memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


r。　　He　also　had　along　with　him　quite　a　retinue　of　servants；　hired　with　a　clear　contract　to　serve　him　for　a　whole　year　after　reaching　California；　every　one　of　whom　deserted；　except　a　young　black　fellow　named　Isaac。　　Mrs。　Smith；　a　pleasant　but　delicate　Louisiana　lady；　had　a　white　maid…servant；　in　whose　fidelity　she　had　unbounded　confidence；　but　this　girl　was　married　to　a　perfect　stranger；　and　off　before　she　had　even　landed　in　San　Francisco。　　It　was；　therefore；　finally　arranged　that；　on　the　California；　I　was　to　accompany　General　Smith　to　San　Francisco　as　his　adjutant…general。　　I　accordingly　sold　some　of　my　horses；　and　arranged　for　others　to　go　up　by　land；　and　from　that　time　I　became　fairly　enlisted　in　the　military　family　of　General　Persifer　F。　Smith。

I　parted　with　my　old　commander；　Colonel　Mason；　with　sincere　regret。　To　me　he　had　ever　been　kind　and　considerate；　and；　while　stern；　honest　to　a　fault；　he　was　the　very　embodiment　of　the　principle　of　fidelity　to　the　interests　of　the　General　Government。　　He　possessed　a　native　strong　intellect；　and　far　more　knowledge　of　the　principles　of　civil　government　and　law　than　he　got　credit　for。　　In　private　and　public　expenditures　he　was　extremely　economical；　but　not　penurious。　In　cases　where　the　officers　had　to　contribute　money　for　parties　and　entertainments；　he　always　gave　a　double　share；　because　of　his　allowance　of　double　rations。　　During　our　frequent　journeys；　I　was　always　caterer；　and　paid　all　the　bills。　　In　settling　with　him　he　required　a　written　statement　of　the　items　of　account；　but　never　disputed　one　of　them。　　During　our　time；　California　was；　as　now；　full　of　a　bold；　enterprising；　and　speculative　set　of　men；　who　were　engaged　in　every　sort　of　game　to　make　money。　　I　know　that　Colonel…　Mason　was　beset　by　them　to　use　his　position　to　make　a　fortune　for　himself　and　his　friends；　but　he　never　bought　land　or　town…lots；　because；　he　said；　it　was　his　place　to　hold　the　public　estate　for　the　Government　as　free　and　unencumbered　by　claims　as　possible；　and　when　I　wanted　him　to　stop　the　public…land　sales　in　San　Francisco；　San　Josh；　etc。；　he　would　not；　for；　although　he　did　not　believe　the　titles　given　by　the　alcaldes　worth　a　cent；　yet　they　aided　to　settle　the　towns　and　public　lands；　and　he　thought；　on　the　whole；　the　Government　would　be　benefited　thereby。　　The　same　thing　occurred　as　to　the　gold…mines。　　He　never　took　a　title　to　a　town　lot；　unless　it　was　one；　of　no　real　value；　from　Alcalde　Colton；　in　Monterey；　of　which　I　have　never　heard　since。　　He　did　take　a　share　in　the　store　which　Warner；　Beator；　and　I；　opened　at　Coloma；　paid　his　share　of　the　capital；　five　hundred　dollars；　and　received　his　share　of　the　profits；　fifteen　hundred　dollars。　　I　think　also　he　took　a　share　in　a　venture　to　China　with　Larkin　and　others；　but；　on　leaving　California；　he　was　glad　to　sell　out　without　profit　or　loss。　　In　the　stern　discharge　of　his　duty　he　made　some　bitter　enemies；　among　them　Henry　M。　Naglee；　who；　in　the　newspapers　of　the　day；　endeavored　to　damage　his　fair　name。　　But；　knowing　him　intimately；　I　am　certain　that　he　is　entitled　to　all　praise　for　having　so　controlled　the　affairs　of　the　country　that；　when　his　successor　arrived；　all　things　were　so　disposed　that　a　civil　form　of　government　was　an　easy　matter　of　adjustment。　　Colonel　Mason　was　relieved　by　General　Riley　some　time　in　April；　and　left　California　in　the　steamer　of　the　1st　May　for　Washington　and　St。　Louis；　where　he　died　of　cholera　in　the　summer　of　1850；　and　his　body　is　buried　in　Bellefontaine　Cemetery。　His　widow　afterward　married　Major　（since　General）　Don　Carlos　Buell；　and　is　now　living　in　Kentucky。

In　overhauling　the　hold　of　the　steamer　California；　as　she　lay　at　anchor　in　Monterey　Bay；　a　considerable　amount　of　coal　was　found　under　some　heavy　duplicate　machinery。　　With　this；　and　such　wood　as　had　been　gathered；　she　was　able　to　renew　her　voyage。　　The　usual　signal　was　made；　and　we　all　went　on　board。　　About　the　1st　of　March　we　entered　the　Heads；　and　anchored　off　San　Francisco；　near　the　United　States　line…of…battle…ship　Ohio；　Commodore　T。　Catesby　Jones。　As　was　the　universal　custom　of　the　day；　the　crew　of　the　California　deserted　her；　and　she　lay　for　months　unable　to　make　a　trip　back　to　Panama；　as　was　expected　of　her。　　As　soon　as　we　reached　San　Francisco；　the　first　thing　was　to　secure　an　office　and　a　house　to　live　in。　　The　weather　was　rainy　and　stormy；　and　snow　even　lay　on　the　hills　back　of　the　Mission。　　Captain　Folsom；　the　quartermaster；　agreed　to　surrender　for　our　office　the　old　adobe　custom　house；　on　the　upper　corner　of　the　plaza；　as　soon　as　he　could　remove　his　papers　and　effects　down　to　one　of　his　warehouses　on　the　beach；　and　he　also　rented　for　us　as　quarters　the　old　Hudson　Bay　Company　house　on　Montgomery　Street；　which　had　been　used　by　Howard　&　Mellua　as　a　store；　and　at　that　very　time　they　were　moving　their　goods　into　a　larger　brick　building　just　completed　for　them。　　As　these　changes　would　take　some　time；　General　Smith　and　Colonel　Ogden；　with　their　wives；　accepted　the　hospitality　offered　by　Commodore　Jones　on　board　the　Ohio。　　I　opened　the　office　at　the　custom　house；　and　Gibbs；　Fitzgerald；　and　some　others　of　us；　slept　in　the　loft　of　the　Hudson　Bay　Company　house　until　the　lower　part　was　cleared　of　Howard's　store；　after　which　General　Smith　and　the　ladies　moved　in。　　There　we　had　a　general　mess；　and　the　efforts　at　house…keeping　were　simply　ludicrous。　　One　servant　after　another；　whom　General　Smith　had　brought　from　New　Orleans；　with　a　solemn　promise　to　stand　by　him　for　one　whole　year；　deserted　without　a　word　of　notice　or　explanation；　and　in　a　few　days　none　remained　but　little　Isaac。　　The　ladies　had　no　maid　or　attendants；　and　the　general；　commanding　all　the　mighty　forces　of　the　United　States　on　the　Pacific　coast；　had　to　scratch　to　get　one　good　meal　a　day　for　his　family！　　He　was　a　gentleman　of　fine　social　qualities；　genial　and　gentle；　and　joked　at　every　thing。　Poor　Mrs。　Smith　and　Mrs。　Ogden　did　not　bear　it　so　philosophically。　Gibbs；　Fitzgerald；　and　I；　could　cruise　around　and　find　a　meal；　which　cost　three　dollars；　at　some　of　the　many　restaurants　which　had　sprung　up　out　of　red…wood　boards　and　cotton　lining；　but　the　general　and　ladies　could　not　go　out；　for　ladies　were　rara　aves　at　that　day　in　California。　　Isaac　was　cook；　chamber…maid；　and　every；　thing；　thoughtless　of　himself；　and　struggling；　out　of　the　slimmest　means；　to　compound　a　breakfast　for　a　large　and　hungry　family。　　Breakfast　would　be　announced　any　time　between　ten　and　twelve；　and　dinner　according　to　circumstances。　　Many　a　time　have　I　seen　General　Smith；　with　a　can　of　preserved　meat　in　his　hands；　going　toward　the　house；　take　off　his　hat　on　meeting　a　negro；　and；　on　being　asked　the　reason　of　his　politeness；　he　would　answer　that　they　were　the　only　real　gentlemen　in　California。　　I　confess　that　the　fidelity　of　Colonel　Mason's　boy　〃Aaron；〃　and　of　General　Smith's　boy　〃Isaac；〃　at　a　time　when　every　white　man　laughed　at　promises　as　something　made　to　be　broken；　has　given　me　a　kindly　feeling　of　respect　for　the　negroes；　and　makes　me　hope　that　they　will　find　an　honorable　〃status〃　in　the　jumble　of　affairs　in　which　we　now　live。

That　was　a　dull　hard　winter　in　San　Francisco；　the　rains　were　heavy；　and　the　mud　fearful。　　I　have　seen　mules　stumble　in　the　street；　and　drown　in　the　liquid　mud！　　Montgomery　Street　had　been　filled　up　with　brush　and　clay；　and　I　always　dreaded　to　ride　on　horseback　along　it；　because　the　mud　was　so　deep　that　a　horse's　legs　would　become　entangled　in　the　bushes　below；　and　the　rider　was　likely　to　be　thrown　and　drowned　in　the　mud。　　The　only　sidewalks　were　made　of　stepping…stones　of　empty　boxes；　and　here　and　there　a　few　planks　with　barrel…staves　nailed　on。　　All　the　town　lay　along　Montgomery　Street；　from　Sacramento　to　Jackson；　and　about　the　plaza。　　Gambling　was　the　chief　occupation　of　the　people。　　While　they　were　waiting　for　the　cessation　of　the　rainy　season；　and　for　the　beginning　of　spring；　all　sorts　of　houses　were　being　put　up；　but　of　the　most　flimsy　kind；　and　all　were　stores；　restaurants；　or　gambling　…saloons。　　Any　room　twenty　by　sixty　feet　would　rent　for　a　thousand　dollars　a　month。　　I　had；　as　my　pay；　seventy　dollars　a　month；　and　no　one　would　even　try　to　hire　a　servant　under　three　hundred　dollars。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　fifteen　hundred　dollars　I　had　made　in　the　store　at　Coloma；　I　could　not　have　lived　through　the　winter。　　About　the　1st　of　April　arrived　the　steamer　Oregon；　but　her　captain　（Pearson）　knew　what　was　the　state　of　affairs　on　shore；　and　ran　his　steamer　alongside　the　line…of…battle…ship　Ohio　at　Saucelito；　and　obtained　the　privilege　of　leaving　his　crew　on　board　as　〃prisoners〃　until　he　was　ready　to　return　to　sea。　　Then；　discharging　his　passengers　and　getting　coal　out　of　some　of　the　ships　which　had　arrived；　he　retook　his　crew　out　of　limbo　and　carried　the　first　regular　mail　back　to　Panama　early　in　April。　　In　regular　order　arrived　the　third　steamer；　the　Panama；　and；　as　the　vessels　were　arriving　with　coal；　The　California　was　enabled　to　hire　a　crew　and　get　off。　　From　that　time　forward　these　three　ships　constituted　the　regular　line　of　mail…steamers；　which　has　been　kept　up　ever　since。　By　the　steamer　Oregon　arrived　out　Major　R。　P。　Hammond；　J。　M。　Williams；　James　Blair；　and　others；　also　the　gentlemen　who；　with　Major　Ogden；　were　to　compose　a　joint　commission　to　select　the　sites　for　the　permanent　forts　and　navyyard　of　California。　　This　commission　was　compcsed　of　Majors　Ogden；　Smith；　and　Leadbetter；　of；　the　army；　and　Captains　Goldsborough；　Van　Brunt；　and　Blunt；　of　the　navy。　　These　officers；　after　a　most　careful　study　of　the　whole　subject；　selected　Mare　Island　for　the　navy…yard；　and　〃Benicia〃　for　the　storehouses　and　arsenals　of　the　army。　　The　Pacific　Mail　Steamship　Company　also　selected　Benicia　as　their　depot。　　Thus　was　again　revived　the　old　struggle　for　supremacy　of　these　　two　points　as　the　site　of　the　future　city　of　the　Pacific。　　Meantime；　however；　San　Francisco　had　secured　the　name。　　About　six　hundred　ships　were　anchored　there　without　crews；　and　could　not　get　away；　and　there　the　city　was；　and　had　to　be。

Nevertheless；　General　Smith；　being　disinterested　and　unprejudiced；　decided　on　Benicia　as　the　point　where　the　city　ought　to　be；　and　where　the　army　headquarters　should　be。　　By　the　Oregon　there　arrived　at　San　Francisco　a　man　who　deserves　mention　h