Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-01

Baker vas the colonel Of tle California rszi-
meDt, recruited in Philadelphia, and commander
Of O. brigade mostly made up Of Philadelphia
regiments. The Inquirer of cha. city las the
following sketch Of his Eic:
He was an old Pbiladelphian and Of Quakcr
lineage. His ancestors were English Friends.
Col. Baker himself was born in England, but
was brought 10 Philadelphia when an infant,
where be, with a younger brother, wege leti or-
Vlaus soon after their arrival This calamity
left them nc resource bat 90 work their way
through the world with their own hands. For
awhile young Baker, the present Senator,
worked as q haud-loOn weaver IN q small man
u.lc-uring establishment ueGr Thirteenth and
South streets, where the loom upon which be-
lsbOred is still standing. Il Is likely now TO be-
come an object Of interest. Before he reached
manhood be paid some attention TO tu- study OF
tine law, and left Philadelphia for tho Great
West. His purse being light, be and his Younger
through Ohio aU- Indiana. all the way ON foot,
until they reached the Wabash river, which they
descended in q canoe, aHd 2tlaSt found tbeu-
selves on tbs broad yrsies Of Illinois. In this
Etlto Col baker took up the study Of Law IN s
regular way, and sJoB made i0I Lims0ir q name,
even 90 the bar Of Springfield, where be net
sometimes as colleagues and sometimes as al
versaries-b0th the deceased Douglas aud PIesi-
dent Lincoln.
Being Of active mind, hs took par. il the pol
iics OF Lli80ir. by1 &c he vas @ Wing, and III
a strongly Democratic Srsts, be did no. sppesr
il uul-c life until 1915, When be wss eleeted 60
CUngr-ss. shortly allas tlis, tie Mexican war
having occurred, DO raised d regiment .u bis
state, and went out 70 reinforce Gen, Tavlur
Returning nome as . bearer Of disuatcuus, after
several months service uu tho RJ Graude, he
resumed his seat m Congress, bul almost hume
iiatCiy resigned aud Joined his regiment. lie
participated IN the siege.of Vera Cruz, aud il the
bloody struggle az CeTrO G-ordo. and after
G-r Shields received his apparently moral
wound. aJ the latter battle, Col. Baker took
command of the brigade.
After the var was over Colonel Baker was
again elected 90 Congress from Illinois. where Dee
served with distinction during the sessions Of
1919 and i-5O. His adventurous spirit soon led
him 10 a new field. In pursuance OF % cuu.uCt
with the Panama Railroad Company, he raised.
equipped. and led to the lsthm,s fur hundred
men, with whom he surveyed and cleared much
Of the track of that Important highway. Here, IN
common with many Of hIS l~s0oryrs, be WAS seiz-
ed with the deadly Panama fever, and nearly lost
his life.
He returned 70 illinois with both health and
fortune very much ilnpairI. and in 1852 went
with his family 90 California, In San Francisco
Col Baker took a front rank IN bis p7Uhesion Of
the law, sud acquired . mVst lucrative practice
His fame IS . lawyer and orator p~eugtr4tyd
syey psIs Of that remsIkabis State bur IL
famous also as 81 orarUr, and bis pauezYy.c
Of Bgoiehck over tie body Of the murdered Zen
st0r, lie said to have been chs Of the graudest
uf bsEgid ~eloquencs eyef seeu OF htarl
% this continent
Bot little Uore than q ysar ago, tho spirit Of
being still ia }tl vigor I'M his breast .