memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第11部分

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lespie；　United　States　Marines；　at　Los　Angeles。　　These　were　written　orders　pretty　much　in　these　words：　〃On　receipt　of　this　order　you　will　repair　at　once　on　board　the　United　States　ship　Lexington　at　San　Pedro；　and　on　reaching　Monterey　you　will　report　to　the　undersigned。…JAMES　BIDDLE。〃　　　Of　course；　I　executed　my　part　to　the　letter；　and　these　officers　were　duly　〃lassooed。〃　　We　sailed　down　the　coast　with　a　fair　wind；　and　anchored　inside　the　kelp；　abreast　of　Johnson's　house。　　Messages　were　forthwith　dispatched　up　to　Los　Angeles；　twenty　miles　off；　and　preparations　for　horses　made　for　us　to　ride　up。　　We　landed；　and；　as　Kearney　held　to　my　arm　in　ascending　the　steep　path　up　the　bluff；　he　remarked　to　himself；　rather　than　to　me；　that　it　was　strange　that　Fremont　did　not　want　to　return　north　by　the　Lexington　on　account　of　sea…sickness；　but　preferred　to　go　by　land　over　five　hundred　miles。　　The　younger　officers　had　been　discussing　what　the　general　would　do　with　Fremont；　who　was　supposed　to　be　in　a　state　of　mutiny。　　Some；　thought　he　would　be　tried　and　shot；　some　that　he　would　be　carried　back　in　irons；　and　all　agreed　that　if　any　one　else　than　Fremont　had　put　on　such　airs；　and　had　acted　as　he　had　done；　Kearney　would　have　shown　him　no　mercy；　for　he　was　regarded　as　the　strictest　sort　of　a　disciplinarian。　　We　had　a　pleasant　ride　across　the　plain　which　lies　between　the　seashore　and　Los　Angeles；　which　we　reached　in　about　three　hours；　the　infantry　following　on　foot。　　We　found　Colonel　P。　St。　George　Cooke　living　at　the　house　of　a　Mr。　Pryor；　and　the　company　of　dragoons；　with　A。　J。　Smith；　Davidson；　Stoneman；　and　Dr。　Griffin；　quartered　in　an　adobe…house　close　by。　　Fremont　held　his　court　in　the　only　two…story　frame…house　in　the　place。　　After　sometime　spent　at　Pryor's　house；　General　Kearney　ordered　me　to　call　on　Fremont　to　notify　him　of　his　arrival；　and　that　he　desired　to　see　him。　　I　walked　round　to　the　house　which　had　been　pointed　out　to　me　as　his；　inquired　of　a　man　at　the　door　if　the　colonel　was　in；　was　answered　〃Yea；〃　and　was　conducted　to　a　large　room　on　the　second　floor；　where　very　soon　Fremont　came　in；　and　I　delivered　my　message。　　As　I　was　on　the　point　of　leaving；　he　inquired　where　I　was　going　to；　and　I　answered　that　I　was　going　back　to　Pryor's　house；　where　the　general　was；　when　he　remarked　that　if　I　would　wait　a　moment　he　would　go　along。　　Of　course　I　waited；　and　he　soon　joined　me；　dressed　much　as　a　Californian；　with　the　peculiar　high；　broad…brimmed　hat；　with　a　fancy　cord；　and　we　walked　together　back　to　Pryor's；　where　I　left　him　with　General　Kearney。　　We　spent　several　days　very　pleasantly　at　Los　Angeles；　then；　as　now；　the　chief　pueblo　of　the　south；　famous　for　its　grapes；　fruits；　and　wines。　　There　was　a　hill　close　to　the　town；　from　which　we　had　a　perfect　view　of　the　place。　　The　surrounding　country　is　level；　utterly　devoid　of　trees；　except　the　willows　and　cotton…woods　that　line　the　Los　Angeles　Creek　and　the　acequias；　or　ditches；　which　lead　from　it。　　The　space　of　ground　cultivated　in　vineyards　seemed　about　five　miles　by　one；　embracing　the　town。　　Every　house　had　its　inclosure　of　vineyard；　which　resembled　a　miniature　orchard；　the　vines　being　very　old；　ranged　in　rows；　trimmed　very　close；　with　irrigating　ditches　so　arranged　that　a　stream　of　water　could　be　diverted　between　each　row　of　vines。　　The　Los　Angeles　and　San　Gabriel　Rivers　are　fed　by　melting　snows　from　a　range　of　mountains　to　the　east；　and　the　quantity　of　cultivated　land　depends　upon　the　amount　of　water。　　This　did　not　seem　to　be　very　large；　but　the　San　Gabriel　River；　close　by；　was　represented　to　contain　a　larger　volume　of　water；　affording　the　means　of　greatly　enlarging　the　space　for　cultivation。　　The　climate　was　so　moderate　that　oranges；　figs；　pomegranates；　etc。。。。　　were　generally　to　be　found　in　every　yard　or　inclosure。

At　the　time　of　our　visit；　General　Kearney　was　making　his　preparations　to　return　overland　to　the　United　States；　and　he　arranged　to　secure　a　volunteer　escort　out　of　the　battalion　of　Mormons　that　was　then　stationed　at　San　Luis　Rey；　under　Colonel　Cooke　and　a　Major　Hunt。　　This　battalion　was　only　enlisted　for　one　year；　and　the　time　for　their　discharge　was　approaching；　and　it　was　generally　understood　that　the　majority　of　the　men　wanted　to　be　discharged　so　as　to　join　the　Mormons　who　had　halted　at　Salt　Lake；　but　a　lieutenant　and　about　forty　men　volunteered　to　return　to　Missouri　as　the　escort　of　General　Kearney。　　These　were　mounted　on　mules　and　horses；　and　I　was　appointed　to　conduct　them　to　Monterey　by　land。　　Leaving　the　party　at　Los　Angeles　to　follow　by　sea　in　the　Lexington；　I　started　with　the　Mormon　detachment　and　traveled　by　land。　　We　averaged　about　thirty　miles　a　day；　stopped　one　day　at　Santa　Barbara；　where　I　saw　Colonel　Burton；　and　so　on　by　the　usually　traveled　road　to　Monterey；　reaching　it　in　about　fifteen　days；　arriving　some　days　in　advance　of　the　Lexington。　　This　gave　me　the　best　kind　of　an　opportunity　for　seeing　the　country；　which　was　very　sparsely　populated　indeed；　except　by　a　few　families　at　the　various　Missions。　　We　had　no　wheeled　vehicles；　but　packed　our　food　and　clothing　on　mules　driven　ahead；　and　we　slept　on　the　ground　in　the　open　air；　the　rainy　season　having　passed。　　Fremont　followed　me　by　land　in　a　few　days；　and；　by　the　end　of　May；　General　Kearney　was　all　ready　at　Monterey　to　take　his　departure；　leaving　to　succeed　him　in　command　Colonel　R。　B。　Mason；　First　Dragoons。　　Our　Captain　（Tompkins）；　too；　had　become　discontented　at　his　separation　from　his　family；　tendered　his　resignation　to　General　Kearney；　and　availed　himself　of　a　sailing…vessel　bound　for　Callao　to　reach　the　East。　Colonel　Mason　selected　me　as　his　adjutant…general；　and　on　the　very　last　day　of　May　General　Kearney；　with　his　Mormon　escort；　with　Colonel　Cooke；　Colonel　Swords　（quartermaster）；　Captain　Turner；　and　a　naval　officer；　Captain　Radford；　took　his　departure　for　the　East　overland；　leaving　us　in　full　possession　of　California　and　its　fate。　Fremont　also　left　California　with　General　Kearney；　and　with　him　departed　all　cause　of　confusion　and　disorder　in　the　country。　　From　that　time　forth　no　one　could　dispute　the　authority　of　Colonel　Mason　as　in　command　of　all　the　United　States　forces　on　shore；　while　the　senior　naval　officer　had　a　like　control　afloat。　　This　was　Commodore　James　Biddle；　who　had　reached　the　station　from　China　in　the　Columbus；　and　he　in　turn　was　succeeded　by　Commodore　T。　Ap　Catesby　Jones　in　the　line…of…battle…ship　Ohio。　　At　that　time　Monterey　was　our　headquarters；　and　the　naval　commander　for　a　time　remained　there；　but　subsequently　San　Francisco　Bay　became　the　chief　naval　rendezvous。

Colonel　R。　B。　Mason；　First　Dragoons；　was　an　officer　of　great　experience；　of　stern　character；　deemed　by　some　harsh　and　severe；　but　in　all　my　intercourse　with　him　he　was　kind　and　agreeable。　　He　had　a　large　fund　of　good　sense；　and；　during　our　long　period　of　service　together；　I　enjoyed　his　unlimited　confidence。　　He　had　been　in　his　day　a　splendid　shot　and　hunter；　and　often　entertained　me　with　characteristic　anecdotes　of　Taylor；　Twiggs；　Worth；　Harvey；　Martin　Scott；　etc。；　etc；　who　were　then　in　Mexico；　gaining　a　national　fame。　　California　had　settled　down　to　a　condition　of　absolute　repose；　and　we　naturally　repined　at　our　fate　in　being　so　remote　from　the　war　in　Mexico；　where　our　comrades　were　reaping　large　honors。　　Mason　dwelt　in　a　house　not　far　from　the　Custom…　House；　with　Captain　Lanman；　United　States　Navy；　I　had　a　small　adobe…house　back　of　Larkin's。　　Halleck　and　Dr。　Murray　had　a　small　log…house　not　far　off。　　The　company　of　artillery　was　still　on　the　hill；　under　the　command　of　Lieutenant　Ord；　engaged　in　building　a　fort　whereon　to　mount　the　guns　we　had　brought　out　in　the　Lexington；　and　also　in　constructing　quarters　out　of　hewn　pine…logs　for　the　men。　　Lieutenant　Minor；　a　very　clever　young　officer；　had　taken　violently　sick　and　died　about　the　time　I　got　back　from　Los　Angeles；　leaving　Lieutenants　Ord　and　Loeser　alone　with　the　company；　with　Assistant…Surgeon　Robert　Murray。　　Captain　William　G。　Marcy　was　the　quartermaster　and　commissary。　　Naglee's　company　of　Stevenson's　regiment　had　been　mounted　and　was　sent　out　against　the　Indians　in　the　San　Joaquin　Valley；　and　Shannon's　company　occupied　the　barracks。　　Shortly　after　General　Kearney　had　gone　East；　we　found　an　order　of　his　on　record；　removing　one　Mr。　Nash；　the　Alcalde　of　Sonoma；　and　appointing　to　his　place　ex…Governor　L。　W。　Boggs。　　A　letter　came　to　Colonel　and　Governor　Mason　from　Boggs；　whom　he　had　personally　known　in　Missouri；　complaining　that；　though　he　had　been　appointed　alcalde；　the　then　incumbent　（Nash）　utterly　denied　Kearney's　right　to　remove　him；　because　he　had　been　elected　by　the　people　under　the　proclamation　of　Commodore　Sloat；　and　refused　to　surrender　his　office　or　to　account　for　his　acts　as　alcalde。　　Such　a　proclamation　had　been　made　by　Commodore　Sloat　shortly　after　the　first　occupation　of　California；　announcing　that　the　people　were　free　and　enlightened　American　citizens；　entitled　to　all　the　rights　and　privileges　as　such；　and　among　them　the　right　to　elect　their　own　officers；　etc。　　The　people　of　Sonoma　town　and　valley；　some　forty　or　fifty　immigrants　from　the　United　States；　and　very　few　native　Californians；　had　elected　Mr。　Nash；　and；　as　stated；　he　refused　to　recognize　the　right　of　a　mere　military　commander　to　eject　him　and　to　appoint　another　to　his　place。　　Neither　General　Kearney　nor　Mason　had　much　respect　for　this　land　of　〃buncombe；〃　but　assumed　the　true　doctrine　that　California　was　yet　a　Mexican　province；　held　by　right　of　conquest；　that　the　military　commander　was　held　responsible　to　the　country；　and　that　the　province　should　be　held　in　statu　quo　until　a　treaty　of　peace。　　This　letter　of　Boggs　was　therefore　referred　to　Captain　Brackett；　whose　company　was　stationed　at　Sonoma；　with　orders　to　notify　Nash　that　Boggs　was　the　rightful　alcalde；　that　he　must　quietly　surrender　his　office；　with　the　books　and　records　thereof；　and　that　he　must　account　for　any　moneys　received　from　the　sale　of　town…lots；　etc。；　etc。；　and　in　the　event　of　refusal　he　（Captain　Brackett）　must　compel　him　by　the　use　of　force。　　In　due　time　we　got　Brackett's　answer；　saying　that　the　little　community　of　Sonoma　was　in　a　dangerous　state　of　effervescence　caused　by　his　orders；　that　Nash　was　backed　by　most　of　the　Americans　there　who　had　come　across　from