The Pioneer Guards
disbanded shortly after the war broke out, and many of its members
were officers in the Union army, although two or three of them stole
away and joined the Confederate forces, one of them serving on Lee's
staff during the entire war. Col. Wilkin Col. King, Col. Farrell,
Capt. Coates, Capt. Van Slyke, Capt. Western, Lieut. Zernberg and
Lieut. Tuttle were early in the fray, while a number of others
followed as the war progressed.
* * * * *
It was not until the winter of 1866-67 that St. Paul could boast of a
genuine opera house. The old opera house fronting on Wabasha street,
on the ground that is now occupied by the Grand block, was finished
that winter and opened with a grand entertainment given by local
talent. The boxes and a number of seats in the parquet were sold at
auction, the highest bidder being a man by the name of Philbrick, who
paid $72 for a seat in the parquet. This man Philbrick was a visitor
in St. Paul, and had a retinue of seven or eight people with him. It
was whispered around that he was some kind of a royal personage, and
when he paid $72 for a seat at the opening of the opera house people
were sure that he was at least a duke.
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