Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-28
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
THE SHARP POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF
THE SUMMER OF SO.
Broderiek's Debate With a HifaIutin /"
Sierra Orator-A Comanche Battle
A Barber-ous Duel-Etc.

1t is interesting to an old Californian to
look over the columns of the newspapers of
the summer of 1859, and read the speeches
delivered upon the stump by Broderick,
Baker, McKibbin, Gwin, Thornton, Lath-
am, Curry, and the other leaders of the
three great parties then contending for the
mastery. There was already sort of half
brother relation existing between the Re-
publicans and Douglas (or anti Lecompton)
Democrats, while both were bitterly
assailed by the Lecompton or Administra-
ton Democracy. Indeed, the orators of
the latter party had their batteries trained
more directly upon the Douglas Democrats
than upon the Republican ranks, and to
the enmities engendered during that cam
paign-more than to any other cause,
perhaps-was due the landing of the anti
Lecompton Democracy of this State upon
the side OF the Union, and its final Absorb
ton by the Republican organization. Brod-
erlck was the bullseye of the political target
upon which the expert gunners of the
Buchanan Democracy aimed their heaviest
artillery. He was assailed everywhere-in
the press, on the stump, in private-wher-
ever Lecompton Democrat could get any
BODY to listen to him, there Broderick came
in for roasting The Senator's attack
in Congress upon "old Buck" was the chief
cause of the enmity against him. During
the debate in the Senate upon the Lecomp-
ton Constitution he had assailed Buchanan
as "a weak, trembling old man, tottering
on the verge of the grave-irresponsible for
the declarations which he made, )" etc. Sub
seQuent events proved that Broderick had
formed more correct estimate of the man
and his character than had Buchanans de-
tenders and admirers. Ia the mining
counties there were still a great many rough
men, and the political meetings of that
memorable campaign were often productive
OF exciting incidents. AT Downievile,
Sierra county, on the 18th of July. 1859
Broderick was announced to speak. There
was local Democratic light named Kirk
patrick, who was wont to bob up at all
gatherings of the people and make
speeches, and Broderick invited him to the
stump to discuss the questions of the day.
In doing so he said he understood they had
"a Fourth of July orator" among them,
who liked to make speeches. When Brod-
erick had spoken and left the stand the
local Demesthenes was called for, and
Knowing that most of the rough crowd
present were with him-he assailed Brod-
erick in most uncalled-for manner, and
was frequently interrupted by the latter's
adherents. Broderick reascended the stand
and replied to kirkpatrick. By some he
was cheered, and by others loudly Kissed
and insulted, and for q time turbulent
scene prevailed. But the Senator-who
knew not what fear Washed his ground
and Numbered back his heavy artillery at
the Lecomptonites, the President. Gwin,
and all the rest ofhis enemies. At
this time Gwin was also on the stump, and
in speech at Forest Hill had made
fierce attack upon Broderick. The latter re-
piled to him at La Porte, Sierra county, on
the night following his Downieyille expert
ence, and said of him His word is not
believed in the United States Senate. True,
it is, that Toombs, Davis, Brown, and other
chivalric gentlemen permit him to associ-
ate and vote with them, but they never be-
heye anything he says" There is little
wonder at this late day-after looking back
over the events of that bitter political cam
paign-that the fire. eating" element of
California singled out for slaughter so bold
and troublesome an enemy as David G.
Broderick. In speech at Shasta, Senator
Gwin was reported as saying of Senator
Frederick: What can you do with such
an individual? If we club him it will do
no good; il we kill him it will only make
him martyr"
...... Reports were being received of very
severe battle in Texas between Major Van
Dorn's troops and the Comanches. The fight
was desperate one, there being upward of
hundred Indians engaged. OF these fifty
were killed and forty taken prisoners.
Among the wounded were Lieutenants
Fitzhugh Lee and George B. Cosby and
Captain E. j. Smith, besides about twelve
Others. The reports were to the effect that
Lieutenant Lee was MORALLY wounded, but
AS he is now Governor of Virginia-the
reports were doubtless exaggerated in that
particular. Lieutenant Cosby's arm pre-
vented Comanche's arrow from piercing
his body, through which interposition of
Providence the then dashing young cavalry
officer was spared in order that he might
become respected resident of Sacramento
aud upright official of the State Major
Van Dorm, as we'll as his young officers in
that Indlsn campaign, afterward achieved
distinction in the civil war.
......A SCNDAY UNION reporter asked
General Cosby the other day if the above
statements as to the result of the Indian
battle were correct. Yes" replied the
General, for l well remember that affair.
There were about 100 Indians engaged in
the fight and only three of them got away
| was standing about three feet from Fitz-
through the air and entered his right side
penetrating it about six inches. We pulled
the arrow out immediately, but the opera
ton was painful one for Lee. The surgeon
regarded the wound as fatal. Myself and
a few Others carried him to large tree
near by aud laid him in the shade, but
later we constructed a stretcher and swung
it on poles between couple of mules. We
were in wild country on a scouting ex-
pedition, ard had to send Lee back to the
post for surgical treatment, journey of
several days. None of us thought he could
live through the trip, but he did, and came
out all right. The Comanches fought like
demons. The battle took place along the
banks of little creek, fringed with trees
and brush, and it was hard to dislodge
them. caught sight of one Indians head
and shoulders above very large log not
many yards from me and just in the act of
drawing bead on me. thought my time
had come, but as quickly as | could threw
my piece to my shoulder, blazed away, and
the Indian rolled back out of sight. l
forgot all about that one for the moment,
Is the red devils were sending their arrows
among rs from all directions, but after the
fight was over | thought / would go and
take q look at the fellow. Imagine my
surprise on discovering that it was asquaw,
with bullet-hole right in the forehead.
But then the Comanche squaws were
quite as good fighters as the men, and
there were several of them engaged in that
fight. Our men spared them whenever they
could, without risking their own lives, but
as they fought from ambush most of the
time one could not tell whether he had
bucks or squaws to deal with. Yes.
] got winged myself, an arrow being shot
through my arm, but the wound soon
healed. We had several sharp brushes
with those Comanches, and they were brave
and desperate fighters. can tell you. The
Oomanches in those days were the finest
horsemen in the world. When band of
them made a charge all you could see
would be their ponies-the Indians would
be out of sight, sometimes almost under
the horses bodies. sometimes stretched
along the sides of the animals necks, but
all the time keeping shower OF arrows
flying in the air. None of Us were sorry
when the campaign was over, assure you.
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. papers were
poking fun al President Buchanan because
of "bull " he made in speech in North
Carolina. He said: my lamp of life
cannot continue long. / hope | may sur
vive to the end of nay Presidential term /,
but so emphatically do believe that man
kind, as Well as the people Of The United state,