The Shasta courier., 1867-08-24
SHASTA COURIER.
How Uncle sam Got California.
The New York Commercial Adverti..

The New York Commercial Advertiser q,
June l4th is responsible for the following.
In 1919 the site of San Francisco was SC
shut in by environing hills that only in two
directions were there any roads affordinp AN
extended opportunity for promenade. Oae
Of these roads lie through loose sand to the
Mission Dolores, three miles distant: but
walking over it was SO fatiguing that nref
crence was given TO the one leading twe
miles seward to the Presidio, despite the
afternoon hurricane that sets in daily from
May to September. In one of these Preside
promenades it was the fortune Of the writer
to encounter man clad in the army blue
suit, which in that ante shoddy period was
the livery of every would be.miner. from
its durability and the comparative reasonable
terms on which the soldiers were willing to
exchange it for less serviceable suits. with a
little cash to boot. Our greed for these gar
ments lncited US to make the acquaintance
Of theex soldier. A bargain was soon struck
and the change effected on the spot HAY.
ing paid over the boot and seized the booty,
the writer said, with the cheerfulness of one
who has made good bargain:
We'll, my friend, SO long. In those
days good bye was spelt in this wise.
believe we're all equare ~
Yes, that's it; we're all square But
who's to pay me for getting this country for
yon confounded Yankees to make yourselves
rich in"
:. Ah yes Uncle Sam does owe something
to his soldiers for winning this rich country
by their proves. What battle were you
in?''
Battle be hanged There warn't no
fighting worth telln' about. California was
I. Il Api ha thab ia
the hard ridin' is the one you've just swap
ped rags with.
why. how was that ?'i asked we, curl.
ously and encouragingly.
This was the way; when Gen. Scott was
Iyin' before Mexico, laundering away at the
Beien Gate. took shine to a little greaser
gaia real senorett. An she took shne
at me. For you see, Mister, it gen lily takes
two to cut up such capers. Well, | was so
stuck arter that gal that l folered her into
the city one night, in fact, deserted. But
knew that if | was caught there l would
swing with the San Patricio fellers. So |
took a mustang that my gals uncle got me,
and | scud for Queretaro, " here the Mexican
Government were roostins during the siege.
There were good many deserters there, and
the society wasn't pleasant for me. so went
on, through Salamanca, Celaya. Leon, Quad
alajara. and lot of smaller places, till l
got to Topic. From there l was going to
Mazatland which is the orthodox way for old
soldiers and sailors on the Pacific to speak of
the principle Mexican port. But at Tepic
there was an American largely engaged in
manufacturing | disremember his name,
but it sounded like the old Bible name Aaron.
lie give me letter to another merchant
in Guaymas, telling him that treaty had
been signed in Mexico giving California to
the United States. and that unless news vas
expressed to the Captain Of the United States
sloop- Of war, Portsmouth, then off Monterey,
the English would order their feet to occupy
the country to secure the EnsiiSh debt. |
might make long yarn out OF my crossing
into Lower California at Muleje, aui riding
up through the desert, and sometimes in
company with tbe Express rider. who took
ME for Tanchero, but whom l suspieloned
from the start; how poisoned his horse at
the Mission San ISnacio, aided by the old
padre; how | nearly starved from want OF
water between San Ignacio and FL Rosario =:
how lost q week through greaser gal at
Guadalupe, and how the Engiishman caught
up with me on foot how / couldn't ride my
wornout nag fast enough to keep ahead ot
the Englishman, and had to take Shank :
mare to do it; how l got greaser to tell
him cock and bull story about the Ports
mouth being at Monterey, which led him of
the trail while dashed on to San Francisco
and got the Portsmouth's captain to sci
Uncle Sans gridiron floating in the Plaza
which is why some call it Portsmouth
Square and that is why | say Uncle Sam
owes me something for getting California
So long, Mister"
How much of truth or fable there may he
in the old blue coats yarn the writer is un
able to say. 81 non rero ben trocdto =
The reader is at liberty to credit or discredit
it as he NAV choose. But that there was a
prevalent discomfort among Unc'e Sam
soldiers and sailors on the Pacific coast. IN
lS47. is fact not at all modified hy that
other fact that with the exception of negroes
no miners were so lucky as those who had
been soldiers or sailors.