davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

for the vigilant Union sharpshooters
Therefore, they resorted to cutting the
fuses of shells quite short, lighting them
and tossing them over the works into
the Union lines. Sometimes daring and
quick-witted Union soldiers would catch
these on a shovel and throw them back
into the Confederate lines before they
exploded. They were quite annoying
and also dangerous. and the Union sol
diers could not retaliate in kind. as
they had to throw uphill. Finally 1t
occurred to some Union soldier to take
n block Of wood, hollow ii out slightly
and break In it couple or more mus
ket cartridges. When match was
touched to these there was just force
enough to send the shell on a gently
curving path up to where It would fall
behind the Confederate breastworks and
give the men there something to think
about. This was found to be so effec-
tive that the Engineer officers adopted
the plan, and great many of these
improvised Coehorn mortars were made.
some Of them on quite elaborate
schemes. Sections were sawed off of
the tough sweet-gum trees, a chamber
for the shell scooped out and the block
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

OPENING OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
By JOHN MCELROY.

but four Engineer officers with the
army. and Gen. Grant says with quiet
numor:
ITO provide assistants on such long
line l directed that all officers who had
graduated at West Point, where they
had necessarily to study military en-
gineering, should in addition To their
other duties assist in the work.
''The Chief Quartermaster and the
Chief CommiSSary We're graduates. The
Chief CommiSSary, now the Commits
saryGencral of the Army (Gen Nc
Feely), begged off. however, saying that
there was nothing in engineering that
he was good for unless he would do
for sap-roller. AS soldiers require
ratiOns while working in the bitches as
we'll as when marching and fighting,
and as We would be sure to lose him if
he was used as a sap-roller. / let him
off The General is a large man; weighs
220 pounds, and is not tall"
ReinfOrcements Hurried Forward.
Gen. Grant at once asked for REIN
fOrcements, but Halleck, who, as at
DonelSon. was loyalty and energetically
supporting him after the movement had
been made. had anticipated his request
and was hurrying forward every man
available. In Missouri Gen. Schofield
stripped himself to send forward fine
ly-equipped division under Gen. Her.
ron, and Gen. Hurlbut, in command at
Memphis, did the same to send forward
two divisions under Brig. Gems. Nathan
Kimball and William Sooy Smith. He
had previously dispatched Lauman's
Division. which had come by the way
of Milliken's Bend. Grand Gulf and
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

1t probably should be explained for
the benefit of the lay-reader that a
gabion IS a large circular basket, open
at both ends. These are used to stand
on end and be filled with dirt, SO that
they make a solid wall. Frequently they
are used for revetments to hold up the
inner side of a parapet That is they
can be stood in a line and filled with
earth, with the remaining earth thrown
in front of them. By presenting per-
pendicular wall to the rear the men
behind them can stand close to them
and fire over.
The sap-rollers were made by filling
in these gabions with canes or poles, Sc
as to make them solid enough to stop
Il musket-ball or sometimes even a
cannon-shot. They were placed in front
of the diggers in the saps and rolled
forward TO protect those at work from
the fire of the sharpshooters behind the
-enemys works.
The fascines were bundles of withes
tied together with vines and used to re-
inforce weak points in the works.
AS the solid sap-rOllers were clumsy
and hard to handle. practice grew up
of filling the gabions with cotton. These
were five feet in diameter by 16 feet in
length, with the cotton packed in them
tightly.
An incident happened which showed
that not all of the fertility Of invention
was on the side of the Union soldier.
One of these cotton-filled sap-rollers,
or flying gabions," as they were other
wise termed, was found to be on fire
several times and finally burned up.
Where the fire originated was mystery
not explained until after the surrender,
when it was discovered that an in
genious Confederate had scooped out
mimic bullets and filled the hollow with
cotton saturated with turDentine. He
fired these into the cotton-filled gabions,
and the flames following his shots
showed how well his invention had sue
ceeded and encouraged him to further
effort.
The Confederates generally occupied
higher ground than the Unionists, but
this advantage worked both ways. In
order to fire down upon the enemy the
Confederates had to expose their heads
and a portion Of their bodies above the
works, which made them an easy prey
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

bound with iron bands TO give it great
deal Of strength. They would throw
12-pound shell with great accuracy, 50
that it would drop directly behind the
Confederate works
There was no siege artillery to meet
the heavy guns on the Vicksburg works,
and none to be had In the West, except
few which were borrowed from Com
modore Porter and did excellent SER
vice in dismounting the rebel siege guns
The sharpshooting was SO close and
deadly that hand could not be held
above the works without receiving a
bullet. 1t became a favorfte sport Of
the Union troops to raise a cap on the
end Of a ramrod just above the head
log and bet how many bullets would be
through 1t inside Of five minutes by the
watch.
Feeling Against Gen. McClernand.
The feeling against Gen. McClernand
was very bitter on account Of his fire.
The National tribune., 1905-11-09
A CAVALRY BATTLE-GROUND.


The words Brandy Station will ever
excite a multitude Of thrilling memories
In the minds Of all cavalrymen who saw
service In Virginia; for this was the
grand cavalry battle-ground Of the civil
war.
On these historic plains our Bayard,
Stoneman, Pleasonton, Gregg, Custer,
Davies and Fitzpatrick have successive
ly led their gallant troopers against
the commands Of Stuart, Lee and
Hampton. The Goth OF August, 1852,
the 9Th Of June. 18th Of September and
11th OF October. 1863. are days which
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

place at Kelly's Ford between the
Harris Light" acting as vanguard OF
the column under Fitzpatrick. and the
Confederate pickets. The latter were
quickly driven back, and the division
began to cross over. On reaching the
south bank Of the stream the column
was reformed and we advanced several
miles at a trot and gallOp. the men
meantime cutting from their saddles
overcoats. blankets. forage. and i'm short
everything which was found to be an
obstruction to speed.
The column at Beverly Ford, COM
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

wards Station to Jackson, in pursuance
OF an order from the commander Of the
department, you moved on the north
side Of Fourteen-Mile Creek toward
raymond. This delicate and hazardous
movement was executed by a portion
of your number under cover Of Hovey's
Division, which made a feint of attack
I'm line Of battle upon Edwards Station
Too late to harm you, the enemy at
tackled the rear Of that division, but
was promptly and decisively repulsed
Resting near Raymond that night
on the morning Of the 14th you entered
that place, one division moving up to
Mississippi Springs, near Jackson, in
support OF Gen. Mcpherson, a third re-
naming at Raymond. and fourth at
Old Auburn, to bring up the army
trains.
"On the 18th you again led the ad-
vance toward Edwards Station, which
once more became the objective point
q
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

Warrenton, and taken position on the
Halls Ferry Road TO partially Till up
the gap between McClernands left and
the river
The knowledge that Johnston was
gathering his army at Canton enabled
Gen. Grant to instruct Gen. Hurlbut To
reduce the garrisonS or abandon alto
gether many places in Tennessee and
northern Mississippi that had been
strongly guarded against the Confeder-
ateS VINO now were being gathered in
by Johnston.
Gen. Rosecrans had been lying Idle
for months around Murfreesboro and
repelling all suggestions from Wash
ington as To an advance. Gen. Hurlbut
thought that il he did not want TO go
forward himself he might spare some
troops TO help Grant, but Rosecrans
replied with Il long dispatch, setting
forth the belief that none of his troops
should be taken, as he was about to
execute movement. Gen. Burnside,
who was organizing the Army Of the
Ohio for an advance into East TenneS-
see, proved more obliging. and sent two
divisions Of the Ninth Corps, under
Naj.-Gen. j. G.. Parke. Consequently
Grant was being reinforced much more
rapidly than Johnston, and in little
while had a total of 1000 men and
240 guns. When Heron arrived with
his division he took post on the War
rcnton road, and thus enabled Lauman
to close up on McClernands left so
that the line OF investment was COM
plete from the river on the north TO it's
banks on the south. Smiths and Kim
balls Divisions of the Sixteenth Corps
were united under Gen c. G. Wash
burne, and with the two divisions Of
the Ninth Corps took post in the neigh
borhood of Hayness Bluff to observe
Johnston.
Prosecution OF the Siege.
In the meanwhile the work of push
ing forward regular siege approaches
went OF steadily and energett'ally. From
the positions which the troops had
gained in the assault of the .22d ad-
vanceS were made as occasion offered
to drive back the Confederate pickets
and gain advantageous ground nearer
the enemy's works. These movements
hind the skirmishers came line of
men, each carrying gabion, a pick
and a shovel. These were stationed
about five feet apart upon the best
ground obtained, and ordered to cover
themselves securely before morning and
TO begin digging out toward their COM
rades on either side. In the morning
they were relieved. the day relief went
into the gopher holes" and under the
up proceeded to widen the bitches and
thicken the parapets in front. A detail
Of men from each brigade was sent
down into the canebrakes and swamps
to make sap-rollers, gabions and fas-
cines The tall cane growth made ex-
celient gabions when interviewer with
grape vines and the. other climbing
plants which grow SO profusely in those
swamps.
The National tribune., 1905-11-09

Formal orders for beginning the siege
were issued May %, with Capt F.. r.
Prime, of Gen. Grants staff, as the En-
gineer officer in charge. He was soon
nrostrated by the malaria and the ia
tfgues Of the campaign. and succeeded
by Capt. c. b. Comstock. There were
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17

STATE or TEXAS.
County Of Cameron. -
l. A. Ashhcin. Cashier Of the above named
bank. DO solemnly swear that the above state
ment Is true to the best Of my knowledge and
belief. A. AsHHEIM. Cashier
subscribed and sworn 10 before me this 18th
day Of March 1905. JNo. BARTLETT.
Notary Public Cameron Co. Texas.
CORRECr-Attest.
WILLIAM KELLY \
=. {. FoRrO \ Directors
r. DALzELL
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
Just Before the Battle Mother.

By GEORGE Il. RooT
Just before the battle, mother,
! am thinking most of you;
While upon the field we're watching,
With the enemy in view.
Comrades brave around US lying,
Filled with thoughts OF home and God,
For well they know that on the morrow
Some will sleep beneath the sod.
CHORUS:
Farewell, mother, you may never
Press me TO your heart again;
But, o, you'll not forget me, mother,
If I'm numbered with the slain.
o, long TO see YOU, mother,
And the loving ones at home;
But I'll never leave our banner
Till in honor I can come.
Tell the traitors all around YOU
That their cruel words, we know,
In every battle kill our soldiers,
BY the help they give the foe.
Harkl hear the buglc sounding,
IT'S the signal for the fight,
Now may God protect ms, mother,
As he ever does the right
Hear the "Battle-cry of Precedent"
How il swells upon the air.
o, yes, wei rally round our standard,
Or well perish nobly there
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17

run them through the beading. leaving
IL very loose on three sides and draw
ing II quite tight on the fourth TO give
a little fullness at the waist line Of the
apron Make hard knots at all four
corners and then tie double bowknOts.
By lifting these bows you can draw II
Up into a bag. But II yOu unite the
bows. not the hard knots. at the ends
OF the shirred side you have four long
ribbons TO tie about the waist. While
sewing you have on what appears to
be an ordinary apron with a pointed
bib. When you stop you pile all your
things into your lap. unite the ribbons
about your waist. retie the bowknots.
take hold OF all four bows and draw Il
I'D into a bag.-New Orleans Tines
Democrat
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17

Ar Chanute, Kan, a meeting OF
producers has been held to consider
the probable project for a pipe line
to Port Arthur, Tex. AT the meet
ing a Chanute banker asserted that
he had sold to an English concern,
operating largely at Beaumont,
Tex, and in the Russian fields,
81 500, 900 in bonds to push the
enterprise. The line would be $50
miles in length and have a capac-
lily of 2 600 barrels of oil a day.
The Cudahys, the packers, and
John w. Gates are said to be in
terested in the Port Arthur project.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
10. ts77
Repor, Of the condition Of are
FIRST NATIONAL BANK

az Brownsville iu ne State Of Texas az the ciose
81 business March q 1875
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
A New Creed.

Louise News.
believe in mercy as / hope for
mercy, ! believe in truth because
II makes me free.
believe in justice because / be-
lieve in God.
believe in cleanliness of body,
mind and soul.
believe in suffering because it
chastens and purihes.
believe in self-control because
! want to influence others.
believe in moral courage be-
cause ! am more than a brute.
l believe in that kind of industry
that takes an occasional vaca-
ton.
believe in the charity that
begins al home and docs not end
lNCIG.
believe in hospitality because
it puts a roof over every man 5
head.
believe in honesty. not for
policy's sake, but for principles
sake.
believe in patience because
it is the swiftest way to secure
result.
believe in that sort of economy
that spends money for a good
purpose.
believe in Righteousness as II
is the shortest and best line be-
tween two eternities.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17

A SPECIAL from Laredo says IN
formation has developed in that
city which authorizes the state
mcnt that a company is organized
with sufficient capital to construct
a railroad from Eagle Pass down
the Rio Grande valley, through
Laredo to Brownsville. This road
when built will develop one of the
richest agricultural districts in all
Texas.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
A FOUR LEGGED FAKIR.
The Holy Cow Was Presented With .
Very Effective Petition.

Very Effective Petition.
Not all the fakirs Of India are hu-
man beings. Holy cows and sacred
monkeys have a fine share in the
game and in some instances show
rare cunning in taking advantage Of
the peoples beliefs in their attri-
butes.
AT HAZE Ka, on the Indus, there is
a notably willy old sacred beast,
whose long years of receiving wor-
ship, petting and pampering have
developed some strange characters
tics. This animal will leave the
shore several times a day in the
heated season and, wading far out
into the stream, stand there and
bawl until some one Of the villagers
comes ont and layes her with water,
the GOODNESS caused by the evapora-
tion seeming 10 crafty her greatly.
She is extravagantly fond Of choice
plantains and viii 90 into the bazaar
and take only the very best.
A friend of the family was close
by a shopkeeper's stand one day
when a sacred bull wandered up and
began TO feed from the provisions
displayed, with entire assurance Of
being within his rights. The shop
keeper approached him gently, say
ing:
Forget not that | am a poor man,
brother. Seest thou not those sweet
delicacies before the place of the
rich man across the way"
The bull munched on.
Full well / know thou art a holy
man, and / give thee all thou takest,
feeling NV reward in heaven already
bestowed: but, brother, | am a poor
man, and this morning l gave a ru-
pee 10 thy very holy brother of Ra-
tonga a stiff armed fakir Of the re-
gion), and thou shouldest come in
another moon"
A great hole was growing in the
pile on the stand The shopkeeper
picked up a bamboo stick and blew
his breath in the end Of il, then
again addressed the animal:
"Into this stick ! have breathed a
PRAYER that thou mayest remember
how poor a man ! am, . my broth
or, and / now present my humble
petition" Whereupon he whacked
the bull sharply over the nose, and
the astounded animal galloped, bel
lowing, through the bazaar.--Metro-
politan Magazine.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.

In another part of this paper APP
pears an advertisement worthy the
reading, as it's for the public good.
Il tells of a free distribution Of
Doan's Kidney Pills, a remedy for
Kidney Ills. Read il, and call at
Putegnat Drug Store.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17

Don't be so lazy There's plen-
~ Of room at the top. and YOUR
clever enough TO get there. !"
Bnt, replied the lazy genius,
think how clever il is Of me to
find a place at the bottom, where
there isn't so much room. "-Phila-
delphia Ledger.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
WoRKeAe APRON.
A Combination That VIII Commend
Itnelf 90 Busy Women

Haven't you always wanted some
thing 70 put your work away in and
something 70 spread over your lap
while sewingl II 50. a working apron
Is the proper article. and in It's very
simplicity lies its charm.
Make a square OF Persian lawn twen-
ty-four inches when finished. trimmed
with tucks and lace around the edges.
From the middle Of each side make a
Aissonal square Of beading. Cut six
yards OF ribbon into four leagths and
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
NOTICE.

We will begin taking boarders
March /. For terms. apply TO Mrs.
Collins and Mrs. Fromme. at Mrs.
Douglas residence.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-03-17
BANK STATEMENT.

Report Of condition of the Merchants
National Bank, at Brownsville in the
State of Texas, at the close of business,
March l4th. 1905:
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-12-20
A Desperate Woman's Deed.

Minnie V. Watts shot and fatally
wounded Albert Davey, for whom she
was housekeeper, and then killed her
self, Saturday afternoon in the apart
ment they had occupied for more than a
year on west Sixty-ihird street, New
York. Davey. who was delegate OF
the Plasterers' Union, died in Roosevelt
Hospital several hours later.
The cause of the double tragedy was
not hard to find. A trunk ready pack
ed and several bundles of clothing Sc
curely wrapped told the whole story.
Davey was about to leave her-to
abandon the woman with only few dol
lars, estlaDgad practically from her
family, crippled and i'll. The trunks
and bundles we're bis, and he had already
ordered an expressmsn to call for them.
When she had made last plea for him
TO remain he had struck her twice across
the mouth.
The woman, who was no more than
20 years OF age, must have been pretty
before she became i'll. She was we'll
educated and once belonged 10 a church.
She appeared at the house more III n
year ago as the houSeboeper for Daveg.
He was 80 years CID, tall, strong aud
gruff, and neighi ors ell of nights when
the young woman He'd by the fre-escape,
saving that her home was unbeara5le.
Dayey had become tired of her.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-12-20
Fight Devilfsh Three Hours.

Alter a three-bour struggle with a
monster devilfsh in Chandelier Sound,
on the Gulf coast, Friday, Emmanuel
.. Burat and three other fishermen
managed to kill one OF the largest fish Of
this species which has ever been seen in
southern wa ers. The fish was one OF
fifteen or twenty of the same kind.
Burat harpOoned it, and it Immediately
struck out for the open water Of the
Gulf. The boat was dragged for about
FIVE miles before the fish became tired,
aud after a struggle which kept the men
busy working u keep their boat from
being overturned they were able to draw
the fish to the side of the boat and kill
it. The body of the fish is now on ex-
hibition in the Offices of the State Oyster
Commission, at New Orleans.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-12-20
Fire on a Steamer.

Capt. Jepson and officers of the Brit
ish steamer Arranmore, which arrived at
Boston yesterday after an eventful and
perilous PASSAGE. from Antwerp, were
much incensed over the failure OF a
French freight steamer, which is belev.
ed to have been the Bordeaux, in ac-
knowledging their signals, but not offer
ing assistance when informed that the
ArraDmOre WAS on fire.
December Z FIRE started in the after
holj. The crew fought the flames for
three days, and, owing to the fact that
the vessel had on her forward deck fifty
barrels Of chemicals used in the manufac'
ture of dynamite, the situation was an ex-
trsmely perilous one.
Every man on board worked without
a rest for many hours. The hatcbes were
battened down, and steam was forced in-
to the hold.
At noon on the 9Th, while the fire was
at its height and it was feared that it
would break into the forward part Of the
ship, a steamer bavirg one tunnel and
two masts, and flying the French flag,
overlook the Aranmore, passing close
alongside Signals were hoisted by the
Arranmore, stating that the vessel was
on fire in the afterhod.
The French vessel acknowledged the
Signals and Informed the officers of the
Arranmore that their signals were under
stood. The French steamer, however.
steamed steadily by, and an hour later
had disappeared.
That night the fire subsidized, and on
the following day, when the matches
were removed, it was found to have been
extinguished.
The French line freight steamer Bor-
deaux reached New York Saturday, but
made no report of having spoken any
vessel on the voyage.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-12-20
Brand New Species of Grip.

London physicians are reporting the
temperance of Russian influenza, bet
ter known as grip, in a new form, a
neuralgia type of the disease. Attacks
of neuralgia headaches and facial pains
are now enormously prevalent A
specialist believes there will be a repeti-
ton of the headaches and neuralgias of
the sixties. These followed the out
break of influenza OF lS49-5O, sfter
which, so far SIS he has been able TO re-
trace it, the disease pursued the same
cycle, finishing with an epidemic Of
neuralgia headache. He expects some
thing of the same sort for year or two
to come. Another authority, who COM
firms what the specialist says, looks for
ward to the disappearance OF influenza
after a season or two. AS some 80 per
cent. of the population must now have
suffered from the disease it will probably
not return unit! 80 or so years from
now, according as the immune popula-
lion dies out.