davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
NELSON OFFERED BOUTS

DETROIT. Zee. 27.-Battlng Nelson re-
oeived letter from Hugh Mcintosh, the
Australian fight proToter offer ng + I'm three
fights in London. The matches will be with
tho best English lghtw is Is and VII take
place. one each n January. February and
March Bat Las not definitely decided
whether TO accept, but thinks he viii
Nelson thinks if Wolgast will not be
ready to fight before spring that going to
England would be a handy way to pick up
some change while waiting for the cham
nAiAh
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
SANTA FE HOLIDAY RATES

The Santa Fe will sell holiday ex-
curson tickets at one and one-third
fares for the round trip between all
stations on its lir"s where the one
way fare is $1,000 or less. Tickets on
sale December 23d oath, 25th. 26th, 3Oth.
31st, 1910, and January 1st. 2d, 1911
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
FIVE HUNDRED ATTEND
ATHLETIC CLUB links

Five hundred members Of the Los Angeles
Athletic club and their friends were enter
fained at the club rooms last night, the affair
being the third annual high jinks Of that or
EanIHatlon.
4 big vaudeville program was given in the
gymnasium. which had been fitted up for the
occasion. Both professional acts and numbers
by members df the club made UP the bill,
which proved TO be thoroughly enjoyable
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
OTTO zEIGLER BETTER

SAN JOSE. Dec. 27.-It was stated today
that otto ZiagIer, former champion bicycle
rider Of the world and known all over the
country as The Little Demon win recover
from tho combination of complaints which has
been threatening his life Iieglers condition
is stiU serious. but he has been gaining ground.
Specialists say his eyesight Will be saved.
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
ANOTHER FOR Able

SYRACUSE. n. Y, Dec. 2I-Abe At
tell featherWeight champion, and Billy
Allen. champion of Canada, Will meet
i'm a 1O-round no-decisiOn bout in this
city January 23.
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
RAskErRALLERs 10 MEET

Members of the Southern California Amateur
Basketball league will meet tonight at ABS
South Spring street and complete their
schedule for the season, which is due to
start in January. sixteen teams are en-
rolled in the organizatiOn.
Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
DIVISION ONE

Struck out-By johnson, 4; by French, I
UJmpire-Musselwh Time OF game, l:40
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

cut. They then started the Gen. Brice
after her. the fastest boat they had at
that place, but the Webb was too fast
for her and got away. They landed Is
miles above New Orleans, went ashore
dressed in Union clothes, and were cut
ting the wires, when some of our cav
airy came up and asked them what
they were cutting the wires for. They
said that Mobile had fallen, and they
didn't want the rebels to know it up
Red River. At this one of the cavalry
boys rode up to the bank where the
boat lay and knew 1t was the Webb,
having seen her before. He turned his
horse and started for New Orleans, and
got there ahead of the Webb, and re-
ported that the Webb was coming
They thought that he was crazy; but,
looking up the river, he shouted that
she was coming then. Even then they
would not believe him, but one of the
gun crew went to his gun and got two
or three shots at the Webb, but did no
HARM The Hollyhock was then put
into action. A 32-pounder rifle was
put on it, and the gun crew and am
munition were called up in "a minutes
and started after the Webb. 1t fol-
lowed her for As miles, and when with
in range commenced firing. The Webb
tried to ram the Hollyhock, but could
not strike her, as the Hollyhock had
Independent wheels and could dodge
easily. Then the Webb tried to run
away, and, turning a bend in the river,
saw the Richmond lying broadside in
the stream, which would have sunk
her, so she ran ashore, tied down the
safety valve, set her on fire and the
men escaped in the swamp. The Holly
The National tribune., 1910-10-20
Thc IEatc of the Wehh.

ID. Wurtsbaugh, Battery a, 1st Ind.
Fl. A, Jefferson, Tex, writes:
Il had man working for me who
was one Of the crew on the Webb be-
fore she started on her wild run down
the river past New Orleans. He stated
that when Lee surrendered they hid
her in lagoon on Red River, and went
to work hauling in pine knots for wood
with which to make the run down the
river and into the open gulf. If they
had succeeded in this they would have
to make run for some port in the
West Indies. At the time the Webb
made her trip down the Mississippi
River our battery was stationed at
Baton Rouge. Some of our men saw
gunboat coming down the river, run
ming at very high speed and hugging
the west bank Of the river and flying
the Stars and Stripes. Had we known
what this was. we could have sunk her
with our guns. She made the run all
right until she got nearly past New
Orleans, when her character was sus-
pected, and she was fired upon by our
gunboats, which took after her and
ran her to ground about half-way be-
tween New Orleans and the mouth of
the river, where she struck the bank
the crew blew her up and took to the
SwampS.' ,.,-
The National tribune., 1910-10-20
The Monitors Log Book.

Charles r. Roberts, National Soldiers
Home, Tenn, writes:
I'm regard to the log book of the
Monitor being restored to the Navy
Department, as stated in a recent issue
of The National Tribune. ! doubt much
that Capt. Stodder would lend his name
to the statements made in the log book
| would like to know when and by
whom the book was picked up from
the bottom of the sea. If the log con-
tainS the statements mentioned, ,oit can
not be the original log book. In the
first place, the Master always signed
his name n. ]. Webber, mot Weber,
and at the time the three rebel steam
ers including the Merrimac, were seen
at SewelHS Point at daylight on March
9, 1862, they We're at Norfolk, and only
their smoke could be seen from the
Monitor, alongside the Minnesota,
which vessel was aground on the Nam
semond ShoaI. To the statement that
the rebel vessels advanced and opened
fire on the Minnesota and the Monitor
opened fire on the Merrimac. would
say that at S:35 a. m. the Monitor left
the Minnesota, going at full speed up
the Elizabeth River channel to nearly
opposite Lambert's Point, and there
stopped for the Merrimac, which was
coming down from Norfolk, having left
the other vessels at Craney Island
about 2:15 p. m The last shot was
fired from the stern gun of the Merri-
mac about 2:30. The battle-ground was
in the river channel between Lambert's
Point and Tanners Creek. How the
Merrimac from there or the gunboats
at Craney Island could engage the Min
nesota on Nansemond Shoal / wish
some one would explain. i know the
Merrimac never got below Tanners
Creek that day. AS TO the statement
that Lieut.. Worden went to Fortress
Monroe at p. M, would say that the
Monitor got back to the Minnesota at
3:0I p. m. and at 8 y. M. the tug Adri-
attic came to the Monitor for the pur-
pose Of taking me back to Fortress
Monroe. When l left Lieut. Worden,
altho troubled some with his eyes, was
still in command. The disputes regard
ing the fight are in part due to wit
nesses being too far away Cthe Mime
sofa was nearest and she was some
miles distanD. the jealousy and III feel
ing among certain officers and the fact
that the Monitor at the time was not
in the Navy, but was under orders from
the War Department 1t is there that
you can find verifcation of these state
mentS."
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

tin foil, the following vitality important
Il have no communication whatever
with the rebels, but will tell you what
] know. The division of Gen. Kershaw
and Cutshaw's Artillery, IL guns and
men, Gen. Anderson commanding, have
been sent away and no more are ex-
pected, as they cannot be spared from
Richmond. / do not know how the
troops are situated, but the force is
much smaller than represented. j will
take pleasure hereafter in learning all
can of their strength and position,
and the bearer may call again.
Very respectfully yours"
Shcridan's Opportunity.
This proved the opportunity for
which Sheridan had been waiting so
long. Hallcck and Stanton had been
bombarding him with dispatches about
Early's army being diminished by the
withdrawal Of Kershaw's and Breckin-
ridges Divisions and others until they
had convinced themselves that there
was hardly anybody before Sheridan,
possibly not even Early himself. Sheri-
dan rightly judged that most of this
news came from the urgency OF the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad people, who
wanted Early driven off at any cost, so
that they could reopen the road. Secre-
baI oldHlpu WAS lIiSlSLent, because OF
the bad effect on the political campaign
of Early's presence so near loyal soil.
All this pressure had been so great
upon Sheridan that 1t required Grants
influence to hold him firm in his de-
signs. His own Secret Service men had
informed him of Kershaw's departure
but not with as much certainty as now
came from the reception of Miss
Wrights all-important billet Sheridan
fn riI
confirmed in this decision by learning
from Gen. Averell that Early was con-
templating another scare to the North
by detaching two divisions toward Mar
lnsburg TO cross over into Maryland.
Sheridan intended to attack the two
divisions which Early had with him at
Winchester and Stephensons Depot,
crush them and then beat the two divi-
sions which the rebel General had sent
to Martinsburg as they hurried back to
his relief.
A dispatch received from Gen. Grant,
The National tribune., 1910-10-20
The Captured Privatccr Florida.

c. I. Disbrow, Utica, N. Y, writes:
Il notice what r.. l.. Austin, of Van
couver, Wash, says in The National
Tribune about the capture ofIthe pri-
vateer Florida by the Niagara, and
that he received his share of the prize
money for her capture. If he is not
mistaken as to the name of the pr-
vateer captured there must have been
more than one Florida. The Confed-
crate privateer Florida was captured
by the u. S. S. Wachusetts at Bahia,
Brazil, in 1864. She was sent to Fort
ress Monroe in November. / was taken
from the u. S. s. Wyandotte, lying at
Norfolk, to Hampton Roads, and placed
on board the captured privateer Flori-
da. In all there were Is of us aboard
to care for her. In about a week we
got up steam and went to Fort Norfolk,
where we took one of the big pivot
guns and returned at once to anchor
off Newport News, about 500 yards
from where the Congress and Cuinber-
land were sunk by the Merrimac, but
farther out in the channel
The following Sunday a number of
The National tribune., 1910-10-20
When the Webb Went By.

]. II. Wentz, Marquette, Mich,
writes:
"At the time of the passing of the
ram Webb down the Mississippi River
l was aboard the Choctaw, which lay
off Bora Saria, and saw her go by. /
was on watch in the firehole that night,
and went over on the forecastle for a
drink. / saw a guard on top of the
turret and another down on the fore
castle. | asked the one on the fore
castle what the extra guard was for.
and he said that they We're afraid of
torpedoes. l looked up the river and
saw rockets going up, and told him he
should report it. l then told him that
there was boat on the Bemas side
without light. and that he should
report that His voice trembled as he
replied that 1t was trees, but | insisted
that it was not trees, and he reported
to the quarterback. Four whistles were
blown, which told them to heave to.
They ran up a red light, signifying that
II was dispatch boat pulled ii down
and went on. just then the Hineman
came around the bend with signal
lights, and then general quarters sound
ed and all was hustle The Hineman
reported that the Webb had come out
of Red River and gone down. They
started the tender after her to Port
Hudson, and tried to telegraph to
Baton Rouge, but the wires had been
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

officers came on board. We fired one
shell from the pivot gun in the direc-
ton of the sunken Merrimac. Eight of
us were then given shore liberty. We
rowed to an old dock, near where the
drydock is at present, and returned to
ship in three hours. We were told that
a foreign Government demanded her
return, as she was captured in a neu-
trail port, and a hawSer hitched to her
pulled her out to sea right from under
the guns of the fort at Bahia, Brazil.
we Were to sail the next morning
to give her up. About IL o'clock that
night we heard someone cry: All hands
on decki The ship is sinkingi' / got
out of my hammock and went on deck
and, looking down into the engine
room, l saw that the engineer was up
to his knees in water. The pump was
not working, so we went down into
the cabin, where a large hand pump
was placed, but We could find no ham
dies to work it. One was made out Of
a piece of wood, but only four men
could use it. No hose was put on the pipe
on deck, so the water pumped all came
thru the break in the front deck made
by the Wachusetts when she bumped
into her to board her when captured
Rockets were sent up, and three
boatioads of blue jackets came with
muskets from the captured ram Allan
ia. The officers ordered them to keep
off, as we needed no help. They re-
turned to the Atlanta, and we worked
away at the single pump. When the
ship lurched (she had settled low in
the water) the order came: All hands
to the boats!' / picked up a Bible that
was knocked off a table in the rush to
get out, ran forward, put in my bag
grabbed my hammock and jumped thru
a portfolio into a boat just as she was
about to let go.
The last vessel captured by the
Florida was the bark Mandaman. She
had mail abroad. On the Bible that
| picked up is this inscription in gilt
letters: Presented to the bark Manda-
man by the Maryland Bible Society," |
have the Bible now in my home. The
only man / remember of the crew is
Hugh Dunn. At that time he was
about iS years of age. / was 20
The Florida went down head first
about or a. m. i was put aboard
the ram Atlanta. In the evening / was
taken on Il tug to Fort Norfolk and
put on the Wyandctte. An officer asked
how the Florida came to sink, and |
told him that we fired n gun off broad
side. and it must have strained her.
He said that / must go to Washington,
as they were going to investigate the
cause of her sinking In about one
hour | was called. ] got aboard a tug.
and was put aboard the u. s. S. Wa
bash. and a day or two later we sailed
Tor Fort Fisher with the fleet for the
hrst attack. This took place in De-
cember, 1868, and again we sailed from
Bufort, N. c., in January, 1865, for the
second attack. ! was then placed on
board the Gunboat Daylight, lying at
Deep Bottom, in the James River.
few days later i was appointed Engi-
neer's Yeoman."
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

FOR the superior quality OF his secret
service men and the high accuracy of
the news they secured. Other Generals
had used as spies citizens of the coun-
try, peddlers and traders and the like.
With the employment of these was
proved the truth of the old adage that
he who would fetch would carry, ana
it was always a question whether they
did not carry more to the enemy than
they brought from him. While in the
West Sheridan had relied mostly upon
two loyal East Tennesseeans, named
Cake, who had been colporteurs before
the war, and who had become thoroly
acquainted with the country. They were
exceptionally .vigilant. enterprising and
intelligent, possibly had not their equal
in this respect in the Army of the Cum
berland.
When Sheridan took command in
the Valley his first thought was as to
the Secret Service, and he found that
his predecessors had relied, as usual,
upon the citizens, deserterS and men
who went thru the lines as smugglers
and traders. The only way the truth
could be arrived at was by comparison
of the reports brought in by different
individuals, and even then the informa-
tion was far from being reliable. Sheri-
dams confidence in his own enlisted
men was poundless. He thought that
he could find men in the ranks far more
capable and reliable than any others,
and he proceeded to organize the best
secret service from this material. Mai.
H. 4. Young, 1st r. l., became his
Chief of Secret Service, and selected
and organized his force, paying them
from the Secret Service fund At once
the improvement was manifest, and
Sheridan found himself far better in
formed as to what was going on outside
his lines than had been any. of those
who had preceded him. In a few days
these men found a way of having daily
reports directly from Early's camp at
Winch ester. They came across a shrewd
aid colored man, who was devoted to
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

city, continues in general direction
parallel to the pike until it flows into
the Potomac below Failing Waters. Be-
tween the creek and Winchester rise
the usual steep bluffs and the knobs of
"a limestone plateau, cut with small
streams falling into the Opequon. The
largest of these is Abraham's Creek,
which rises beyond Winchester, flows
thru the town, and after rather cir
cuitous course empties into the Ope-
quon.
Early's forces were well disposed be-
hind the high, rugged banks of these
two streams, which made a very for
midable natural fortification. The turn
pike from BeTryville to Winchester ran
thru one of these deep canyons, which
was also heavily wooded. The Confed-
crate General had established his head
quarters at Stephenson'S Depot, six
miles north of Winchester, where four
roads converged leading from Sheri-
dams positions, and was therefore the
best place from which these could be
watched. The distance from Berryville
to the crossing Of the Opequon on the
pike was about six miles, and it was
10k miles from Berryville to Winches-
ter. The country around Winchester
was chiefly open and undulating, with
occasional patches of woods, but most
ly meadows and corn fields.
Sheridan's Plans.
Sheridan had thoroly worked ont his
plan Of battle. He had his army astir
by O'Clock on the morning of Sept. 10
and the columns in motion by d m.
Wilson's Cavalry. with McIntosh's Bri-
gade leading, galloped thru the Berry
vile gorge, capturing the earthworks
at its mouth with some of its garrison.
The Sixth Corps. with Getty's Division
ahead, crossed the country to point
on the Berryville pike, about two miles
from the Opequon, where the Nine
teenth Corps was found. 1t was ex-
pected that the two corps, under the
command of Gen. Wright. would push
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

on his next trip into town. Sheridan
wrote the following note to the young
Quaker school teacher on tissue paper,
which was then wrapped up compactly
in tin foil, so that the negro could carry
it in his mouth and swallow it if there
was danger of detection:
sept. Is, 1864.
"I learn from Maj.-Gen. Crook that
you are a loyal lady and still love the
old flag. Can You inform me of the
position of Early's forces. the number
of divisions in his army, and the
strength of any or all of them, and his
probable or reported intentions? Have
any more troops arrived from Rich
mond, or are any more coming or re-
ported to be coming?
Il am, very respectfully, your most
obedient servant,
''P. H. Sheridan,
''Major-G General Commanding.
you can trust the bearer"
The next morning after having re-
ceived this note from Sheridan the old
negro appeared in Miss Wright's school
room, and, calling her aside from her
pupils, handed her the pellet telling
her he would call for his answer on his
way out of town. Miss Wright opened
foil and read the contents. She appre-
ciated the magnitude of the service re-
quired of her and its mortal dangers.
She consulted her mother, as any good
girl would have done. Both women
were brave, and, communicating with
the Spirit in Quaker fashion, they de-
cided that it was their duty before God
to render this service to the country,
no matter what the consequences might
be. 1t so happened that the evening
before a Confederate officer had visited
their home, and casually mentioned the
fact that Kershaw's Division of Infantry
and Cutshaw's Battalion of Artillery
had been started back to Lee. She
therefore wrote on a sheet of tissue
paper, which was again inclosed in the
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

the Union and who lived just outside
the lines at MiIlwood He had a per-
init from the Confederates to go to
Winchester and return three times a
week. carrying with him a load of vege-
tables to sell 10 the people and soldiers
Miss Rcbecca Wright.
The next thing was TO find some re-
liable person in Winchester who would
gine information that could be depend
ed upon. Gen. Crook, who had been
much in Winchester and knew all the
Union people there. met a Miss Rebecca
Wright, a young Quakeress and
teacher OF small private school. Miss
Wright was a demure, rather pretty
Quake- maiden, of soft speech and
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

hook ran alongside, and the Lieutenant
of the gun crew jumped aboard, went
quickly to the cabin door and met the
signal officer coming out with the sig
nal book. He knocked him down,
seized the book and took him prisoner.
The engineer of the HollyhOck ran in
and cut the safety valve loose, but the
Webb burned. She was fired with pitch
pine knots. She had been fitted up for
the trip at Alexandria. In 1882 | was
at Alexandria, and saw and talked with
the engineer that ran the Webb. His
name was George Marsh. He told me
that she was lined with bales of cotton
all around. 1t had a low-pressure en-
gine, and when they were firing at hen
at New Orleans he got in between the
two columns and made himself as small
as he could. Most of the men who
were keeping the log book on the
Choctaw were asleep when the Webb
passed, but l think 1 have stated the
facts about the occurrence
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

kindly manners, whom no one would
suspect of having her eyes keenly open
to all that was going on around her
Being Quaker, she was opposed to
slavery and loyal to the United States
Government. This loyalty, however
made obstacles to communicating with
her, since she was closely watched by
her Secession neighbors.
Sheridan had the old negro brought
to his headquarters. and with his rapid
insight into men decided that he was
trustworthy and sufficiently intelligent
for the undertaking which he intended
TO intrust TO him. The negro readily
agreed to carry a letter to Miss Wright
The National tribune., 1910-10-20

on after the cavalry, which would swing
over to the south bank of Abraham's 9
Creek and cover the left flank. Ram
seurs Confederate infantry, recovering
from the surprise into which the dash
of the Union cavalry had thrown them,
tried to recapture the earthwOrk, but
the cavalrymen held on to 1t very OBJ
stinately until the Sixth Corps came
up, about o'clock, and Sheridan with
them. Much precious time was lost in
getting the infantry thru the narrow
gorge, and an ammunition train got in
the road, so that the whole of the two
corps did not reach the point where
Sheridan intended they should be until
late in the forenoon.
This was immensely to Early's ad-
vantage, as it enabled him to hurry up
Gordon's and Rodes's Divisions from
Stephenson's Depot.
When Wright's three divisions got
thru the Berryville gorge they were
formed with Getty's Division on the
left of the pike, Ricketts's Division on
the right and Russell's Division in the
rear. Growers Division of the Nine
teenth Corps was placed on the right of
Ricketts,, with DWight's Division in the
rear and reserve. Crook, with the
Army of West Virginia, massed near
the Opeuuon crossing to cut off the re-
treat.
The Battle Opens.
Just before noon the line was formed.
and Getty, Ricketts, and Grover moved
forward. Getty met with little resist
ance, and gained ground rapidly. Rick
etts, Russell and Grover were not so
fortunate, for they struck the troops
which Early was now rushing up into
the fight, and they were made to paw
very dearly for the time lost in the
morning. Grover however, saw an on
portunity TO strike Ramseur's infantry
and Lomaxs cavalry, which he did
with decided effect, breaking up Evans's
brigade and pursuing il some distance.
rms left an opening in the line, which
Ricketts, endeavored to close by throw
ing in the small brigade commanded
by Col Keifer. Gordon and Rodes came
up at this moment, and, seeing the
weak spot, threw their divisions upon
IT, and, turning the TANKS of Ricketts,
and Grover, forced them back some
distance.
This was the time for Russell to go