be seen. It had been '* knocked into a 
 cocked hat" the first fire. The commodore said 
 that would do ; the retreat was beaten, and he came 
 down from the poop, passing compliments with the 
 officers, and returned to his ship. As he left, the 
 rigging was manned and we gave him three cheers. 
 Next morning tie "Mississippi" and our ship 
 made sail for Vera Cruz. The flag-ship went over 
 the bar all right, but we were not so lucky; we 
 took bottom and remained aground for four hours, 
 in the meantime a strong breeze had sprung from 
 the N.E. At 2 P.M. we came off, and on the third 
 day out we sighted the "Mississippi," arriving two 
 hours before her. We came to anchor in the road- 
 stead of ^Anton Lizardo, distant twelve miles from 
 Vera Cruz. It is formed by various shoals and reefs, 
 with island channels between them, and is of very 
 easy access, especially when a fresh wind causes the 
 sea to break on the shoals. These shoals, although 
 
42 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 they afford no shelter against the winds, break off the 
 sea so much that ships ride very securely at their 
 anchors, even during the hardest northerly gales. 
 The anchorage is spacious, and fit for every class 
 of vessels, for which reason, and because it is to 
 leeward north of Vera Cruz a thorough knowledge 
 of it is of the utmost importance to those who cannot 
 reach that part with northerly winds. 
 
 The saddest incident of my whole experience oc- 
 curred here. A noble man and shipmate lost* his 
 life by letting his passion run away with him. We 
 were at quarters one day, and after we had been 
 inspected by the officers the second part of our gun's 
 crew, as was the rule, was ordered to the port side 
 to rub the guns off. Samuel Jackson, the second 
 captain of my gun, had to see this order complied 
 with by his crew. When we mustered at quarters 
 we were required to wear shoes, that were to be 
 taken off when the muster was over ; and the orders 
 were strict that nothing should be put under the 
 guns. Jackson took his shoes off and put them 
 under the breast of the gun, and when Mr. Taylor, 
 the officer of our division, went over to the port 
 side to inspect the guns, he found Jackson's shoes, 
 which he took out and threw overboard. Jackson 
 said, "Them are my shoes." The officer made 
 some reply that Jackson did not like, who knocked 
 him down, and when he got up he knocked him down 
 again, blacking both of his eyes. The officers inter- 
 
I 
 
 LIFE AFLOAT. 43 
 
 fered, anU Jackson was arrested and put in irons. 
 He was in irons a month before he was tried by 
 court-martial, was found guilty, and sentenced to be 
 hanged at the yard-arm. • 
 
 It is death, by the laws of the navy, to strike 
 an officer. The law was read to us on the first 
 Sunday of every month, so every man fully under- 
 stood it. A petition was signed on every ship for 
 Jackson's pardon ; but Mr. Taylor was bound to have 
 him hanged. He was confined for three months be- 
 fore his sentence was executed, and when the day came 
 the yellow flag was hoisted at the fore. Then was 
 heard that doleful sound : ^^A.11 hands wit7iess pun- 
 ishrnent / " He was to be hanged at the fore yard-arm, 
 and a line was led in from the end of the yard to the 
 slings, where it was riven through a block, and ten 
 32-pound shot were attached to it, and a line rove 
 through the same block that held the shot, which 
 came down, and was drawn across the muzzle of No. 
 1 gun, so that when the gun was fired it would cut 
 the line, letting the weight down and carrying the 
 man up. 
 
 Jackson was brought up from the berth-deck with 
 his arms tied to his side. The captain was on deck, 
 with tears in his eyes and the death-warrant in his 
 hand. Jackson walked up before him, and locked 
 him straight in the eye while he was reading the 
 warrant. •He was a noble specimen of manhood ; in 
 height about five feet ten inches, dark hair and eyes, 
 
44 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 and weighed one hundred and ninety pounds. He 
 had been below so long that the tan had faded from 
 his cheeks. We hoisted signals that all was ready, 
 and every eye was on the Hag-ship, expecting to see 
 a signal for reprieve. The answer camq that the 
 execution was to proceed. After the death-sentence 
 was read to him Jackson went to the main fife-rail, 
 and said : " Shipmates, I will pray for you all." 
 I think there was no prayer ever offered up so 
 effective as that which he made. There was not a 
 dry eye in the ship. When he had finished, he said, 
 — "I am ready," walked forward, and took his place 
 on the platform over the gun. He was as calm as 
 death, and remained so as the noose was placed 
 about his neck and the cap drawn over his eyes. 
 His last words were " God have mercy on my soul ! " 
 the oun was fired, and he was in eternity. His 
 body was placed in a coffin and buried on Green 
 Island, from wdiich it was taken tw^o years later 
 to the States, in a schooner sent from New York, 
 where it was claimed as that of the son of an Irish 
 duke, Jackson being merely his ^' purser " name. 
 
 There was a gloom that hung over our ship for 
 days after the execution. It did not appear like the 
 same ship. The men seemed morose, and I think 
 the officers were alarmed at their appearance wlien 
 they came forward. After dark they invariably 
 took lanterns with them. 
 
 There came rumors of changes both on shore and 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 45 
 
 sea : that Gen, Scott was coming to take Vera Cruz, 
 and Com. Perry to take charge of the fleet. We 
 received orders to be ready to go up the* coast to 
 Cape Roxo, Lobos Island. Gen. Scott's army was 
 to be landed on Lobos Inland for discipline. This 
 island is in lat. 21^ 26' N., Ion. 16^ 45' W. of 
 Vera Cruz. From the north side a great rocky 
 shoal extends, which leaves a strait of only three 
 miles width between it and Blanquilla. In the 
 middle of this strait is a shoal, which requires the 
 utmost caution in passing through. To the south- 
 west of Lobos there is an excellent anchorage, well 
 sheltered from the northers, which requires no par- 
 ticular instructions to reach. It was here that the 
 transports came with the troops, and where we had 
 orders to go. When we arrived at Lobos there 
 were two ships with troops, and another arrived 
 several hours later with surf-boats stowed in the 
 hold. We went on board to help hoist the boats 
 out. The deck-frame was sawed off, with a level 
 edge all round, and bolts passed through to hold the 
 planks in their places. We had to erect purchases 
 to hoist the decks up in sections in order to get the 
 boats out, which were very large, each designed to 
 carry a hundred men. i ^it^ these the troops 
 were landed on the island. Sappers and miners 
 were sent ahead to clear up the ground, which was 
 all covered with bushes, and as they made room the 
 soldiers began to pitch their tents. Our ship's com- 
 
46 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 pany continLied to land the troops and stores until it 
 began to look like an army camp, with a nice parade- 
 ground cleared away for drilling. Two more ships 
 arrived during the day, and we had all we could do 
 day and night to discharge them. Two ships left in 
 the meantime for New Orleans. Six remained and 
 two more were expected. 
 
 One night about this time the sentry hailed a 
 boat that was coming towards the ship. The crew 
 replied that they were shipwrecked sailors. They 
 came on board and reported that they had been 
 wrecked about twenty miles to the north. Their 
 ship had run on shore with one hundred and forty 
 soldiers and sixty tons of powder and other munitions 
 of war on board. The ship's boats had landed the 
 soldiers, on the beach, with their arms and tents, and 
 they had come down to Lobos for help. They were 
 afraid the Mexicans Avould board the ship and 
 plunder her if we did not get there soon. So we 
 got under way and took a schooner, with one hun- 
 dred and fifty riflemen on board, and started. 
 
 At 10 A.M. we sighted the ship, stern on to the 
 beach, with all sail set. We came to anchor about 
 one mile from her, and could see tents on the 
 beach with quite a number of men about them. 
 Some were on horses on the hills back of the beach 
 armed with lances. We hoisted out the launch and 
 put the 12-pounder in her, well loaded with grape, 
 and rowed for the ship, which was about one hun- 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 47 
 
 dred yards from shore. We could not see any of 
 our soldiers, and we expected they were all prisoners 
 or had heen killed. It was very smooth on the 
 beach, and we rowed alongside the ship and went on 
 board. They began to fire at us from the shore, 
 and Mr. Kennedy went up to the main-top, with his 
 glass, to see if our soldiers were anywhere in sight. 
 They commenced firing at him, when he ordered us 
 to drop the launch under the stern and give them a 
 taste of grape. As soon as the Mexicans saw the 
 tarpaulin hauled off the gun they began to run to 
 the hills. The men on the schooner were wild to go 
 on shore and have a hack at them, but the oflftcers 
 thought it best not to do so, as we wanted to find 
 out where the soldiers were. 
 
 After Mr. Kennedy came down he ordered us to 
 get all the oil and spirits we would find on board, 
 turn it on the sails and about the decks and set 
 her on fire. This we did, and she began to burn 
 pretty lively. We returned to the boat, and, hoist- 
 ing a flag of truce, rowed to the shore. In a few 
 minutes a man with a white flag came to the boat. 
 We bad an interpreter, who asked the man where 
 the soldiers were who came on shore. He replied 
 that they had gone to Tampico the night before. 
 He said there was a sick soldier in one of the tents 
 and we had better take him along. So he was 
 taken to the boat and we carried him to the ship. 
 All this time the ship was burning briskly, and we 
 
48 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 hurried away before the fire should reach the 
 powder. We rode to our ship, hoisted in the 
 launch, weighed anchor, made sail, and worked off 
 shore away from the burning ship. At 5.30 P.M. 
 she blew up. It was a grand sight. One mast 
 went into the air fully one hundred feet ; and she 
 went all to atoms. The ship hailed from Bath, and 
 I think her name was the "Acapulco." We re- 
 turned to Lobos Island, where were encamped 
 thirteen thousand men. 
 
 A few days after, the fleet came up from Yera Cruz 
 to take Tampico, consisting of ships " Princeton," 
 " Saratoga," "Portsmouth," "Karitan," "Potomac," 
 and "Spitfire" and "Vixen" gun-boats. Our ship 
 joined the fleet, and all immediately sailed for Tam- 
 pico, off which they arrived next morning. Only three 
 of the steam gun-boats were to go in, as there was not" 
 water enough, and the large ships sent their boats, 
 well equipped. The " Princeton " took lead, with the 
 " Spitfire " and " Vixen " in line, with all the ship's 
 boats, containing some three hundred men, made fast 
 alongside. When all was ready we started, and, as 
 we neared the Bar, the "Princeton" fired her big 
 gun, loaded with shell, which landed on the shore 
 but awakened no reply. We had to pass a battery 
 of thirteen guns, and expected that we should have 
 to storm it before the gun-boats could pass. As 
 we drew near, all eyes were upon it, expecting to 
 receive a broadside. The big gun was trained upon 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 49 
 
 it, but when we came close to it there were neither 
 guns nor men to be seen in the fort, and we steamed 
 up by it without a shot. A short distance above we 
 were met by the authorities with a flag of truce, 
 who surrendered the town without firing a gun. 
 We went up abreast of the town and came to anchor. 
 The three gun-boats that we had tried to cut out 
 were lying there all stripped, with no sails bent and 
 no guns mounted. Our boat made for one of them, 
 and the officers sent on shore for the sails, which 
 were speedily sent oflp. We bent them, and remained 
 on board that night. We found, next morning, 
 her armament hidden away up the river, which we 
 mounted again, and then took the vessel out to the 
 fleet ; from there it was sent down to Vera Cruz. 
 
 The fleet was ordered back to Lobos Island to 
 reembark the troops for Vera Cruz. We arrived 
 at the island next morning, and the troops gave us 
 three cheers as we came to anchor. They were 
 eager and anxious to be at the front. The boats of 
 all the ships were hoisted out to convey the men on 
 board. The ships, with the surf-boats, had been 
 ordered to Vera Cruz, to be in readiness to land the 
 troops, and we were eager to get them on their way 
 in time. We were to tjommence at midnight, and 
 the men went to their tents at dark to rest until 
 that hour. At twelve the drums began to beat the 
 retreat, and at the same time the boatswains and 
 their mates, on all the ships, were piping up all 
 
50 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 hands. In a very short time the boats were ready 
 and sent to the island, which was quite near. It 
 was fun to the bhie-jackets to seethe soldiers tumble 
 in and out of the boats. Each ship was to take all 
 that was prudent, but still we were to take the whole 
 thirteen thousand. By daylight we had them all on 
 board, and the island was deserted by the living; 
 but there were a few left, who will remain till the 
 last summons shall call " All hands ! " 
 
 As soon as the confusion had subsided we got 
 under way and made all sail for Anton Lizardo, four 
 miles south-east of Vera Cruz. We had about forty 
 miles to run, with a J^esh north-east breeze blow- 
 incr. At seven-bells we were piped to breakfast, 
 with one thousand men added to our ship's company ; 
 but there was enough for all. The soldiers liked 
 the change very much. At 10.30 we made the 
 castle of St. Juan de Ulloa, and at 12 M. we came 
 to anchor. 
 
 The ships had all arrived with the troops in good 
 trim, having on board our new commodore, Perry, 
 and Gen. Scott. This was the 9th of March, 1847, 
 a most important day. The weather was exceed- 
 ingly fine, with a light breeze from the north-east and 
 no't a ripple on the beach. At 1 P.M. the boats 
 were manned by the blue-jackets, and the troops 
 were ordered ashore. It was a pleasant sight to see. 
 Everything moved like clock-work, without con- 
 fusion, the men in the best of spirits, and all wanting 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 51 
 
 to land first. As we drew near the shore, so eag-er 
 were they, they would jump overboard, with the 
 water up to their waists', holding their guns over 
 their heads to keep them dry. They were all landed, 
 without a mishap, about four miles from the castle 
 and city, the task completed at 6 P.M. A few 
 lances could be seen around the sand-hills, but the 
 troops were not molested who slept on the beach all 
 night. 
 
 The United States flag was planted on the shore 
 in full view of the castle and city, and appearances 
 indicated a brisk time in a few days. War material 
 and provisions were landed by the ships' companies, 
 and the gunboats " Vixen " and '^ Spitfire " went up 
 to the castle to reconnoitre. As they steamed up 
 towards the castle the Mexicans opened fire upon 
 them, the shot striking all around them. Capt. 
 Tatnal, of the " Spitfire," returned the fire, and hove 
 several shells into the city. The Mexicans fired 
 upon the gun-boats with all the guns that could be 
 brouglit to bear, and it was quite amusing as well as 
 exciting to see the gun-boats lying there with the 
 shot and shell falling around them, until the commo- 
 dore hoisted signals for them to return. 
 
 Gen. Scott had a battery erected in the rear of 
 the city, which was to be the naval battery, and we 
 had orders to dismount No. 7 gun (the one that I 
 was captain of) to be sent on shore. This was to 
 be followed by eight other guns from our ship, and 
 
52 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 each ship of the eight composing the fleet was to 
 send a 64-pound siege-gun to the naval battery, 
 with thirty men to each gun../ The crew of each gun 
 on shipboard is fifteen, so we took the crew of No. 
 8 to add to that of No. 7, — thirty in all. John 
 Harrington was first captain of No. 8, Jack Savage, 
 second, and William Dority second of No. 7, which 
 I had charge of. When the battery was ready for 
 the guns we took one of the surf-boats alongside, 
 hoisted the gun up and lowered it into the boat. It 
 was very rough on the beach, so we took a coil of 
 rigging and a 50-pound anchor, and, rowing in back 
 of the breakers, we let go anchor and gave way for 
 the beach, paying away on the line. This was to 
 enable us to haul the boat off again. W^e landed all 
 right, but the large wheels employed in transferring 
 cannon to places wliere they can be used would not 
 go over our boat, so Mr. Kennedy called for an axe 
 with which we cut a hole in her side. A rope was 
 bent on to the wheels, and by the strength of fifteen 
 hundred men the gun was drawn through the open- 
 ing. With the broadside of our boat cut away, we 
 had to take another, in order to get on board. They 
 were twenty-four hours in dragging that gun through 
 the sand to the battery, causing the death of several 
 mules. The guns were mounted before we were 
 ordered to man them. 
 
 After the guns were mounted and everything 
 x^Yy we went on shore, and while marching up 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 53 
 
 to the battery, met our grand old commander, Gen. 
 WinfieM Scott. He was alone, and we formed in 
 two lines, uncovered our heads, and gave him three 
 rousing cheers. He was mounted on an iron-gray 
 horse, and as he gained the centre of the lines 
 he stopped, then taking oiF his military hat to wipe 
 his brow, he said : " Seamen of the American navy, 
 you are about to man the guns that are to breach 
 the walls of Vera Cruz. I have all confidence that 
 you will show the nation that sailors can fight as 
 well on land as on the sea. Show them that the 
 spirit of '76 and 1812 inspires you to-day, and if we 
 have to storm the city you shall have the honor of 
 leading the stormers." 
 
 We arrived at the battery in the afternoon and 
 found everything ready for action. Our battery 
 was placed in front of a long hill that runs in from 
 the country, and when about seventeen hundred 
 yards *from the city, drops off quite steep to the 
 plain below. The cemetery was in front of us, and 
 a few shops and dwelling-houses, but we being so 
 high our shots would pass over them. Chaparral was 
 placed around our battery to hide it from the enemy. 
 Everything was quiet, and no one was allowed to 
 mount the s^nd-bags, though we could see the Mexi- 
 cans in their batteries. Our guns were run into the 
 embrasures and concealed with sand-bags and chap- 
 arral. As the evening drew near and everything 
 was ready, the guns all shotted and guards set for 
 
54 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 the night, we threw ourselves down upon the 
 sand-bags for a little rest or sleep, and, as we closed 
 our eyes, the thought ran through our minds that 
 this mio-ht be the last night on earth for some of us, 
 for in the morning we were to open with all the big 
 guns upon the wall andlfbrtifications of Vera Cruz 
 and the castle of St. Juan de Ulloa. As our eyes 
 closed in slumber we were carried in dreams back 
 to our boyhood's home, again to feel the warm hand 
 of our mother on our head, giving us her l^lessing, 
 and brothers, sisters, friends were again around us 
 in the happy light of our boyhood's days. 
 
 Our slumbers and dreams were dissolved by the 
 report of a heavy gun and the whiz of a shot over 
 our heads. The word was given to clear away the 
 battery. The enemy had discovered us. In a 
 very few minutes the chaparral and bags of sand 
 were removed from the embrasures, the men, 
 stripped to their waists, each at his station v, aiting 
 the word to fire. The enemy had opened from all 
 his batteries, the shot flying over our heads as thick 
 as hailstones, plunging into the sand-banks in the 
 rear of our gun and rolling down. At 5 A.M. the 
 order was given to open the ball with our battery 
 of eight guns with solid shot. There were some 
 three hundred guns directed at us. About 10 A.M. 
 Gen. Scott and staif, Com. Perry, and other officers 
 of the army and navy were in our battery. The 
 Commodore wanted to see how the boys were getting 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 55 
 
 along. Gen. Scott told the officer of our division 
 that if he had to storm the place he should take 
 one thousand sailors to lead the stormers. The 
 officer asked his reason. "Why," said the General, 
 " they will all fight on their own hook." 
 
 The Mexicans began to get a better range, and 
 their shot came very near our heads. We made 
 every one of our shots tell. We were called to 
 direct our aim at the walls of the city. We could 
 see the fragments of stone fly in every direction 
 where the shot struck, the stone being a soft coral. 
 As I was captain of the gun part of the time the 
 boys would say, " Give that steeple a shot," and if 
 tEe" officer in command was not looking I would 
 please them. The pieces could be seen to fly, which 
 the boys greatly enjoyed. Our gun began to get 
 very hot, and it required two men, with swabs, to 
 cool it off. Before noon we had silenced a number 
 of their guns. At 12 A.M. a part of the gun's 
 crew got their rations of salt-pork and hard-tack, 
 which was all they had. About 4 P.M. Midship- 
 man Shubrick was killed by a round shot, his head 
 taken completely off. His father, the commander 
 of one of the squadron, was in the battery at the 
 time, and it was a sad blow for him. The young 
 man was a very promising officer. Shortly after a 
 seaman belonging to United States steamer, " Sara- 
 toga," was killed. At 6 P.M. we ceased firing until 
 Gen. Worth continued the bombardment, 
 
56 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 with his mortars phmted a little to the north of us, 
 and his shells were in the air all night. Nothing 
 disturbed the slumbers of our men in the battery 
 before morning. Their dreams of war were inter- 
 spersed with glimpses of home, — of mothers fondly 
 blessing their children, and fathers enjoining upon 
 their sons to discharge their duty like true American 
 seamen. Alas ! such dreams were broken by the 
 sound of drum and fife beating to quarters. As we 
 mustered at the gun we saw that the Mexicans had 
 filled up tlie breaches in their walls with bags of 
 sand, which the boys said they would knock the 
 stufiSng out of in a short time. 
 
 Jliere was a brisk norther blowing, and it was 
 quite cold, but the boys did not mind it, peeling 
 off everything except their pants. They ate their 
 pork and bread in silence, thinking that this 
 might be their last meal. It was for two of my 
 shipmates. I had fired fifteen rounds and had 
 loaded the gun, put on the cap, and taken the lock- 
 string in my hand, when t^ other captain came 
 behind me to take my place". '^ I stepped back as 
 he received the string from me, and at that instant a 
 shot came into the embrasure, striking the top of 
 the lock, and driving it through the head of James 
 McGinness, the crow and handspike man, and 
 entered the breast of Jack Harrison, taking away 
 one-half of it. We removed the bodies and covered 
 them over with canvas. For six hours we made the 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 57 
 
 shot fly, breaclnng tlie enemy's walls, dismantling 
 their guns, and shooting away their flag-staff on 
 every fort. One poor fellow, with more bravery than 
 discretion, raised a flag-staff and held it up. A shot 
 from our gun cut the flag-staif and the man each in 
 two pieces, and the staff was not raised again. At 
 5 P.M. we ceased firing for the night. 
 V After we had rested we began to have some fun. 
 But fun, no more than work, can be well done upon 
 an empty stomach, and so some of the men went out 
 into thQ chaparral to procure something for supper. 
 They brought in a bullock, which we knocked in the 
 head, took the hide off\ and the carcass was hung on 
 a pole, over a huge fire, to roast. After it had 
 roasted a while each one would walk up to it, cut a 
 piece off with his sabre and devour it. After all 
 hands had satisfied hunger the boys went out again 
 and returned with several donkeys, upon which they 
 prepared to ride. They felt elated with their prize, 
 and, in order to amuse the officers, performed a 
 good many pranks. One got a log of wood and a 
 rope and went through the manoeuvre of mooring a 
 ship. He would put the animal under headway, 
 then heave o^ er his log, that served as anchor, pay 
 out his scope, and bring him up all standing. An- 
 other old sailor mounted one, getting as far back as 
 he could, and an officer asked him why he seated 
 himself so far aft. 
 
 " This ship," was the reply, " is the first I ever 
 
58 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 commanded, and I shall take charge of the quarter- 
 deck as long as there is a timber-head left." 
 
 He performed some amusing tricks for the benefit 
 of all hands, and it was dark before the sport was 
 ended. As the darkness fell around us we sought 
 the rest needed for the morrow's renewal of strife, 
 and throwing ourselves upon the sand, with the 
 heavens for a canopy, we all slept soundly until we 
 were awakened by firing of the pickets. The alarm 
 was given from a supposition that the Mexicans 
 were about making a sortie. We each made a rush 
 for our gun, to protect it if they undertook to 
 capture and spike it. The alarm was general. 
 The drums beat to quarters, and we could hear the 
 tramp of our soldiers in response to orders of the 
 officers. From under and on the walls of the city 
 we could hear the sounds of bugles and the barking 
 of dogs, attended with discharges of musketry. In 
 the meantime the soldiers had arrived at our bat- 
 tery, and found that the blue-jackets had formed 
 around their guns, with every man at his post, the 
 guns loaded with grape and canister, ready for any 
 emergency. While thus waiting, a man on horse- 
 back dressed all in white leaped his horse over 
 the top of our battery and down on the platform. 
 He looked like the Evil One dressed in lawn. He 
 had on a woman's night-dress, and a three-cornered 
 cap on his head, — a most unique and striking figure.! 
 He proved to be one of those reckless, hair-brained 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 59 
 
 fellows who are always in mischief, and fear nothing 
 above or below. He had caused the alarm. While 
 the boys were amusing themselves in the evening 
 he had stolen out by the pickets and gone on a raid- 
 ing expedition among the houses in the suburbs of 
 the city, raising considerable plunder. He then 
 had ventured under the walls of the city and appro- 
 priated a splendid horse, on which he had returned 
 to the battery. Our pickets took alarm at his 
 approach, with the result described. When first 
 seen he was on a full gallop, with his white night- 
 dress streamino^ out behind. He belono^ed to the 
 United States ship "Potomac." Quiet was soon re- 
 stored, and we again laid ourselves to rest that he had 
 deprived us of. As the dawn made its appearance 
 we were aroused from our slumbers, and, after par- 
 taking of our rations of pork and bread, we went to 
 our gun and waited for orders. 
 
 This was the third day of the bombardment, and 
 we were waiting for the Mexicans to open fire. We 
 could see men in the batteries that had not been 
 rendered useless, but at 8 A.M. word came that a 
 flao: of truce w^as out neo^otiatino- for a surrender of 
 the city and castle. The parties came to terms in 
 the afternoon under which the Mexican soldiers 
 were to march out, stack their arms, and agree not 
 to take arms again during the war, the officers to 
 retain their side-arms. They were to evacuate the 
 city the next day, and our army and navy were to 
 
60 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 form a square, to witness their surrender. This was 
 done, and the army, under Scott, and the navy, 
 under Perry, marched down to the western gate, 
 from which in a short time the troops came march- 
 ing out and stacked their guns. A large nun^er of 
 women and children came with them who were half- 
 starved, and the sailors gave them all the bread they 
 had in their haversacks. As they marched away we 
 all marched in, and hoisted the stars and stripes 
 over the city and castle of San Juan de Ulloa. 
 
 After seeing our flag thus flung to the breeze we 
 all went below to explore the dungeons at the bot- 
 tom of the castle. They were horrible-looking 
 places, and in most of them were ring-bolts with 
 chains attached. In one very filthy and loathsome 
 dungeon were the bones of some poor wretch who 
 had died with shackles on his ankles and wrists. AYe 
 did not stay long amid such scenes as these, but left 
 for Vera Cruz, the place where the boats from the 
 ships landed. We arrived there as the sun was 
 sinking behind the hills. It was "blowing great 
 guns " from the north, and no boats could land on 
 the beach at this place. The supplies for the army 
 were stored here, and we asked the oflftcer in charge 
 if he had any place where we could find shelter for 
 the night. His answer was : — 
 
 "Heave ahead, my lads !. I have a large bedroom 
 that has a very soft carpet on the floor." 
 
 In a short time we came to an enclosure formed 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 61 
 
 of pork barrels, about forty ^aet square and eight 
 feet high, with an entrance on one side, the promised 
 " carpet " a flooring of very fine sand. 
 
 " There, boys ! " said the officer who had accom- 
 panied us, " that is the best I can do for you." 
 
 We thanked him, and each began to make his 
 bed by scooping out a place in the sand to lie in. 
 We hove down our overcoats for a pillow, the boat- 
 swain's mate piped " down," and in a few moments we 
 were in the arms of Morpheus. We slept as soundly 
 as we would in our hammocks on board the ship. 
 
 The sun was up before we heard the boatswain's 
 mate pipe calling all hands to " Up hammocks ! " 
 The gale had moderated, and the sea had gone down, 
 but it was only with great care that the boats could 
 land before 10 o'clock. We took our breakfast of 
 raw pork and hard bread, and after that indulged in 
 a stroll upon the beach to pass away the time till the 
 boats should come and take us off to the ships, which 
 lay a mile and a half from shore. About half-past 
 9 we saw the boats lowered away and manned, 
 and at 10 o'clock they landed at the beach. We all 
 tumbled in and were transferred to the ships. Our 
 shipmates on board were glad to give us the sailor's 
 grip, which we as gladly returned. We had a mel- 
 ancholy story to tell them of those we had laid away 
 in the sand, who were deeply missed. Jack Har- 
 rington was a true son of the ocean, and was 
 beloved by all his shipmates. I have made many in- 
 
62 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 quiries to find some one of his family, in Maine ; but 
 in vain. He came from the eastern part of the State. 
 James McGinness, the other one belonging to our 
 ship that was killed, was also a good man, and much 
 liked by his shipmates. No one knew w^here he be- 
 lono-ed. He came on board in a draft of men from 
 New Orleans. 
 
 The usual routine of the ship was resumed : ex- 
 ercising at the guns, sails, and spars, and now and 
 then, for variety, some man would get a dozen lashes 
 for insubordination or disobedience. Man-o'-war 
 duty in war time is no holiday amusement. 
 
 Gen. Scott and his army immediately started on 
 their march to the city of Mexico, and we had news 
 about every day of their progress. Their first battle 
 after leaving Vera Cruz was that of Cerra Gordo. 
 This was succeeded in quick succession by the 
 battles of Contreras, Cherubuso, Molino del Rey, and 
 Chepultepec. The news came rapidly announcing 
 these victories, and when the report was made that 
 the stars and stripes were waving proudly over the 
 walls of the Montezumas the ships fired a salute of 
 twenty-one guns. On the morning previous to the 
 salute the order was given to the quarter-gunners to 
 draw the shot from the guns, but by some mistake 
 the shot was left in No. 9, starboard side of our 
 ship. There was a schooner lying on our beam, 
 about five hundred yards off, having a deck-load of 
 mules, with a barricade on which two men were 
 
 SSs? 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 63 
 
 seated. The shot from No. 9 passed between their 
 leofs and killed two mules. For this mistake the 
 quarter-gunner was broken and lost his billet. 
 
 A few days after this event it was noised about 
 the ship that we were to be ordered home. We did 
 not pay much attention to the report till one morn- 
 ing in the latter part of April, 1848, we were 
 aroused from our sleep by the boatswain and his 
 mates calling all hands to " up anchor " for the 
 United States ! Of all the jumping and springing 
 on a berth-deck this was never surpassed. In the 
 short time of fifteen minutes the anchor was on the 
 bow and every yard of canvas spread to the breeze. 
 As we left, all the ships manned their rigging and 
 gave us three cheers. 
 
 It must be imagined how we felt, with the pros- 
 pect of home before us, after three years of buffeting 
 with the sea and encounter with the enemy, with 
 merely one day's liberty for ourselves in all that 
 time. Those who have been absent from their 
 homes for years can tell how we felt. I had not 
 been home for five years, and had heard from there 
 but once since leaving. There were those, besides, 
 who had not been home since their boyhood, that 
 were past fifty years. Jack Savage said to me on 
 the passage that he would like to see his old home 
 once more. It was eighteen years, he said, since 
 he had seen his old mother, and his eyes moistened 
 as he spoke the word " mother." 
 
64 LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 "Jack," said I, "I will not part company with you 
 till your yards are squared for home port." 
 
 "Well, Jim," he replied, "you have been a kind 
 shipmate to me, and have got me out of many a 
 scrape while I have been on my beam-ends with 
 drink." 
 
 " Well, Jack," said I, " I will still be your friend ; 
 but you must promise to give me your money to 
 keep, when you are paid off, until you are within 
 hailing distance of home, and only drink when I do. 
 If you can do that there will be no trouble, and you 
 will reach home on an even keel." 
 
 " With God's help," he said, " I will do so." 
 
 We had a very pleasant passage home, and in 
 five days after leaving Vera Gruz we made the 
 Island of Guba. At 6 P.M., the first day of May, 
 we tacked ship in sight of Moro Gastle, with a 
 pleasant breeze from the east, bound for Gape 
 Henry, off which we arrived on the 10th. It was 
 foggy in the morning, and the ship was hove to, a 
 gun being fired for a pilot. In a short time the fog 
 lifted, and the pilot-boat was seen close aboard of 
 us. The pilot came on board, when all sail was 
 made for Norfolk, Va., and after passing Fortress 
 Monroe a steam-tug came to tow us up. We clewed 
 up sails and handed them, sent down top-gallant 
 and royal yards, and at 5 P.M. came to anchor off 
 the city of Norfolk. Our ship was soon surrounded 
 by boats from the shore, manned by white and black 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 65 
 
 crews, to see their friends, that left there three 
 years before. Most of our officers belonged in the 
 State of Virginia, the captain's residence in full sight 
 from the ship. It was sad for him, on his return, 
 to learn thgt one of his children had been laid away 
 during his absence. Like sadness awaited many of 
 us on returning to our homes. Death is no re- 
 specter of persons or conditions, — the rich and the 
 poor alike are open to the common fate. Some of 
 my shipmates received letters from home, part with 
 good news and part with bad, relating how mothers, 
 fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends had yielded to 
 the destroyer. Some weather-worn old salt would 
 be seen stowed away between the guns, holding a 
 sheet of paper in his trembling hands, and reading 
 with dimming eyes the account of some dear friend 
 who had moored ship for the last time. We re- 
 spected his emotion, while our own eyes watered in 
 sympathy as we passed by him in his solitary grief. 
 We were to wait at Norfolk until we should 
 receive orders from Washington. ISText morning 
 after our arrival a number of black women came on 
 board to gQi "boarders," that is, to supply us with 
 meals from the shore. We stopped all our ship's 
 rations and our meals were brought to us. It was 
 nice to have the change from sea to land food and 
 cookery, after having partaken of the former so long, 
 and w^e greatly enjoyed it. Jack Savage and myself 
 boarded with a black woman who supplied us with 
 
6Q LIFE AFLOAT. 
 
 splendid fare. I give her bill of fare for one day : 
 baked ducks, green peas and vegetables, with a 
 dessert of ice-cream , — a banquet with which hungry 
 sailors might well be satisfied. After lying here a 
 week an order came to go to the yard, strip ship, 
 and pay oiF the men. We hauled alongside the 
 wharf at 8 A.M., May 18, 1848, and by 12 o'clock 
 she was thoroughly stripped, with shot, shells, 
 water-tanks, and everything in the hold removed, 
 a coat of whitewash inside from stem to stern, con- 
 cluding the operation. At 2 P.M. the paymaster 
 came on board, and by 3.30 all hands had their 
 pay. 
 
 Every one was happy to receive his money, and 
 bags and hammocks were flying about in every di- 
 rection. Jack and I paid our board to the black 
 woman, amounting to $4. Then we tumbled our 
 bags into a boat alongside and stepped in ourselves, 
 intending to go to Norfolk from the navy-yard. 
 A large schooner lay in the stream, bound to New 
 York, and we found that she wanted twenty-five 
 passengers. The chance was too good to be lost, 
 and so we boarded her, and formed a part of the 
 number. The whole list was. soon completed, and 
 she sailed for New York. Jack had kept his word 
 reo^ardinsr drinkino^, and had not been drunk since 
 our agreement. There was no liquor on board, and 
 I felt little anxiety about him, but dreaded his 
 arrival in New York. We made the passage in 
 
LIFE AFLOAT. 67 
 
 two days, arriving on Monday morning. He gave 
 me no trouble, and putting our baggage upon the 
 sound steamer, left New York at 4 P.M. for Ston- 
 ington. *Jack was all right, and I think he felt 
 proud that he could withstand the temptation that 
 beset him on every hand. 
 
 We arrived the next day in Boston, and in going 
 down Hanover street Jack met his elder brother, 
 the captain of a schooner just ready to sail for home. 
 Here we shook hands and bade each other good-by. 
 The last words that Jack said was : " I will keep my 
 promise to you." I heard from him after his return 
 home, and when, some fifteen years later, I met 
 him, he was master of a fine vessel, and a steady and 
 honorable man. 
 
 After leaving Jack in Boston I took the train for 
 my home in the State of Maine. As I arrived at my 
 mother's door I rapped, and she opened it. She 
 looked wonderingly at my bronzed face, and said, 
 "Who is it?" — "Mother," said I, "don't you know 
 your boy ? " What followed the reader can judge 
 better than I can tell it. 
 
 The foregoing is a record of events occurring 
 between 1845 and 1848, written entirely from 
 memory in 1884. 
 
._.rrx f^. 
 
■S\ 
 

 V 
 
 •c^. 
 
 ^ o 
 
 % 
 
 s 
 
 V 
 

 
 > 
 
 lOv* 
 
 ^^-^^^ V 
 
 
 
 •T,.' .«*' 
 
 ^ -^ym^S /\ 'WWS *^'% \W-° /\ °» 
 

 
 V * 
 
 
 A> «" " -» ^ 
 
 
 ^^n^ 
 
 ■3- vi^ 
 
 
 
 -J.*- .oV." 
 
 
 %!t^^ N. MANCHESTER, 
 INDIANA 46962 
 
 
 .♦ „^.l^-. -o^^^V 
 
 
 ■» V.