The record-union., 1891-10-24
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
General Summers Talk TO the San
Francisco Militia,

President Lncoln's Solicitude for the
Private Soldiers-CompIetion of
the Overland Telegraph.
There are doubtless many men now liv-
ing who were members of the McMahon
Grenadier or the Montgomery Guard, the
two crack military companies of San
francisco thirty years ago. The suryiv-
ors OF these old-time companies must ex-
perience a thrill of emotion whenever
they hear mentioned the name of Cen
eral L. V. Sumner, the man whose timely
arrival in 1861 prevented General John
ston from turning over to the sympathiz-
ers with the Southern cause the forts and
arms of the Government on this coast
General Sumner in October of that year
received orders TO report at Washington
for service at the front, and just prior to
his departure he was rendered reception
by the citizens of San Francisco, which
included a review of the two military
companies mentioned above. After the
review General Sumner addressed the
men as follows:
My gallant friends: 1t gives me pleas
ure to receive this compliment from you
tonight. have been so long associated
with 1rishmen in the army that L feel as
If | almost belonged to you. I want no
better soldiers than our Irish-bo citi-
zens, and [ ought to say, aloud. that in
all my long service, and in some very
tight places, too laughter and cheers],
have never yet seen an Irishman who re-
fused to follow wherever he was led, nor
who refused to lead wherever one
man would follow him, no matter if it
were straight into the jaws of DEATH
LCheers for Irishmen and the Sixty
ninth. And further than this, l have
sometimes seen them in cavalry charges
when it took devilish sharp riding to
keep ahead of them. Loud laughter
and applause.
II am going into the field, my friends,
and really wish I could take you with
me, for have no doubt / shall see the
time when l would like to say to the bat
talon, Pitch in with a will Give ii to
'em, boysp [Great applause.
Farewell! If l should pull through
the campaign-if the war should be
ended, / hope to come here again.
like, love California. | feel grateful for
the kindness [ have met with here on
this beautiful coast. Boys, L go to fight
lOi llS nag NuICu you lTlSulIlGu nave SO
nobly upheld. God bless you! Fare
wellr'
.........An incident occurred at one of the
army OutpoSts, near Washington, that
bears out President Lincoln's reputation
for tenderness of heart and interest in the
welfare of even the humbiest soldiers in
the army. One night a private in a Yer
mont regiment, named Scott, was found
sleeping on his post and was ordered to
be shot at sunrise one morning.
The facts of the case were laid before
the President, and on the evening before
the morning fixed for the poor fellows
execution Lincoln concluded to pardon
him, and accordingly telegraphed to the
commanding officer OF the post to that
effect.
The night wore on, and not receiving
any response from the officer the Presi-
| dent left the White House and proceeded
in the darkness of the stormy night to the
camp to assure himself that the Vermont
lad who had volunteered to fight for the
Union should not be shot because he fell
asleep at his post after long and weari-
some vigil.
.........Jem Mace then claimed to be the
champion pugilist of England, Savers
having retired from the ring. There was,
however, considerable jealousy existing
DGtHSSI In6 Hl6n VINO were GXllDltlnQ
with rival circus shows. One night they
met in hotel in Liverpool, and Mace
taunted Sayers with being afraid to meet
him in the ring.
A quarrel ensued, and from words the
men came to blows. Each shed his coat,
and at it they went After half-hour's
fast and furious lighting Sayers knocked
Mace out,
.......Captains Poole and Farrell, of the
river teamboats Antelope and Sacra-
mento, were arrested on their arrival in
San Francisco on October 10th for crinli-
nal carelessness, their vessels having COL
hded on the down trip from this city.
There was great competition and rivalry
between the river Steamboats, in those
days, and many an accident'was the re-
suit.
1.-THE Philharmonic Society was
one of the local institutions in those days.
1t was organized as early as 1856, and
among its members were many fine vo-
calists. The officers in 1861 were: Musi-
cal Director, n. a. II. Ball; Business
Directors, John McNeill, S. B. Leavitt
and i. Steudeman; Pianist, Charles Win
ter; Librarian, Louis Bien.
.........Sacramento was quite a military
city in the fall Of 1861. There were sew
eral companies of recruits stationed at
Camp Union, and other companies were
constantly coming in from other places
and going to and from the camps in
Placer and FL Dorado Counties. Blue
coats were thick on the streets in those
days.
.........In the Nevada Legislature, thirty
years ago this month, bill was passed
granting to G. p. Huntington, Leland
Stanford, Charles Crocker, Mark Hop
kins, l.. A. Booth, Theodore d. Judah
and James Bailey the right to construct
and maintain railroad across that terri
tory, the privilege to be exclusive for a
term Of fifty years.
General Fremont died poor
practically pauper. And it is no Won
der, for in 1861, while at the head of an
army of 10000 men in Missouri. and
drawing a Major Generals salary of only
$4,000 per year, he was paying an agent
$4,000 year to look after his private
business affairs.
......~. The overland telegraph line con-
Meeting Sacramento with the East was
completed on the evening of October %,
1861, and the first news flashed across the
country was that of the death of General
T.. ID. Baker, who fell leading his men at
Balls Bluff, Virginia.
THAT SPECIAL TAX
Burr'S Suit to Test Its Validity to Be
Heard Next Week.