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About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1898)
0 THE AMERICAN IF THE VIEWS par mvt yoor approval w ahaU ba plaatad to rciT your autmcnpuoa. Tha pne of THE AMERICAN for on year tocttfier wiUi a good book w only THE AMERICAN SiS-ft l biniina "FlITY YEAMH IN THK CHUKCll OF HflHK," aunt to any adUrm la Uia Umtml Htataa or CaiuuU b mail for only flO Mmut CAH1I with your ordnr va A we: -APEK, 'AMERICA FOR AMERICANS." We bold that all men are Amrrclana who Kwear Allegiance to the United States without a mental reaervation. PRICK FIVE CENTS. Volume-. J OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1898. Nuvi il. if ( L KIRBY BAS SEEN WAR. Thinks It Well to be Enthus iastic. but Vdvises Peace With Honor. Dees Hot Think It Woold be a Dwslsj f Coarage U Refuse to Surrender whes Hazing Into a Gun Barrel. The First ana Second brigade were av part of the Fifteenth army corps &a4 camped near the above named place.the First brigade commanded by 'General M. L. Smith and the Second by General Hulbert. Both generals were ordered to move their commands to the front and attack the enemy. Time to leave camp, 3 p. m. sharp. This being one of the advances toward Corinth after the battle of Sbilcb. There was a little stream of water Dear the house and the enemy was rmrdlng that stream with a division of Infantry and a battery. Our gen eral commanding .thought It .better for us to have that stream than the enemy, as we were short on good water at that time, and besides that, after getting the stream we would be two miles nearer Corinth, which place we expected to capture in the near future, Corinth being seven miles away. The battles of the war were always named after some town or object nearest where the action took place, as Shiloh, Mission Ridge, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain. A man named Russell owned the house where this fight took place. As I Bald in the beginning, the order was to move at 3 o'clock sharp la the afternoon, both brigades to move at that time. Whether through a misunderstanding or on purpose our general, M. L. Scott, moved his brigade at 2 o'clock, and as we had lees than two miles to march on a dry road, it did not take us long to find the enemy. And as our brigade was an hour ahead ot General Hul bert, we attacked and fought the whole Confederate division nearly an hour ingle handed, as General ulbert did mot move before 3 o'clock. I was .mounted orderly for General Smith, and as the Second brigade had not been heard from and the enemy was taking an effort to outflank us, I was sent to the right to find the Sec end brigade. I had gone about 300 yards when a six-pound shell bursted about fifty yards in front of me. At first I did not Know if it came from a friend or foe, as I aid not hear the discharge of the gun; but I didn't have long to wait, for soon two re ports came and two more shells passed over me and several hundred yards Into the enemies lines and bursted. I knew then it was Gen. Hulbert helling the woods or in other words, feeling his way. I rode back and re ported to my General what I had found. The General sent one of his staff to tell Gen. Hulbert to move up double quick as he had engaged the enemy'over a mite in his (Hulbert's) advance and they were making an ef fort to outflank him. Meanwhile our forces had advanced to within a few hundred feet of the log outhouses, which the enemy used with good Judgment to shield themselves from the fire of my regiment as the 8th Missouri was just in front of the buildings and suffered more than any other regiment engaged, be reason of the log buildings. My regiment had ten killed and twice that number wounded, and nearly all that were killed In front of those buildings were hot in the head. A little episode in my life happened tnere that day has never slipped my memory. When Co. C was doing their best and being killed or wounded as fast as they ex posed themselves from their trees, by the Johnnies behind ta logs. The General, seeing a curve in the line, sent me to tell the captain of that company. It be didn't move it up he would send some one there that would. I delivered tle message amid music that was anything but pleasant to the ear, (I had read somewhere that dis tance lends enchantment to the ear.) I thought how beautiful that firing would sound about a thousand miles away. The captain said give my com pliments to the General and tell him It is impossible until the enemy Is dislodged from the log house In my front The General turned to me and aid go to the foot of the hill, order up a section of Co. B battery and shell h out of the crib. I ordered the section as told and went with it to how the officer where to go and after the guns had been unllmbered I was on my horse leaning over the Sergeant of the battery trying to show him wbere to aim that the "hells would do ill u vm mwf W , y zS if BfSfS Hiil Ip UNCLE SAM Let me see; PRIEST Howly mither! if years' work. the most good. As I had been twice over the ground, I knew the lay, as we call it While in that half bent position a spent or glancing ball struck my ear and I dropped on his shoulder in a dazed condition with one hand on the born of my saddle. We were Just between the two guns and at that moment both were fired at once, and I think the concussion helped to revive me. as I straightened up just after the snots were fired. I then rode down the hill; took a cap off a dead soldier belonging to the 55th Illinois; I having lost mine when hit. After I got out of range of the Johnnies' lead and had time to look myself over, I saw blood on my blouse. I began to feel for a hole in the side of my head and was agreeably sur prised when I found none. Then I reported to my General and told him I took the section as ordered. He saw the blood on my blouse and asked me what had happened. I told him when he ordered me to the rear and stay there the rest of the day, and of all the orders I obeyed during. my three years' service, that was tbe most cheerful, if not the quickest, executed. Next morning I was all right with the exception of a sore ear and a swelled head. The bakery I ordered up did ' ihe business. It sent two shells dlagonaiiy through the crib, and during the excitement our boys charged the place anu captured those that the shells did not kill or wound. After that it was clear sailing as the Johnnies had no advantage over our boys. The 8th Missouri and the 65th Illinois grabbed everything in and around the buildings. While I was sitting behind a tree, out of harm's way, a poor fellow came down the hill going to the rear; he having been shot through the mouth, tha ball going In one cheek ani out the other. When oposite me there was a yell on the hill and he knew his comrades were vic torious and the yell enthused him so that he tried to hallo also, but instead of any noise coming from his mouth a gutteral sound was all as the air escaped through the two holes in his cheeks. Being bent on showing his sympathy for his comrades he took his cap and threw it twenty feet la the air. He died in the hospital a few days after. Another incident hap pened during the fight worthy of note. As soon as the two shells struck the large crib the 8th Missouri charged the hill and surrounded the big house which was about 100 feet from the log shanty. This house was filled with officers and men. Our boys got there so quick the Johnnies did not have time to make their escape. One rebel captain was ordered to surrend er by a private of Company C. In stead of complying started to draw his sabre, --t before ue got his sabre half drawn, Thomptoa (that was the soldier's name) sent a minnow ball through his head. The hat he wore had a broad rim and white, with ft red band. So good was Thompson's aim that tbe ball cat the band la had I better move the A. V. A. this time? he sees that move and lias the nerve to make it, the howly church will lose the fruits of thirty twain and left the two ends flying and took half of the back of the head of the wearer wiu. it His hat was brought to camp and was worn a long time by one Rathburn, a company cook. He left the two ends flying as they were when picked up. This same Thompson was at the siege and surrender of Ft. Donaldson and after the fort was taken Thompson exam ined the prisoners looking for his brother, as he knew he was there. Not finding him among the prisoners he turned his attention to the dead and after a tedious search, found his brother's body at one of the siege guns. After looking at him for a minute he sala, "Bud, you should have kept better company," at the same time pinning a paper to his coat with full name on it. Next day he was buried with the balance, with the ex ception that his grave was properly marked for future reference and such was fate during the civil war. Father against father, brother against broth er and many a good man of both the blue' and the grey ..as lost his life by allowing his over-glorious or angry Impulse to get control of his better judgment, as Col. Elsworth did in taking down the rebel flag at Alex andria when he was killed by the landlord with a shotgun. Col. Ells worth and the rebel captain at Russell House might both be alive today and honored citizens had they used that Judgment that every good soldier should possess. There Is no bravery In refusing to surrender when looking into the muzzle of a loaded gun and a cool soldier at the other end with his finger on the trigger. We hear a great deal of war In the air at the present time and the most of it comes from people who know but little what war means. 1 advocate exDaustin all honorable means to bring about settlement of our trouble and when that falls, let it be settled by the bullet, no matter what the cost may be. America has given too much precio' B blood during the last 125 years to ever let her hon or get Delow par. Better sacrifice a few hundred thousand patriots than have 50,000,000 brow-beaten cowards Inhabitatlng this country to the dis grace of mora than 300,000 ot our dead comrades who died in the last war, besides all our noble grandsires who laid down their lives in the two wars preceding the rebellion; that the hon or of our country should not be as sailed without the assailant being held accountable; be the enemy internal or external, and I feel confident I voice the sentiments ot nlnertenths ot my old comrades. Not but that Spain merits a good mrashing on general principles. Leaving the sink ing of the Maine out of the question and should it be proven that the Spanish sank our gun boat and they pay Uncle Sam ail he asks for them tor their hellishness I consider It bet ter than thrashing them; for I would not consider it any credit to a first class nation like America to whip measely, contemptible, barbarous, bankrupt (so-called nation) like Spain. Uncle Sam never took a con tract that he did not make a first class job of It; and can furnish living references such as England, Mexico Southern Confederacy and a number of smaller jobs too numerous to men tion. He has still has plenty of the latest improved tools and a million or more of the finest artisans the world ever knew; and as Spain has an en largement of the brain and is not able to get a hat to fit I'll guarantee Uncle Sam will in short time shape the head to fit the hat and wben the contract is finished the nead will be less but It will contain more reverence for its superiors besides a good stork of com mon every day horse sense and less conceit. H. H. KIRBT. Priests la Politic. Beattle, Kan., Feb. 2, 1898. Editor Omaha American: It seems that the priestly gentlemen, so-called, who ad minister the rites of the Church of Rome, are still advocating the same foul doctrine they advocated during our own civil war. In spite of the fact that they have been cautioned by the American peo ple to keep their hands out of the af fairs of American politics and Ameri can diplomacy, they are still hank ering after the authority to dictate to our government what should be done In all cases. . It seems to ire as one who does now and always has believed in the good sense of the American people that the time will come when It will become the duty of the people of the United States to forever put a stop to incen diary utterances, whether they ema nate from the pulpit or pKtform. or whether they are only the utterances of a fanatical incompetent in any sense. From the pulpit this time, and that, too, from a pulpit of holy and Infal lible Rome, comes the bugle call to arms for most Cathoiic Spain. And that by a father confessor, who is enjoying life on the hospitable shores of the United States of America. One who calls himself an American citi zen, one who says he Is a represent ative of the Prince of Peace one who calls himself a consecratea man, ever ready to do anything for the good of humanity, willfully counsels members of his own faith to become traitors to the stars and stripes. It is reported, and on good author ity, that Father Weber of Kingston, N. Y., has said during a sermon that in case ot war between the United States and Spain that it was the duty of every good Catholic to fight for Spain and against the United States; that they should do all in their power to aid Catholic Spain. How often will it become the duty ot Americans to inform the holy agents of Roman treachery that It would be a blessing to the United States It the pop in his Infallibility should order every one of his minions tp report for duty at one. It would be a pleasure to our own government to furnish them with transportation to the shores of Cath olic Spain that they might enlist In the armies of the most barbarous be cause she 1b tbe most Catholla nation on earth. Have not the people of tbe United States abundant proof of Cath olic treachery and disloyalty to all principles of humanity and justice, by tbe stand tbe priesthood has taken in all things American? Can any one who has any acquaint ance with American history respect the memory of the Mexican general, Santa Anna? Can any African respect th9 butch ers of tho devoted defenders ot the Allmo? Can any humane man respect tbe noble Spaniard for his endeavor to depopulate the city of St. Augustine, Fla., because they were Protestants? Does any American who loves his country for one moment believe that in the fullness of time the treachery and disloyalty of the priests of Rome if allowed to go unmolested will not go a great ways toward undoing what the founders of our American insti tutions have done? From every cathedral and from ev ery parish church comes the Intelli gence that the United States belongs to the pope. From the parochial schools, as well as from almost every Catholic fireside, are continually com ing Instructions to the young, that the first allegiance of a good Catholic Is to the pope of Rome. In the coun cils of nations, states and municipali ties are found today men who owe allegiance to Rome first and to the flag that floats over them they owe allegiance when it does not interfere with their creed. This priest of whom we hear today is only a mouthpiece of those higher In authority. He has in an unguarded moment given expression) to the instructions of thos ot higher rank In tho hier archy. He says President McKInley and the members of his cabinet ought to be blown up. And that the stars and stripes were not a good flag for loyal Catholics to fight for under any circumstances. In 1861 began a con flict the like of which tue world bad never experienced. It ended In 1865. Thousands of lives and millions ot treasure were expended for the su premacy. The stars and stripes represented liberty and enlightenment and the stars and bars represented the prin ciples of Rome Ignorance and super stition. The world knows the result of that momentous struggle and what Its effects have been on American civ ilization. Tou can teach an old dog no new tricks; ue only way is to get along with him the best you can. Wtlle tbe American people look on in Imaginary security the priests of Rome are laying the mines that will ultimately bring on a war that will determine the true status ot Its power for good or svll. They are slowly but surely accom plishing their own v.ew. And when the sun comes from be hfnd th cloud ws will find on th sits of a Roman cathedral a school bouse, and on the site of a parish rhurrh a work shop. Instead of a rarainal or bishop we will have a teacher. And Instead ot a leacherous priest we win enjoy tho company of a loyal and Intelligent American citizen. Instead of the abominable banner of Home hanging on the walls of cathinlrals we will see the picture of Washington, of Lincoln, ot Grant. Instead of me pomp and glitter of pagan Rome will be seen tbe sweet simplicity of American Inde pendence. And the happy faces of a people who are conscious of the fact that the kin of Benedict Arnold have been driven from our shores. PATRIOTIC AS EVER. Yfm Eldorado, Km. El Dorado, Kan., March 1, 1898. Editor American: My Dear Sir lam In receipt of several copies of the American. I have been studying tho Roman Catholic question for forty years. My predictions are coming true every day. I have Chlnlquy'i book. I. have been stationed right in tbe midst of Catholic communities, have watched and stored In memory every prediction that I have heard ot most of them. It Is true that their every Intention Is to fight. Tbe Maine went down by Catholic Intrigue and to blind the people a mass was held in the Romish Catholic churches for the dead that went down. The Catho lics can muster 1,000,000 men at mid night any time from now on at tho edict ot the pope. Great, God, how terrible, and yet Protestant people are asleep! It Is alarming. I am a his torian and do know their cunning craft. I have ased whole congrega tions and thousands pf persons If they . were ever at the burial of a nun one who had taken on the black veil and to this date no one has answered in the affirmative. I have found out how. these poor deceived women are dis posed of. There Is a deep shaft, or vault, from sixty to elglny feet deep, into which these, or their bodies, ara let down and tipped off, and carbolic" acid and lye thrown In to eat up their flesh, thus turning them io una p. It don't hurt these nuns, of course, but how horrible the practice! Tbe holy fathers visit the bed rooms of these nuns and drink wlna and commit fornication and go ont next day and preach Christ (or pre tend to). Can God Almighty allow this infamous damnable heresy to ba practiced longer. This popish church is clamoring to destroy this nation and cut the throats of ail protestants they can. Your paper gives me more light and I now subscribe for it. I am poor but am a constant reader. I cannot rest My mind sees the storm. It Is closet at hand now. I am nearly 66 years old but pray to live fifteen years more and hope to see, yea, will see, the downfall of Babylon, the mother of harlots, positively. God bless you, keep the infamous designs before the American people. Tue pope was the only foreign man or power that ac knowledged the confederacy. I was a soldier, recruiting officer, and do know that after January 7, 1863, I got no Catholic recruit, and all previous to that time slunk out as fast as they could, and now many are getting pen sions for loyalty. Oh, God. I get aw ful nervous, excuse me. Pen cannot describe the awful desolation soon to follow. Our churches are dead seem ingly. A day of doom and thick dark ness hovers over us as a nation. We will raze the nunneries and let the captives go free. There Is an escaped nun in Colorado who is now married to a ranchman who was in a nunnery two years. She pretended to drink the Vine, but' did not, and simply poured it down the holy father's throat and got him dead drunk, put on his clothes (a good fit) and pulled down her cap and passed out with about thirty others at the late hour of debauch and got away. The priest offered $4,000 for ner, but she is safe. A relative ot Lincoln, who was shot by the authority of Romish Intrigue. Look out! Spain Is the little bear. My life has been threatened, but I am not easily scared. I do most sin cerely wish now that I was younger to take command in the field. I prayed when I was 25 yea 3 old to live to see the fall ot slavery in Amer ica and ue downfall ot popery and both have been shaken at least to some degree, but noi to completion, as I expect it soon, or before I die. Yours In Christ SAMUEL F. C. GARRISON. Ex-Chaplain Fortieth Iowa Infantry and now a U. B. Minister.