Artifact #64: "I am captain of the 1st Co. of Alaska"

"I am captain of the 1st Co. of Alaska"
Artifact #64
Jeff Smith Collection

(Click image to enlarge)

 am captain of the 1st Co. of Alaska"
Artifact #64

      The coming of the Spanish-American War began with the U.S. battleship Maine blowing up in Havana harbor, Cuba on February 15, 1898. Over 200,000 “volunteers and National Guard troops … rushed to the colors.”[A]. Meetings were held in Skagway, and Soapy led the way for patriotic zeal. In one speech he gave, he said, "Spain will send her battleships to seize our ports, and they will try to capture our ships. But, be damned to them … we’ll stake our lives against their plots!" Soapy Smith's saloon (Jeff Smith's Parlor) became headquarters for the Skaguay Military Company, which he formed and commanded as its “elected” captain.
      The US declared war on April 25, but because Spain had declared war on the US the previous day, the US Congress backdated its declaration to April 21, 1898. The following day, April 26th, Soapy wrote to his wife, Mary. A month into spring, Soapy had grown concerned over not hearing from home. Moreover, the gathering war clouds were seen even from distant Skaguay. Writing on April 26, he could not yet have known that war had been declared just the day before.

Dear Mollie

      No word from you. What is wrong? I am captain of the 1st Co. of Alaska and will go to the war if there is any. I suppose it is on now. I expected to go to Dawson City. But now I will have to go to the front if called on. Write here. Love to all.
Your husband,
Jeff

Soapy asked why he had not heard from Mary. The answer was that with the declaration of war, the mails had slowed even more than before. In writing this letter, Soapy had confirmed his commitment to the Skaguay Military Company and that if called, he would “go to the front.”

SOURCES
[A] Gilded Age Dictionary, Historical Dictionary of the Gilded Age, 2003











Skaguay Military Company:
Oct 21, 2008
Mar 4, 2010
Mar 20, 2010
Apr 1, 2010
Apr 10, 2010
Jun 3, 2010
Jun 30, 2010
May 4, 2011
Nov 24, 2017
Nov 27, 2017
Nov 28, 2017

Skaguay Military Company: pages 79, 471, 486-90, 494-95, 498-502, 505, 510, 514-15, 595.

"In times of trouble, though, he usually preferred to rely on his wits, smooth speech, and dexterity rather than on physical force."

—Alias Soapy Smith, Introduction.

MARCH 3

1791: Congress passes a resolution that creates the U.S. Mint.

1803: The first impeachment trial of a U.S. Judge, John Pickering, begins.

1812: The U.S. Congress passes the first foreign aid bill.

1817: The first commercial steamboat route from Louisville to New Orleans is opened.

1837: US president Andrew Jackson and Congress recognize Republic of Texas. Texas will later become a state, and home to the “Soapy” Smith family.

1845: Florida becomes the 27th state.

1845: Congress passes legislation that for the first time overrides a U.S. President’s veto.

1849: The U.S. Department of the Interior is established.

1849: The Gold Coinage Act, which allows the minting of gold coins, is passed by Congress.

1849: Congress creates the territory of Minnesota.

1851: Congress authorizes the 3-cent piece, the smallest U.S. silver coin.

1855: Congress approves $30,000 to test camels for military use.

1857: Congress authorizes the postmaster general to seek bids for an overland stagecoach service to carry mail between the Missouri River and San Francisco.

1857: Fort Abercrombie is established on the west bank of the Red River south of where present day Fargo, North Dakota is. It was named for the commander of the founding party, Lieutenant Colonel John Abercrombie.

1863: Congress authorizes a US mint at Carson City, Nevada.

1863: Idaho Territory is created by Congress. Over 20,000 miners had already arrived to gold fields there.

1863: Free city delivery of mail is authorized by the U.S. Postal Service.

1875: The U.S. Congress authorizes the 20-cent piece. It is only used for 3 years.

1877: Camp Huachuca, Arizona Territory is established to protect the border. 1885: The American Telephone and Telegraph (AT and T) is incorporated in New York as a subsidiary of the American Bell Telephone Company.

1885: The U.S. Post Office offers special delivery for first-class mail.

1894: The Atlantis, the first Greek newspaper in America, is published.

1903: Barney Gilmore, of St. Louis, Missouri, is arrested for spitting.

1903: The U.S. imposes a $2 head tax on immigrants.