During the American Civil War, Reid was on the schooner Coquette, when he sighted smoke from vessels being burned by the Confederate cruiser Florida.

In March, 1864 Reid went out to meet the Bat, a Union blockade runner, which had been captured off Charleston, South Carolina, and brought back to Boston.

A naval officer asked him, for twenty-five dollars, to bring back a Confederate spy, Belle Boyd, a celebrity among woman in the South, who was attempting to travel to England.

[4] On June 20, 1873, the celebrated yacht America, was purchased from the United States by Benjamin F. Butler and Col. J. H. French.

She arrived in Bay View, Gloucester, Massachusetts, and was restored by the East Boston clipper ship builder, Donald McKay.

She was registered with the Record of American and Foreign Shipping from 1884 to 1900 to James H. Reid as Captain and J. H. French as owners.

The registration lists the America as built in 1849 in Greenpoint, New York, by George Steers and J. H. French as the owner and James H. Reid as master.

In the winter 1881, when she was lengthened 6 1/2 feet, Reid and Butler sailed her on a cruise to the West Indies returning to Boston in 1882.

[14] The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner 'Indian head' bow.