davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-26

OF course the girl is as pure as the snow
that eternally caps the lofty peaks sur
rounding the gulch in which the Polka is
located All the girls who deal faro bank
in mining camps are. They have TO be to
hold their Jobs. And this girl was the
queen bee OF the bunch. She makes up
her mind she will marry the road agent,
whether or no, and the road agent decides
he will marry her. But the sheriff has
10 be dealt with. He pursues the road
agent and the girl hides him in her bed.
Did you ever stop to think how that bed
or bedroom figures in the Belasco play?
It's the most effective incident David has
in his collection. He makes 1t strong in
THE Darling of the Gods" in "DuBarry''
and In other of his compositions, and here
he plays 1t for all 1t is worth. Knowing
the girl as well as he does the sheriff is
easily deluded when she tells him the man
Is not there, although he is covered up in
the blankets. But the sheriff comes back
and the girl is forced to adopt a different
ruse. She plays a game OF freeze out with
the sheriff to see If he or her gets the
road agent. Just to make good. the girl
is the smoothest article in the way OF a
poker dealer that ever hit California, and
AZ the crucial moment OF the game she
hands herself an ace full and the sheriff
gets a strong flush or something equally
as good The girl does this so deity that
nobody but the audience can see her ma
nipulate the cards. Just at that time, to
use a poker phrase, the sheriff couldn' I
see dog walk across the table. The girl
wins, and, of course. they all live happily
ever after. All but the sheriff, and he
doesn't count
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-26

one that will never be settled. the first
named need includes the second. Given
plays it is not to be doubted that the au-
diences will furnish themselves. Every
thing in the shape Of a play that has really
savored Of merit has been patronized with
the utmost liberallty OF late years. Not
failure has been scored against
genuinely meritorious production. and
quite few that barely get in
the category have returned large
profits to their managers. But the
affairs of the theater are in a transitory
state again, or appear to be. Too wide a
gap exists between the serious and the
thoughtless a broad space that used to
afford ample room for that swarm of bril-
liant luminaries who found their orbits in
the Milky Way Of light comedy. 1t has
been noted before that the light comedian
is apparently becoming extinct on the
American stage We are blessed with a
horde Of low comedians, a swarm of
clowns who tumble their way through the
musical farces or something of the like,
but the genuine comedian. the real actor
in the line, is very scarce. The musical
comedy" has very nearly exhausted its
possibilities as entertainment. the prob
lem play has been 70 a great extent an
swered, and while the serious drama is
still accorded deservedly respectful hear
ing, the demand for the lighter is unsatis-
fied.N That manager who will develop a
good light comedian, with a capacity for
genuine work, will find himself very soon
at the head OF long procession of imita-
tors. and that author who will develop a
good comedy OF manners, one that has real
meat to it, and is not the passing thing
of an idle moment. will find his name
handed down to the coming generation at
least. In the meantime the cause of the
theater is suffering. for a large number Of
people are learning to take their amuse-
ment elsewhere
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-26

Maybe you remember that last summer
Blanche Bates delivered herself OF an in
terview while out west, saying she wanted
someone TO write for her play that should
he Of a strong woman, u woman who could
lead men and do things, who would be q
part OF the great, pulsing life OF the bound
less west. It wouldn't be a dangerous bet
that David Belasco wrote the interview as
well as the play, At any rate, Miss Bates
prayer has been answered, for she surely
has gotten a part In which the girl does
things. She leads men and is part OF the
life Of the west. as life in the west "A IN
derstood on Broadway, But, what will the
old boys who stin survive the Argonaut
days, and some yet linger on the scene.
who can remember the stirring times at
Hangtown and other camps that pulsed
with life in the days OF old. the days OF
gold, the days OF 40" say Of this
AFFAIR." II is quite likely that It will strike
them much as the tales OF Bret Harte did
the Argonauts themselves. Mr.. Harts 8
stories are splendid contributions 70 litera-
ture, but they lack lot OF realism. AND
the newest Belasoo play bears about as
much truth in its composition as do the
penny-dreadfuls which exploit the career
OF Deadwood Dick or Young wild West
Mr.. Belasco's art still lies In his scenery
which is unsurpassed.
-
Mr.. Belasco Is also put 20 the necessity
OF denying that he wrote several articles
that have appeared recently over his sigma,
ture. Even a hasty perusal OF the articles
In question justifies the denial so strenu,
ously insisted upon by Mr.. Belasco. Yet
the public win hardly accept the explana.
ton he makes. He has convicted himself
50 frequently OF adopting the ideas and
language OF others that one wonders II h'
would have made his announcement In III,
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-26

HE opera season in New York be-
gan on November 20. Two operas
which have not been heard for
several years in the metropolis
added greatly to the first weeks
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

Daylight Of the 18th disclosed the un-
mistakable purpose Of Hood to stake
everything upon final effort to retrieve
his discontinue Of the preceding day.
He had chosen q position Of great nat
ural advantage, and had intrenched 1t
in a manner that impressed us at once
that we were ''up against" serious
proposition.
Thomas's lines required considerable
readjustment to conform to the posi-
tons he had now to confront. In these
preliminary movements Hoods artillery
much delayed and complicated the re-
quired dispositions in their process Of
formation. Every available man was
ordered to the front. Nashville was
now reasonably safe. and the troops left
for its immediate defense were required
to strengthen the attacking lines.
I digress here for a moment to indi-
cate the exact position Of the Minnesota
regiments in this final formation. All
the brigades Of the Sixteenth Corps were
formed in double lines. The position
of the 10th MINI. was upon the left in
the front line Of the First Brigade; the
9Th and 9Th MINI. constituted the front
line Of the Second Brigade, and the 7th
Mimi. was upon the right Of the Third
Brigade, also in front, thus bringing the
The National tribune., 1905-11-30
if they were all suppressed. especially

if they were all suppressed, especially
the Colonels
Grant has three Aids with the rank
of Captain. Capt. Ross is relative or
Mrs. Grant He has been q stage driv-
er, and violates English grammar at
every phrase. He is Of some use, for
he attends to the mails. Capt. Auden-
ried is an elegant young officer OF the
Regular cavalry. He rides after the
General when he rides out. The rest
of the time he does nothing at all.
Capt. Badeau, wounded at Port Hud-
son. since he was attached to Grants
staff has not yet reported. l must not
omit the General Medical Staff Of this
army. 1t is in bad order. Its head.
DR.. Mills. is impracticable. earnest,
quarrelsome. He was relieved several
v eeks since, but Grant likes him and
kept him on till the fall of Vicksburg.
IL this he was right, no doubt, for a
change during the siege would have
been troublesome. The change, I pre-
sumo, will now be made. 1t must be
for the better.
"The office of Chief of Artillery on
the General Staff l had forgotten, as
well as that of Chief Engineer The
former is occupied by Lieut.. t.-Col. Duff OF
the I'd Ill. Art. He is unequal to the posi-
ton, not only because he is disqualified
by sickness, but because he does not
sufficiently understand the management
CT artillery. The siege suffered greatly
from his incompetence. Gen. Grant
knows, of course, that he is not the
right person, but 1t is one of his weak
resses that he is unwilling to hurt the
The National tribune., 1905-11-30
Field Return.
Total .31,226 36,315 54,741


Steadily Urged to Attack.
Every few days during May and June
the Confederate Secretary of War sent
messages urging Johnston to attack
without regard to any disparity of
| numbers, inasmuchs as Grant was be-
ston could be, and the disparity would
therefore become greater instead of
less. May 28 Johnston said that
though he had only $4,000 men he
would try to beat Grant with that num-
ber, but he thought better OF it and
June he telegrap phef Richmond that
the case seemed desperate" The next
day the Secretary OF War asked him If
more reinforcements should be drawn
from Bragg's army, and Johnston di-
Dramatically replied: that this would
Involve yielding Tenpessee; the Gov
ernment must decide between this State
and Tennessee"
This brought up the. old bitterness
between Johnston and Davis. They
hated one another as cnly brother pa
triots" can hate, and each was ma
neuvering to throw upon the other the
| responsibility for disaster. If, as was
possible. Bragg's army had been sud-
denly shifted to Mississippi to help
Pemberton out, the whole Of Tennes-
see. northern Alabama and northern
Georgia, with the key-point Of Chatta-
nooga, would be abandoned to the
Union army under Rosecrans. This
was very serious possibility, because
in the event OF the defeat Of that army
by the troops being sent to Grant the
loss OF the Tennessee country would be
final and hopeless, and the prestige of
the Confederacy suffer very depress-
| iEgly Jefferson Davis did not wish to
assume the responsibility of such a
| step, and desired to place 1t upon John
| ston. who could put ii on the ground
OF "a military necessity" Johnston,
| however. kept thrusting 1t back at
Davis to force him to make a decision
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

OPENING OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
By JOHN McELROY.

! true he has never commanded division
nor. so far as / am aware. Drlsade
either. having generally been employed
| in command of expeditions, detach-
ments and scattered bodies of cavalry.
He is now i'm command of two of the di-
visions detached from the Sixteenth
Army Corps. namely, that of Kimball
and that of w. $. Smith; and, as nap
pen to know, is anxious to be put In
command of an army corps, for which
purpose it has been suggested that a
new corps might be created out of these
two divisions, with the addition of that
of Lauman. also detached from the Six
teenth. or that of Heron. But l un-
derstand from Gen. Grant that he Is
not favorable to any such arrange
ment Washburn being one of the
very youngest in rank of his Major
Generals. he intends to put him in COM
mand of a single division as soon as
possible in order that he may prove
his fitness for higher commands by act
The National tribune., 1905-11-30
MINNESOTA AT NASHVILLE.
More of Her Soldiers There Than Any Other Battle and More
Fell There in Defense of Their Country.
By Gen. L. r. HUBBARD.
Concluded from last week.

termination on the charge. The ground
had been much softened by the recent
storm, q condition that considerably re-
tarded progress, but otherwise did not
check the movement. The advance was
maintained with notable steadiness.
though distressing gaps in the ranks
told too well the effectiveness OF the
enemy's fire. The colors Of all the regi-
ments repeatedly fell, but were always
rescued and borne onward. The 9TH
Mimi. had three Of it's color-bearers
killed and four Of its color guard
wounded. Nearly every mounted officer
lost his horse, but kept his nerve. The
ground was thickly strewn with dead
and wounded men, but even the latter
joined in the cheers that now rent the
air in great volume as the rebel works
were reached and in a wild onset car
ried at every point. Most Of the enemy
surrendered in the trenches where they
stood, his artillery being abandoned on
the spot from whence those vicious dis
charges Of canister had brought us SO
much grief. Hoods defensive line had
been pierced at q vital point, and IL
another hour Of daylight had been
vouchsafed us, his line Of retreat would
have been in Gen. Thomas's hands.
Hoods Line Broken.
This break in Hoods defenses and the
consequent threatening of his rear nee
essarily loosened his grip at other
points, and the general attack which
followed was uniformly successful. The
advantage was pressed to the utmost
until darkness put period to farther
effort, but Hoods army was now essen
TALLY wreck. Abandoning his artil-
The National tribune., 1905-11-30
A Most Deeisive Battle

The battle Of Nashville Is always Civ.
en- q place among the decisive battles of
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

of the Treasury Department to be man
aged by special agents, and to the War
Department making a general order
prohibiting all officers from engaging in
any way in the purchase or sale of cot
ton. This order was warmly welcomed
by Gems. Grant, Sherman and others. as
IL relieved them of a great deal of re-
sponsibility and annoyance on account
of the precious staple. Of which there
were immense quantities inside the
lines of the army and constantly be-
ing brought inside. 1t also stopped
very demoraliZing trade which sorely
tempted Brigadier-Generals, Colonels
and minor officers, to the great detri-
ment of the public service and of mill
ts,ry discipline. Gen. Grant and his
immediate surrounding had but one
iGea, that of military success, and
wanted every energy bent toward that
end. They resented any thought of pc
cuniary profit out Of the terrible war
which was costing such a fearful price
in mems lives. Cotton, which had been
bringing 10 cents a pound in 1860
loaped up to 8S cents a pound in 1863,
and reached So the next year. There
were almost limitless quantities of it
in the rich bottom lands of the Mis-
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

four Minnesota regiments in a contin-
uous line and all in front.
The Second Days Battle.
1t was past mid day before Thomass
lines were finally adjusted, but in the
meantime the Sixteenth Corps had
worked itself forward to within moder-
ate range Of the enemy's defenses,
where slight intrenchments were con-
structed, sufficient to enable a few
sbarpshooters to get in their work. The
artillery of the division had expended
much ammunition in responding to the
enemy's batteries, and in places had
succeeded in preaching the hostile in
trenchmentS. About 3 o'clock p. m. an
assault was made far to the left on
by Hoods defensive line, by three bri-
gades of Gems Woods and ~Steedman's s
troops, but though gallantly made the
assault was repulsed with serious loss
to the troops engaged. That, evidently.
was not a vulnerable point in Hood 6
Defense and then Gen. Thomas prac:i-
cally repeated his initial order of the
vigorous attack on the enemy's left"
This order went forth at o'clock p. m,
and the men, who for hours had lain
with enforced inactivity under the enc
my's fire, greeted it with feeling of
relief. There can hardly be more de-
pressing condition in practical warfare
than to lie for hours exposed to gall
ing fire that cannot be effectively re-
turned, while held in leash in moment
ary expectation of an opportunity to
make reprisals on ones tormentOrs.
Our Minnesota boys were here under
a peculiar but most stimulating inspira-
ton. In no instance before during the
war were nearly so many of Minnesota S
sons in line together facing the coun-
try's foes. Surely this was an OppOr-
tunity to show the material Of Wlich
Minnesota soldiers was made, and TO
achieve glory for the young Common
wealth in which they took SO great a
pride. Some of these regiments had
been in many battles and never suffered
defeat. The older Of the regiments
had an established reputation to MAIN
tain, and the younger ones had here an
opportunity to win for their colors and
their State the fullest poSsible measure
of glory. No order in battle was ever
more promptly responded to, and no
troops were ever more eager in it's
execution. The line of advance lay
across level ground-a recently-culti-
waited cornfield-except in front of the
10th Mimi. where the topography pre-
sented a considerable elevation. The
moment the division rose to it's feet and
commenced its advance 1t was met with
whitening voIley from the enemys
trenches and heavy discharges of cam
lister from three batteries Of artillery.
1t seemed for a moment that nothing
human could Withstand such a murders
Gus fire at so close range, but the men
we're nerved up to- the limit of possible
tension. and they started with grim de-
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

a lookout ar perch. ad-
joining roper
sissippi Vale the army
went 1t -four he costly
fiber for Whi of Eng
land and Sorely
a-hunger.
Finding in Mr. Dana Il man Of in
flexible honesty, of keen Intelligence
and undoubted patriotism. Mr. Stanton
had decided to send him to the Army
OF the Tennessee TO see for him the
facts In the vexed conditions there, ana
determine whether the partisans of Nc
Ciernand or those Of Grant were tell
ing the truth. Stanton c0nfided YER
haliy 10 Dana what he wanted him to
sec and report on. but covered his err
rand with an official order making him
Inspector of Paymasters, which would
give him access TO all parts of the army
and an apparent business at every head
quarters. Dana Immediately conceived
a warm admiration for Grant, Sherman
and Mcpherson, especially Sherman.
whom he esteemed one OF the most
brilliant and able men he had ever met.
He sent his letters to the Secretary
daily, il possible. and i'm a cipher, so
that they were in the highest degree
confidential. Much as he thought OF
Grant, Sherman and McPhersan his ex-
preston of views was thoroughly i'm
partial, and he did not hesitate TO crit
icise anyone. Gen. Grant took TO him
Iroln the fret and his constant COM
rnnnication with the War Da~artmen.
relieved Grant of the necessity s5r more
frequent reports. TO which he was ad-
verse Grant never liked to report ex-
cept when he had accomplished some
thing
Che of Mr.. Dana's letters, and one OF
extreme Importance in forming the judg-
ment Of President Lincoln and Secre-
tary Stanton as to the characters and
capacities Of the officers I'm the Army
of the Tennessee. does not appear in the
official records, and is as follows:
Gen. c. G. Washbura.
Cairo. ILL.,. July IS. 1863.
Dear Sir: In my letter Of yester-
day j accidentally omitted to notice
Gen. c. c. Washburn among the Gen.
erals OF Division in Grants army. II Is
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

| lery, wagon trains and all impediments
| that would In any manner incumber hi
| movements in retreat, such Of his arm,
as was not captured fed in a mob south
ward, hotly pursued by Thomas
Through capture and desertions it un
derWcnt a rapid process, of disintegra
| ton all the way to the Tennessee River
A few skeleton detachments crossed tn,
river, but as an organization there was
practically nothing left of that grand
army of invasion whose original OBJ.
| jective was the country north Of the
Ohio River.
The Hardships OF the Pursuit.
The experience of the Minnesota regi.
ments, as well as the army generally
| in the pursuit of the fragments OF
Hoods army was particularly severe
The weather was cold and wet, rainina
and showing by turns; the roads en-
bargoed with mud almost unfathomable
at times and again frozen into rocky
rutS that even the animals refused to
tackle in their efforts to drag along the
artillery and trains. The troops were
without camp equipage of any sort, and
but scantily supplied with rations. Many
who survived the battle succumbed to
the rigors of the campaign that fol-
lowed it.
The most impressive evidence of the
serious character of the duty imposed
upon the Minnesota regiments in the
battle of Nashville and of it's compre-
hensive execution is the list of casual
ties they suffered: 63 killed or mortally
wounded, 237 wounded, and one miss
ing; total Of Sol menw the measure
of sacrifice here lain upon the altar OF
the cOuntry's cause To this total the
5th Regiment contributed 1O7, the 7th
62, the 9Th So, and the 10th "A. Most
regiments at that period of the war
urn ~n1, 20
from $50 to 400 men, which will indi-
cate the large percentage of loss sus-
tanned.
The record Of Minnesota in the battle
of Nashville would be incomplete with
out a reference to the service performed
by the sth Mimi: in the battle of Muir
freesborO, Dec. Z, 1864. While invest
ing Nashville, Gen. Hood sent a detach-
ment Of his army under Gems. Forrest
and Bate to endeavor to dislodge and
capture or diSperSe the garrison at
Murfreesboro. Tenn, which has before
been alluded to as an outlying fortified
position Of much Importance. This force
OF the enemy was met outside the de-
fenses Of the town by two brigades un-
der Gen. r. II. Milroy, one Of which
was commanded by Col. M. L. Thomas
Of the Sth MINI. The enemy was de-
cisively defeated after a severe engage
ment, the character of which will be
indicated by the casualties suffered by
the 8th MINI. A total of so men, IL
killed and II wounded, was the further
contribution Minnesota here made to
the sacrifice required to secure the great
results achieved at Nashville. The 8th
MINI. also performed essential service
in the pursuit of the enemy after the
battle, and contributed its share in
making Hoods retreat the rout it be-
came.
A Most Decisive Battle.
! The battle Of Nashville Is always Civ
en- place among the decisive battles NJ
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

feelings of friend; and SO he keeps
him on.
1.-THE Chief Engineer, Capt. Corr
stock, is an officer of great merit. He
has, too, what his predecessor, Capt
Prime, lacked, talent for organization.
His accession to the army Will be the
source OF much improvement.
'.If Gen. Grant had about him staff
Of thoroughly competent men. discip.i-
narians and workers, the efficiency and
fighting quality of his army would soon
be much increased. AS 1t Is, thiEgs go
too much by hazard and by spasms;
or when the pinch comes, Grant forces
through by his own energy and main
strength what proper organization and
proper staff officers would have done
already.
McClernand's Stan.
1.-The staff of the Thirteenth Corps
was formed by Gen. McClernand. The
Assistant Adjutant- General, Lieut.. Col
Scates. Is man of about 55 or 60 years
old. He was Judge in Illinois, and left
an honored and influential social posi-
ton to serve in the army. Gen. Ord
speaks in high terms Of him as an Off
Ger. The Chief of Artillery, Col. Math-
er. is an ass. The Chief Quartermaster.
Lieut.-Col. Dunlap, Gen. McClernand's
father-in-law, lately resigned his COM
mission. He was incompetent. Our
commission here at Cairo last Summer
reported facts that proved it. His sue
cessor has not yet been appointed. The
Chief Commissary, Lieut-Col Taggart,
Is fussy fellow, who, with much show,
accomplishes but little. Gen. McCler-
nand's Aids went away with him or are
absent on leave. Not man of them
is worth having. The Engineer officer
on this staff, Lieut.. Hams, is an indus
trious and useful officer. The Medical
Director. DR.. Hammond, has just been
appointed.
Sherman's STAFF.
'In the Fifteenth Corps's staff all
have to be working men, for Sherman
tclerates no idlers, and fines something
for everybody to do. If an officer proves
unfit for his position, he shifts him to
some other place. Thus, his Adjutant,
i4ieut.-Col. Hammond, a restless Ken
tuckian, kept everything in a row as
long as he remained in that office.
Sherman has accordingly made him
The National tribune., 1905-11-30

The Minnesota troops received high
iy honorable mention in the official re-
ports of the battle of Nashville, in which
occur the following.
Gen. John Macarthur, commanding
First Division, Sixteenth Corps. says:
Il wish. particularly, to mention the
gallant conduct of Col. VIM. r.. Mar
shall. 7th Mimi, commanding Third
Brigade; called to take command dur
ing the first days battle and continuing
throughout His admirable manage,
ment and example stamp him as an off,
Ger of rare merit"
Gen. A. j. Smith, commanding the
Sixteenth Corps, says:
"Col. L. r. Hubbard had three horses
shot under him on the 18th. Going into
action with a total Of 1,421 muskets In
Continued on page two.)