Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul Part 8

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 G.o.d's n.o.blemen. 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 n.o.ble 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. Ba.s.sford, 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 const.i.tution, 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 ent.i.tled "Who Stole Ben Johnson's s.p.a.ces." 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 a.s.sistant postmaster of St. Paul, and held several other positions of trust.

J.B.H. Mitch.e.l.l was a, member of the firm of Newson, Mitch.e.l.l & 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 ent.i.tled 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 pa.s.sed 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 c.u.mberland, 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 a.s.sumed 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 pa.s.sing through the Tenth Indiana, then out of ammunition and retiring and no longer firing. The enemy, emboldened by the cessation and mistaking its cause, a.s.sumed 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 partic.i.p.ated 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 partic.i.p.ants, 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 p.r.o.nounced secessionists than were the sterner s.e.x, 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 partic.i.p.ated.

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 quant.i.ties 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 h.e.l.l 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.