Monday, August 15, 2016

USS Santee-- Part 3: Action at Galveston

Continued from August 9, 2016.

On 7 November 1861, boats from the Santee entered Galveston Bay with the idea of capturing and burning the Confederate steamer General Rusk, but in attempting to avoid detection, the boats ran aground and were detected.

The boats commander, Lt. James Edward Jouett, then decided to capture the Confederate lookout vessel Royal Yacht and captured it after a desperate hand-to-hand fight.  They set it afire and returned to the Santee with twelve prisoners.

Union losses were 1 killed and 8 wounded, one of these mortally.  One 15-year-old sailor named James Henry Carpenter was wounded in the thigh and received commendations for his role and was appointed the United States Naval Academy and served again on the USS Santee when it became an Academy schools school ship.

Another sailor, George H. Bell, received a Medal of Honor.

--Old B-R'er

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