Daily national Democrat., 1861-02-26
Sierra County Correspendences
BONNEVILLE, Feb. 90

bic office of my friend Recorder keyes-and |
a glorious good man he is--lll tell you some
thing Of yesterdays doings. The people of
Downeville are exceedingly patriotic, as well
as intelligent and hosptable a long residence
here enables me to say this III all sincerity |
and good faith. do not know any other
community in California where a greater
proportion of intelligent and excellent peo.
pie are discoverable To succeed in any of
the professions q man must possess more than
average talent; the illiterate pretender has
no show, whatever. You are well aware
that there are lawyers and surgeons in Down
ievlle of extraordinary professional ability
there must necessarily be such for nothing
less would satisfy popular requirement. This
is the most miserable of all places for a
poor professional person, but most inviting
field for one whose abilities will command
respect. Such person is sure of appreciation,
and will get credit for all he deserves.
Yesterday one of the fire companies para
ded with their new hose carriage and made
quite handsome show No. ., | believe it
was. The other company were disappointed
in obtaining their carrirge from San Fran
CISCO and consequently did not parade. AT
noon the "No Two's" raised the stars and
stripes-the same old sort used some years
ago at Bunker Hill, etc, and fired a salute of
33 guns, including one for South Carolina, OF
course, cheered vociferously and made every
proper demonstration of adherence to the
national flag. In the evening SO more guns
were fired, and frew orks ensued | think
the demonstrations were made under direc-
tion of Major Daniel L. Hungerford This
gives me occasion to refer in a becoming
manner to one of the bravest officers in the
war with Mexico, and who has been shame
fully i'll requited while others less melito-
rious have found advancement Major
| lIungerford was frequently mentioned in the
war dispatches as one of the bravest and
most distinguished of the gallant men who
fought in Mexico, and on his return to New
York had public reception and was pre-
sented with gold medal in recognition of
signal courage. y Yet while others who never
smelt powder except in barbarous murder of
chickadees and squirrels, are permitted to oc>
cupy military positions of Importance, Major
Hungerford a soldier by nature and profess
sion, one who fought in all of the hardest
battles in Mexico and who is undoubtedly, the
best military tactician in the State,is left to oc
| ca, Ia has NOT NJ
You will do inst act towards a brave man
by putting this in print, that he may
at least have the satisfaction Of knowing that
services so poorly repaid are not forgotten
and you will permit me to add that the gen
tleman to whom | refer has no knowledge of
what | am writing, and never intimated to
me that he would be pleased with any such
observation. lie is man above that, proud,
honorable and Independent. But, having
often thought of the great injustice of putting
incompetent and inexperienced persons in
military place, while veterans are left to
struggle with adverse fortune, l cannot
forego so much expression. Still further:-
believe | will be violating no rule of pro-
priety by relating little episode in the life
of my friend which came to my knowledge
twelve years ago. When Major Hungerford
went to the war in Mexico, his brave-heart-
ed and patriotic wife, now residing in Down
ieville, sold every article of household furni-
ture to enable her husband to procure the
necessary outfit; and wholly without money,
and having little daughter to provide for,
cheered her husband on to the war, and
went to work courageously TO earn living
for herself and child. Thus three years pass
! ed. After awhile the remnants of the New
York regiment began to return, prostrated
and dying of diseases contracted in the ma
lignant climate of Mexico; many of them
died, and whenever soldiers funeral occur
red little woman, unattended, closely veil
ed and in deep mourning, was observed al
the burial place. Her presence was SO Otter
remarked that curiosity induced inquiry
and it became known that the faithful mour
ner over the volunteers melancholy grav,
was Mrs. DANIEL Z. HUNGERFoRD, who's,
husband was away to the wars. So impres
svely did the circumstance strike he chiv
alrous hearts of the decimated company tha
, they elected the brave little woman an hon
orary member of the Regiment
Now, what do you think of that as speci
men of an American woman? Does not sucl
act deserve mention parallel with heroisnl
the more since the information has not, TO m,
knowledge, been communicated, by the par
ties referred to, to any one here or elsewhere
1t gives me far greater pleasure to recor(
such unostentatious act of exalted patriotism
and out-gushing kindness of heart than i
would-if it were possible for me-to writ
"a paragraph that would live through all afte
ages. While we read of Southern womel
casting bullets for the defence of thei
homes, it should not be forgotten that among
their sisters at the North there are hearts a
indomitable, and very delicate round arm
which if brothers strove together might b.
strung with very nerves of steel This in
vidous discriminating between North anC
South in relation to valor is all humbug, an(
the despicable stuff should not be uttered b,
ern bravery, for have lived in the Soutl
and know that to question the courage of tn,
people would be absurd and urtruthful. Blu
| claim that American valor is nationa
thing. What is there to indicate bravery a
the South more than in the North? Law