August 6 Tuesday – In the morning in Missoula Mont., Sam watched the troops drill. Koelbel writes,
“While Mr. Twain was watching the troops the following morning [Aug. 6], an amusing incident occurred. When the band in ‘trooping off’ had marched past the guard and was counter marching back to the post, Col. [Andrew] Burt said, ‘Mr. Twain says in one of his books that there were two things he didn’t understand, one is the solar eclipse and the other is the counter marching band.’ Twain replied, ‘You are right, colonel, on both counts. I haven’t solved the band proposition even now, and as for the other count, I was modest before I was born’” [66].
Another practical joke was played on Sam: J.B. Pond’s diary recorded:
Two ambulances were sent to the hotel for our party and Adjutant-General Ruggles, who is here on a tour of inspection. “Mark” rose early and said he would walk to the fort slowly; he thought it would do him good. General Ruggles and the ladies went in one ambulance (the old four-mule army officers’ ambulance) and the other waited some little time before starting, that I might complete arrangements for all the party to go direct from the fort to the depot. I was the only passenger riding with the driver, and enjoying the memory of like experiences on the plains when in the army. We were about half way to the fort when I discovered a man walking hurriedly toward us quite a distance to the left. I was sure it was “Mark,” and asked the driver to slow up. In a minute I saw him signal us, and I asked the driver to turn and drive toward him. We were on a level plain, and through that clear mountain atmosphere one can see a great distance. We were not long in reaching our man, much to his relief. He had walked out alone and taken the wrong road, and after walking five or six miles on it, discovered his mistake, and was countermarching when he saw our ambulance and ran across lots to meet us. He was tired — too tired to express disgust — and sat quietly inside the ambulance until we drove up to headquarters, where were a number of officers and ladies, besides our party. As “Mark” stepped out, a colored sergeant laid hands on him, saying:
“Are you ‘Mark Twain’?”
“I am,” he replied.
“I have orders to arrest and take you to the guardhouse.”
“All right.”
And the sergeant walked him across the parade ground to the guardhouse, he not uttering a word of protest.
Immediately Lieutenant-Colonel [Andrew] Burt and the ambulance hurried over to relieve the prisoner. Colonel Burt very pleasantly asked “Mark’s” pardon for the practical joke and invited him to ride back to headquarters. “Mark” said:
“Thanks, I prefer freedom, if you don’t mind. I’ll walk. I see you have thorough discipline here,” casting an approving eye toward the sergeant who had him under arrest.
The garrison consisted of seven companies of the Twenty-seventh United States Colored Regiment. There was a military band of thirty pieces. Guard mount was delayed for General Ruggles’ and our inspection. The band played quite a programme, and all declared it one of the finest military bands in America. We witnessed some fine drilling of the soldiers, and learned that for this kind of service the colored soldiers were more subordinate and submissive to rigid drill and discipline than white men, and that there were very few desertions from among them.
The Boston Daily Globe, p.1 ran “Mark Twain Signs a Petition”
NEW YORK, Aug 5 — The total number of petitioners in behalf of Maria Barberi [sic: Barbella] rose to 47,231 today. About 925 blank petitions have been sent out from lawyer Evans’ office, and of these 400 are still to be heard from. One of today’s petitions contained the name of Samuel L. Clemens, “Mark Twain.”
Note: In 1895, Maria Barbella (1868-?), a 22-year-old Italian immigrant who worked in a New York City sweatshop, was convicted of killing her abusive lover, Domenico Cataldo, because he refused to marry her, and thereby she became the first woman sentenced to die in the newly invented electric chair. She was granted an appeal in 1896 however, and found not guilty. She dropped out of sight after 1902. Sam must have signed the petition before leaving on his world tour.
It was during his stay in Missoula that Sam wrote in his notebook of Negro soldiers who weren’t supposed to sing “the Star Spangled Banner, but Burt ordered these to be taught & they can sing it. / The band all colored but leader. Made beautiful music.” Sam had referred to the song as early as GA, chapter 16 (1873) [Gribben 370; NB 35 TS 23].
The Clemens party traveled the 150 or so miles by train from Missoula to Spokane, Wash.
Aug. 6. Arrived at Spokane, Wash., 10 p.m. Full of energy & push. Big fire in ’90. Burt district rebuilt in better style [NB 35 TS 24].