Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-17


actefistic to be omitted: Il suggested 10 the
Colonel, that the case being test one be
had better send me up to SOnoma, and
would settle it quick enough"
Sherman started upon his campaign with
one soldier and four horses. After hard
DAVIS march, he and bis forces encamped at
"Gilroy'ss the first night. The second day,
after a rapid marcel, he encamped four miles
beyond Santa Clara Mission, by "a hole in
the ground" The third day, so rapid was
the march, his soldier and three Of his
horses broke down, and Sherman aban-
doned them and pushed on to Yerba Blu
ena, and when he reached that point, at
night, his "horse could hardly drag one
foot after the other The next morning
be took boat and reported to Commodore
Biddle on the line Of battle ship, Colum-
bus, and obtained from the Commodore
his long boat, an officer, a midshipman and
eight sailors, with provisions for several
days. They sailed away upon the upper
Bay to SOuOma creek, the mouth Of which
they reached at dark, and moving up the
creek twelve miles that night, he left a
guard with the boat, and moved the re-
mainder of his force that night on foot to
SOnoIna. He found Capt. Bracket and
told him he sintended to take Nash g
prisoner and convey him back to Monte
rey." To conceal the object Of his expedi-
ton, he reported that he was after ''chick-
ems and pigs" Nash happened 20 be alb
sent from home the next day, but returned
that evening. He was boarding with q
lawyer by tine name Of Green. Sherman
had cart prepared to convey the prisoner.
Placing an armed sailor upon each side OF
the house, with the remainder Of his forces
he entered the house. He found Nash,
Green and two ladies at supper. His Ian
guage here is too dramatic to be lost: eve
were armed with pistols, and the family
was evidently alarmed. l walked up to
him and took his arm, and told him 10
come along with me. BE asked me,
sHhere? / said, sMonteuey.' sWhy?' i
would explain that more at leisure.
Green put himself between me and the
door, and demanded, in theatrical style,
why dared arrest a pesceable citizen in
his house. l simply pointed to my pistol
and told him to get out Of the way, which
be did. Nash asked to get some clothing
but l told him he should want
for nothing. We passed out, Green
following US with loud words, which
brought the four sailors to the front
door, when l told him to hush up or
would take him prisol er also. About tia.
time one Of the sailors, handling his pistol
carelessly, discharged il, aud Green cisap-
peared very suddenly. We took Nash to
the cart, put him in, and proceeded back 10
our boat. The next morning We were
gone. Nash being out Of the way, Boggs
entered on his Office, and the right to ap-
point or remove from civil Office was never
again questioned in California during the
military regime. Nash was an old man,
and was very much alarmed for his per
sOnal safety. He had OsSed the plans,
and had never yet seen the sea-"
Nash agreed to surrender his Office. but
Sherman was not willing to let the old
man have his liberty, as his presence was
necessary 10 swell the plgeantTy Of his tri-
umph upon his return to Monterey. But
We will let him tell his cruel story in his
own words:
"Nash prOfeSsed a willingness to suTren-
der his Office: but having gone 50 far,
thought it best to take him 70 Monterey.
On cur way down the bay the wind
was so strong as we approached
the Columbus that We had to
take refuge behind Goat Island, where
we landed, and 1 killed a gray seal. The
next morning we worked our way to the
Columbus, where 1 left my prisoner on
board, and went on shore to fiud the Com
mOdO-e, who had gone to Frank Wards to
dine. l found him there, and committed
Nash to his charge, with the request that
he would send him down 10 Monterey,
which De did in the sloop- of-war Dale,
Capt. Selfridge commanding. 1 then re-
turned TO Monterey by land, and when the
Dale arrived, Col. Mason and went on
board, found poor old Mr.. Nash half dead
with sea-sicsHeSs and fear"
In this statement We have the admission
of the General that his intent was TO de-
prive the old man of his liberty and to re-
move him to a distant place as a prisoner,
when there was no reason for il; that he ar
rested him in the presence Of ladies, and
needlessly alarmed them; that Nash sub
mitted quietly to the arrest and simply re-
qUested TO know the cause; that to this rea-
sOnable request an answer was refused; and
that the prisoner was not even allowed an
opportunity 10 obtain a change of clothing.
When Green, in his own house, demanded
the cause OF the arrest, Sherman deigned
no reply except to point 70 his pis-
tol, and when Green protested he
threatened to removed himsas a prisoner
also. See how he lOr1ed It even then!
For an American citizen 10 question his
bullying conduct IN his own house was al
ofiense so grave as 20 forfeit his liberty and
subject him to arrest and Imprisonment.
The old man Nash humbly submitted to
his power and offered 10 lay down his Office,
but Sherman, from sheer cruelty, subjected
him to the utmost modification, and men
tai and physical suffering, and that, too,
without law, reason or orders.
This was the first military expedition Of
the Great Captain, and he parades it as a
conspicuous feather in his cap. To the
historian, for whom the memoirs were
written, this campaign will be OF the ut
most value. Il will 90 far in explanation
of the cruelty subsequently practiced upon
so vast a scale, and apOlOgized for upon the
ground of military necessity" il viii be
valuable as the first precedent where the
free choice Of American citizens with
american ideas" was defeated by armed
force; it will show, too, that to Boggs be-
LONGS the honor Of Ia ill., been the first
carpet-bagger, and, no doubt, in after times
this history will raise a doubt whether
''bagger" is a corruption Of BOggs, or
whether the name was 5u- 5ested by the no.
madic habits Of the animal.
The historian viii find no apology for
Sherman in the assumption that the mill
taTy had the power to appoint 20 Office
without regard to the voice of the people;
for, in fact, Nash was in Office by virtue of
military appointment, as we'll as by the
suffrages Of his fellOw-citizens. But were
all this otherwise, still the fact remains
that Sherman volunteered his services TO
depose a man from Office against whom
there was no official charge, and who was
the popular choice Of his people, for the
benefit Of a stranger who was distastful to
them, and that he performed his voluntary
office in a cruel, heaTtless manner, al
though the object Of his cruelty was help
less old man. His first campaign will
help to explain his last. And thus has
Sherman published his own shame!
"Whom the Gods intend to destroy they
first make mad"