UNFAVORABLE REPLIES, FIGHT WITH ITALIANS, NEW PANAMA TREATY, BURIED ALIVE, AND STREET FAIR

 

Macedonian refugees crossing the border to Bulgaria.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, September 22, 1903.

UNFAVORABLE REPLIES.

Bulgaria Less Hopeful of Intervention by the Powers.

   Sofia, Sept. 22 —The unfavorable replies of Austria and Russia to Bulgaria's last note and the fact that none of the other great powers has yet replied, coupled with the allegations that one of the powers is encouraging the military party at Yildiz Kiosk, tend to create a less hopeful feeling here. Reports are in circulation regarding negotiations between Turkey and Bulgaria looking to a solution of the Macedonia difficulty.

   The Dnevnik says Turkey has presented a note to Bulgaria asking for the latter's assistance in reaching a peaceable solution. Bulgaria replied that Turkey must end the massacres, withdraw her frontier forces, guarantee peace and protection to the villagers, amnesty the political offenders and introduce such governmental reforms as will pacify Macedonia and Adrianople. The Bulgarian reply concluded:

   "If the present situation continues the Bulgarian government will be compelled to yield to public opinion and send an army to the frontier."

   It appears doubtful that the government has sent such an answer.

   According to information received by the revolutionary headquarters from Monastir, 120 persons perished in the flames of their burning villages near Kastoria.

   Over 1,200 bodies of women and children are said to be lying unburied in the fields and on the roadsides around Kastoria.

   A special dispatch from Rila gives details of the fighting in Perin. On Sept. 16, 1,000 Turkish troops surrounded the village and attacked the insurgent bands. The latter were reinforced and the combined insurgent forces turned on the Turks and completely annihilated them.

 

FIGHT WITH ITALIANS.

Manager Tilton and a Deputy Sheriff Wounded.

ONE OF THE LABORERS KILLED.

Italians Placed Obstructions on Trolley Track—When the Receiver and Manager Started to Remove Them Italians Opened Fire—Two Months Wages Due Before Receivership.

   Cooperstown, N. Y., Sept. 22.—A riot by Italian laborers on the Oneonta, Cooperstown and Richfield Springs trolley road resulted in the death of one Italian and the wounding of General Manager Tilton and a deputy sheriff.

   The Italians are quartered in shanties a little below the power house at Hartwick.

   Sunday night they built an obstruction on the track. The first car started south was halted. A message to Oneonta brought Receiver Jennings, General Manager Tilton and several deputies.

   When they set about removing the obstruction, the Italians attacked them, firing pistols and throwing stones. Mr. Tilton was hit on the right temple with a stone and his face was badly cut. Deputy Sheriff French received a bullet wound in the head and was also gashed with a stone.

   Deputies and employes [sic] of the road returned the fire of the Italians and one laborer was killed. The trouble was then stopped and traffic was resumed. Seven of the rioters were arrested.

   The trouble grew out of the fact that there is due the Italians two months' wages for work done before the road went into the receiver's hands but which he cannot pay while the road is in litigation. The laborers have been paid for all work done since the receivership began.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

The New Panama Treaty.

   It is wholly improbable that the state department at Washington will accept or even give serious consideration to the provisions of the bill which has just been favorably reported in the Columbian senate authorizing that government to negotiate a new Panama canal treaty with the United States.

   The bill reported by the committee, which the senate of Colombia unanimously adopted, gives authority to the president of the republic to conclude treaties for a canal or to contract with private parties for the construction of a canal. It calls upon the French company to pay $l0,000,000 for the privilege of transferring its rights, demands a lump sum payment of $20,000,000 on the exchange of ratifications in place of the $10,000,000 provided for in the Hay-Herran treaty, commits the police and sanitary control of the canal zone exclusively to Colombia and contains other provisions differing from those which we have declared our readiness to accept.

   In the Hay-Herran convention the United States went to the utmost limit of liberality in dealing with Columbia, and the demand for more money is a piece of extortion to which this government cannot complacently submit. The new Panama canal company of France might possibly consent to turn over to the government at Bogota $10,000,000 of the stipulated price of $40,000,000 we were to pay for its rights and property. The company would do this probably rather than accept the other alternative of complete loss of all its assets, since if we do not build the canal it cannot possibly find any other purchaser. But $10,000,000 is all that Colombia can expect to get from the United States. The demand for $20,000,000 and the exaction of conditions which are wholly unacceptable to us, if persisted in, will undoubtedly terminate the negotiations with Colombia and force us to drop the Panama project altogether and resume our negotiations for constructing a canal on the Nicaragua route. Both branches of our congress have repeatedly sanctioned the choice of the Nicaragua route, and events have now proved that it would have been better if we had stuck to it.

 

BURIED ALIVE

Cortland Aggregation Done up by Watertown 142 to 6.

   The Cortland Athletics football team was overwhelmed at Watertown yesterday by the strong Watertown team, the final score being 142 to 6.

   The team left Cortland at 6:11 yesterday without practice and even without signals save such as were made up on the train while enroute. The locals were much lighter than their opponents and were completely outplayed at every stage of the game.

   The one touch down was made by Sandwick who picked up the ball on a fumble and got away with a clear field in front of him. Mills kicked the goal.

   The Cortland team lined up as follows: Ends, Mills and Sandwick; tackles, Careny and Dickinson; guards, Johnson and Medes; center, Gibbons; quarterback; Stafford; halfbacks, Cooper and Blaney; full back, Williamson.

 

He Got a Deer.

   H. Malmberg, who has been spending a week with a hunting party in the North Woods, returned to Cortland last Friday evening bringing with him a fine specimen of deer as one of the results of his sport and marksmanship.

   The deer was on exhibition at C. F. Thompson's market Saturday morning and later in the day was cut up. A number of Mr. Malmberg's and Mr. Thompson's friends were remembered in the distribution and a representative of The Standard can bear witness to the excellence of the venison.

 

The Fair is On—The Shows Are Good.

   The exhibitions on the street this week are all worthy of patronage and no one should fail to see them. Probably the highest class exhibition among them and one that appeals to the intelligence of the community is the wonderful electro-mechanical city of Jerusalem. This is not a panorama or picture show. It is a real city with its golden temples and busy streets. It is justly styled "the golden feature of the carnival." Don't fail to see Jerusalem.

 

Aluminum Oil Heaters.

   We keep the genuine aluminum oil heater in four sizes, new construction, safety burner, more heat, less oil, radiates like a base burner. Every stove warranted.

W. W. Bennett,

 37 and 39 R. R.-st., Cortland. [Paid ad.]

 

THE STREET FAIR

Now In Full Blast—Many Interesting Sights to be Observed.

   The street fair and carnival is now in full swing. Many of the attractions were open to the public last night and all will be this evening. The Ferris wheel was in operation early in the evening as was the merry-go-round. The latter especially did a rushing business the entire evening. Not alone was it patronized by the children, but also by many who, in years if not in feelings, have passed that delightful period of life.

   There was a large crowd upon the streets which gravitated from one attraction to another. The brass band, which is with the company, was evidently taken as an index of where the most was to be seen for the time being, and the crowd usually followed it up and down the street.

   The trapeze performance of the great Adams on Tompkins-st. in front of the Standard building was perhaps the most interesting feature of the evening. He performed some remarkable and hair raising feats while suspended in midair, one of which was walking on his head with his feet caught in thongs attached to a bar above. The pull of a string released the bar and after turning two or three summersaults the performer landed safely on the ground.

   The balloon ascension will be made as per schedule this afternoon, the ascension being made from Athletic field in order to give sufficient room for the event.

   The Temple of Jerusalem, mysteries of India, Louette the Flying Lady, Eruption of Mount Pelee, etc., will be in full operation this evening when the carnival will be under full headway.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Jewish year 5,664 began at sundown last night.

   —The Ferris wheel which is part of the street fair stands squarely in front of the drug store of McGraw & Elliott instead of in front of Burgess' store as first planned.

   —The Fortnightly club will meet tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock with Mrs. T. P. Bristol, 27 Lincoln-ave.

   —Cortland Chapter, No. 194, R. A. M., will resume the conferring of degrees at its regular convocation Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock. The "Mark Master" degree will be conferred in full form, after which a "smoker" will be enjoyed.

   —The new display advertisements today are: First National Bank, Bank accounts, page 6; McDonald & Welch, Fine carriages, etc., page 6; Bosworth & Stillman, Easy walking shoes, page 6; M. A. Case, Bags, etc., page 6; W. W, Bennett, Horse for sale, page 6; A. Mahan, Pianos, page 7.

 

SUNDAY FILLER: ROD STEWART

 

REGRETTED EXCESSES, NO ULTIMATUM, TURKEY'S PRESS AGENT, PRIZE WINNERS, OLD VETERANS REUNITE, AND A PECK OF TROUBLE

 

Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, September 21, 1903.

REGRETTED EXCESSES.

Sultan's Interview With Russian and German Ministers.

FRESH INSTRUCTION TO VALIS.

Porte Promised to Announce Resumption of Reform Scheme—Turkish Official Dispatches Announce Numerous Encounters Resulting In Favor of the Government.

   Constantinople, Sept. 21.—In an audience with M. Zinovieff the Russian ambassador Friday, the sultan expressed his regret at the excesses committed by the Turkish troops in the vilayet of Monastir and Adrianople. He said that orders had been sent to the authorities concerned to prevent their repetition and he gave the Russian ambassador to understand that the guilty parties would be punished.

   The German ambassador, Baron Marschall Bon Bieberstein, also had an audience with the sultan, who showed himself most optimistic. The latter declared that the insurrection was drawing to a close. In fact, it had already been suppressed in some districts and the porte would, therefore, immediately issue proclamations announcing the resumption of the application of the reform scheme.

   After the granting of these audiences an extraordinary council of ministers was held at Yildiz Kiosk and the deliberations were continued on Saturday. It is understood that the council drew up fresh instructions to the valis in the sense of his majesty's declaration.

   Official dispatches from the valis of Salonika, Monastir and Adrianople report numerous encounters which resulted in favor of the Turks.

 

NOT AN ULTIMATUM.

Misapprehension as to Meaning of Bulgaria's Note to the Powers.

   Sofia, Sept. 21.—Some apprehension having apparently been created owing to a misunderstanding regarding the precise meaning of Bulgaria's last note to the powers, explanations have been given to some diplomatic agents here that the memorandum was not intended as an ultimatum but was rather in the nature of an appeal for the intervention of the great powers before that intervention should be too late.

   The Bulgarian ministry, it was stated, was determined to maintain its attitude of neutrality up to the last moment but it felt the impossibility of standing by indefinitely while the Turks exterminated the Bulgarian element in Macedonia.

   The government's position is rendered increasingly difficult by the attitude of the Macedonian population in Bulgaria, which vigorously backed up by the revolutionary committees, is persistently endeavoring to force the government's hand and provoke hostilities with Turkey.

   A special from the monastery of Rila, Bulgaria, says the condition of the Turkish garrison of Menlik, 66 miles northeast of Salonika, is believed be extremely critical. It is besieged by bands of insurgents. The Turks have withdrawn nearly all their forces from the districts of Danouml and Pazlog to send them to the relief of Monlik. As a consequence unusual tranquility prevails throughout the district of Pazlog.

   A company of Turkish soldiers and Bashi-Bazouks recently found the hiding place of a hundred families of refugees from the villages of Dupeni and Echla near Resen. They captured the party, violated the women and committed other atrocities.

   The united bands of Monassieff and Michailof have had an encounter with the troops near Demi-Kapu, 62 miles northwest of Salonika. The Turks had many killed, including two officers.

 

Denial by Turkish Government.

   Washington, Sept. 21.—Chekib Bey, the Turkish minister, has received a dispatch from the government denying the reports that reserves are engaged in aggressions against the Christian inhabitants in certain districts.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Turkey's Press Agent.

   Now we shall know all about what is going on in Macedonia. The sultan of Turkey has hired a press agent: the sublime porte is to have a sublime reporter. "It is learned here," says a Washington dispatch, "that the sultan feels the need of having his government and its difficulties set before the world in a proper light, and for that reason he has hired an American, who is to be the press agent for the Turkish government."

   The sultan has long been accused of being an unprogressive tyrant who utterly lacked the up-to-dateness of the infidel occident and who was slower than the proverbial snail in introducing needed reforms. Let slander still her tongue and base calumny hide its hated head. The sultan has hired a hustling American press agent well gifted with imagination, and we shall soon have official notice that every reform has been carried out and that Abdul Hamid II is the kindest, most considerate, most humane ruler the world has ever known.

   It has long been suspected that the Macedonian committee, who are making trouble for the sultan, have in their employ a very talented press agent, and when he and the sublime reporter begin giving out rival massacre figures Macedonia, Salonika and other Turkish districts will speedily be depopulated. One day the murderous Turks will kill all the Macedonians and Bulgarians, and the next the same Macedonians and Bulgarians will massacre every Turk within a hundred miles of the seat of war.

   The Turk is not so slow, after all. He is well aware of the value of a good press agent, and just now he seems to need one very much, for Chekib Bey, the Turkish minister in Washington, says that there are more liars in Constantinople writing what purports to be the facts with regard to the troubles of Turkey than he imagined could ever be got together in so small a part of the earth's territory.

 

Negro and Chinese Prize Winners.

   It is a notable and significant fact that a negro and Chinaman won the two highest prizes announced at the recent anniversary of the exercises of the Yale law school. The Townsend prize of $100, awarded to the members of the senior class of the law school who writes and pronounces the best oration at the public anniversary exercises at graduation was given to George Williamson Crawford, a negro of Birmingham, Ala., and a graduate of Talladega college. Chung Hui Wang of Canton, China, won the degree of Summa Cum Laude. Wang is pronounced by Dean Theodore Woolsey of the law school to be a most remarkable scholar. He has been at the Yale law school only a year, having been graduated from Tien-Tsin university in his native land, and having spent one year at the university of California before coming to Yale.—Leslie's Weekly.

 

OLD VETERANS

Of the One Hundred Fifty-Seventh Regiment.

ANNUAL REUNION AT MCGRAW, N. Y.

Largest Reunion in History of Regiment,  108 Present—Fourteen Deaths Reported in Last Year—Officers Elected—Next Reunion at Canastota—Fine Business Meeting and Campfire.

   On Saturday, Sept. 19, the village of McGraw wore the dress of an old-fashioned Fourth of July, the Stars and Stripes being very much in evidence. And this was not all, for crowds upon the streets were a study. The occasion was the thirty-eighth annual reunion of the survivors of the gallant old One Hundred Fifty-seventh regiment of New York volunteers and, while it was a great day for the old boys, it was certainly an interesting sight to see the heroes of so many battles come together and talk over old times. That they were glad to see each other was plainly proven by the hearty handshakes and the expression upon their faces which each year show more and more the years that have passed since they marched and camped together.

The Roll Call.

   The business meeting was called in the village hall in the morning and the following members answered to roll call, being the largest in many years: W. H. Ahbert, Hamilton; A. W. Angell, Cortland; A. Ashley, Syracuse; L. F. Briggs, Eaton; R. W. Bourne, Willet; Charles S. Brown, Homer; Robert Bushby, Cortland; D. U. Brown, Elmwood, N. J.; C. H. Bouton, Marathon; E. Bisby, Smyrna; Charles Bliss, Georgetown; Reuben Butts, Scott; A. A. Borthwick, McGraw; J. W. Beattie, East Homer; G. W. Carpenter, Chittenango Station; Oscar Courtney. Marathon; D. C. Clark, DeRuyter; H. J. Collier, Earlville; H. Chapman, Homer; Wm. Connell, Truxton; A. W. Coloney, Scranton, Pa.; Solomon Carr, Blodgett Mills; Mott C. Dixon, New York; David DeVan, Peterboro; L, E. Darling, Pitcher; C. T. Dickinson, Binghamton; William Dyke, Cortland; I. O. Ellenwood, Utica; Norman Francis, McLean; M. J. Grady, Cortland; T. J. Getman, Preble; John Gartsie, Dryden; Dr. H. C. Hendrick, McGraw; J. D. Hammond, Cortland, Adelbert Holden, McGraw; Edward Hicks, Apulia; C. A. Hitchcock, Cortland; Edward Harrington, Cortland; Hiram Hawley, Harford; DeForest Hakes, Cortland; William P. Henry, McGraw; Samuel N. Holden, Cortland; P. L. Haskins, DeRuyter; Joseph Hart, Bouckville; Charles S. Hurd, Chittenango; J. H. Hill, Lavanna; C. H. Hitchcock, New Woodstock; C. C. Healey, Homer; C. J. Harris, Willet; Erastus Jones, Homer; Eugene Johnson, Marathon; A. W. Kingsbury, Homer; T. H. Kennedy, Homer; Ira Kinney, Cuyler; E. C. Kinney, Cortland; Henry D. Locke, Ellis; P. H. Lyon, Cortland, W. H. Morgan, Cortland; Jerry Murphy, Clockville; John Miller, Cortland; N. J. Messenger, Smyrna; George P. Miller, East Homer; H. S. Montgomery, Plymouth; William E. Matson, Peterboro; S. M. Marvin, Georgetown; Joseph McDargh, Cortland; C. O. Newton, Homer; James W. Newman, Scott; Harrison Neff, Killawog; Darius Owen, McGraw; Frank Place, Cortland; M. J. Pratt, Homer; E. A. Phillips, East Homer; Darius Phelps, McGraw; Robert Roantree, Canastota; H. M. Robinson, Cortland; Charles O. Ricker, Oneida Castle; H. C. Ransom, Syracuse; R. C. Shattuck, Homer; Charles H. Sweet, Scott; H. A. Smith, Cincinnatus; J. H. Sawdy, Whitney's Point; D. R. Shults, Cortland; Mitchell Sanford, McGraw; William Tegg, Kirkville; Lorenzo Thorington, Taylor Center; Lathel Thorington, Cheningo; G. S. Van Hoesen, Cortland; W. S. Van Vose, Cortland; George L. Warren, Cortland; Wellington Wood, Cortland; M. C. Wood, New Woodstock; G. G. Waldron, Albany; Lorenzo Widger, Cheningo; I. J. Walker, McGraw; C. C. Widger, Messengerville; S. S Wright, Preble; Chas. H. Waters, McGraw; Reuben Weeder, Binghamton; W. H. Burdick, McGraw; Dewitt Turner, McGraw; John P. Corbin, Harford; C. J. Sheppard, Preble; Walter Davis, Cheningo; Barney Barnes, McGraw; Alexander Lansing, Truxton; William Gilbert, McGraw; Hallett Shepard, Groton.

Fourteen Deaths Reported.

   Fourteen deaths were reported during the past year and one who died in 1897, and not previously noted were as follows: S. D. Allexander, Company G; A. M. Hazelton, Company C; A. W. Green, Company I; N. J. Snyder, Company G; Levi Wiser, Company K; John Phlaiger, Company G; Chauncey Getman, Company H; Stephen Harrington, Company G; J. H. McIntyre, Company B; O. A. Babcock, Company H; W. F. Brown, Company K; who died in 1897, Mablon Barren, Company I; Hale Moore, Company I; George Barnes, Company E; M. L. Foster, Company E.

Officers Elected.

   The following were the officers elected for the ensuing year.

   President—Robert Roantree, Canastota, N. Y.

   First Vice-President—Norman Francis, McLean, N. Y.

   Second Vice-President—Jerry Murphy, Clockville, N. Y.

  Third Vice-President—Charles O. Ricker, Oneida Castle, N. Y.

   Recording Secretary—George L. Warren, Cortland, N. Y.

   Corresponding Secretary—Dr. H. C. Hendrick, McGraw, N. Y.

   Treasurer—L. F. Briggs, Eaton, N. Y.

   It was voted to hold the next regimental reunion at Canastota. The ladies of the regiment held their session in the Odd Fellow's hall on the third floor of the village building.

The Camp Fire.

   A fine dinner was served by the local veterans and their friends in the M. E. church after which the public meeting was held in the Baptist church.

   Rev. A. M. Brown of the Presbyterian church made the address of welcome, which was responded to by T. Remsen. Judge J. E. Eggleston made the address of the day. The Corset City band furnished music. Master Robert Bushby sang "The Golden City," as only he can do it, and Master Henry Kennedy showed the old fellows that there were still drummer boys. Miss Brown of Homer gave a recitation "The Old Canteen," in a manner that won much praise. Every one seemed to be at their best and the exercises were of the finest character throughout.

   This regiment now numbers about 400. Fourteen deaths have been reported in the past year and but ninety-two in the past ten years.

   When mustered into the United States service Sept. 19, 1862, they numbered 1,000 strong. In 1863 and 1864 they received 242 more members in drafted men and recruits.

   The regiment was mustered out in August, 1865, having participated in the battles of Chancellorsville, Va.; Gettysburg, Pa.; siege of Fort Sumpter; battles of First and Second John's island, Honey Hill, Tulifinny, Camp Milton, Devon's Neck, Dingle's Mill, Statesburg, and Camp Finnigan.

 

A PECK OF TROUBLE

Pocketbook Lost and Found—A Homer Lady's Experiences.

   Mrs. C. W. Negus of Homer, N. Y., will probably long remember a little shopping tour made to Syracuse last Saturday and, as it all ended happily, she can tell her friends about it and enjoy with them a hearty laugh at her own expense. Some details of this are given in the Syracuse Sunday Herald as follows:

   When Mrs. C. W. Negus of Homer, the wife of the Baptist minister of that village, came to this city yesterday morning to do a little shopping, as has been her custom, she little thought that the police would take a more than casual interest in her affairs. It all came from a sudden and for some time unexplainable disappearance of a pocketbook. Mrs. Negus had almost completed her shopping tour when the affair happened. She had gone to Edwards' store about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, making a purchase or two at the underwear counter. Then she went to another part of the store.

   Meanwhile two young ladies of this city visited the same store and the same counter. Here they also made purchases. As they were preparing to leave one was called back and given her pocketbook by the girl in charge. They then went home.

The Police Called In.

   About this time Mrs. Negus had noticed the loss of her purse. Supposing, of course, that it had been stolen she excitedly called up the police and informed them of the fact. Detective Geis was put on the case. After a little questioning he decided that the purse had been taken by the young ladies who had visited the counter a short time before. Learning their address he started out.

   When he called at their house, which happened to be the home of one of his friends, he was met at the door by one of the young ladies. She welcomed him with a handshake.

   After a moment's hesitation, Detective Geis asked the young lady if she and her sister had been down town. She replied that they had.

   "Did you take some one's purse by mistake?" said Geis.

   The ladies protested their innocence and went back to their room after the purse claimed to be that of Mrs. Negus. An examination proved their ownership.

   At the outset of the trouble, Mrs. Negus had informed the officer that she had the sum of $10 in bills and considerable change in her purse. The one Detective Geis examined had about 84 and a little change. Possibly they had spent the money, any way it would do no harm to take the purse along and show Mrs. Negus. So he departed, pocketbook and all.

Troubles of Her Own.

   When Detective Geis was busy looking up the missing purse, its owner, Mrs. Negus, was having troubles of her own. She went to the hotel where she was stopping, and as is usual the case, found the cause of all her trouble calmly reposing on the bureau. Hurrying back to the store, she told of her recovery of the missing purse, but failed to inform the police. The missing pocketbook contained a check for a large bundle which she had ordered sent to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western station. Whoever had taken the purse would surely call for the package. So an officer was sent over to the station with orders to nab the first one who should present the check for the property.

   Mrs. Negus was unknown to him. The train was nearly due when Mrs. Negus rushed into the station and presented her check for the package. The policeman did his duty and, amid the protestations that the package belonged to her and that she had a perfect right to obtain it, the train for Homer pulled out and Mrs. Negus remained in the hands of the law. A few minutes later Detective Geis came up and after a few words all things were once more righted. The woman took a later train for home.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Loyal circle of the King's Daughters will meet tomorrow at 3 o'clock at the W. C. T. U. rooms.

   —The Ladies' Literary club will meet with Miss M. L. Fairchild at the residence of G. L. Warren, 38 Greenbush-st., Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock.

   —The new display advertisements today are—M. W. Giles, Special prices, page 7; City of Jerusalem, page 8; Lunetta, the Flying woman, page 4; Bosworth & Stillman, Easy Walking shoes, page 7; Warren, Tanner & Co., Dry goods, page 6; G. H. Wiltsie, Dry goods, page 6; L. & K. Freeman, Millinery, page 6; C. F. Brown, Olive oil, page 8; S. Simmons, clothing, page 7; Dey Brothers & Co., Silk, etc., page 8.

 

WAR REMINISCENCES CHAPTER 36

 

Captain William Saxton, Co. C, 157th Regiment, New York Volunteers.

Wikipedia map.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 19, 1903.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

By Captain Saxton of the 157th Regiment, New York Vols.

BEFORE A CONFEDERATE BATTERY.

Union Gunner Spikes their Guns by Plugging them In the Muzzles—Brave Sergeant Paddock—The Charge of this Regiment Through the Wheatfield—Regiment Reaches the Furthest Point in Front.

CHAPTER 36.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—Foxe's "Regimental Losses" says: "In the first day's fight Captain Tuttle's company of this regiment (Twenty-sixth North Carolina) went into action with three officers and eighty-four men. All of the officers and eighty-three men were killed or wounded". The regiment had only 216 left for duty at the end of the first day's fight and at the end of the battle it mustered only eighty men. It had eighty-six men killed and 502 wounded. Company C of the Eleventh North Carolina, same brigade, also suffered fearfully at the hands of Tuttle's men [sic]. It lost two officers killed and thirty-four out of thirty-eight men killed or wounded.

   All of the left wing of [our] First Corps, on account of superior numbers overlapping their flank, was compelled to fall back around the Seminary, where they hastily threw up barricades, and in connection with four batteries made a determined stand.

   While this was transpiring with the First Corps, the Eleventh Corps was having more than it could attend to. Barlow's division joined ours on the right and he extended his lines to Rock creek north east of town. Devin's cavalry was still further to the east along the York road. This made our line very thin. When Rhodes compelled the right brigades of [our] First Corps to change front and face north, he kept on moving south and east and soon struck the Eleventh Corps. Ewell had also moved Early's division forward and Gordon's brigade struck Von Gilsa's and Hays' and Hake's brigades passed entirely across his right and was about to enter town from the northeast. Devin's cavalry interposed and held them in check until Costar's brigade of Steinwebr's division was taken from the reserve on Cemetery Hill and rushed to the rescue.

   This move on the part of Ewell made it necessary for us to wheel to the right.

   I remember as we rushed down through the town on the double-quick, out past the Pennsylvania college, we swung into line facing north in the rear of our brigade battery (Dilger's Battery I, First Ohio). This was about the time that Confederate O'Neal was turning Paul's right on Oak Ridge. I can distinctly see Dilger now unlimbering his brass pieces and arranging them as we formed in his rear and lay down.

Spiked a Gun in Front.

   The shots from a Confederate battery near McLean's barn were flying just over our heads as we hugged close to mother earth. Colonel Brown's and Lieutenant Arrowsmith's horses became very uneasy and they dismounted and sent them to the rear.

   I think that Confederate battery was not over three-eighths of a mile distant, and they were on a hillside and we in the valley. Dilger fired a shot at them which flew over them. The next gun he himself sighted and as the lanyard was pulled he stepped aside to see the effect. A rebel gun was dismounted and a horse killed. He sighted the next one and not seeing the effect took out his field glass to observe more closely. "What effect, Captain Dilger?" asked Colonel Brown. "I have spiked a gun for them—plugged it in the muzzle," replied Captain Dilger. This gun was abandoned or captured subsequently, for I saw it taken to the rear on the fourth day, Dilger's shot being wedged into the muzzle a little crosswise.

Corporal Johnson Killed.

   The Confederate battery depressed their pieces a little and the shot struck in front and around Dilger. One came striking the ground and ricocheted over it and into our regiment, hitting Corporal Jerry Johnson of Company C in the head. Jerry belonged to the color guard and was in the center of the regiment. Company C was on the right. Poor Jerry lived a day or two, never regaining consciousness, and then died. His revolver was taken from his body and handed to me. I carried it back into Virginia and sent it to his father, if I remember rightly, by Harlan Thompson of the Tenth cavalry who was wounded and went home. Corporal Johnson lived in our village and was the first man killed in our regiment in this great battle.

   Dilger kept on firing and made it so hot for that battery that they were compelled to limber up and move out of range.

Brave Sergeant Paddock.

   Our brigade was then ordered forward and right here occurred one of the most heroic acts of the day. Our orderly, or first sergeant, Charles H. Paddock, had been taken sick on the march in Virginia and was sent to the hospital. He recovered, was forwarded on to Gettysburg in an ambulance and unloaded on Cemetery Hill south of town, while we were north of it fighting. Most soldiers would have considered themselves non-combatants under the circumstances and remained in the rear. Not so with First Sergeant Paddock. He ascertained where the First brigade of the Third division of the Eleventh Corps was engaged and marched down through town, hunted up the regiment and as we were moving forward walked up and took his place on the right of the company without gun or ammunition. He went through the fight with us, but in falling back through town was captured and taken to Belle Island in the James river and spent many weary, suffering, starving months in the detestable rebel prison, finally returning to us when we were in South Carolina. He was promoted to first lieutenant in another company. He is now and has been since the war a general salesman in the great Wholesale drygoods house of James H. Dunham & Co., 340 Broadway, New York City.

Charge Through the Wheatfield.

   As we moved forward we came in contact with a line of O'Neal's Third Alabama sharp shooters lying in the grass, who rose up and came into our lines and were sent to the rear. We then struck the Fifth Alabama and drove them back. Just now occurred another phase of the battle which I have already referred to. When it became necessary to change front to meet the oncoming forces of Ewell's Corps, the division on our right, Barlow's, was out-flanked and he was compelled, after a stubborn fight, to fall back to a new line farther in the rear, Barlow himself being terribly wounded and the command of the division succeeding to General Ames.

   In the general advance of Ewell's Corps, Rhodes' three right brigades, Iverson's, Ramseur's and O'Neal's had struck the right of the First Corps and turned it, and now on account of Barlow's retrograde movement, we found Dole's Georgia brigade of Rhodes' division, consisting of the Fourth, Twelfth, Twenty-first and Forty-fourth Georgia regiments, on our right and rear. This brigade was marching along the Carlisle road. This compelled a change of front and Colonel Brown gave the order "Charge front, forward on the first company—March." This took us through a splendid wheat field waist high all ready to harvest. The regiments on our right gave way in conformity with our right division, but the One Hundredth and Fifty-seventh kept straight ahead.   Colonel Brown says:

   "I was ordered by General Schimmelpfenning to move over some distance to the right and attack the enemy, who were driving the second brigade of our division. This order I at once proceeded to execute. In order to get my regiment in position to do effective service, I found it necessary to move up within fifty yards of the enemy who, by the time I had reached my position, had placed a whole brigade in line to resist my attack."

Under a Tornado of Lead.

   O! how those four Georgia regiments did pour the lead into us in that wheat field. Lieutenant Arrowsmith was killed right here in the rear of Company C. Lieutenants Coffin and Fitch of our company were wounded and the men fell like daisies before the mower's scythe. Buel Roropaugh fell just in front of me and I was struck with a ball on my left side, but fortunately my belt buckle, which was a solid cast New York State buckle, instead of a United States lead filled buckle, had worked around on my aide on which I carried my six-inch Colt's revolver. The bullet struck the brass nipple holding the flat of the holster, cutting it off, and passing through the leather struck the belt buckle I have spoken of.

   I supposed I was shot through the body. It knocked me down and must have dazed me a little. The first I remember was, I was getting up and Buel asked me if I was hit and I told him I guessed so, but the only injury it did me was to leave a large bruise on my [hide] the size of one's hand that turned black.

   General Schimmelpfennig sent Captain Klincker, his aide, to tell Colonel Brown to fall back, but Klincker's horse was shot under him and the order was not delivered. Finally the Twelfth and Twenty-first Georgia regiments began to swing around our flank and it was either retreat, be killed or captured. Then Colonel Brown ordered us to fall back.

Reached the Furthest Point Front.

   "The One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New York of Von Amaberg's brigade was posted on the left of the Eleventh Corps. This regiment, lead by Colonel Philip P. Brown, Jr., encountered a severe fire from both infantry and artillery, which told with fearful effect upon its ranks. Over 200 of its men were struck down here and six officers, including Lieutenant-Colonel George Arrowsmith, were killed.

   In its encounter with Dole's Georgia brigade the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh fought its way forward to the farthest point reached by any regiment on the Eleventh Corps line."—Col. Wm. F. Foxe, Author of Foxe's "Regimental Losses.'' W. S.