Thought you might be interested in how the soldiers celebrated the 4th of July... July 4, 1858: “Still in camp by west Creek. A grand salute is fired in honor of the day, and fresh mutton issued in view of the yearnings and demands of our stomachs. We have, too, onions and other fresh vegetables, and the men are served with a gill each of the Commissary’s best nineteen cent whisky. Some of this – or other whisky getting into a tent down among the Dragoons, so much singing and noised is thereby induced, that Philip St. George Cooke arrests all present.” (The Utah War, The Journal of captain Albert Tracy, 1858-1860, Utah Historical Society, Vol 13, Jan, Apr, uly, Oct, 1945; pg 29) On the 4th of July Capt. Phelps fired a national salute at 12 M. The day before Capt Reno fired 13 guns on the death of Gen. Smith I bought a large sheep for my men, gave them a ration of whiskey, and the day passed off in camp without disturbance.” (The Utah Expedition, 1857-1858, Letters of Captain Jesse A. Gove, New Hampshire Historical Society, 1928; pg 180) July 4, 1858: “In honor of the day, we fired the National salute, and as a treat, had Sheepmeat for dinner and a gill of whiskey issued to each man which inspired me with sufficient patriotism to wait and hear the 10th Infy Band play the Star Spangled Banner and Hail Columbia and the effect on me became so great, that I had to go and take a sleep, to allow my enthusiasm a chance to cool down.” (Scott Diary, Utah Historical Quarterly, April 1960; Pg 174)
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 02:14:38 +0000
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