Wayne County IN Archives Biographies.....Prichett, James M. 1836 - 1871
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Glapha Cox rcoxfam@earthlink.net January 24, 2006, 8:43 am

Author: History of Wayne County, Indiana;Volume II, (1884)

Centre Township
p. 356 & 357

James M. Prichett, son of Dr. John Prichett, was born in Centreville, Ind., in 
1836, and died in 1871, aged thirty-five years and two months. He received his 
early education in the Centreville Academy, and when sixteen years of age was 
appointed, through the influence of Hon. Sam W. Parker, to the naval academy 
at Annapolis, from which he graduated in 1857. Shortly after his graduation he 
made his first voyage in the United States man-of-war Mississippi, to China 
and Japan, remaining nearly three years. He next cruised in the Mediterranean, 
on the Richmond. Returning to America at the time of the breaking out of the 
civil war in 1861, he was transferred to the navy yard at Washington, under 
Commodore Dahlgren, and the following year was sent down the Mississippi, 
under Commodore Foote; also participated in the siege of Fort Donelson. He had 
charge of the receiving ship Clara Dolson at Cairo until the organization of 
the gun-boat fleet, when he was placed in command of the Tyler; from thence 
was transferred to the command of the monitor Mahopac, retaining the position 
till the close of the war. He was next assigned to duty as executive officer 
of the Vanderbilt, and soon after to the same position on the Augusta, and 
accompanied General Farragut on his expedition to Russia. On his return to 
America, in 1869, he was ordered to San Francisco, and accompanied the Pacific 
Squadron, on the Tuscarora, to South America. Returning in August, he remained 
at home a short time on sick leave, and was then ordered to the receiving ship 
Vermont, in the Brooklyn navy yard, remaining there till his last illness. 
Commander Prichett was perhaps as faithful in attention to his duties in the 
navy as any officer in the service. During a connection of nineteen years and 
a half he had but an occasional leave of absence, and then principally on 
account of sickness. His gallant conduct received complimentary mention 
frequently during the late war from Admiral Porter and Commodore Foote, in 
their dispatches to the Secretary of the Navy. While on his death-bed an order 
came from the Naval Department directing him to report at Washington for 
promotion. In all the relations of life, both as an officer in the navy and as 
a citizen, Commander Prichett was universally esteemed, and his memory will 
ever be cherished.

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