Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....McCarrick, James W. (Capt.) October 10, 1912
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Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 August 4, 2023, 3:16 pm

Virginian-Pilot  October 11, 1912
Captain James W. McCarrick, one of Norfolk’s oldest and most highly esteemed 
citizens, died in St. Vincent’s hospital last night at 10:30 o’clock, after an 
illness of several months’ duration.
While not unexpected, Captain McCarrick’s death was a severe shock to his family 
and hosts of friends and was the occasion of sincere regret to all who heard of 
it last night.
Although he had been in ill-health for a long time, Captain McCarrick did not 
take to his bed until September 18, when he returned from a sojourn at Saratoga, 
N.Y. Since that time, he had gradually grown weaker, and his condition became 
more critical day by day until the end came.
A native of this city, Captain McCarrick had devoted a great deal of his time, 
talents and energy to advancing the interests of the community, in which he was 
deservedly popular among people in all walks of life. Of genial and 
companionable nature, he made friends of all with whom he came into contact, and 
his death will be a source of sorrow to hundreds of Norfolkians.
Prominently identified with transportation interests here for many years, 
Captain McCarrick also took an active part in the affairs of the city generally 
and never missed an opportunity to do whatever lay in his power for the welfare 
of Norfolk. He was until recently most active in the affairs of the Board of 
Trade, of which he was a charter member. He also was a past commander of 
Pickett-Buchanan Camp, Confederate Veterans, to which organization he rendered 
valuable service, and was a member of Norfolk Lodge No. 38, B.P.O. Elks, and the 
Virginia Club.
Captain McCarrick is survived by two sisters, Miss Madge McCarrick, of Norfolk, 
and Mrs. Carpentier, of Washington, D.C.; two sons, Messrs. Joseph P. and James 
A. McCarrick, and three daughters, Mrs. Bourdon Cary, Mrs. Irvin Martin and Miss 
Mary McCarrick, of this city.
Arrangements for the funeral were not completed last night.

Captain McCarrick’s Career

Captain McCarrick, who was general Southern agent for the Clyde Steamship 
Company, was born in Norfolk June 22, 1843.
His father, Patrick McCarrick, who came to America from Ireland when a boy, had 
a notable record in the service of the Confederate states. His active business 
career after the war was spent in the service of the Old Dominion Steamship 
Company, in command of several of its vessels. During the war, he first served 
as master in the North Carolina navy, and was later commissioned a lieutenant in 
the Confederate states navy. He commanded the steamer Sea Bird, the flagship of 
Commodore Lynch, when that vessel was sunk in Elizabeth City, N.C., and, with 
the entire crew, was captured by Admiral Rowan, United States navy. After being 
exchanged, he was detailed as one of the officers of the Canadian expedition for 
the relief of prisoners at Johnson’s Island, and, upon the failure of that 
enterprise through betrayal, he ran the blockade with the celebrated Captain 
John Wilkinson. He also commanded the steamer Winslow, when she rescued the crew 
of the French corvette Prony, for which he was oficially thanked by the French 
government. The Winslow was lost in making this rescue.
Captain James W. McCarrick was educated at Mount Saint Mary’s College and at 
Georgetown College, leaving the latter institution early in 1861 to enlist with 
the Norfolk Juniors of the Twelfth Virginia Regiment, commanded by General 
William Mahone. He was one of the twenty-five volunteers from that company that 
manned one of the guns which repelled the attack of the Federal steamer 
Monticello upon the Confederate batteries at Sewalls Point.

Wounded in Battle

Soon after this, he received an appointment as master’s mate in the North 
Carolina navy and was assigned to the steamer “Winslow” at Hatteras Inlet. He 
participated in the capture of many merchant vessels along the coast of North 
Carolina. After being transferred to the Confederate navy, his first action was 
on the “Sea Bird,” under Commodore Lynch, in cutting out a Federal schooner from 
under the guns of the Federal fleet in Hampton Roads, and successfully bringing 
her into Norfolk, although pursued by four Federal gunboats. He participated in 
the action at Roanoke Island, where improvised gunboats held Burnside’s fleet in 
check all day.
Later, in the engagement at Elizabeth City, he was wounded and captured on the 
sinking steamer "Sea Bird” by Captain Flusser of the Federal fleet. Being 
paroled under the “Wool cartel,” he returned to Norfolk, and, from the Naval 
Hospital, witnessed the “Virginia” going down the river to attack the 
“Cumberland” and “Congress,” attended by a number of small gunboats.
Upon one of these was his friend, Midshipman Charles K. Mallory, whom Captain 
McCarrick hailed and begged that he bring back a Federal officer for whom he 
might be exchanged. It happened that Midshipman Mallory was one of the officers 
detailed to bring back an officer in safety, for whom McCarrick was exchanged. 
He was then promoted to be master and was assigned to the navy yard at Selma, 
Ala. Subsequently, he was attached to the ironclad “Tuscaloosa,” in Mobile Bay. 
From there he was sent by Admiral Buchanan to Jackson, Miss., to receive some 
guns that had been captured by General Wirt Adams on the Big Black river.

Escaped From Farragut

After returning from this expedition, he was sent with orders from the Secretary 
of War to select men for the Mobile fleet from the commands of General Loring 
and Pope at Demopolis, Ala. During the naval operations in Mobile Bay, he was on 
the steamer “Baltic,” in charge of the forward division and was subsequently 
ordered to the flagship “Tennessee,” but, being taken sick was sent on shore to 
the hospital, just in time to escape the capture of the “Tennessee” by Farragut. 
After his recovery, he served upon the gunboat “Macon,” guarding the ferries of 
the Savannah river against Sherman’s advance.
In his service, he participated in several encounters with troops and light 
batteries. He was afterward detailed to command a battery at Shell Bluff, where 
he remained until the close of the war.
After the close of the war, he became agent for the Atlantic Coast Mall 
Steamship Company at Portsmouth, and continued as the Portsmouth agent after the 
company was absorbed by what is now the Old Dominion Steamship Company and until 
he was tendered and accepted a position as general claim agent of the Seaboard 
Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line and Piedmont Air Line, with headquarters in 
Portsmouth. This Captain McCarrick resigned in 1875, to accept the general 
southern agency of the Clyde Steamship Company, a position he retained up to the 
time of his death.

McCARRICK - In this city, Thursday, October 10, 1912, at 10:30 o’clock p.m., 
Capt. JAMES W. McCARRICK, in the 70th year of his age.
His remains will be taken from the residence, No. 207 Duke street, to Sacred 
Heart Catholic church SATURDAY MORNING at 10 o’clock for funeral services. 
Friends of the family are invited to attend.








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