Adah Isaacs Menken was born near New Orleans about 1835. Facts concerning her family name and early life are obscure. She was left in poverty at an early age, and appeared on the stage in New Orleans and in other US cities. In 1856 she married Alexander Isaacs Menken, and thereafter bore his name through various matrimonial ventures, including marriage to heavyweight fighter “Benicia Boy.” While on the stage in San Francisco, Adah knew many local writers, including Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and Joaquin Miller. In 1864 she appeared in Astley’s Theatre, London as Mazeppa. In this role she appeared almost nude, strapped to a running horse. In England and France Adah became intimate with many literary men – Algernon Swinburne, Charles Reade, and Charles Dickens, to whom she dedicated a volume of verse, Infelicia. Adah Isaacs Menken played other Dickensian roles, including Pip in Great Expectations. Nicholas Nickleby was performed for her benefit in New York City in 1862.
CHAPTER
XIII
IN
BALTIMORE
The train stopped at the upper Depot, the company
marched through the city to the other depot.
Here our officers learned that we would in all human probability be
compelled to remain in the city over night, marched us to the So1d1ers
Rest. Here under the auspices of a
number of patriotic ladles, a repast was soon set before us, and we partook of
a hearty meal, consisting of bread, coffee, meat, cold tongue, pickled
cabbages, pickles, &c., &c.
After we had partaken of the good things placed before us, “we fell in”
and marched to a Market shed unoccupied near by where we unslung knapsacks, and
prepared for a stroll thro’ the Monumental city. It will not be out of place to mention that
the “three Regulars,” as we were called were each placed under a corporal, and
under his charge we were kindly permitted to do the city. It fell to our lot to be placed under the,
prevalence of Corporal Freddy Ulrich and together we saw the sights. We visited
the Monuments for which the city is noted, stood in awe under the shadow of the
shot tower; feasted our eyes upon the sight of the guns that frowned upon the
city and to sea-ward from Fort McHenry, watched the soldiers drilling on
Federal Hill, visited the Franklin House kept by our old and respected former
townsman Gideon Leisenring, sauntered along the dock and examined the
construction and equipment of the various description, and crafts from the
fishing smack to the three masted king of the sea, riding upon the majestic
breast of the Chesapeake; we partook of a number of stews of oyster at “only 10
cents a bowl,” as well as several glasses of something stronger, to invigorate
the inner man and to prevent “change of water doing us any harm,” as Freddy put
it..
After taking in all the sights we turned our steps
towards the place where the company, or at least our traps were stored. After several mishaps, and at length by the
aid of several policemen, we finally turned up at the place we had started from
in the morning.
Soon alter our arrival the boys took up a collection
and with the proceeds, some 90 cents, purchased two bushels of fine shell
oysters, which by the aid of pepper, salt and vinegar did not go so bad. Thus the day was spent, and in the evening we
were again treated to a number one supper at the home, after which we were
taken into a large brick house, near the corner of Howard and Franklin streets,
and which bad been previously used as a Furniture Warehouse, but during the
war was used for quartering troops that remained in the city over night, so
that the condition in which we found it, will be readily appreciated by those
who are posted in the way such places are generally kept.
Here we were told that we must remain for the
night. A number of the boys obtained
permission to go to the theater. Among
those who were granted passes, we now remember
Lewis C. Schroyer, U. P. Hafley, Will Keller, Freddy Ulrich, Elias
Millhoff, Will Fausnacht, Dan W. Gross, Jake Riegel, J. P. Ulrich and
ourself. We visited the two Theaters, Holiday and Front Sts., and examined the bulletin boards
to see which one offered the greatest attractions. At the Holiday Street theater they were
running “Mazeppa,” or the Wild Horse of Mantary, with Adah Issac Menkin in the
role. This play we concluded would be
the best, and when comparing notes with those who attended the other play, we
found that it was.
Never showed movies , which came much later than the Holiday Street Theatre, but after we found a old pic of the theatre, we had to share it. - http://www.kilduffs.org/featuredtheatre/
We distinctly remember that Lewis C. Schroyer who had
never before been in a theater, was wishing that he could see a play with
thunder and lightning in it, and it so happened that his wish was gratified to
its fullest extent, as all can testify who have had the pleasure of seeing this
excellent play. We passed a very pleasant evening, and had it not been for
getting lost, we would have returned to out quarters at a seasonable hour, but
as it was we did not reach the warehouse until nearly two
o’clock . Here we related to
our less fortunate comrades who were awakened by our coming in, what we had
seen, and it was almost morning before we were successful in closing our eyes
in sleep, and had scarcely succeeded ere we were awakened by reveille, done up
in Dasher’s (Antes Ulrich) best style.
We were however fully awakened by some one caging one of Levi J. Romig’s
No. 9 government shoes across the room hitting him “ker chuck” on the
cranium. Jumping up with anything but a
Christian feeling he attempted to discover who was the guilty party, but no one
knew who had threw it, and we pitched it to its owner.
After performing a hasty morning toilet, and answering
roll call, we marched to the Rest, anxious to get breakfast, and glad to escape
from the illy ventilated room of the almost intolerable stench that pervaded
the building, and which had been strengthened by the doings of several of the
roosters belonging to the company.
The breakfast prepared for us was similar to the other
meals with which we had been regaled on the day previous and as could well be
surmised we did ample justice to it.
The ”little one” and several of the boys were detailed to assist in
waiting on table and the way that they served cold tongue was a caution to the
commissariat of the Rest.
It has been decreed by fate that there is an end for
all things, and that there must surely be an end to our pleasures as well as
our sorrows, so the time for our departure for the front at length arrived, and
we rather reluctantly bade adieu to the city of Baltimore .
We were marched to the depot and soon were seated in
the cars. A few sharp toots from the
whistle, the throttle-valve was opened, with a hiss the imprisoned steam
hastened to perform its function, slowly the ponderous iron wheels of the
locomotive began to revolve, only to gain increased velocity with revolution
until we were being carried towards our destination with all the rapidity
possible.
Our company was entrusted with the Regimental Colors,
and we carried them with us to the
regiment. Little did we think as we
gazed upon its silken folds for. the first time, with its beautiful Pennsylvania
coat of arms and its significant motto, “Virtue, Liberty and Independence,”
upon its blue field, made radiant with the brightness of the stars, artistically
grouped around the same, of the many thrilling adventures that we should be
called upon to undergo, while rallying beneath its beautiful folds, and how
many of those who at the time were anxious and willing to risk their lives in
its defense, should be called upon to seal their devotion to the dear old
flag, insignia of the noble free, with their heart’s best blood.
Yes, Company G carried the colors to the regiment, and
upon every field upon which it was afterwards unfurled, it was heroically
defended by the members of the company, whilst a number of them fell whilst
gallantly following it on to victory, while those who were spared saw it float
in battle for the first time upon the ill-fated field of Chancellorsville, as
well as when in triumph for the last time it was unfurled in triumph in the
fore-front of Sherman’s Army, near Durham Station, on the 30th of April 1866,
when the Army of Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to the Army of Gen. Wm. T.
Sherman, and the war was over. How nobly
Company G defended the colors entrusted to her care by the Governor of the
State, it shall be our purpose to tell ere we finish the task we have undertaken
to perform.
After the train had gotten fairly started the boys
were somewhat surprised as well as pleased to discover Col. Simpson upon the
train bound for Annapolis . The Col.
in his characteristic manner shook hands
with the boys, and we all felt as though we had met a true
friend.
As the train neared the Relay House the traces of the
“unpleasantness” were becoming discernible.
Here and there we could see where the railroad had been torn up, and
deserted picket fires were becoming numerous.
All these marks or signs of army life, whether made by foe or friend,
were eagerly looked for by us. At the Relay
House , Col. Washington
train whilst we continued on our journey towards rebeldom.
Relay House Occupied by Union Soldiers in 1861
The B&O Railroad was the only railroad into Washington DC until after the Civil War, thus it was an essential supply train route for the Union during that time. To prevent Confederate attack or sabotage of the Thomas Viaduct and Washington junction, the Sixth and Eighth Massachusetts regiments, as well as Cook's Boston Artillery Battery, took control of the railroad junction, Relay House train station, and the Thomas Viaduct on May 5th, 1861. The Relay House itself became the occupying Union Army headquarters. Read More here:
The time was pleasantly passed by us in various ways
whilst making the run towards Harper’s Ferry.
Several of the boys had succeeded whilst in Baltimore to secure several
canteens of “oh be joyful” which served as a stimulus to encourage all manner of didoes, which our officers no doubt
thinking that we would soon be called upon to play soldier in good earnest, did
not prevent but enjoyed with as much gusto as the men. A very pleasant surprise for us, was the fact
that the “little one” had filled his haversack with pickled tongue whilst
acting as one of the waiters at Baltimore , and
which he brought forward and generously dealt out amongst us, and for a time we
just more than “tongued” it.
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From Wikipedia - Adah Isaacs Menken (June 15, 1835 – August 10, 1868), was an American actress, painter and poet, the highest earning actress of her time.[1] She was best known for her performance in the melodrama Mazeppa, with a climax that featured her apparently nude and riding a horse on stage.
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Fredrick Bergstresser Ulrich, "Corporal Freddy Ulrich", is 3rd from the left. His name, and James name, is misspelled as Werich in the caption - it should be Ulrich.
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