Five companies of infantry and two companies of cavalry (both of the militia) together with many citizens, mostly of German extraction, celebrated the national holiday in Wright's Grove. Everything was harmonious till about four o'clock in the afternoon. Next to Wright's Grove, namely, is Behringer's "Garden," which - so it almost seemed - the Irish element had selected for its headquarters. The Garden is separated from the Grove by a fence, on which people climbed from the Garden side, making a great deal of noise. Finally some jumped down into the Grove. So the militia posted a watch consisting of five infantrymen and two hussars at the fence to prevent any others from coming over; first because they caused disorder and secondly because the people in the Grove had paid for admission. The watch tried to quiet the people on the fence, and to make them climb down. In answer, "steins" and stones began to fly around their heads. The militia did not want to pocket insults, and attacked. A general confusion resulted, that was, however, anything but bloody. As far as we could find out, in Wright's Grove only four and in Behringer's Garden only two people were slightly wounded. When one knows that among those whose scalps were slightly scratched happened to be the reporter of the Times, the excitement of that paper becomes somewhat more comprehensible.

Toward six in the evening, out of an encounter between a man named Wilson, who seemed to lead a gang of notorious rascals and who did not want to pay, and the waiter who presented his bill, developed another riot. In other words the bullies, hoodlums, and pickpockets seemed to be resolved to disturb the festivity and to fish in troubled waters. They intended to terrorize the Germans as in old times. But the Germans were represented by the militia companies who - like their brothers in Germany had made up their minds to oppose the Celtic blood with force and determination. Now that the Germans have succeeded in that; now that the friends of the Times have brought home bumps instead of "greenbacks," bloody heads instead of golden watches that don't belong to them; that paper describes the scenes in Wright's Grove in the blackest colors.

The Staats Zeitung then goes on trying to prove - without too much conviction - an anti-German conspiracy, and gives in corroboration the testimonies, one after the other, of Colonel Leon, Major Mathier, Colonel Ostermann (who claimed an attentat had been committed against him the day after the battle) and Captain Paul; that is to say, of four German officers of the militia.

Captain Paul said that two of the militia, the Messrs. Heckmeir and Hinze, were rather severely wounded and badly messed up, but the other side had 3also sustained some bloody heads. To the German eye it was a magnificent view to see how the mob scattered in every direction when the fifty blind shots were fired; how a big Irishman fell on his belly, shouting, "I am dead! I am dead!" (though he was somewhat less than dead) and so on, and so on.

So that justice could be done to all, the Staats Zeitung sent one of her reporters also to Mr. Behringer and Captain Forrest. As a matter of course, their statements do not exactly coincide with the above given. (After describing the genesis of the fight, Mr. Behringer continued): "The soldiers tore down the fence and chased the boys, at the points of their bayonets, before them. Women and children fled screaming into my bar room." He remonstrated most vehemently with the soldiers about their action, but without any effect. Police Captain Forrest of Lake View confirms essentially the statements of Behringer, but thinks the Times report incorrect. One of his men, named Philips, got a blow with a sabre across his head when he tried to make peace.

If the attacks of the Times and its hangers-on are always so energetically answered as on the 4th of July, then this paper will learn to understand that the Germans can do more than drink "Lager" and eat "Limburger."

(Footnote of the translator: The Illinois Staats Zeitung had no edition of July 5. On that day the Times brought forth a probably one-sided report on the "battle." This improved the Staats Zeitung's chances, by pointing to some exaggerations, and making fun of the other paper, to play down the whole affair. There can be no question - from the Staats Zeitung's own report-that militarism, not refined by being imported, had run wild; nor that this unexpected outbreak of the old "furor" must have been deeply embarrassing to German leaders, engaged in fighting temperance legislation.)