USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare County, California with biographical sketches > Part 11
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WHERE FIRST AMERICAN FLAG WAS RAISED.
" The soil of San Benito County elaims the honor of having sustained the first American flag of conquest ever unfurled to a California 'breeze,' General Fremont having
*More fully given in the local " History of Colusa County," by Elliott & Co.
59
PROGRESS OF THE BEAR FLAG WAR.
floated the United States flag on the Gabilan Peak in March, 1846."
Judge James F. Breen, one of the survivors of the Donner party, in preparing a history for us of San Benito County, says: " This statement has been often challenged as not being a his- torical fact. But I believe a careful examination of the facts connected with the conquest and possession of California by the United States will justify the above assertion."
General Fremont had been ordered out of the country by General Castro. Matters began to look serious, and Captain Fremont concluded to retire, at his leisure, however, but to leave nothing undone to make an available defense if attacked. Hc accordingly abandoned the Mission of San Juan, and led his company, with their horses, provisions, and such munitions of war as he had, up the steep acclivities leading to the Gabilan, or Fremont's Peak, as it is often and more appropriately called, which overlooks the towns of Hollister and San Juan. He there camped, erected a flag-staff and unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and calmly awaited the attack. But the attack was not delivered.
The spot where Captain Fremont haltedl his company, and raised the flag, is on the San Benito side of the division line between Monterey and San Benito Counties; and the prom- inent peak which rises just above the spot is to-day better known as Fremont's Peak than as the Gabilan Peak, as it was called by the Californians. And so it is that San Benito County claims, with justice, that her soil supported the first American Hag of conquest that was ever unfurled to a California breeze. It is to be borne in mind that Commodore Sloat did not raise the American flag over Monterey until July 10, 1846; and that the famous " Bear Flag," which was American in senti- ment if not in design, was not raised by Ide at Sonoma until June of the same year.
WAR DECLARED AGAINST MEXICO.
In the meantime Congress had unknown to these parties) declared war against Mexico, and an expedition 1,600 strong, under Gen. Stephen W. Kearney, was traversing the conti- nent in the direction of the Pacific. Simultaneously with Fremont's action in the north, Commodore Sloat seized upon Monterey ; and his successor-Commodore Stockton-prepared at once for the reduction of the then principal city of Los Angeles.
CAPTURE OF LOS ANGELES.
.
With this end in view he organized a battalion of mounted ritlemen, of which Fremont was appointed Major, and Gilles- pic Captain. This force was embarked on the sloop-of-war Cyane, and dispatched to San Diego with orders to co-operate with the Commodore in his proposed movement on the Ciudad de Los Angeles. On August Ist Stockton sailed in the Con- "gress, and on the sixth arrived at San Pedro, having taken possession of Santa Barbara on his way. He now learned that
the enemy under Generals Castro and Andres Pico were strongly posted near Los Angeles with a force estimated at 1,500 mnen. He learned further that Major Fremont had landed at San Diego, but was unable to procure horses, and therefore could not join him. In the absence of Fremont's battalion, Stockton was wholly destitute of cavalry; yet, impressed with the importance of celerity of movement, he disembarked his men. The force consisted only of from 300 to 400 marines, wholly ignorant of military drill; and their only artillery-six small guns, rudely mounted and dragged by hand.
A few days after landing, a flag of truce approached over the hills, borne by commissioners from Castro. Desiring to impress these with an exaggerated idea of the strength of his force, Stockton directed his little army to march at intervals of twenty or thirty paces apart, to a position where they would be sheltered from observation. In this manner the commis- sioners were completely deceived, and when on their arrival they were marched up to the mouth of an immense mortar, shrouded in skins save its huge aperture, their terror and dis- comfiture were plainly discernible.
Stockton received them with a stern and forbidding coun- tenance, harshly demanding their mission, which they disclosed in great confusion. They bore a letter from Castro proposing a truce : cach party to hold its own possessions until a general pacification should be had. This proposal Stockton rejected with contempt, and dismissed the commissioners with the assur- ance that only an immediate disbandment of his forces and an unconditional surrender, would shield Castro.
CALIFORNIA DECLARED A U. S. TERRITORY.
After some skirmishing of the two forces Castro surrendered, and the soldiers were permitted to go at large on their parole of honor-not again to bear arms against the United States. Commodore Stockton now issued a proclamation declaring California a territory of the United States; and, as all resist- ance had ceased, proceeded to organize a civil and military government, himself retaining the position of Commander-in- chief and Governor.
About this time Stockton first learned that war had been declared between the United States and Mexico; and leaving fifty men under command of Lieut. A. H. Gillespie to gar- rison Los Angeles, he proceeded north, to look after affairs in that quarter. Thus the whole great territory of Upper Cali- fornia had been subjected to American rule without bloodshed or even the firing of a gun.
TREATY OF PEACE SIGNED.
The treaty of peace between the United States and Mexico was signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848; ratifica- tions were exchanged at Queretaro, May 30th, following. Under this treaty the United States assumed the Mexican debt to American subjects, and paid into the Mexican Treasury
60
CALIFORNIA IN A TRANSITION STATE.
$15,000,000 in money, receiving in exchange Texas, New Mexico, and Upper California, and the right of free navigation on the Colorado River and the Gulf of California.
FIRST AMERICAN GOVERNOR.
1846 .- Sloat proclaimed himself Governor of California, and acted as such until the 17th of August, 1846, when he was superseded by Com. R. F. Stockton, who commenced at once a vigorous campaign against the Mexicans under Flores, whom he defeated January 8 and 9, 1847. In January, 1847, Stockton appointed Fremont Governor, but this of right belonged to Gen. S. W. Kearney, who, on March 1st, assumed that office. He was succeeded by Colonel Mason in May, and on the 15th of April, 1849, Gen. Bennett Riley was appointed Governor, and continued in office until he was suc- ceeded by Peter H. Burnett, under the State Constitution.
CALIFORNIA IN TRANSITION,
The year 1846 was the crisis-year in the destiny of California. In looking back on the events of that year, touching this country, from this distance of time, their main purpose stands out clearly revealed, as it did not when those events were trans- piring. It is plain enough now, that they were inspired from Washington.
The Government of the United States had kept a careful watch of what was going on on this coast for many years. Ever after the famous explorations of Lewis and Clarke, who were sent out by President Jefferson, in 1804, our Government had kept itself thoroughly informed of everything that con- cerned California.
The hopes of England to acquire California were also well known, and all her movements having that end in view, were carefully observed.
Meanwhile the Government at Washington continued to seek all possible information concerning this country, then so remote and unexplored. Thomas O. Larkin, who came here from Massachusetts in 1832, seems to have had a fancy and a tact for gathering up facts and statistics. These he freely communicated to the Government.
By this means, as well as in other ways, they were made acquainted, not only with the geography and natural resources of the country, but with its inhabitants, both the native born and the foreign.
THE DONNER PARTY.
The following incidents were furnished us by Superior Judge Breen, of Hollister, one of the survivors of the party :-
There are many stories of human trial and suffering whose deep interest no amount of repetition can render stale, and such a story is the record of the ill-fated party of immigrants which furnished the actors in the terrible tragedy of Donner Lake. Portions of the tale have been written by many hands. They have differed widely, and many have been plainly colored for effect.
The story of the Donner party, in its general features, is too well known on this coast to need repetition. Too many suffered the hardships of crossing the plains to allow the recollections of those days to die out. For years after the great rush of immi- gration in '49 no story was told more frequently or was listened to with more eager interest than the misfortunes of that party.
The Donner party proper was formed in Sangamon County, Illinois,and was composed of ninety persons. Numerous additions were made to the train on its way, and when it left Independ- ence, Missouri, it numbered between 200 and 300 wagons, and was over two miles in length. The journey to Salt Lake was made without any noticeable incidents, save the extreme slowness of the march. At Fort Bridger the woes of the Donner party began. Eighty-seven persons-the survivors of the original ninety-determined to go by way of the Hastings Cut-off, instead of following the old trail. The remainder of the train clung to the old route, and reached California in safety. The cut-off was by way of Weber Canon and was said to rejoin the old emigrant road on the Humboldt, making a saving of 300 miles. It proved to be in a wretched condition, and the record of the party from this time was one long series of disasters. Their oxen became exhausted-they were forced to make frequent halts; the stock of provisions ran low. Finally, in the Salt Lake Desert, the emigrants saw plainly that they would never reach the Pacific Coast without assistance. Two of their number were despatched with letters to Captain Sutter implor- ing aid.
THE FATAL REST.
At the present site of Reno, the party concluded to rest. Three or four days' time was lost. This was the fatal act, The storm-clouds were already brewing upon the mountains. only a few miles distant. The ascent was ominous. Thick and thicker grew the clouds, outstripping in threatening battalions the now eager feet of the alarmed emigrants, until at Prosser Creek, three miles below Truckee, October 28, 1846, a month earlier than usual, the storm set in, and they found themselves in six inches of newly-fallen snow. On the summit it was already from two to five feet deep.
The party, in much confusion, finally reached Donner Lake in disordered fragments. Frequent and desperate attempts were made to cross the mountain tops, but at last, baffled and despairing, they returned to camp at the lake. The storm now descended in all its pitiless fury upon the ill-fated immi- grants. Its dreadful import was well understood, as laden with omens of suffering and death. With slight interruptions, the storm continued for several days. The animals were liter- ally buried alive and frozen in the drifts. Meat was hastily prepared from their carcasses, and cabins rudely built. One cabin (Moses Schallenberger's, now a resident of San Jose), erected November, 1844, was already standing about a quarter of a mile below the lake. This the Breen family appropriated. Judge Breen, now of San Juan, gives his reminiscences of the
18
RESIDENCE OF FRANK RODGERS. GRANGEVILLE, CAL.
RESIDENCE OF GEO. THYARKS. HANFORD. CAL.
"HOME RESIDENCE OF 'R. L. PORTER MICKLE. HANFORD. CAL.
HOME RESIDENCE DR.J. A.DAVIDSON. HANFORD. CAL.'
-
61
THE TRAGIC FATE OF THE DONNER PARTY.
Donner party in our history of San Benito County. The Mur- phys erected one 300 yards from the lake, marked by a large stone twelve feet high. The Graves family built theirs near Donner Creek, farther down the stream, the three forming the apexes of a triangle, and distant 150 yards or more.
The Donner Brothers, with their families, hastily constructed a brush shed in Alder Creek Valley, six or seven miles from the lake.
The Mr. Donner who had charge of one company, was an Illinoisian, sixty years of age, a man of high respeetability and abundant means. His wife was a woman of education and refinement, and much younger than he.
Of course these were soon utterly destitute of food, for they could not tell where the eattle were buried, and there was no hope of game on a desert so piled with snow that nothing without wings could move. The number of those who were thus storm-stayed, at the very threshold of the land whose winters are one long spring, was eighty, of whom thirty were females, and several, ehildren. Much of the time the tops of the cabins were below the snow level.
FORLORN HOPE RESCUE PARTY.
It was six weeks after the halt was made that a party of fifteen, including five women and two Indians, who aeted as guides, set out on show-shoes to eross the mountains, and give notice to the people of the California settlements of the eondi- tion of their friends. At first the snow was so light and feathery that even in snow-shoes they sank nearly a foot at every step. On the second day they crossed the "divide," finding the snow at the summit twelve feet deep. Pushing forward with the eourage of despair, they made from four to eight miles a day.
Within a week they got entirely out of provisions; and three of them, suecumbing to cold, weariness, and starvation, had died. Then a heavy snow-storm came on, which compelled them to lie still, buried between their blankets under the snow, for thirty-six hours. By the evening of the tenth day three more had died, and the living had been four days without food. The horrid alternative was accepted-they took the flesh from the bones of their dead, remained in eamp two days to dry it, and then pushed on.
On New Year's, the sixteenth day since leaving Truckee Lake, they were toiling up a steep mountain. Their feet were frozen. Every step was marked with blood. On the second of January, their food again gave out. On the 3d, they had nothing to eat but the strings of their snow-shoes. On the 4th, the Indians eloped, justly suspicious that they might be sacri- ficed for food. On the 5th, they shot a deer, and that day one of their number died. Soon after three others died, and every death now eked out the existence of the survivors. On the 17th, all gave out, and concluded their wanderings useless, except one. He, guided by two friendly Indians, dragged him-
self on till he reached Johnson's Ranch on Bear River, the first settlement on the western slope of the Sierras, when relief was sent baek as soon as possible, and the remaining six survivors were brought in next day. It had been thirty-two days since they left Donner Lake. No tongue ean tell, no pen portray, the awful suffering, the terrible and appalling straits, as well as the noble deeds of heroism that characterized this march of death. The eternal mountains, whose granite faces bore wit- ness to their sufferings, are fit monuments to mark the last resting-place of this heroie party.
SEVERAL RELIEF PARTIES FITTED OUT.
The story that there were immigrants perishing on the other side of the snowy barrier, ran swiftly down the Sacra- mento Valley to New Helvetia, and Captain Sutter, at his own expense, fitted out an expedition of men and of mules ladened with provisions, to cross the mountains and relieve them. It ran on to San Francisco, and the people rallying in publie meeting, raised $1,500, and with it fitted out another expedi- tion. The naval commandant of the port fitted out still others.
First of the relief parties, under Capt. J. P. Tucker, reached Truekee Lake on the 19th of February. Ten of the people in the nearest camp were dead. For four weeks those who were still alive had fed only on bulloeks' hides. At Donner's camp they had but one hide remaining. The visitors left a small supply of provisions with the twenty-nine whom they could not take with them and started back with the re- mainder. Four of the children they carried on their backs.
Seeond of the relief parties, under J. F. Reed, reached Truckee Lake on the 1st of March. They immediately started back with seventeen of the sufferers; but, a heavy snow-storm over- taking them, they left all, exeept three of the children, on the road.
The third party, under John Stark, went after those who were left on the way; found three of thein dead, and the rest sustaining life by feeding on the flesh of the dead.
THE LAST SURVIVOR.
Last relief party reached Donner's camp late in April, when the snows had melted so that the earth appeared in spots. The main cabin was empty, but some miles distant they found the last survivor of all lying on the cabin floor smoking his pipe. "He was ferocious in aspect, savage and repulsive in manner. His eamp-kettle was over the fire and in it his ineal of human flesh preparing. The stripped bones of his fellow- sufferers lay around him. He refused to return with the party, and only consented when he saw there was no escape."
This person was Louis Keseberg, who has been exeerated as a eannibal, and whose motive in remaining behind has been aseribed to plunder. Never until now has he made any at- tempt to refute these stories. He says :-
"For nearly two months I was alone in that dismal cabin1.
62
THE TRAGIC FATE OF THE DONNER PARTY.
* Five of my companions had died in my cabin, and their stark and ghastly bodies lay there day and night, seemingly gazing at me with their glazed and staring eyes. I was too weak to move them had I tried. I endured a thousand deaths. To have one's suffering prolonged inch by inch ;. to be deserted, forsaken, hopeless; to see that loatlısome food ever before my eyes was almost too much for human endurance." · For two months he lived there entirely alone, boiling the flesh of his dead companions. When the last relief party came they found him the sole survivor.
If he were guilty of the crimes charged to him he has cer- tainly paid the penalty. To use his own words: "Wherever I have gone people have cried, 'Stone him! stone him!' Even little children in the streets have mocked me and thrown stones at me as I passed. Only a man conscious of his own innocence would not have succumbed to the terrible things which have been said of me-would not have committed sui- cide. Mortification, disgrace, disaster, and unheard-of misfor- tune have followed and overwhelmed mc."
Keseberg has lost several fortunes, and is now living in pov- erty at Brighton, Sacramento County, with two idiotic chil- dren.
FATE OF DONNER AND WIFE.
When the third relief party arrived at Donner Lake, the sole survivors at Alder Creek were George Donner, the Cap- tain of the company, and his heroic wife, whose devotion to her dying husband caused her own death during the last and fearful days of waiting for the fourth relief. George Donner knew that he was dying, and urged his wife to save her life and go with her little ones with the third relief, but she refused. Nothing was more heart-rending than her sad parting with her be- loved little ones, who wound their childish arms lovingly around her neck, and besought her with mingled tears and kisses to join them. But duty prevailed over affection, and she retraced the weary distance to die with him whom she had promised to love and honor to the end.
Mrs. Donner was the last to die. Her husband's body, care- fully laid out and wrapped in a sheet, was found in liis tent. Circumstances led to the suspicion that the survivor (Kese- berg) had killed Mrs. Donner for her flesh and her money; and when "he was threatened with hanging, and the rope tight- ened around his neck, he produced over five hundred dollars in gold, which probably he had appropriated from her store."
STRANGE AND EVENTFUL DREAM.
George Yount was the pioneer settler of Napa County. Hc, in the winter of 1846, dreamed that a party of immigrants were snow-bound in the Sierra Nevadas, high up in the mount- ains, where they were suffering the most distressing priva- tions from cold and want of food. The locality where his dream had placed these unhappy mortals, he had never vis- ited, yet so clear was his vision that he described the sheet of
water surrounded by lofty peaks, deep-covered with snow, while on every hand towering pine trees reared their heads far above the limitless waste. In his sleep he saw the hungry human beings ravenously tear the flesh from the bones of their fellow-creatures, slain to satisfy their craving appetites, in the midst of a gloomy desolation. He dreamed his dream on three successive nights, after which he related it to others, among whom were a few who had been on hunting expeditions to the Sierras. These wished for a precise description of the scene foreshadowed to him. They recognized the Truckee, now the Donner Lake. On the strength of this recognition, Mr. Yount fitted out a search expedition, and with these men as guides, went to the place indicated; and prodigious to re- late, was one of the successful relieving parties to reach the ill-fated Donner Party.
Of the eighty-seven persons who reached Donner Lake, only forty-eight escaped. Of these twenty-six are known to be living in this State and in Oregon.
SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
The best description of the scene of the disaster was given by Edwin Bryant, who accompanied General Kearney's expe- dition in 1847 to bury the remains. He says: "Near the prin- cipal cabins, I saw two bodies entire, with the exception that the abdomens had been cut open and the entrails extracted. The flesh had been either wasted by famine or evaporated by ex- posure to the dry atmosphere, and they presented the appearance of mummies. Strewn around the cabins were dislocated and broken skulls (in some instances sawed asunder with care for the purpose of extracting the brains), human skeletons, in short, in every variety of mutilation. A more revolting and appall- ing spectacle I never witnessed. The cabins were burned, the bodies buried, and now there is nothing to mark the place save the tall stumps, from ten to twenty feet in height, which sur- round some of the rocks on the lake's shore."
TRIALS OF THE PIONEERS.
It was in the few years prior to the discovery of gold that the gennine pioneers of California braved the unknown dangers of the plains and mountains, with the intention of settling in the fair valley, of which so much was said and so little known, and building a home for themselves and their children. Many of these immigrants crossed the mountains by nearly the same route pursued by the Central Pacific Railroad, except that they followed down Bear River to the plains.
The first settlement reached by them was that of Theodore Sicard, at Johnson's Crossing, on the Placer County side, and a few miles below Camp Far West. This settlement was made in 1844, and was the first point reached by the members of the ill-starred Donner Party in 1847. Opposite Sicard's settlement was Johnson's ranch, owned by William Johnson and Sebas- tian Kyser, who settled there in 1845. Johnson's Crossing was for years a favorite landmark and rallying point.
63
THE EARLY DISCOVERY OF GOLD.
The Discovery of Gold.
NO HISTORY of the State, or of a county in California would be complete without a record of the rush to this eoast at the time of what is so aptly termned the "gold fever."
The finding of gold at Coloma by Marshall was not the real discovery of the precious metal in the territory. But the time and circumstances connected with it, together with the existing state of affairs, caused the rapid dissemination of the news. People were ready and eager for some new excitement, and this proved to be the means of satisfying the desire. From all parts of California, the coast of the United States, and in fact
thence to the Butte Mountains up the Sacramento Valley, as far as the location of Chico.
While passing over the black adobe land lying between the Butte Mountains and Butte Creek, which resembled the gold wash in Brazil, Dr. Sandels remarked: "Judging from the Butte Mountains, I believe that there is gold in this country, but I do not think there will ever be enough to pay for the working." Dr. Sandels was hurried, as the vessel upon which he was to take passage was soon to sail, and he could not spare the time to pursue his search to any more definite end.
GEN. BIDWELL KNEW OF GOLD.
1844 .- When General Bidwell was in charge of Hock Farm, in the month of March or April, 1844, a Mexican by the name
SUTTER'S MILL, WHERE GOLD WAS DISCOVERED.
the world, poured in vast hordes of gold-seekers. The precious metal had been found in many places.
DR. SANDELS' SEARCH FOR GOLD.
1843 .- In the summer of 1843, there came to this coast from England, a very learned gentleman named Dr. Sandels. He was a Swede by birth. Soon after his arrival on this coast, the Doctor visited Captain Sutter. The Captain always thought there must be mineral in the country, and requested Dr. Sandels to go out into the mountains and find him a gold mine; the Doctor discouraged him by relating his experience in Mexico, and the uncertainty of mining operations, as far as his knowledge extended, in Mexico, Brazil, and other parts of South America. He advised Sutter never to think of having anything to do with the mines; that the best mine was the soil, which was inexhaustible. However, at Sutter's solicitation, Dr. Sandels went up through his grant to Hock Farm, and
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