one of the landmarks of the city for a good many years. It was built in 1849, and the territorial politicians generally selected this hotel as their headquarters. Although it was of very peculiar architecture, the interior fittings were of a modern character. On a stormy night in the month of December, 1863, an alarm of fire was sent in from this hotel, but before the fire department reached the locality the fire was beyond their control. The weather was bitter cold, and the water would be frozen almost as soon as it left the hose. Finding their efforts fruitless to save the building, the firemen turned their attention to saving the guests. There were some very narrow escapes, but no accidents of a very serious nature. As usual, thieves were present and succeeded in carrying off a large amount of jewelry and wearing apparel belonging to the guests.
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In the year of 1856 Mackubin & Edgerton erected a fine three-story brick building on the corner of Third and Franklin streets. It was occupied by them as a banking house for a long time. The business center having been moved further down the street, they were compelled to seek quarters on Bridge Square. After the bank moved out of this building it was leased to Bechtner & Kottman, and was by them remodeled into a hotel on the European plan at an expense of about $20,000. It was named the Cosmopolitan hotel, and was well patronized. When the alarm of fire was given it was full of lodgers, many of whom lost all they possessed. The Linden theatrical company, which was playing at the Athenaeum, was among the heavy sufferers. At this fire a large number of frame buildings on the opposite side of the street were destroyed.
When the Cosmopolitan hotel burned the walls of the old building were left standing, and although they were pronounced dangerous by the city authorities, had not been demolished. Dr. Schell, one of the best known physicians of the city, occupied a little frame building near the hotel, and he severely denounced the city authorities for their lax enforcement of the law. One night at 10 o’clock the city was visited by a terrific windstorm, and suddenly a loud crash was heard in the vicinity of the doctor’s office. A portion of the walls of the hotel had fallen and the little building occupied by the doctor had been crushed in. The fire alarm was turned on and the fire laddies were soon on the spot. No one supposed the doctor was alive, but after the firemen had been at work a short time they could hear the voice of the doctor from underneath the rubbish. In very vigorous English, which the doctor knew so well how to use, he roundly upbraided the fire department for not being more expeditious in extricating him from his perilous position. After the doctor had been taken out of the ruins It was found that he had not been seriously injured, and in the course of a few weeks was able to resume practice.
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During the winter of 1868 the Emmert house, situated on Bench street near Wabasha, was destroyed by fire. The Emmert house was built in territorial times by Fred Emmert, who for some time kept a hotel and boarding house at that place. It had not been used for hotel purposes for some time, but was occupied by a colored family and used as a boarding-house for colored people. While the flames were rapidly consuming the old building the discovery was made that a man and his wife were sick in one of the rooms with smallpox. The crowd of onlookers fled in terror, and they would have been burned alive had not two courageous firemen carried them out of the building. It was an unusually cold night and the colored people were dumped into the middle of the street and there allowed to remain. They were provided with clothing and some of the more venturesome even built a fire for them, but no one would volunteer to take them to a place of shelter. About 10 o’clock on the following day the late W.L. Wilson learned of the unfortunate situation of the two colored people, and he immediately procured a vehicle and took them to a place of safety, and also saw that they were thereafter properly cared for.
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On the site of the old postoffice on the corner of Wabasha and Fifth streets stood the Mansion house, a three-story frame building erected by Nicholas Pottgieser in early days at an expense of $12,000. It was a very popular resort and for many years the weary traveler there received a hearty welcome.
A very exciting event occurred at this house during the summer of 1866. A man by the name of Hawkes, a guest at the hotel, accidentally shot and instantly killed his young and beautiful wife. He was arrested and tried for murder, but after a long and sensational trial was acquited.
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The greatest hotel fire in the history of St. Paul occurred on the night of Feb. 3, 1869. The International hotel (formerly the Fuller house) was situated on the northeast corner of Seventh and Jackson streets, and was erected by A.G. Fuller in 1856. It was built of brick and was five stories high. It cost when completed, about $110,000. For years it had been the best hotel in the West. William H. Seward and the distinguished party that accompanied him made this hotel their headquarters during their famous trip to the West in 1860. Gen. Pope and Gen. Sibley had their headquarters in this building, and from here emanated all the orders relating to the war against the rebellious Sioux. In 1861 the property came into the possession of Samuel Mayall, and he changed the name of it from Fuller house to International hotel. Col. E.C. Belote, who had formerly been the landlord of the Merchants, was the manager of the hotel. The fire broke out in the basement, it was supposed from a lamp in the laundry. The night was intensely cold, a strong gale blowing from the northwest. Not a soul could be seen upon the street. Within this great structure more than two hundred guests were wrapped in silent slumber. To rescue them from their perilous position was the problem that required instant action on the part of the firemen and the hotel authorities. The legislature was then in session, and many of the members were among the guests who crowded the hotel. A porter was the first to notice the blaze, and he threw a pail water upon it, but with the result that it made no impression upon the flames. The fire continued to extend, and the smoke became very dense and spread into the halls, filling them completely, rendering breathing almost an impossibility. In the meantime the alarm had been given throughout the house, and the guests, both male and female, came rushing out of the rooms in their night Clothes. The broad halls of the hotel were soon filled with a crowd of people who hardly knew which way to go in order to find their way to the street. The servant girls succeeded in getting out first, and made their way to the snow-covered streets without sufficient clothing to protect their persons, and most of them were without shoes. While the people were escaping from the building the fire was making furious and rapid progress. From the laundry the smoke issued into every portion of the building. There was no nook or corner that the flames did not penetrate. The interior of the building burned with great rapidity until the fire had eaten out the eastern and southern rooms, when the walls began to give indications of falling. The upper portion of them waved back and forth in response to a strong wind, which filled the night air with cinders. At last different portions of the walls fell, thus giving the flames an opportunity to sweep from the lower portions of the building. Great gusts, which seemed to almost lift the upper floors, swept through the broken walls. High up over the building the flames climbed, carrying with them sparks and cinders, and in come instances large pieces of timber. All that saved the lower part of the city from fiery destruction was the fact that a solid bed of snow a foot deep lay upon the roofs of all the buildings. During all this time there was comparative quiet, notwithstanding the fact that the fire gradually extended across Jackson street and also across Seventh street. Besides the hotel, six or eight other buildings were also on fire, four of which were destroyed. Women and men were to be seen hurrying out of the burning buildings in their night clothes, furniture was thrown into the street, costly pianos, richly upholstered furniture, valuable pictures and a great many other expensive articles were dropped in the snow in a helter-skelter manner. Although nearly every room in the hotel was occupied and rumors flew thick and fast that many of the guests were still in their rooms, fortunately no lives were lost and no one was injured. The coolest person in the building was a young man by the name of Pete O’Brien, the night watchman. When he heard of the fire he comprehended in a moment the danger of a panic among over two hundred people who were locked in sleep, unconscious of danger. He went from room to room and from floor to floor, telling them of the danger, but assuring them all that they had plenty of time to escape. He apparently took command of the excited guests and issued orders like a general on the field of battle. To his presence of mind and coolness many of the guests were indebted for their escape from a frightful death. The fire department worked hard and did good service. The city had no waterworks at that time, but relied for water entirely upon cisterns located in different parts of the city. When the cisterns became dry it was necessary to place the steamer at the river and pump water through over two thousand feet of hose.
Among the guests at the hotel at the time of the fire were Gen. C.C. Andrews, Judge Lochren, Capt. H.A. Castle, Gen. W.G. Le Duc, Selah Chamberlain, Gov. Armstrong and wife, Charles A. Gilman and wife, Dr. W.W. Mayo, I.W. Webb, Dr. Charles N. Hewitt, M.H. Dunnell, Judge Thomas Wilson and more than two hundred others.
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The Park Place hotel on the corner of Summit avenue and St. Peter street, was at one time one of of the swell hotels of the city. It was a frame building, four stories high and nicely situated. The proprietors of it intended it should be a family hotel, but it did not meet with the success anticipated, and when, on the 19th of May, 1878, it was burned to the ground it was unoccupied. The fire was thought to be the work of incendiaries. The loss was about $20,000, partially insured. Four firemen were quite seriously injured at this fire, but all recovered.
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The Carpenter house, on the corner of Summit avenue and Ramsey street, was built by Warren Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter was a man of colossal ideas, and from the picturesque location of his hotel, overlooking the city, he could see millions of tourists flocking to his hostelry. The panic of 1857, soon followed by the great Civil war, put a quietus on immigration, and left him stranded high on the beach. Mr. Carpenter’s dream of millions were far from being realized, and when on the 26th of January, 1879, the hotel was burned to the ground, it had for some time previous passed beyond his control.
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At one time there were three flourishing hotels on Bench street. The average citizen of to-day does not know that such a street ever existed. The Central house, on the corner of Bench and Minnesota streets, was the first hotel of any pretension built in the city, and it was one of the last to be burned. The first session of the territorial legislature of Minnesota was held in the dining room of this old hotel building, and for a number of years the hotel did a thriving business. As the city grew it was made over into a large boarding house, and before the war Mrs. Corbett was manager of the place. It was afterward kept by Mrs. Ferguson, George Pulford and Ben Ferris, the latter being in possession of it when it was destroyed by fire. The building was burned In August, 1873.
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A hotel that was very popular for some time was the Greenman house, situated on the corner of Fifth and St. Peter streets, the site of the Windsor hotel. It was a three-story frame structure and was built in the early seventies. Mr. Greenman kept the hotel for some time, and then sold it to John Summers, who was the owner of it when it was burned.
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The Merchants is the only one of the old hotels still existing, and that only in name, as the original structure was torn down to make room for the present building many years ago.
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Aside from the hotel fires one of the most appalling calamities that ever occurred at a fire in St. Paul took place in May, 1870, when the old Concert Hall building on Third street, near Market, was destroyed. Concert Hall was built by the late J.W. McClung in 1857, and the hall in the basement was one of the largest in the city. The building was three stories high in front and six or seven on the river side. It was located about twenty-five feet back from the sidewalk. Under the sidewalk all kinds of inflamable material was stored and it was from here that the fire was first noticed. In an incredibly short time flames reached the top of the building, thus making escape almost impossible. On the river side of the building on the top floor two brothers, Charles and August Mueller, had a tailor shop. The fire spread so rapidly that the building was completely enveloped in flames before they even thought their lives were endangered. In front of them was a seething mass of flames and the distance to the ground on the river side was so great that a leap from the window meant almost certain death. They could be plainly seen frantically calling for help. There was no possible way to reach them. Finally Charles Mueller jumped out on the window sill and made a leap for life, and an instant later he was followed by his brother. The bewildered spectators did not suppose for a moment that either could live. They were too much horrified to speak, but when it was over and they were lifted into beds provided for them doctors were called and recovery was pronounced possible. After months of suffering both recovered. August Mueller is still living in the city. A lady by the name of McClellan, who had a dressmaking establishment in the building, was burned to death and it was several days before her body was recovered.
The following named men have been chiefs of the St. Paul fire department:
Wash M. Stees,
Chas. H. Williams,
J.C.A. Pickett,
W.T. Donaldson,
J.B. Irvine,
J.E. Missen,
Luther H. Eddy,
B. Rodick,
M.B. Farrell,
J.C. Prendergast,
Bartlett Presley,
Frank Brewer,
R.O. Strong,
John T. Black,
Hart N. Cook,
John Jackson.
THE FIRST AMUSEMENT HALLS IN ST. PAUL.
INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE EARLY AMUSEMENT HALLS OF ST. PAUL–IRVINE HALL–DAN EMMET AND DIXIE–THE HUTCHINSONS–MAZURKA HALL, MOZART HALL, ETC.
Very few of the 200,000 inhabitants of St. Paul are aware that the three-story, three-cornered building on Third street at Seven Corners once contained one of the most popular amusement halls in the city. It was called Irvine hall, and at one time Melodeon hall. Dan Emmet had a minstrel company at this hall during the years 1857 and 1858, and an excellent company it was, too. There was Frank Lombard, the great baritone; Max Irwin, bones, and one of the funniest men who ever sat on the stage; Johnny Ritter, female impersonator and clog dancer, and a large number of others. Frank Lombard afterward achieved a national reputation as one of the best baritone singers in the country. He was much sought after for patriotic entertainments and political conventions. His masterpiece was the Star-Spangled Banner, and his great baritone voice, which could be heard for blocks, always brought enthusiastic applause. Some time during the summer of 1858 the Hutchinson family arranged to have the hall for a one-night entertainment. By some means or other the troupe got separated and one of the brothers got stalled on Pig’s Eye bar. When their performance was about half over the belated brother reached the hall and rushed frantically down the aisle, with carpetbag in hand, leaped upon the stage, and in full view of the audience proceeded to kiss the entire tribe. The audience was under the impression they had been separated for years instead of only twenty-four hours. The next evening Max Irwin was missing from his accustomed place as one of the end men, and when the performance had been in progress for about fifteen minutes Max came rushing down the aisle with carpetbag in hand and went through the same performance as did the lost brother of the Hutchinson family. The effect was electrical, and for some time Max’s innovation was the talk of the town. Dan Emmet, though a wondering minstrel, was a very superior man and was his own worst enemy. He was a brother of Lafayette S. Emmett, chief justice of the supreme court of the State of Minnesota. The judge, dignified and aristocratic, did not take kindly to the idea of his brother being a minstrel. Dan was not particularly elated because his brother was on the supreme bench. They were wholly indifferent as to each other’s welfare. They did not even spell their names the same way. Dan had only one “t” at the end of his name, while the judge used two. Whether the judge used two because he was ashamed of Dan, or whether Dan used only one because he was ashamed of the judge, no one seemed to know. Dan Emmet left a legacy that will be remembered by the lovers of melody for many years. What left the judge? When Emmet’s company left St. Paul they got stranded and many of them found engagements in other organizations. Dan turned his attention to writing negro melodies. He wrote several popular airs, one of them being “Dixie,” which afterward became the national air of the Confederate States. When “Dixie” was written Emmet was connected with Bryant’s Minstrels in New York city, and he sent a copy to his friend in St. Paul, the late R.C. Munger, and asked his opinion as to its merits and whether he thought it advisable to place it in the hands of a publisher. Mr. Munger assured his friend that he thought it would make a great hit, and he financially assisted Mr. Emmet in placing it before the public. One of the first copies printed was sent to Mr. Munger, and the first time this celebrated composition was ever sung in the West was in the music store of Munger Bros, in the old concert hall building on Third street. “Dixie” at once became very popular, and was soon on the program of every minstrel troupe in the country. Dan Emmet devoted his whole life to minstrelsy and he organized the first traveling minstrel troupe in the United States, starting from some point in Ohio in 1843.
The father of the Emmets was a gallant soldier of the War of 1812, and at one time lived in the old brown frame house at the intersection of Ramsey and West Seventh streets, recently demolished. A correspondent of one of the magazines gives the following account of how “Dixie” happened to become the national air of the Confederate States:
“Early in the war a spectacular performance was being given in New Orleans. Every part had been filled, and all that was lacking was a march and war song for the grand chorus. A great many marches and songs were tried, but none could be decided upon until ‘Dixie’ was suggested and tried, and all were so enthusiastic over it that it was at once adopted and given in the performance. It was taken up immediately by the populace and was sung in the streets and in homes and concert halls daily. It was taken to the battlefields, and there became the great song of the South, and made many battles harder for the Northerner, many easier for the Southerner. Though it has particularly endeared itself to the South, the reunion of American hearts has made it a national song. Mr. Lincoln ever regarded it as a national property by capture.”
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The Hutchinson family often visited St. Paul, the enterprising town of Hutchinson, McLeod county, being named after them. They were a very patriotic family and generally sang their own music. How deliberate the leader of the tribe would announce the title of the song about to be produced. Asa Hutchinson would stand up behind the melodeon, and with a pause between each word inform the audience that “Sister–Abby–will–now–sing–the–beautiful–song–composed– by–Lucy–Larcum–entitled–‘Hannah–Is–at–the–Window–Binding– Shoes.'” And sister Abby would sing it, too. During the early part of the war the Hutchinson family was ordered out of the Army of the Potomac by Gen. McClellan on account of the abolition sentiments expressed in its songs. The general was apparently unable to interpret the handwriting on the wall, as long before the war was ended the entire army was enthusiastically chanting that beautiful melody to the king of abolitionists–
“John Brown’s body lies moldering in the grave And his soul is marching on.”
Gen. McClellan was at one time the idol of the army, as well as of the entire American people. Before the war he was chief engineer of the Illinois Central railroad and made frequent trips to St. Paul to see the future Mrs. McClellan, a Miss Marcy, daughter of Maj. R.B. Marcy of the regular army, who lived in the old Henry M. Rice homestead on Summit avenue. When Gen. McClellan was in command of the Army of the Potomac Maj. Marcy was his chief of staff.
One of the original Hutchinsons is still living, as indicated by the following dispatch, published since the above was written:
“Chicago, Ill., Jan. 4, 1902.–John W. Hutchinson, the last survivor of the famous old concert-giving Hutchinson family, which was especially prominent in anti-bellum times, received many congratulations to-day on the occasion of his eighty-first birthday, Mr. Hutchinson enjoys good health and is about to start on a new singing and speaking crusade through the South, this time against the sale and us of cigarettes. Mr. Hutchinson made a few remarks to the friends who had called upon him, in the course of which he said: ‘I never spent a more enjoyable birthday than this, except upon the occasion of my seventy-fifth, which I spent in New York and was tendered a reception by the American Temperance union, of which I was the organizer. Of course you will want me to sing to you, and I think I will sing my favorite song, which I wrote myself. It is “The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.” I have written a great many songs, among them “The Blue and the Gray,” “Good old Days of Yore,” and some others that I cannot remember now. I sang the “Blue and the Gray” in Atlanta six years ago, at the time of the exposition there, and McKinley was there. I had the pleasure of saying a few words at that time about woman’s suffrage. I wrote the first song about woman’s suffrage and called it “Good Times for Women.” This is the 11,667th concert which I have taken part in.'”
The venerable singer is reputed to be quite wealthy. A few years ago one of the children thought the old man was becoming entirely too liberal in the distribution of his wealth, and brought an action in the New York courts requesting the appointment of a guardian to his estate. The white-haired musician appeared in court without an attorney, and when the case was about to be disposed of made a request of the judge, which was granted, that he might be sworn. After Mr. Hutchinson had made his statement to the court the judge asked a few questions. “How is your memory?” said the judge. “Memory,” replied the old man. “I remember the flavor of the milk at the maternal fountain.” The judge concluded that Mr. Hutchinson was fully capable of managing his own affairs.
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Concert hall, built in 1857 by J.W. McClung, had room for 400 or 500 people, but it was somewhat inaccessible on account of its being in the basement of the building and was not very much in demand. Horatio Seymour made a great speech to the Douglas wing of the Democracy in the hall during the campaign of 1880, and Tom Marshall, the great Kentucky orator, delivered a lecture on Napoleon to a large audience In the same place. On the night of the presidential election in 1860 a number of musicians who had been practicing on “Dixie” and other music in Munger’s music store came down to the hall and entertained the Republicans who had gathered there for the purpose of hearing the election returns. There was a great deal more singing than there was election returns, as about all the news they were able to get was from the four precincts of St. Paul, New Canada, Rose and Reserve townships and West St. Paul. We had a telegraph line, to be sure, but Mr. Winslow, who owned the line, would not permit the newspapers, or any one else, to obtain the faintest hint of how the election had gone in other localities. After singing until 11 or 12 o’clock, and abusing Mr. Winslow in language that the linotype is wholly unable to reproduce, the crowd dispersed. Nothing could be heard of how the election had gone until the following afternoon, when Gov. Ramsey received a dispatch from New York announcing that that state had given Mr. Lincoln 50,000 majority. As that was the pivotal state the Republicans immediately held a jollification meeting.
* * * * *
Tom Marshall was one of the most eloquent orators America ever produced. He was spending the summer in Minnesota endeavoring to recover from the effects of an over-indulgence of Kentucky’s great staple product, but the glorious climate of Minnesota did not seem to have the desired effect, as he seldom appeared on the street without presenting the appearance of having discovered in the North Star State an elixer fully as invigorating as any produced in the land where colonels, orators and moonshiners comprise the major portion of the population. One day as Marshall came sauntering down Third street he met a club of Little Giants marching to a Democratic gathering. They thought they would have a little sport at the expense of the distinguished orator from Kentucky, and they haulted immediately in front of him and demanded a speech. They knew that Mr. Marshall was a pronounced Whig and supported the candidacy of Bell and Everett, but as he was from a slave state they did not think he would say anything reflecting on the character of their cherished leader. Mr. Marshall stepped to the front of the sidewalk and held up his hand and said: “Do you think Douglas will ever be president? He will not, as no man of his peculiar physique ever entered the sacred portals of the White House.” He then proceeded to denounce Douglas and the Democratic party in language that was very edifying to the few Republicans who chanced to be present. The Little Giants concluded that it was not the proper caper to select a casual passer-by for speaker, and were afterward more particular in their choice of an orator.
* * * * *
One night there was a Democratic meeting in the hall and after a number of speakers had been called upon for an address, De Witt C. Cooley, who was a great wag, went around in the back part of the hall and called upon the unterrified to “Holler for Cooley.” The request was complied with and Mr. Cooley’s name was soon on the lips of nearly the whole audience. When Mr. Cooley mounted the platform an Irishman in the back part of the hall inquired in a voice loud enough to be heard by the entire audience, “Is that Cooley?” Upon being assured that it was, he replied in a still louder voice: “Be jabers, that’s the man that told me to holler for Cooley.” The laugh was decidedly on Cooley, and his attempted flight of oratory did not materialize.
Cooley was at one time governor of the third house and if his message to that body could be reproduced it would make very interesting reading.
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The Athenaeum was constructed in 1859 by the German Reading society, and for a number of years was the only amusement hall in St. Paul with a stage and drop curtain. In 1861 Peter and Caroline Richings spent a part of the summer in St. Paul, and local amusement lovers were delightfully entertained by these celebrities during their sojourn. During the war a number of dramatic and musical performances were given at the Athenaeum for the boys in blue. The cantata of “The Haymakers,” for the benefit of the sanitary commission made quite a hit, and old residents will recollect Mrs. Winne, Mrs. Blakeley and Prof. Perkins, who took the leading parts. Prof. Phil Roher and Otto Dreher gave dramatic performances both in German and English for some time after the close of the war. Plunkett’s Dramatic company, with Susan Denin as the star, filled the boards at this hall a short time before the little old opera house was constructed on Wabasha street. During the Sioux massacre a large number of maimed refugees were brought to the city and found temporary shelter in this place.
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In 1853 Market hall, on the corner of Wabasha and Seventh streets, was built, and it was one of the principal places of amusement. The Hough Dramatic company, with Bernard, C.W. Couldock, Sallie St. Clair and others were among the notable performers who entertained theatergoers. In 1860 the Wide Awakes used this place for a drill hall, and so proficient did the members become that many of them were enabled to take charge of squads, companies and even regiments in the great struggle that was soon to follow.
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In 1860 the Ingersoll block on Bridge Square was constructed, and as that was near the center of the city the hall on the third floor was liberally patronized for a number of years. Many distinguished speakers have entertained large and enthusiastic audiences from the platform of this popular hall. Edward Everett, Ralph Waldo Emerson and John B. Gough are among the great orators who have electrified and instructed the older inhabitants, and the musical notes of the Black Swan, Mlle. Whiting and Madame Varian will ever be remembered by those whose pleasure it was to listen to them. Mrs. Scott Siddons, an elocutionist of great ability and a descendant of the famous English family of actors of that name, gave several dramatic readings to her numerous admirers. When Sumter was fired on, Capt. W.H. Acker used this hall as a rendezvous and drill hall for Company C, First regiment of Minnesota volunteers, and many rousing war meetings for the purpose of devising ways and means for the furtherance of enlistments took place in this building.
In February, 1861, the ladies of the different Protestant churches of St. Paul, with the aid of the Young Men’s Christian association, gave a social and supper in this building for the purpose of raising funds for the establishment of a library. It was a sort of dedicatory opening of the building and hall, and was attended by large delegations from the different churches. Quite a large sum was realized. A room was fitted up on the second story and the beginning of what is now the St. Paul library soon opened up to the public. About 350 books were purchased with the funds raised by the social, and the patrons of the library were required to pay one dollar per year for permission to read them. Dr. T.D. Simonton was the first librarian. Subsequently this library was consolidated with the St. Paul Mercantile Library association and the number of books more than doubled. A regular librarian was then installed with the privilege of reading the library’s books raised to two dollars per annum.
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The People’s theater, an old frame building on the corner of Fourth and St. Peter streets, was the only real theatrical building in the city. H. Van Liew was the lessee and manager of this place of entertainment, and he was provided with a very good stock company. Emily Dow and her brother, Harry Gossan and Azelene Allen were among the members. During the summer of 1858 Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Wallack came to St. Paul and played a two weeks’ engagement. They were the most prominent actors who had yet appeared in this part of the country.
“The Man in the Iron Mask” and “Macbeth” were on their repertoire. Probably “Macbeth” was never played to better advantage or to more appreciative audiences than it was during the stay of the Wallacks. Mrs. Wallack’s Lady Macbeth was a piece of acting that few of the present generation can equal. Col. R.E.J. Miles was one of the stars at this theater, and it was at this place that he first produced the play of “Mazeppa,” which afterward made him famous. A.M. Carver, foreman of the job department of the St. Paul Times, often assisted in theatrical productions. Mr. Carver was not only a first-class printer, but he was also a very clever actor. His portrayal of the character of Uncle Tom in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which had quite a run, and was fully equal to any later production by full fledged members of the dramatic profession. Mr. Carver was one of the first presidents of the International Typographical union, and died in Cincinnati many years ago, leaving a memory that will ever be cherished by all members of the art preservative.
This theater had a colored gallery, and the shaded gentry were required to pay as much for admission to the gallery at the far end of the building as did the nabobs in the parquet. Joe Rolette, the member from “Pembina” county, occasionally entertained the audience at this theater by having epileptic fits, but Joe’s friends always promptly removed him from the building and the performance would go on undisturbed.
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On the second story of an old frame building on the southeast corner of Third and Exchange streets there was a hall that was at one time the principal amusement hall of the city. The building was constructed in 1850 by the Elfelt brothers and the ground floor was occupied by them as a dry goods store. It is one of the very oldest buildings in the city. The name of Elfelt brothers until quite recently could be seen on the Exchange street side of the building. The hall was named Mazurka hall, and all of the swell entertainments of the early ’50s took place in this old building. At a ball given in the hall during one of the winter months more than forty years ago, J.Q.A. Ward, bookkeeper for the Minnesotian, met a Miss Pratt, who was a daughter of one of the proprietors of the same paper, and after an acquaintance of about twenty minutes mysteriously disappeared from the hall and got married. They intended to keep it a secret for a while, but it was known all over the town the next day and produced great commotion. Miss Pratt’s parents would not permit her to see her husband, and they were finally divorced without having lived together.
For a number of years Napoleon Heitz kept a saloon and restaurant in this building. Heitz had participated in a number of battles under the great Napoleon, and the patrons of his place well recollect the graphic descriptions of the battle of Waterloo which he would often relate while the guest was partaking of a Tom and Jerry or an oyster stew.
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During the summer of 1860 Charles N. Mackubin erected two large buildings on the site of the Metropolitan hotel. Mozart hall was on the Third street end and Masonic hall on the Fourth street corner. At a sanitary fair held during the winter of 1864 both of these halls were thrown together and an entertainment on a large scale was held for the benefit of the almost depleted fundes of the sanitary commission. Fairs had been given for this fund in nearly all the principal cities of the North, and it was customary to vote a sword to the most popular volunteer officer whom the state had sent to the front. A large amount of money had been raised in the different cities on this plan, and the name of Col. Marshall of the Seventh regiment and Col. Uline of the Second were selected as two officers in whom it was thought the people would take sufficient interest to bring out a large vote. The friends of both candidates were numerous and each side had some one stationed at the voting booth keeping tab on the number of votes cast and the probable number it would require at the close to carry off the prize. Col. Uline had been a fireman and was very popular with the young men of the city. Col. Marshall was backed by friends in the different newspaper offices. The contest was very spirited and resulted in Col. Uline capturing the sword, he having received more than two thousand votes in one bundle during the last five minutes the polls were open. This fair was very successful, the patriotic citizens of St. Paul having enriched the funds of the sanitary commission by several thousand dollars.
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One of the first free concert halls in the city was located on Bridge Square, and it bore the agonizing name of Agony hall. Whether it was named for its agonizing music or the agonizing effects of its beverages was a question that its patrons were not able to determine.
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In anti-bellum times Washington’s birthday was celebrated with more pomp and glory than any holiday during the year. The Pioneer Guards, the City Guards, the St. Paul Light Artillery, the St. Paul fire department and numerous secret organizations would form in procession and march to the capitol, and in the hall of the house of representatives elaborate exercises commemorative of the birth of the nation’s first great hero would take place. Business was generally suspended and none of the daily papers would be issued on the following day.
In 1857 Adalina Patti appeared in St. Paul for the first time. She was about sixteen years old and was with the Ole Bull Concert company. They traveled on a small steamboat and gave concerts in the river towns. Their concert took place in the hall of the house of representatives of the old capitol, that being the only available place at the time. Patti’s concert came near being nipped in the bud by an incident that has never been printed. Two boys employed as messengers at the capitol, both of whom are now prominent business men in the city, procured a key to the house, and, in company with a number of other kids, proceeded to representative hall, where they were frequently in the habit of congregating for the purpose of playing cards, smoking cigars, and committing such other depradations as it was possible for kids to conceive. After an hour or so of revelry the boys returned the key to its proper place and separated. In a few minutes smoke was seen issuing from the windows of the hall and an alarm of fire was sounded. The door leading to the house was forced open and it was discovered that the fire had nearly burned through the floor. The boys knew at once that it was their carelessness that had caused the alarm, and two more frightened kids never got together. They could see visions of policemen, prison bars, and even Stillwater, day and night for many years. They would often get together on a back street and in whispered tones wonder if they had yet been suspected. For more than a quarter of a century these two kids kept this secret in the innermost recesses of their hearts, and it is only recently that they dared to reveal their terrible predicament.
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A few days after Maj. Anderson was compelled to lower the Stars and Stripes on Sumter’s walls a mass meeting of citizens, irrespective of party, was called to meet at the hall of the house of representatives for the purpose of expressing the indignation of the community at the dastardly attempt of the Cotton States to disrupt the government. Long before the time for the commencement of the meeting the hall was packed and it was found necessary to adjourn to the front steps of the building in order that all who desired might take part in the proceedings. Hon. John S. Prince, mayor of the city, presided, assisted by half a dozen prominent citizens as vice presidents. Hon. John M. Gilman, an honored resident of the city, was one of the principal speakers. Mr. Gilman had been the Democratic candidate for congress the fall previous, and considerable interest was manifested to hear what position he would take regarding the impending conflict. It was very soon apparent that Mr. Gilman was in hearty sympathy with the object of the meeting and his remarks were received with great demonstrations of approbation. Hon. J.W. Taylor followed Mr. Gilman and made a strong speech in favor of sustaining Mr. Lincoln. There were a number of other addresses, after which resolutions were adopted pledging the government the earnest support of the citizens, calling on the young men to enroll their names on the roster of the rapidly forming companies and declaring that they would furnish financial aid when necessary to the dependant families of those left behind. Similar meetings were held in different parts of the city a great many times before the Rebellion was subdued.
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The first Republican state convention after the state was admitted into the Union was held in the hall of the house of representatives. The state was not divided into congressional districts at that time and Col. Aldrich and William Windom were named as the candidates for representatives in congress. Col. Aldrich did not pretend to be much of an orator, and in his speech of acceptance he stated that while he was not endowed with as much oratorical ability as some of his associates on the ticket, yet he could work as hard as any one, and he promised that he would sweat at least a barrel in his efforts to promote the success of the ticket.
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Aromory hall, on Third street, between Cedar and Minnesota, was built in 1859, and was used by the Pioneer Guards up to the breaking out of the war. The annual ball of the Pioneer Guards was the swell affair of the social whirl, and it was anticipated with as much interest by the Four Hundred as the charity ball is to-day. The Pioneer Guards disbanded shortly after the war broke out, and many of its members were officers in the Union army, although two or three of them stole away and joined the Confederate forces, one of them serving on Lee’s staff during the entire war. Col. Wilkin Col. King, Col. Farrell, Capt. Coates, Capt. Van Slyke, Capt. Western, Lieut. Zernberg and Lieut. Tuttle were early in the fray, while a number of others followed as the war progressed.
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It was not until the winter of 1866-67 that St. Paul could boast of a genuine opera house. The old opera house fronting on Wabasha street, on the ground that is now occupied by the Grand block, was finished that winter and opened with a grand entertainment given by local talent. The boxes and a number of seats in the parquet were sold at auction, the highest bidder being a man by the name of Philbrick, who paid $72 for a seat in the parquet. This man Philbrick was a visitor in St. Paul, and had a retinue of seven or eight people with him. It was whispered around that he was some kind of a royal personage, and when he paid $72 for a seat at the opening of the opera house people were sure that he was at least a duke. He disappeared as mysteriously as he had appeared. It was learned afterward that this mysterious person was Coal Oil Johnny out on a lark. The first regular company to occupy this theater was the Macfarland Dramatic company, with Emily Melville as the chief attraction. This little theater could seat about 1,000 people, and its seating capacity was taxed many a time long before the Grand opera house in the rear was constructed. Wendell Philips, Henry Ward Beecher, Theodore Tilton, Frederick Douglass and many others have addressed large audiences from the stage of this old opera house. An amusing incident occurred while Frederick Douglass was in St. Paul. Nearly every seat in the house had been sold long before the lecture was to commence, and when Mr. Douglass commenced speaking there was standing room only. A couple of enthusiastic Republicans found standing room in one of the small upper boxes, and directly in front of them was a well-known Democratic politician by the name of W.H. Shelley. Mr. Shelley had at one time been quite prominent in local Republican circles, but when Andrew Johnson made his famous swing around the circle Shelley got an idea that the proper thing to do was to swing around with him. Consequently the Republicans who stood up behind Mr. Shelley thought they would have a little amusement at his expense. Every time Mr. Douglass made a point worthy of applause these ungenerous Republicans would make a great demonstration, and as the audience could not see them and could only see the huge outline of Mr. Shelley they concluded that he was thoroughly enjoying the lecture and had probably come back to the Republican fold. Mr. Shelley stood it until the lecture was about half over, when he left the opera house in disgust. Mr. Shelley was a candidate for the position of collector of customs of the port of St. Paul and his name had been sent to the senate by President Johnson, but as that body was largely Republican his nomination lacked confirmation.
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About the time of the great Heenan and Sayers prize fight in England a number of local sports arranged to have a mock engagement at the Athenaeum. There was no kneitoscopic method of reproducing a fight at that time, but it was planned to imitate the great fight as closely as possible. James J. Hill was to imitate Sayers and Theodore Borup the Benecia boy. They were provided with seconds, surgeons and all the attendants necessary for properly staging the melee. It was prearranged that Theodore, in the sixth or seventh round, was to knock Hill out, but as the battle progressed, Theodore made a false pass and Hill could not desist from taking advantage of it, and the prearranged plan was reversed by Hill knocking Theodore out. And Hill has kept right on taking advantage of the false movements of his adversaries, and is now knocking them out with more adroitness than he did forty years ago.
PRINTERS AND EDITORS OF TERRITORIAL DAYS.
CAPT.E.Y. SHELLEY THE PIONEER PRINTER OF MINNESOTA–A LARGE NUMBER OF PRINTERS IN THE CIVIL WAR–FEW OF. THE OLD TIMERS LEFT.
TERRITORIAL PRINTERS.
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E.Y. Shelly,
George W. Moore,
John C. Devereux,
Martin Williams,
H.O. Bassford,
Geo. W. Benedict,
Louis E. Fisher,
Geo. W. Armstrong,
J.J. Noah,
M.J. Clum,
Samuel J. Albright,
David Brock,
D.S. Merret,
Richard Bradley,
A.C. Crowell,
Sol Teverbaugh,
Edwin Clark,
Harry Bingham,
William Wilford,
Ole Kelson,
C.R. Conway,
Isaac H. Conway,
David Ramaley,
M.R. Prendergast,
Edward Richards,
Francis P. McNamee,
E.S. Lightbourn,
William Creek,
Alex Creek,
Marshall Robinson,
Jacob T. McCoy,
A.J. Underwood,
J.B. Chaney,
James M. Culver,
Frank H. Pratt,
A.S. Diamond,
Frank Daggett,
R.V. Hesselgrave,
A.D. Martin,
W.G. Jebb,
R.F. Slaughter,
Thos. Slaughter,
William A. Hill,
H.P. Coates,
A.J. Sterrett,
Richard McLagan,
Ed. McLagan,
Robert Bryan,
Jas. Wright,
O.G. Miller,
J.B.H. Mitchell,
Chas. R. Stuart,
Wm. F. Russell,
D.L. Paine,
Benj. Drake,
J.C. Terry,
Thomas Jebb,
Francis P. Troxill,
J.Q.A. Ward,
A.J. Morgan,
M.V.B. Young,
H.L. Vance,
A.M. Carver,
W.H. Wheeler,
J.M. Dugan,
Luke Mulrean,
H.H. Young,
W.G. Allen,
Barrett Smith,
Thos. C. Schenck.
Of the above long list of territorial printers the following are the only known survivors: H.O. Bassford, George W. Benedict, David Brock, John C. Devereux, Barrett Smith, J.B.H. Mitchell, David Ramaley, M.R. Prendergast, Jacob T. McCoy, A.S. Diamond, R.V. Hesselgrave, H.P. Coates, J.R. Chaney, M.J. Clum.
CAPT. E.Y. SHELLY.
Much has been written of the trials and tribulations of the pioneer editors of Minnesota and what they have accomplished in bringing to the attention of the outside world the numerous advantages possessed by this state as a place of permanent location for all classes of people, but seldom, if ever, has the nomadic printer, “the man behind the gun,” received even partial recognition from the chroniclers of our early history. In the spring of 1849 James M. Goodhue arrived in St. Paul from Lancaster, Wis., with a Washington hand press and a few fonts of type, and he prepared to start a paper at the capital of the new territory of Minnesota. Accompanying him were two young printers, named Ditmarth and Dempsey, they being the first printers to set foot on the site of what was soon destined to be the metropolis of the great Northwest. These two young men quickly tired of their isolation and returned to their former home. They were soon followed by another young man, who had only recently returned from the sunny plains of far-off Mexico, where he had been heroically battling for his country’s honor. Capt. E.Y. Shelly was born in Bucks county, Pa., on the 25th of September, 1827. When a mere lad he removed to Philadelphia, where he was instructed in the art preservative, and, on the breaking out of the Mexican war, he laid aside the stick and rule and placed his name on the roster of a company that was forming to take part in the campaign against the Mexicans. He was assigned to the Third United States dragoons and started at once for the scene of hostilities. On arriving at New Orleans the Third dragoons was ordered to report to Gen. Taylor, who was then in the vicinity of Matamoras. As soon as Gen. Taylor was in readiness he drove the Mexicans across the Rio Grande, and the battles of Palo Alto, Monterey and Buena Vista followed in quick succession, in all of which the American forces were successful against an overwhelming force of Mexicans, the Third dragoons being in all the engagements, and they received special mention for their conspicuous gallantry in defending their position against the terrible onslaught of the Mexican forces under the leadership of Santa Ana. Soon after the battle of Buena Vista, Santa Ana withdrew from Gen. Taylor’s front and retreated toward the City of Mexico, in order to assist in the defense of that city against the American forces under the command of Gen. Scott. Peace was declared in 1848 and the Third dragoons were ordered to Jefferson barracks, St. Louis, where they were mustered out of the service. Capt. Shelly took passage in a steamer for St. Paul, where he arrived in July, 1849, being the first printer to permanently locate in Minnesota. The Pioneer was the first paper printed in St. Paul, but the Register and Chronicle soon followed. Capt. Shelly’s first engagement was in the office of the Register, but he soon changed to the Pioneer, and was employed by Mr. Goodhue at the time of his tragic death. When Col. Robertson Started the Daily Democrat Capt. Shelly was connected with that office, and remained there until the Pioneer and Democrat consolidated. Capt. Shelly was a member of the old Pioneer guards, and when President Lincoln called for men to suppress the rebellion the old patriotism was aroused in him, and he organized, in company with Major Brackett, a company for what was afterward known as Brackett’s battalion.
Brackett’s battalion consisted of three Minnesota companies, and they were mustered into service in September, 1861. They were ordered to report at Benton barracks, Mo., and were assigned to a regiment known as Curtis horse, but afterward changed to Fifth Iowa cavalry. In February, 1862, the regiment was ordered to Fort Henry, Tenn., and arrived just in time to take an important part in the attack and surrender of Fort Donelson. Brackett’s battalion was the only Minnesota force engaged at Fort Donelson, and, although they were not in the thickest of the fight, yet they performed tremendous and exhaustive service in preventing the rebel Gen. Buckner from receiving reinforcements. After the surrender the regiment was kept on continual scout duty, as the country was overrun with bands of guerrillas and the inhabitants nearly all sympathized with them. From Fort Donelson three companies of the regiment went to Savannah, (one of them being Capt. Shelly’s) where preparations were being made to meet Gen. Beauregard, who was only a short distance away. Brackett’s company was sent out in the direction of Louisville with orders to see that the roads and bridges were not molested, so that the forces under Gen. Buell would not be obstructed on the march to reinforce Gen. Grant. This timely precaution enabled Gen. Buell to arrive at Pittsburg Landing just in time to save Gen. Grant from probable defeat. For three months after this battle Capt. Shelly’s company was engaged in protecting the long line of railroad from Columbus, Ky., to Corinth, Miss. On the 25th of August, 1862, Fort Donalson was attacked by the rebels and this regiment was ordered to its relief. This attack of the rebels did not prove to be very serious, but on the 5th of February, 1863, the rebels under Forrest and Wheeler made a third attack on Fort Donelson. They were forced to retire, leaving a large number of their dead on the field, but fortunately none of the men under Capt. Shelly were injured. Nearly the entire spring and summer of 1863 was spent in scouring the country in the vicinity of the Tennessee river, sometimes on guard duty, sometimes on the picket line and often in battle. They were frequently days and nights without food or sleep, but ever kept themselves in readiness for an attack from the wily foes. Opposed to them were the commands of Forest and Wheeler, the very best cavalry officers in the Confederate service. A number of severe actions ended in the battle of Chickamauga, in which the First cavalry took a prominent part. After the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was kept on duty on the dividing line between the two forces. About the 1st of January, 1864, most of Capt. Shelly’s company reinlisted and they returned home on a thirty days’ furlough. After receiving a number of recruits at Fort Snelling, the command, on the 14th of May, 1864, received orders to report to Gen. Sully at Sioux City, who was preparing to make a final campaign against the rebellious Sioux. On the 28th of June the expedition started on its long and weary march over the plains of the Dakotas toward Montana. It encountered the Indians a number of times, routing them, and continued on its way. About the middle of August the expedition entered the Bad Lands, and the members were the first white men to traverse that unexplored region. In the fall the battalion returned to Fort Ridgley, where they went into winter quarters, having marched over 3,000 miles since leaving Fort Snelling. Capt. Shelly was mustered out of the service in the spring of 1865, and since that time, until within a few years, has been engaged at his old profession.
Capt. Shelly was almost painfully modest, seldom alluding to the many stirring events with which he had been an active participant, and it could well be said of him, as Cardinal Wolsey said of himself, that “had he served his God with half the zeal he has served his country, he would not in his old age have forsaken him.” Political preferment and self-assurance keep some men constantly before the public eye, while others, the men of real merit, who have spent the best part of their lives in the service of their country, are often permitted by an ungrateful community to go down to their graves unhonored and unsung.
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OTHER PRINTERS IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Capt. Henry C. Coates was foreman of the job department of the Pioneer office. He was an officer in the Pioneer Guards, and when the war broke out was made a lieutenant in the First regiment, was in all the battles of that famous organization up to and including Gettysburg; was commander of the regiment for some time after the battle. After the war he settled in Philadelphia, where he now resides.
Jacob J. Noah at one time set type, with Robert Bonner. He was elected clerk of the supreme court at the first election of state officers; was captain of Company K Second Minnesota regiment, but resigned early in the war and moved to New York City, his former home.
Frank H. Pratt was an officer in the Seventh regiment and served through the war. He published a paper at Taylor’s Falls at one time. After the war he was engaged in the mercantile business in St. Paul.
John C. Devereux was foreman of the old Pioneer and was an officer in the Third regiment, and still resides in the city.
Jacob T. McCoy was an old-time typo and worked in all the St. Paul offices before and after the rebellion. Mr. McCoy was a fine singer and his voice was always heard at typographical gatherings. He enlisted as private in the Second Minnesota and served more than four years, returning as first lieutenant. He now resides in Meadeville, Pa.
Martin Williams was printer, editor, reporter and publisher, both before and after the war. He was quartermaster of the Second Minnesota cavalry.
Robert P. Slaughter and his brother, Thomas Slaughter, were both officers in the volunteer service and just previous to the rebellion were engaged in the real estate business.
Edward Richards was foreman of the Pioneer and Minnesotian before the war and foreman of the old St. Paul Press after the war. He enlisted during the darkest days of the rebellion in the Eighth regiment and served in the dual capacity of correspondent and soldier. No better soldier ever left the state. He was collector of customs of the port of St. Paul under the administration of Presidents Garfield and Arthur, and later was on the editorial staff of the Pioneer Press.
The most remarkable compositor ever in the Northwest, if not in the United States, was the late Charles R. Stuart. He claimed to be a lineal descendant of the royal house of Stuart. For two years in succession he won the silver cup in New York city for setting more type than any of his competitors. At an endurance test in New York he is reported to have set and distributed 26,000 ems solid brevier in twenty-four hours. He was originally from Detroit. In the spring of 1858 he wandered into the Minnesotian office and applied for work. The Minnesotian was city printer and was very much in need of some one that day to help them out. Mr. Stuart was put to work and soon distributed two cases of type, and the other comps wondered what he was going to do with it. After he had been at work a short time they discovered that he would be able to set up all the type he had distributed and probably more, too. When he pasted up the next morning the foreman measured his string and remeasured it, and then went over and took a survey of Mr. Stuart, and then went back and measured it again. He then called up the comps, and they looked it over, but no one could discover anything wrong with it. The string measured 23,000 ems, and was the most remarkable feat of composition ever heard of in this section of the country. It was no uncommon occurrence for Mr. Stuart to set 2,000 ems of solid bourgeois an hour, and keep it up for the entire day. Mr. Stuart’s reputation as a rapid compositor spread all over the city in a short time and people used to come to the office to see him set type, with as much curiosity as they do now to see the typesetting machine. In 1862 Mr. Stuart enlisted in the Eighth regiment and served for three years, returning home a lieutenant. For a number of years he published a paper at Sault Ste Marie, in which place he died about five years ago. He was not only a good printer, but a very forceful writer, in fact he was an expert in everything connected with the printing business.
E.S. Lightbourn was one of the old-time printers. He served three years in the Seventh Minnesota and after the war was foreman of the Pioneer.
M.J. Clum is one of the oldest printers in St. Paul. He was born in Rensselar county, New York, in 1832, and came to St. Paul in 1853. He learned his trade in Troy, and worked with John M. Francis, late minister to Greece, and also with C.L. McArthur, editor of the Northern Budget. Mr. Clum was a member of Company D, Second Minnesota, and took part in several battles in the early part of the rebellion.
J.B. Chancy came to Minnesota before the state was admitted to the Union. At one time he was foreman of a daily paper at St. Anthony Falls. During the war he was a member of Berdan’s sharpshooters, who were attached to the First regiment.
S J. Albright worked on the Pioneer in territorial days. In 1859 he went to Yankton, Dak., and started the first paper in that territory. He was an officer in a Michigan regiment during the rebellion. For many years was a publisher of a paper in Michigan, and under the last administration of Grover Cleveland was governor of Alaska.
M.R. Prendergast, though not connected with the printing business for some time, yet he is an old time printer, and was in the Tenth Minnesota during the rebellion.
A.J. Underwood was a member of Berdan’s Sharp-shooters, and was connected with a paper at Fergus Falls for a number of years.
Robert V. Hesselgrave was employed in nearly all the St. Paul offices at various times. He was lieutenant in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, and is now engaged in farming in the Minnesota valley.
William A. Hill came to St. Paul during the early ’50s. He was a member of the Seventh Minnesota.
Ole Johnson was a member of the First Minnesota regiment, and died in a hospital in Virginia.
William F. Russel, a compositor on the Pioneer, organized a company of sharpshooters in St. Paul, and they served throughout the war in the army of the Potomac.
S. Teverbaugh and H.I. Vance were territorial printers, and were both in the army, but served in regiments outside the state.
There were a large number of other printers in the military service during the civil war, but they were not territorial printers and their names are not included in the above list.
TERRITORIAL PRINTERS IN CIVIL LIFE.
One of the brightest of the many bright young men who came to Minnesota at an early day was Mr. James Mills. For a time he worked on the case at the old Pioneer office, but was soon transferred to the editorial department, where he remained for a number of years. After the war he returned to Pittsburgh, his former home, and is now and for a number of years has been editor-in-chief of the Pittsburgh Post.
Among the numerous printers of St. Paul who were musically inclined no one was better known than the late O.G. Miller. He belonged to the Great Western band, and was tenor singer in several churches in the city for a number of years. Mr. Miller was a 33d Degree Mason, and when he died a midnight funeral service was held for him in Masonic hall, the first instance on record of a similar service in the city.
George W. Moore came to St. Paul in 1850, and for a short time was foreman for Mr. Goodhue. In 1852 he formed a partnership with John P. Owens in the publication of the Minnesotian. He sold his interest in that paper to Dr. Foster in 1860, and in 1861 was appointed by President Lincoln collector of the port of St. Paul, a position he held for more than twenty years.
Louis E. Fisher was one of God’s noblemen. When he first came to St. Paul he was foreman of the Commercial Advertiser. For a long time he was one of the editors of the Pioneer, and also the Pioneer Press. He was a staunch democrat and a firm believer in Jeffersonian simplicity. At one time he was a candidate for governor on the democratic ticket. Had it not been for a little political chicanery he would have been nominated, and had he been elected would have made a model governor.
George W. Armstrong was the Beau Brummel of the early printers. He wore kid gloves when he made up the forms of the old Pioneer, and he always appeared as if he devoted more attention to his toilet than most of his co-laborers. He was elected state treasurer on the democratic ticket in 1857, and at the expiration of his term of office devoted his attention to the real estate business.
Another old printer that was somewhat fastidious was James M. Culver. He was the first delegate from St. Paul to the International Typographical Union. Old members of the Sons of Malta will recollect how strenuously he resisted the canine portion of the ceremony when taking the third degree of that noble order.
Who has not heard of David Ramaley? He is one of the best as well as one of the best known printers in the Northwest. He has been printer, reporter, editor, publisher and type founder. Although he has been constantly in the harness for nearly fifty years, he is still active and energetic and looks as if it might be an easy matter to round out the century mark.
H.O. Bassford, now of the Austin Register, was one of the fleetest and cleanest compositers among the territorial printers. He was employed on the Minnesotian.
Francis P. McNamee occupied most all positions connected with the printing business–printer, reporter, editor. He was a most estimable man, but of very delicate constitution, and he has long since gone to his reward.
The genial, jovial face of George W. Benedict was for many years familiar to most old-time residents. At one time he was foreman of the old St. Paul Press. He is now editor and publisher of the Sauk Rapids Sentinel.
The old St. Paul Times had no more reliable man than the late Richard Bradley. He was foreman of the job department of that paper, and held the same position on the Press and Pioneer Press for many years.
D.L. Paine was the author of the famous poem entitled “Who Stole Ben Johnson’s Spaces.” He was employed in several of the St. Paul offices previous to the rebellion.
The late John O. Terry was the first hand pressman in St. Paul. He formed a partnership with Col. Owens in the publication of the Minnesotian. For a long time he was assistant postmaster of St. Paul, and held several other positions of trust.
J.B.H. Mitchell was a, member of the firm of Newson, Mitchell & Clum, publishers of the Daily Times. For several years after the war he was engaged as compositor in the St. Paul offices, and is now farming in Northern Minnesota.
Among the freaks connected with the printing business was a poet printer by the name of Wentworth. He was called “Long Haired Wentworth.”
Early in the war he enlisted in the First Minnesota regiment. When Col. Gorman caught sight of him he ordered his hair cut. Wentworth would not permit his flowing locks to be taken off, and he was summarly dismissed from the service. After being ordered out of the regiment he wrote several letters of doubtful loyalty and Secretary Stanton had him arrested and imprisoned in Fort Lafayette with other political prisoners. He never returned to Minnesota.
Marshall Robinson was a partner of the late John H. Stevens in the publication of the first paper at Glencoe. At one time he was a compositor on the Pioneer, and the last heard from him he was state printer for Nevada.
Andrew Jackson Morgan was brought to St. Paul by the late Col. D.A. Robertson and made foreman of the Democrat. He was a printer-politician and possessed considerable ability. At one time he was one of the editors of the Democrat. He was said to bear a striking resemblance to the late Stephen A. Douglas, and seldom conversed with any one without informing them of the fact. He was one of the original Jacksonian Democrats, and always carried with him a silver dollar, which he claimed was given him by Andrew Jackson when he was christened. No matter how much Democratic principle Jack would consume on one of his electioneering tours he always clung to the silver dollar. He died in Ohio more than forty years ago, and it is said that the immediate occasion of his demise was an overdose of hilarity.
Another old timer entitled to a good position in the hilarity column was J.Q.A. Ward, commonly known as Jack Ward. He was business manager of the Minnesotian during the prosperous days of that paper. The first immigration pamphlet ever gotten out in the territory was the product of Jack’s ingenuity. Jack created quite a sensation at one time by marrying the daughter of his employer on half an hour’s ball room acquaintance. He was a very bright man and should have been one of the foremost business men of the city, but, like many other men, he was his own worst enemy.
Another Jack that should not be overlooked was Jack Barbour. His theory was that in case the fiery king interfered with your business it was always better to give up the business.
A.M. Carver was one of the best job printers in the country, and he was also one of the best amateur actors among the fraternity. It was no uncommon thing for the old time printers to be actors and actors to be printers. Lawrence Barrett, Stuart Robson and many other eminent actors were knights of the stick and rule. Frequently during the happy distribution hour printers could be heard quoting from the dramatist and the poet, and occasionally the affairs of church and state would receive serious consideration, and often the subject would be handled in a manner that would do credit to the theologian or the diplomat, but modern ingenuity has made it probable that no more statesmen will receive their diplomas from the composing room. Since the introduction of the iron printer all these pleasantries have passed away, and the sociability that once existed in the composing room will be known hereafter only to tradition.
The late William Jebb was one of the readiest debaters in the old Pioneer composing room. He was well posted on all topics and was always ready to take either side of a question for the sake of argument. Possessing a command of language and fluency of speech that would have been creditable to some of the foremost orators, he would talk by the hour, and his occasional outbursts of eloquence often surprised and always entertained the weary distributors. At one time Jebb was reporter on the St. Paul Times. Raising blooded chickens was one of his hobbies. One night some one entered his premises and appropriated, a number of his pet fowls. The next day the Times had a long account of his misfortune, and at the conclusion of his article he hurled the pope’s bull of excommunication at the miscreant. It was a fatal bull and was Mr. Jebb’s reportorial finish.
A fresh graduate from the case at one time wrote a scurrilous biography of Washington. The editor of the paper on which he was employed was compelled to make editorial apology for its unfortunate appearance. To make the matter more offensive the author on several different occasions reproduced the article and credited its authorship to the editor who was compelled to apologize for it.
In two different articles on nationalities by two different young printer reporters, one referred to the Germans as “the beer-guzzling Dutch,” and the other, speaking of the English said “thank the Lord we have but few of them in our midst,” caused the writers to be promptly relegated back to the case.
Bishop Willoughby was a well-known character of the early times. A short conversation with him would readily make patent the fact that he wasn’t really a bishop. In an account of confirming a number of people at Christ church a very conscientious printer-reporter said “Bishop Willoughby administered the rite of confirmation,” when he should have said Bishop Whipple. He was so mortified at his unfortunate blunder that he at once tendered his resignation. Of course it was not accepted.
Editors and printers of territorial times were more closely affiliated than they are to-day. Meager hotel accommodations and necessity for economical habits compelled many of them to work and sleep in the same room. All the offices contained blankets and cots, and as morning newspapers were only morning newspapers in name, the tired and weary printer could sleep the sleep of the just without fear of disturbance.
Nearly all the early editors were also printers. Earle S. Goodrich, editor-in-chief of the Pioneer: Thomas Foster, editor of the Minnesotian; T.M. Newson, editor of the Times, and John P. Owens, first editor of the Minnesotian, were all printers. When the old Press removed from Bridge Square in 1869 to the new building on the corner of Third and Minnesota streets, Earle S. Goodrich came up into the composing room and requested the privilege of setting the first type in the new building. He was provided with a stick and rule and set up about half a column of editorial without copy. The editor of the Press, in commenting on his article, said it was set up as “clean as the blotless pages of Shakespeare.” In looking over the article the next morning some of the typos discovered an error in the first line.
THE DECISIVE BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS.
THE FIRST BATTLE DURING THE CIVIL WAR IN WHICH THE UNION FORCES SCORED A DECISIVE VICTORY–THE SECOND MINNESOTA THE HEROES OF THE DAY–THE REBEL GENERAL ZOLLICOFFER KILLED.
Every Minnesotian’s heart swells with pride whenever mention is made of the grand record of the volunteers from the North Star State in the great struggle for the suppression of the rebellion. At the outbreak of the war Minnesota was required to furnish one regiment, but so intensely patriotic were its citizens that nearly two regiments volunteered at the first call of the president. As only ten companies could go in the first regiment the surplus was held in readiness for a second call, which it was thought would be soon forthcoming. On the 16th of June, 1861, Gov. Ramsey received notice that a second regiment would be acceptable, and accordingly the companies already organized with two or three additions made up the famous Second Minnesota. H.P. Van Cleve was appointed colonel, with headquarters at Fort Snelling. Several of the companies were sent to the frontier to relieve detachments of regulars stationed at various posts, but on the 16th of October, 1861, the full regiment started for Washington. On reaching Pittsburgh, however, their destination was changed to Louisville, at which place they were ordered to report to Gen. W.T. Sherman, then in command of the Department of the Cumberland, and they at once received orders to proceed to Lebanon Junction, about thirty miles south of Louisville. The regiment remained at this camp about six weeks before anything occurred to relieve the monotony of camp life, although there were numerous rumors of night attacks by large bodies of Confederates. On the 15th of November, 1861, Gen. Buell assumed command of all the volunteers in the vicinity of Louisville, and he at once organized them into divisions and brigades. Early in December the Second regiment moved to Lebanon, Ky., and, en route, the train was fired at. At Lebanon the Second Minnesota, Eighteenth United States infantry, Ninth and Thirty-fifth Ohio regiments were organized into a brigade, and formed part of Gen. George H. Thomas’ First division. On Jan. 1, 1862, Gen. Thomas started his troops on the Mill Springs campaign and from the 1st to the 17th day of January, spent most of its time marching under rain, sleet and through mud, and on the latter date went into camp near Logan’s Cross Roads, eight miles north of Zollicoffer’s intrenched rebel camp at Beech Grove. On the night of Jan. 18, Company A was on picket duty. It had been raining incessantly and was so dark that it was with difficulty that pickets could be relieved. Just at daybreak the rebel advance struck the pickets of the Union lines, and several musket shots rang out with great distinctness, and in quick succession, it being the first rebel shot that the boys had ever heard. Then all was quiet for a time. The firing soon commenced again, nearer and more distinct than at first, and thicker and faster as the rebel advance encountered the Union pickets. The Second Minnesota had entered the woods and passing through the Tenth Indiana, then out of ammunition and retiring and no longer firing. The enemy, emboldened by the cessation and mistaking its cause, assumed they had the Yanks on the run, advanced to the rail fence separating the woods from the field just as the Second Minnesota was doing the same, and while the rebels got there first, they were also first to get away and make a run to their rear. But before they ran their firing was resumed and Minnesotians got busy and the Fifteenth Mississippi and the Sixteenth Alabama regiments were made to feel that they had run up against something. To the right of the Second were two of Kinney’s cannon and to their right was the Ninth Ohio. The mist and smoke which hung closely was too thick to see through, but by lying down it was possible to look under the smoke and to see the first rebel line, and that it was in bad shape, and back of it and down on the low ground a second line, with their third line on the high ground on the further side of the field. That the Second Minnesota was in close contact with the enemy was evident all along its line, blasts of fire and belching smoke coming across the fence from Mississippi muskets. The contest was at times hand to hand–the Second Minnesota and the rebels running their guns through the fence, firing and using the bayonet when opportunity offered. The firing was very brisk for some time when it was suddenly discovered that the enemy had disappeared. The battle was over, the Johnnies had “skedaddled,” leaving their dead and dying on the bloody field. Many of the enemy were killed and wounded, and some few surrendered. After the firing had ceased one rebel lieutenant bravely stood in front of the Second and calmly faced his fate. After being called on to surrender he made no reply, but deliberately raised his hand and shot Lieut. Stout through the body. He was instantly shot. His name proved to be Bailie Peyton, son of one of the most prominent Union men in Tennessee. Gen. Zollicoffer, commander of the Confederate forces, was also killed in this battle. This battle, although a mere skirmish when compared to many other engagements in which the Second participated before the close of the war, was watched with great interest by the people of St. Paul. Two full companies had been recruited in the city and there was quite a number of St. Paulites in other companies of this regiment. When it became known that a battle had been fought in which the Second had been active participants, the relatives and friends of the men engaged in the struggle thronged the newspaper offices in quest of information regarding their safety. The casualties in the Second Minnesota, amounted to twelve killed and thirty-five wounded. Two or three days after the battle letters were received from different members of the Second, claiming that they had shot Bailie Payton and Zollicoffer. It afterward was learned that no one ever knew who shot Peyton, and that Col. Fry of the Fourth Kentucky shot Zollicoffer. Lieut. Tuttle captured Peyton’s sword and still has it in his possession. This sword has a historic record. It was presented to Bailie Peyton by the citizens of New Orleans at the outbreak of the Mexican war, and was carried by Col. Peyton during the entire war. Col. Peyton was on Gen. Scott’s staff at the close of the war, and when Santa Anna surrendered the City of Mexico to Gen. Scott, Col. Peyton was the staff officer designated by Scott to receive the surrender of the city, carrying this sword by his side. It bears this inscription: “Presented to Col. Bailie Peyton, Fifth Regiment Louisiana Volunteer National Guards, by his friends of New Orleans. His country required his services. His deeds will add glory to her arms.” There has been considerable correspondence between the government and state, officials and the descendants of Col. Peyton relative to returning this trophy to Col. Peyton’s relatives, but so far no arrangements to that effect have been concluded.
It was reported by Tennesseeans at the time of the battle that young Peyton was what was known as a “hoop-skirt” convert to the Confederate cause. Southern ladies were decidedly more pronounced secessionists than were the sterner sex, and whenever they discovered that one of their chivalric brethren was a little lukewarm toward the cause of the South they sent him a hoop skirt, which indicated that the recipient was lacking in bravery. For telling of his loyalty to the Union he was insulted and hissed at on the streets of Nashville, and when he received a hoop skirt from his lady friends he reluctantly concluded to take up arms against the country he loved so well. He paid the penalty of foolhardy recklessness in the first battle in which he participated.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, who was an eye-witness of the battle, gave a glowing description of the heroic conduct of the Second Minnesota during the engagement. He said: “The success of the battle was when the Second Minnesota and the Ninth Ohio appeared in good order sweeping through the field. The Second Minnesota, from its position in the column, was almost in the center of the fight, and in the heaviest of the enemy’s fire. They were the first troops that used the bayonet, and the style with which they went into the fight is the theme of enthusiastic comment throughout the army.”
It was the boast of Confederate leaders at the outbreak of the rebellion that one regiment of Johnnies was equal to two or more regiments of Yankees. After the battle of Mill Springs they had occasion to revise their ideas regarding the fighting qualities of the detested Yankees. From official reports of both sides, gathered after the engagement was over, it was shown that the Confederate forces outnumbered their Northern adversaries nearly three to one.
The victory proved a dominant factor in breaking up the Confederate right flank, and opened a way into East Tennessee, and by transferring the Union troops to a point from which to menace Nashville made the withdrawal of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s troops from Bowling Green, Ky., to Nashville necessary.
Confederate loss, 600 in killed, wounded and prisoners. Union loss, 248 in killed and wounded. Twelve rebel cannon and caissons complete were captured. Two hundred wagons with horses in harness were captured, as were large quantities of ammunition, store and camp equipments–in fact, the Union troops took all there was.
Col. Fry’s version of the killing of Zollicoffer is as follows: While on the border of “old fields” a stranger in citizen clothes rode up by his side, so near that he could have put his hand upon his shoulder, and said: “Don’t let us be firing on our own men. Those are our men,” pointing at the same time toward our forces. Col. Fry looked upon him inquiringly a moment, supposing him to be one of his own men, after which he rode forward not more than fifteen paces, when an officer came dashing up, first recognizing the stranger and almost the same instant firing upon Col. Fry. At the same moment the stranger wheeled his horse, facing Col. Fry, when the colonel shot him in the breast.
Gen. Zollicoffer was a prominent and influential citizen of Nashville previous to the war, and stumped the state with Col. Peyton in opposition to the ordinance of secession, but when Tennessee seceded he determined to follow the fortunes of his state. The day before the battle Gen. Zollicoffer made a speech to his troops in which he said he would take them to Indiana or go to hell himself. He didn’t go to Indiana.
The poet of the Fourth Kentucky perpetrated the following shortly after the battle:
“Old Zollicoffer is dead
And the last word he said:
I see a wild cat coming.
Up steps Col. Fry.
And he hit him in the eye
And he sent him to the happy land of Canaan. Ho! boys, ho!
For the Union go!
Hip hurrah for the happy land of freedom.”
The loyal Kentuckians were in great glee and rejoiced over the victory. It was their battle against rebel invaders from Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, who were first met by their own troops of Wolford’s First cavalry and the Fourth Kentucky infantry, whose blood was the first to be shed in defense of the Stars and Stripes; and their gratitude went out to their neighbors from Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio who came to their support and drove the invaders out of their state. On Feb. 24, 1862, the Second Minnesota was again in Louisville, where the regiment had admirers and warm friends in the loyal ladies, who as evidence of their high appreciation, though the mayor of the city, Hon. J.M. Dolph, presented to the Second regiment a silk flag. The mayor said. “Each regiment is equally entitled to like honor, but the gallant conduct of those who came from a distant state to unite in subduing our rebel invaders excites the warmest emotions of our hearts.”
On Jan. 25 President Lincoln’s congratulations were read to the regiment, and on Feb. 9, at Waitsboro, Ky., the following joint resolution of the Minnesota legislature was read before the regiment:
Whereas, the noble part borne by the First regiment, Minnesota infantry, in the battles of Bull Run and Ball’s Bluff, Va., is yet fresh in our minds; and, whereas, we have heard with equal satisfaction the intelligence of the heroism displayed by the Second Minnesota infantry in the late brilliant action at Mill Springs, Ky.:
Therefore be it resolved by the legislature of Minnesota, That while it was the fortune of the veteran First regiment to shed luster upon defeat, it was reserved for the glorious Second regiment to add victory to glory.
Resolved, that the bravery of our noble sons, heroes whether in defeat or victory, is a source of pride to the state that sent them forth, and will never fail to secure to them the honor and the homage of the government and the people.
Resolved, That we sympathize with the friends of our slain soldiers, claiming as well to share their grief as to participate in the renown which the virtues and valor of the dead have conferred on our arms.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, having the signature of the executive and the great seal of the state, be immediately forwarded by the governor to the colonels severally in command of the regiments, to be by them communicated to their soldiers at dress parade.
The battle at Mill Springs was the first important victory achieved by the Union army in the Southwest after the outbreak of the rebellion, and the result of that engagement occasioned great rejoicing throughout the loyal North. Although the battle was fought forty-five years ago, quite a number of men engaged in that historic event are still living in St. Paul, a number of them actively engaged in business. Among the number are J.W. Bishop, J.C. Donahower, M.C. Tuttle, R.A. Lanpher, M.J. Clum, William Bircher, Robert G. Rhodes, John H. Gibbons, William Wagner, Joseph Burger, Jacob J. Miller, Christian Dehn, William Kemper, Jacob Bernard, Charles F. Myer, Phillip Potts and Fred Dohm.
THE GREAT BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING.
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST SANGUINARY BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR–TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE–GALLANT ACTION OF THE FIRST MINNESOTA BATTERY–DEATH OF CAPT. W.H. ACKER.
The battle of Pittsburg Landing on the 6th and 7th of April, 1862, was one of the most terrific of the many great battles of the great Civil war. It has been likened to the battle of Waterloo. Napoleon sought to destroy the army of Wellington before a junction could be made with Blucher. Johnston and Beauregard undertook to annihilate the Army of the Tennessee, under Gen. Grant, before the Army of the Cumberland, under Buell, could come to his assistance. At the second battle of Bull Run Gen. Pope claimed that Porter was within sound of his guns, yet he remained inactive. At Pittsburg Landing it was claimed by military men that Gen. Buell could have made a junction with Grant twenty-four hours sooner and thereby saved a terrible loss of life had he chosen to do so. Both generals were subsequently suspended from their commands and charges of disloyalty were made against them by many newspapers in the North. Gen. Porter was tried by court-martial and dismissed from the service. Many years after this decision was revoked by congress and the stigma of disloyalty removed from his name. Gen. Buell was tried by court-martial, but the findings of the court were never made public. Gen. Grant did not think Gen. Buell was guilty of the charges against him, and when he became commander-in-chief of the army in 1864 endeavored to have him restored to his command, but the war department did not seem inclined to do so. About two weeks before the battle of Pittsburg Landing Gen. Grant was suspended from the command of the Army of the Tennessee by Gen. Halleck, but owing to some delay in the transmission of the order, an order came from headquarters restoring him to his command before he knew that he had been suspended. Gen. Grant’s success at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson made his superiors jealous of his popularity. He was ordered arrested by Gen. McClellan, but the order was held up by the war department until Gen. Grant could be heard from. The reason for his arrest was that he went to Nashville to consult with Buell without permission of the commanding general. Dispatches sent to Grant for information concerning his command was never delivered to him, but were delivered over to the rebel authorities by a rebel telegraph operator, who shortly afterward joined the Confederate forces.
Many years after the war Gen. Badeau, one of Grant’s staff officers, was in search of information for his “History of Grant’s Military Campaigns,” and he unearthed in the archives of the war department the full correspondence between Halleck, McClellan and the secretary of war, and it was not until then that Gen. Grant learned the full extent of the absurd accusations made against him.
After the battle of Pittsburg Landing Gen. Halleck assumed personal command of all the forces at that point and Gen. Grant was placed second in command, which meant that he had no command at all. This was very distasteful to Gen. Grant and he would have resigned his commission and returned to St. Louis but for the interposition of his friend, Gen. W.T. Sherman. Gen. Grant had packed up his belongings and was about to depart when Gen. Sherman met him at his tent and persuaded him to refrain. In a short time Halleck was ordered to Washington and Grant was made commander of the Department of West Tennessee, with headquarters at Memphis. Gen. Grant’s subsequent career proved the wisdom of Sherman’s entreaty.
When Gen. Halleck assumed command he constructed magnificent fortifications, and they were a splendid monument to his engineering skill, but they were never occupied. He was like the celebrated king of France, who “with one hundred thousand men, marched up the hill and then down again.” Gen. Halleck had under his immediate command more than one hundred thousand well equipped men, and the people of the North looked to him to administer a crushing blow to the then retreating enemy. The hour had arrived–the man had not.
“Flushed with the victory of Forts Henry and Donelson,” said the envious Halleck in a dispatch to the war department, previous to the battle, “the army under Grant at Pittsburg Landing was more demoralized than the Army of the Potomac after the disastrous defeat of Bull Run.”
Soon after the battle the venerable Gen. Scott predicted that the war would soon be ended–that thereafter there would be nothing but guerrilla warfare at interior points. Gen. Grant himself in his memoirs says that had the victory at Pittsburg Landing been followed up and the army been kept intact the battles at Stone River, Chattanooga and Chickamauga would not have been necessary.
Probably the battle of Pittsburg Landing was the most misunderstood and most misrepresented of any battle occurring during the war. It was charged that Grant was drunk; that he was far away from the battleground when the attack was made, and was wholly unprepared to meet the terrible onslaught of the enemy in the earlier stages of the encounter. Gen. Beauregard is said to have stated on the morning of the battle that before sundown he would water his horses in the Tennessee river or in hell. That the rebels did not succeed in reaching the Tennessee was not from lack of dash and daring on their part, but was on account of the sturdy resistance and heroism of their adversaries. According to Gen. Grant’s own account of the battle, though suffering intense pain from a sprained ankle, he was in the saddle from early morning till late at night, riding from division to division, giving directions to their commanding officers regarding the many changes in the disposition of their forces rendered necessary by the progress of the battle. The firm resistance made by the force under his command is sufficient refutation of the falsity of the charges made against him. Misunderstanding of orders, want of co-operation of subordinates as well as superiors, and rawness of recruits were said to have been responsible for the terrible slaughter of the Union forces on the first day of the battle.
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The battle of Pittsburg Landing is sometimes called the battle of Shiloh, some of the hardest lighting having been done in the vicinity of an old log church called the Church of Shiloh, about three miles from the landing.
The battle ground traversed by the opposing forces occupied a semi-circle of about three and a half miles from the town of Pittsburg, the Union forces being stationed in the form of a semi-circle, the right resting on a point north of Crump’s Landing, the center being directly in front of the road to Corinth, and the left extending to the river in the direction of Harrisburg–a small place north of Pittsburg Landing. At about 2 o’clock on Sunday morning, Col. Peabody of Prentiss’ division, fearing that everything was not right, dispatched a body of 400 men beyond the camp for the purpose of looking after any body of men which might be lurking in that direction. This step was wisely taken, for a half a mile advance showed a heavy force approaching, who fired upon them with great slaughter. This force taken by surprise, was compelled to retreat, which they did in good order under a galling fire. At 6 o’clock the fire had become general along the entire front, the enemy having driven in the pickets of Gen. Sherman’s division and had fallen with vengeance upon three Ohio regiments of raw recruits, who knew nothing of the approach of the enemy until they were within their midst. The slaughter on the first approach of the enemy was very severe, scores falling at every discharge of rebel guns. It soon became apparent that the rebel forces were approaching in overwhelming numbers and there was nothing left for them to do but retreat, which was done with considerable disorder, both officers and men losing every particle of their baggage, which fell into rebel hands.
At 8:30 o’clock the fight had become general, the second line of divisions having received the advance in good order and made every preparation for a suitable reception of the foe. At this time many thousand stragglers, many of whom had never before heard the sound of musketry, turned their backs to the enemy, and neither threats or persuasion could induce them to turn back. The timely arrival of Gen. Grant, who had hastened up from Savannah, led to the adoption of measures that put a stop to this uncalled-for flight from the battle ground. A strong guard was placed across the thoroughfare, with orders to hault every soldier whose face was turned toward the river, and thus a general stampede was prevented. At 10 o’clock the entire line on both sides was engaged in one of the most terrible battles ever known in this country. The roar of the cannon and musketry was without intermission from the main center to a point extending halfway down the left wing. The great struggle was most upon the forces which had fallen back on Sherman’s position. By 11 o’clock quite a number of the commanders of regiments had fallen, and in some instances not a single field officer remained; yet the fighting continued with an earnestness that plainly showed that the contest on both sides was for death or victory. The almost deafening sound of artillery and the rattle of musketry was all that could be heard as the men stood silently and delivered their fire, evidently bent on the work of destruction which knew no bounds. Foot by foot the ground was contested, a single narrow strip of open land dividing the opponents. Many who were maimed fell back without help, while others still fought in the ranks until they were actually forced back by their company officers. Finding it impossible to drive back the center of our column, at 12 o’clock the enemy slackened fire upon it and made a most vigorous effort on our left wing, endeavoring to drive it to the river bank at a point about a mile and a half above Pittsburg Landing. With the demonstration of the enemy upon the left wing it was soon seen that all their fury was being poured out upon it, with a determination that it should give way. For about two hours a sheet of fire blazed both columns, the rattle of musketry making a most deafening noise. For about an hour it was feared that the enemy would succeed in driving our forces to the river bank, the rebels at times being plainly seen by those on the main landing below. While the conflict raged the hottest in this quarter the gunboat Tyler passed slowly up the river to a point directly opposite the enemy and poured in a broadside from her immense guns. The shells went tearing and crashing through the woods, felling trees in their course and spreading havoc wherever they fell. The explosions were fearful, the shells falling far inland, and they struck terror to the rebel force. Foiled in this attempt, they now made another attack on the center and fought like tigers. They found our lines well prepared and in full expectation of their coming. Every man was at his post and all willing to bring the contest to a definite conclusion. In hourly expectation of the arrival of reinforcements, under Generals Nelson and Thomas of Buell’s army, they made every effort to rout our forces before the reinforcements could reach the battle ground. They were, however, fighting against a wall of steel. Volley answered volley and for a time the battle of the morning was re-enacted on the same ground and with the same vigor on both sides. At 5 o’clock there was a short cessation in the firing of the enemy, their lines falling back on the center for about half a mile. They again wheeled and suddenly threw their entire force upon the left wing, determined to make the final struggle of the day in that quarter. The gunboat Lexington in the meantime had arrived from Savannah, and after sending a message to Gen. Grant to ascertain in which direction the enemy was from the river, the Lexington and Tyler took a position about half a mile above the river landing, and poured their shells up a deep ravine reaching to the river on the right. Their shots were thick and fast and told with telling effect. In the meantime Gen. Lew Wallace, who had taken a circuitous route from Crump’s Landing, appeared suddenly on the left wing of the rebels. In face of this combination the enemy felt that their bold effort was for the day a failure and as night was about at hand, they slowly fell back, fighting as they went, until they reached an advantageous position, somewhat in the rear, yet occupying the main road to Corinth. The gunboats continued to send their shells after them until they were far beyond reach. This ended the engagement for the day. Throughout the day the rebels evidently had fought with the Napoleonic idea of massing their entire force on weak points of the enemy, with the intention of braking through their lines, creating a panic and cutting off retreat.
The first day’s battle, though resulting in a terrible loss of Union troops, was in reality a severe disappointment to the rebel leaders. They fully expected, with their overwhelming force to annihilate Grant’s army, cross the Tennessee river and administer the same punishment to Buell, and then march on through Tennessee, Kentucky and into Ohio. They had conceived a very bold movement, but utterly failed to execute it.
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, commander of the Confederate forces, was killed in the first day’s battle, being shot while attempting to induce a brigade of unwilling Confederates to make a charge on the enemy.
Gen. Buell was at Columbia, Tenn., on the 19th of March with a veteran force of 40,000 men, and it required nineteen days for him to reach the Tennessee river, eighty-five miles distant, marching less than five miles a day, notwithstanding the fact that he had been ordered to make a junction with Grant’s forces as soon as possible, and was well informed of the urgency of the situation.
During the night steamers were engaged in carrying the troops of Nelson’s division across the river. As soon as the boats reached the shore the troops immediately left, and, without music, took their way to the advance of the left wing of the Union forces. They had come up double quick from Savannah, and as they were regarded as veterans, the greatest confidence was soon manifest as to the successful termination of the battle. With the first hours of daylight it was evident that the enemy had also been strongly reinforced, for, notwithstanding they must have known of the arrival of new Union troops, they were first to open the ball, which they did with considerable alacrity. The attacks that began came from the main Corinth road, a point to which they seemed strongly attached, and which at no time did they leave unprotected. Within half an hour from the first firing in the morning the contest then again spread in either direction, and both the main and left wings were not so anxious to fight their way to the river bank as on the previous day, having a slight experience of what they might expect if again brought under the powerful guns of the Tyler and Lexington. They were not, however, lacking in activity, and they were met by our reinforced troops with an energy that they did not anticipate. At 9 o’clock the sound of the artillery and musketry fully equaled that of the day before. It now became evident that the rebels were avoiding our extreme left wing, and were endeavoring to find a weak point in our line by which they could turn our force and thus create a panic. They left one point but to return to it immediately, and then as suddenly would direct an assault upon a division where they imagined they would not be expected. The fire of the united forces was as steady as clockwork, and it soon became evident that the enemy considered the task they had undertaken a hopeless one. Notwithstanding continued repulses, the rebels up to 11 o’clock had given no evidence of retiring from the field. Their firing had been as rapid and vigorous at times as during the most terrible hours of the previous day. Generals Grant, Buell, Nelson and Crittenden were present everywhere directing the movements on our part for a new strike against the foe. Gen. Lew Wallace’s division on the right had been strongly reinforced, and suddenly both wings of our army were turned upon the enemy, with the intention of driving the immense body into an extensive ravine. At the same time a powerful battery had been stationed upon an open field, and they poured volley after volley into the rebel ranks and with the most telling effect. At 11:30 o’clock the roar of battle almost shook the earth, as the Union guns were being fired with all the energy that the prospect of ultimate victory inspired. The fire from the enemy was not so vigorous and they began to evince a desire to withdraw. They fought as they slowly moved back, keeping up their fire from their artillery and musketry, apparently disclaiming any notion that they thought of retreating. As they retreated they went in excellent order, halting at every advantageous point and delivering their fire with considerable effect. At noon it was settled beyond dispute that the rebels were retreating. They were making but little fire, and were heading their center column for Corinth. From all divisions of our lines they were closely pursued, a galling fire being kept up on their rear, which they returned at intervals with little or no effect. From Sunday morning until Monday noon not less than three thousand cavalry had remained seated In their saddles on the hilltop overlooking the river, patiently awaiting the time when an order should come for them to pursue the flying enemy. That time had now arrived and a courier from Gen. Grant had scarcely delivered his message before the entire body was in motion. The wild tumult of the excited riders presented a picture seldom witnessed on a battlefield. Gen. Grant himself led the charge.
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Gen. Grant, in his memoirs, summarizes the results of the two days’ fighting as follows: “I rode forward several miles the day of the battle and found that the enemy had dropped nearly all of their provisions and other luggage in order to enable them to get off with their guns. An immediate pursuit would have resulted in the capture of a considerable number of prisoners and probably some guns….” The effective strength of the Union forces on the morning of the 6th was 33,000 men. Lew Wallace brought 5,000 more after nightfall. Beauregard reported the rebel strength at 40,955. Excluding the troops who fled, there was not with us at any time during the day more than 25,000 men in line. Our loss in the two days’ fighting was 1,754 killed, 8,408 wounded and 2,885 missing. Beauregard reported a total loss of 10,699, of whom 1,728 were killed, 8,012 wounded and 957 missing.
On the first day of the battle Gen. Prentiss, during a change of position of the Union forces, became detached from the rest of the troops, and was taken prisoner, together with 2,200 of his men. Gen. W.H.L. Wallace, division commander, was killed in the early part of the struggle.
The hardest fighting during the first day was done in front of the divisions of Sherman and McClernand. “A casualty to Sherman,” says Gen. Grant, “that would have taken him from the field that day would have been a sad one for the Union troops engaged at Shiloh. And how near we came to this! On the 6th Sherman was shot twice, once in the hand, once in the shoulder, the ball cutting his coat and making a slight wound, and a third ball passed through his hat. In addition to this he had several horses shot during the day.”
During the second day of the battle Gen. Grant, Col. McPherson and Maj. Hawkins got beyond the left of our troops. There did not appear to be an enemy in sight, but suddenly a battery opened on them from the edge of the woods. They made a hasty retreat and when they were at a safe distance halted to take an account of the damage. In a few moments Col. McPherson’s horse dropped dead, having been shot just back of the saddle. A ball had passed through Maj. Hawkins’ hat and a ball had struck the metal of Gen. Grant’s sword, breaking it nearly off.
On the first day of the battle about 6,000 fresh recruits who had never before heard the sound of musketry, fled on the approach of the enemy. They hid themselves on the river bank behind the bluff, and neither command nor persuasion could induce them to move. When Gen. Buell discovered them on his arrival he threatened to fire on them, but it had no effect. Gen. Grant says that afterward those same men proved to be some of the best soldiers in the service.
Gen. Grant, in his report, says he was prepared with the reinforcements of Gen. Lew Wallace’s division of 5,000 men to assume the offensive on the second day of the battle, and thought he could have driven the rebels back to their fortified position at Corinth without the aid of Buell’s army.
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At banquet hall, regimental reunion or campfire, whenever mention is made of the glorious record of Minnesota volunteers in the great Civil war, seldom, if ever, is the First Minnesota battery given credit for its share in the long struggle. Probably very few of the present residents of Minnesota are aware that such an organization existed. This battery was one of the finest organizations that left the state during the great crisis. It was in the terrible battle of Pittsburg Landing, the siege of Vicksburg, in front of Atlanta and in the great march from Atlanta to the sea, and in every position in which they were placed they not only covered themselves with glory, but they were an honor and credit to the state that sent them. The First Minnesota battery, light artillery, was organized at Fort Snelling in the fall of 1861, and Emil Munch was made its first captain. Shortly after being mustered in they were ordered to St. Louis, where they received their accoutrements, and from there they were ordered to Pittsburg Landing, arriving at the latter place late in February, 1862. The day before the battle, they were transferred to Prentiss’ division of Grant’s army. On Sunday morning, April 6, the battery was brought out bright and early, preparing for inspection. About 7 o’clock great commotion was heard at headquarters, and the battery was ordered to be ready to march at a moment’s notice. In about ten minutes they were ordered to the front, the rebels having opened fire on the Union forces. In a very short time rebel bullets commenced to come thick and fast, and one of their number was killed and three others wounded. It soon became evident that the rebels were in great force in front of the battery, and orders were issued for them to choose another position. At about 11 o’clock the battery formed in a new position on an elevated piece of ground, and whenever the rebels undertook to cross the field in front of them the artillery raked them down with frightful slaughter. Several times the rebels placed batteries In the timber at the farther end of the field, but in each instance the guns of the First battery dislodged them before they could get into position. For hours the rebels vainly endeavored to break the lines of the Union forces, but in every instance they were repulsed with frightful loss, the canister mowing them down at close range. About 5 o’clock the rebels succeeded in flanking Gen. Prentiss and took part of his force prisoners. The battery was immediately withdrawn to an elevation near the Tennessee river, and it was not long before firing again commenced and kept up for half an hour, the ground fairly shaking from the continuous firing on both sides of the line. At about 6 o’clock the firing ceased, and the rebels withdrew to a safe distance from the landing. The casualties of the day were three killed and six wounded, two of the latter dying shortly afterward. The fight at what was known as the “hornet’s nest” was most terrific, and had not the First battery held out so heroically and valiantly the rebels would have succeeded in forcing a retreat of the Union lines to a point dangerously near the Tennessee river. Capt. Munch’s horse received a bullet In his head and fell, and the captain himself