The weekly union record., 1865-02-11
Letter Eom San Francisco.
SAN FRAxc1sco, Feb. 6, 1865.

truth of this can be seen in the number Of mea
seeking employment at all times and in every
part Of the city. The good times" that We
have all looked for so long seem to be still
some distance 10 the future. and in the mean-
time want Is looking inside OF doors where be
seldom has dared to show bis hideous form.
The East seems to act upon our gold something
like sponge, absorbing all and still keeping
our own Golfers drained. Bat it canno. be so
long, and great preparations are being made
for the spring revival of business. Several
new and splendid buildings are contracted for.
and the work of preparing the foundations has
commenced, and it will be bat few weeks
before there will be sufficient work for all who
desire it, (for some who complain loudest are
those who never work as long as life can be
sustained By bumming.)
Last Saturday, grand review of the Second
and Seventh Regiments took place at the Pre-
sidio. The Second is principally composed of
veterans, and their soldierly bearing aud the
precision of their movements called for the
highest praise from the Commander of the
Department The Seventh, also, although
mainly new recruits, are fine body of troops,
and 60 through the drill with all the s;eadiDess
and precision OF veterans, and 20 company sur
passes Co. b commanded by Capt. Gibson,
of Marysville, and composed of Butte and Yuba
hOrs flor he raviou Can
Mcdowell requested any one having cause of
complaint to step out and let it be known
but, although two or three of our papers have
overfowed with letters Of complaint, only two
men came forward, and these both new recruits.
All the old soldiers seem well satisfied, and it
is generally thought that the complaints are
more the work of Intermediates than the sold
iers themselves A careful inspection Of the
kitchens of the different companies showed
everything in order, and, with but one or two
exceptions, the food Vas properly cooked. One
of the cooks had style of making tea which,
to say the least was out Of the usual course
that ls submitting it to a boiling of several
hours. The General thought that, although
boiling might be good way to cook the ma
jority of food, tea would be full as well without
it, and so instructed the cook. This complaint
of short allowance and poor quality, as gen
eral thing, comes from those who have not
posted themselves on army rations, and remind
one of the men of one OF the three. mouths reg
iments called out to defend Washington during
the last invasion, who visited one of the veteran
regiments IN search of butter, complaining
bitterly that they had had none for three days.
THE sICKLES' RECEPTION FIZzLE.
A few weeks ago, all California was surprised
BY the news that General Sickles was on bis
way 10 this State. Expectation was on tiptoe
and numerous were the surmises as to the
probable reason Of the visit. The one that
generally gained credence was that Mcdowell
was to be superseded by the gallant soldier
who had lost leg in his country's service.
The Press (Democratic) Immediately com
menced to laud up Mcdowell, it being enough
for them to know Tor believe) that be had fallen
under the ban of the Governments dispeasure
to make him perfectly satisfactory to them.
At the same time, certain Others of the city
press, seeing him thus praised, and believing
criminate abuse of him. Iu the meantime, the
city was all aglow with the fever of prepara-
tion. Reception committees were appointed;
the different societies met and passed resolu-
tious, and every one was anxiousy waiting the
arrival Of real hre General among US. 4 bout
2 P. N. of the 5th inst, the Constitution was
telegraphed as coming in-and then began the
fun. Societies met and started for the wharf
the reception committees were on hand with
many long winded speech. no doubt, and the
immense crowd Of men, who seem 10 gather on
every occasion like toads after shower, grew
dense in the vicinity of the wharf. Every
lumber pile and housetop in the neighborhood
were crowded, and many man worked harder
to get front seat than be had for a long time
to get a living. The tide was out, and the
steamer slowly worked her way to the wharf,
now and then sticking in the mud to vary the
programme, and the committees began TO grow
impatient, when--lo! and behold there was
no General aboard. Committees dispersed in.
continently members of the ton skedaddled,
and societies dispersed, nor needed The order of
their going. To day, it is almost impossible to
find any one who was down upon the wharf,
last night. 1t is very funny, but human nature
hates to own that it was humbugged. The
cause OF this immense sell was that General
Sickles, who has been sent to South America,
ou service for the Government took passage on
he steamer for Aspinwall, and the correspond
ent of the Associated Press, not dreaming that
our venerable Uncle Samuel could keep
secret, or that there was any other place in the
world where be could be sent, Immediately tel
hegraphei that be was of for Califorpia-aud
tbrs Son Erapcisco sold