Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
The historical jawbone that Sampson used to pacify the Philistines, in the Bible story, had nothing on the jawbone of the Elephas Columbi, or Columbian elephant, which now reposes in the museum of Main Avenue High School. The two fragments of the jawbone measure, together, two feet in length. Each is about nine inches in height and six inches in thickness.
Embedded in each of the fragments are two teeth, each six inches long, four inches wide and extend about eight inches into the jawbone proper. The upper surfaces of each tooth are serrated and convoluted into ridges about one-quarter of an inch apart. The crown of the teeth is of a pearl white enamel in an excellent state of preservation. The dentin, or outer surface of the teeth, that part below the crown, has changed into a friable, chalk-like substance.
Capt. Clark, of Co. K, writing to the Caledonian from Aligers, La., on the 7th inst., says :
On the morning of the 3d ,I went to Boutte upon the train going to Algiers, to confiscate negros, cattle and mules from Gen. Taylor’s, Capt. Ranson’s, (both active rebel officers) and other adjoining plantations, and to learn if possible whether this rebel force was designing our capture. I was there full five hours, conversed with white men and negroes from the river, and found that no advance had been made for three days.
The next morning, Sept. 4, I was ordered to detail 20 men from each of the three companies, 10 men from the battery and 1 gun, and proceed to the Boutte to look after the safety of the coming train, to learn what I could respecting the rebels, and to gather in and send off the balance of confiscated property there. My train consisted of two platform cars forward of the engine and one open cattle car behind it. The gun and 45 men were upon the forward cars, 5 upon the tender and 10 upon the rear car. I got upon the engine that I might direct its movements, and ordered the men to load their rifles, keep a vigilant lookout, and to signal to me should anything wrong or unusual appear.