With
so many superhero movies to choose from it may be difficult
to remember real-life heroes aren't bullet-proof, can't
travel at the speed of light and don't wear capes.
There are hundreds of untold stories of these real-life
heroes who often put their own lives in jeopardy to save the
lives of complete strangers.
James Hutchinson Scott
was one of these heroes who lived to serve others. Born in
East Liberty, Pennsylvania, on February 11, 1868, Scott was
a member of a distinguished military family.
Scott
decided to join the Revenue Cutter Service, one of the
predecessor services that created the modern-day Coast
Guard. He received an appointment to the Revenue Cutter
Service School of Instruction and graduated with the class
of 1891.
During his career, Scott demonstrated his bravery on many
occasions. For example, during the cadet cruise to Europe
aboard the sail training ship, Salmon P. Chase, the vessel's
quartermaster fell overboard. Scott immediately jumped
overboard to rescue the drowning man.
Scott's active
duty career began on the Cutter Woodbury. On an icy, subzero
day in January 1891, the Woodbury was cruising east of its
homeport of Portland, Maine, when they came across the wreck
of a three-masted schooner that had grounded on a rocky
island. Heavy seas broke clear over the schooner, forcing
the crew took refuge on a high ledge.
US Revenue Cutter Woodbury during the 1891 period. (U.S. Navy courtesy photo)
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Woodbury's commanding officer commandeered a fishing dory in
a local village to attempt the rescue in the island's
roiling surf. After retrieving the fishing boat from the
village, the captain called for volunteers and Scott
immediately stepped forward. As Scott's dory deployed into
the stormy sea, a U.S. Life-Saving Service surfboat appeared
from down the coast and the race was on to see who would
save the shipwrecked men.
Despite the greater
experience and boat handling skills of the Life-Saving
Service crew, Scott's dory reached the stranded sailors
first. After some unsuccessful attempts to heave a line to
the freezing men, Scott secured the rope around his waist
and jumped into the bone-chilling water. He swam toward the
rocks, yelling at the boat's officer to pay out the line.
Scott reached the surf zone where seas dashed him against
the rocks. He was dazed by his wave-tossed landing, but the
sailors grabbed him and hauled him onto the slippery ledge.
Scott's daring feat allowed the men to secure the rescue
line to the rocks. By the time they climbed down the line
and into the dory, the stranded men had been exposed to
wind, water and freezing cold for 14 hours. If they remained
on the rocks any longer, they likely would have perished.
This selfless act demonstrated yet again Scott's bravery and
heroism.
A few years later, Scott found himself
assigned to the cutter Hudson. Commanded by Civil War
veteran, Lt. Frank Newcomb,
Hudson was homeported in New York. Intended for harbor
patrol duties, Hudson was essentially a large tugboat and
had a draft of only nine feet. On April 25, 1898, Congress
declared war with Spain, initiating the Spanish-American
War. Due to her relatively shallow draft, the U.S. Navy
command assigned Hudson to enforce the blockade off the
coast of Cuba. By May 9, the Hudson took up her duty station
between the ports of Cardenas and Matanzas.
The USRC Hudson normally patrolled the waters of New York City. The
Navy called her into service for the Spanish-American War and
outfitted it for war at the Norfolk Navy Yard, where it was docked
on April 21, 1896. (U.S. Navy courtesy photo)
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On May 11, 1898 ... the gunboat USS Wilmington and torpedo boat
USS Winslow joined the Hudson in attacking Spanish gunboats moored
in Cardenas Bay. Between 12 and 1 p.m., the three ships steamed into
the bay and began searching for the gunboats. During the patrol,
Winslow located the enemy vessels moored at the port of Cardenas.
The ship steamed toward the waterfront in reverse to make full
use of her stern-mounted torpedo tube. When Winslow reached a
distance of 1,500 yards from the wharves, she found herself
perilously close to white range buoys set by the enemy to aim their
artillery. The Spanish forces opened up on Winslow with one-pound
guns blazing from the gunboats and artillery salvoes from cannon
located within Cardenas's waterfront.
After seeing the
shelling, Hudson steamed toward the Winslow at full speed and
engaged the enemy. By 2:00 pm, the battle raged between the Spanish
artillery and gunboats against Winslow, with its one-pounders; the
distant USS Wilmington, with its heavier four-inch guns; and Hudson,
with its six-pounders. Scott commanded Hudson's aft six-pound gun,
overseeing the gun crew while sitting calmly on an icebox and
smoking a cigar.
Early in the firefight, with Spanish gunners
closed the range on Winslow. Accurate enemy fire disabled Winslow's
steering gear and one of her engines. Her captain, Lt. John Bernadou,
called out to the Hudson, “I am injured; haul me out.” In addition
to her battle damage, a strong breeze was pushing the torpedo boat
dangerously close to the enemy batteries and shoal water too shallow
for Hudson to navigate.
Hudson steamed as close to the
stricken torpedo boat as she could while Scott stood on the bow
preparing to heave a line to Navy ensign Worth Bagley and several
enlisted men on Winslow's deck. Scott and Bagley were old friends,
and Bagley yelled to Scott, “For God's sake, get us out of that
fellow's fire!” Scott yelled back “Keep your shirt on old man. We'll
get you out in a minute.” But by the time the cutter closed enough
for Scott to heave the heavy line, a shell exploded among Winslow's
men, killing Bagley and an enlisted man, and mortally wounding three
more men. Bagley and his shipmates were the first Americans killed
in the Spanish-American War.
USS Winslow torpedo boat during 1898 period. (U.S. Navy courtesy photo)
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Despite the enemy shells, strong winds and shallow water,
Hudson's crew managed to secure a three-inch hawser to the
Winslow and tried to tow it out of range. Due either to tow
strain or one of the numerous incoming rounds, the hawser
snapped. Determined to succeed, Newcomb exclaimed, “We will
make it fast this time” and plowed Hudson through the muddy
bottom, backing and filling to carve a path to the stricken
Winslow. Scott and his deck crew secured the Winslow
alongside the cutter in tugboat fashion and finally hauled
the ship out of range of the enemy guns, rescuing the
remaining 15 souls aboard.
The men of the Winslow and
Hudson had served with honor during the Battle of Cardenas
Bay. Congress recognized three of Winslow's crew for heroism
with the Medal of Honor. During the battle, Hudson's crew
also served with distinction as they manned guns and worked
on deck without any protection from enemy fire. In addition
to rescuing the Winslow in a hailstorm of incoming rounds,
the cutter poured 135 six-pound shells into Spanish
positions in only twenty minutes and reduced one enemy
battery on shore. Overall, the battle resulted in the
destruction of two Spanish gunboats and heavy damage to
enemy shore batteries.
At the height of the action,
Hutch's 6-pound gun kept up a steady covering fire as the
cutter moved in to rescue the crippled Winslow and its
surviving crewmembers. Newcomb was the only officer who had
seen combat action and he wrote in his after-action report
that each of his men performed “in a cool and efficient
manner” under fire and that “each and every member of the
crew . . . did his whole duty cheerfully and without the
least hesitation.” Newcomb also praised the heroic efforts
of Scott for his “coolness and intrepidity” in handling his
gun crew and securing a line to Winslow “under the most
trying circumstances.”
Hudson continued its patrols
along Cuba's coast until early August and the war's
conclusion. On August 12, she returned to New York City to a
rousing welcome by local citizens. In a special message to
Congress, President William McKinley commended Hudson for
rescuing the Winslow “in the face of a most galling fire.”
Congress also recognized Hudson's crew with specially minted
medals for their valor. A joint resolution provided Newcomb
with the war's only Congressional Gold Medal. Congress
awarded Scott and Hudson's other officers the Congressional
Silver Medal, and bestowed the Congressional Bronze Medal on
the enlisted crewmembers.
Scott remained in the
Revenue Cutter Service a few more years after the war. He
served as executive officer on board the cutter Manhattan,
and then received temporary command of Cutter Washington. He
also served as navigation officer of Cutter Gresham, when
the crew rescued 103 passengers and crew from the grounded
Portuguese bark Fraternidada. Throughout his career, Scott
carried with him the memory of Cardenas and the dreadful
combat loss of his friend.
Scott ended his Revenue
Cutter Service career as executive officer of Cutter Perry,
resigning on July 1, 1901. He was the first Revenue Cutter
Service officer to receive an official letter of regret from
the Revenue Cutter Service. Scott was a member of the long
blue line and he performed honorably in the face of
impossible rescue conditions and fierce enemy fire.
By William H. Thiesen, Atlantic Area Historian, USCG
Provided
through
Coast
Guard Copyright 2016
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