Notwithstanding this condition of affairs, in the winter of '59 they began to resume their usual amusements, and a number of plays were given that winter in the Social Hall.
By this time the "army" having no active service, began to feel the need of some amusement, and some of the soldiers improvised a theatre in the camp.
Sergt. R. C. White, better known later among Pacific coast theatricals as "Dick" White, was the leading spirit in this affair. White was a scholar as well as a soldier; moreover, he had the poetic and dramatic instinct in him, and in common with all living creatures, he felt that he must exercise his faculties. So in order to give vent to his pent up love of the drama, he organized a dramatic company among the soldiers of Camp Floyd. The Sergeant, or "Dick" as he was called, was not only a clever amateur actor but a poet, and something of an artist as well. By his skill in this latter line he soon had the necessary scenery painted for the Camp theatre. Pigments were scarce in the camp and even in Salt Lake at that time, but White was resourceful, and equal to every emergency, so he made levy on the quartermaster's department for liberal supplies of mustard, red pepper, ox blood, and other strange materials with which to get in his color effects.
The "Camp Floyd Theatre" as it was called, was not a stupendous structure, only large enough to accommodate about two hundred persons, and the stage in proportion to the auditorium. It was built of rough pine boards and canvas—principally canvas—but answered all the requirements of a theatre for the amusement of the camp.
White had but little trouble in organizing his corps dramatique, so far as men were concerned, but the female contingent gave him much concern and considerable trouble to secure. Women in the camp were scarce, and female talent was at a premium. There were a few officers whose wives were with them and some "hired help" of the female persuasion, but none of the women of the camp had any experience in theatricals. Several were willing, and even eager to try; so White made a selection and cast a play and put it in rehearsal, but "woe is me!" the women were all such tyros that he was almost in despair, until he suddenly conceived the project of engaging one of the Social Hall actresses to play the leading female character; if he could do that, then, he reasonably argued that he could get along, but could a Mormon actress be induced to come to Camp Floyd?
Here was a dilemma; but the bold Richard perhaps thought of the lines of his renowned namesake, Richard Plantagenet:
"Dangers retreat when boldly they're confronted,
And dull delay leads impotence and fear,"
so he took courage. He opened up a correspondence with Mrs. Tuckett of Social Hall fame. White was an accomplished writer, and poetical, and there is no doubt he could write a winning letter. We have no knowledge of what inducements he offered, so can only surmise that a liberal salary was the temptation held out to her. Suffice it to say that Mrs. Tuckett accepted the offer and joined the Camp Floyd Theatre Company, thus making a noticeable weakening of the Social Hall force, and creating a commotion among her fellow players in Salt Lake, and the people generally, as she went in opposition to the wishes of her husband and friends and the church authorities. It was regarded not only as an unwise step for Mrs. Tuckett to take, but a discreditable one.
It was a reproach to the Saints to have one of their number go and mingle with the ungodly soldiers who had come out here to destroy them. Mrs. Tuckett was looked upon from the moment of her departure as a lost sheep from the fold. These apprehensions were not unfounded, for Mrs. Tuckett, whether wearied of her Mormon environment, or led away by the unusual attentions shown her by the officers and men of the camp (with whom her acting soon made her a great favorite), lost any former love she may have had for Salt Lake, and sundered all social and family ties there.
"Dick" White, poet, actor, artist, achieved another conquest; not only had he succeeded in getting Mrs. Tuckett away from the Social Hall company, but later on he won the affections of the Mormon actress and took her completely away from her family, friends and church. In some way White severed his connection with the army before the breaking out of the Civil War and had gone to California "taking the fair Desdemona with him." He married her and they lived together in Folsom, California; only a few years, however; Mrs. Tuckett-White died there in '63.