The herald., 1894-07-29
ARMY DAYS IN CALIFORNIA
General McKinstry Gives Some
"reminiscences.
The Surrender and Trial OF Fill
busterer Walker.
To the Golden stnte by tho Iathm MS
Route-An EarIy Fourth Of
July at San
Diego.


Gently, gave the following account OF his
sojourn at Panama, and fret experience
in California at the outbreak OF the gold
excitement:
I'm 1848." said the general, "Gover-
nor Weller Of Ohio was selected by the
government at Washington to run the
boundary line between the United States
and Mexico in accordance with the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. As the
disbursing officer of the commission,
fitted out the expedition in New York.
| That duty carried me to California,
where spent six years OF my life.
Sailing from New York on March s,
| 1S49. to the mouth of the Chagrse river,
l crossed the isthmus and stayed in
Panama until May IL, waiting the ar
rival OF our steamer, coming around the
Horn with the instruments and outfit
for prosecuting the survey. At Panama
there were probably about 1000 Ameri-
cana awaiting passage up the coast.
Everything that could float was filed.
| Commissioner Garrison was there en-
gagged in the transportation, hiring ves-
sells. selling vessels and getting them off.
which went to sea literally alive with
humanity. The brig was wrecked on
the coast somewhere.
1.-The price of tickets was $3.50. The
vessels couldn't contain food enough to
feed them on the passage. The Ameri-
can consul, Mr.. Nelson, q Scotchman,
had country residence on the island OF
Tobago in the bay of Panama. 1t was
the anchorage of all ses-going vessesl
and as near as they could get to Pan
anna, five or six miles. He rendered me
hie country residence on that island
during my stay, which / accepted, and
remained there until my departure for
California, nearly two months later.
was glad to escape from the hot, sckly
town of Panama. AT length the long
looked.for steamer Panams, under the
command OF the late Admiral Po'.er of
the navy, arrived there.
'She had as passengers number OF
officers OF the engineer corps, with the
instruments Of our survey. We rapidly
embarked and on the night of May II,
lS49, put to sea for San Diego, Cal. Mrs.
Fremont was passenger on her way to
join her husband in California. Major
Emory OF the surveying party was along.
1t was an amusing sight to witness the
non-intercourse act during that voyage
between Mrs. Fremont and Emory, the
latter being bittsr enemy of her hus-
band, Colonel Fremont. The steamer
ran out of fuel and provisions and we
only reached San Diego by burning up
spars, settees and partitions. Every
body was ON short commons, the pro-
visions being nearly exhausted.
'We found the Mexican troops and
their surveyors on hand, and We COM
menced operations by celebrating the
Fourth of July on the plaza of San Die
go; Governor Weller, our commissioner,
delivered the Grafton, Major Emory
reading the Declaration OF Inde pendence.
What few inhabitants we found in San
Diego, especially females, their hus-
bands all having gone to the mines,
were in a high state of excitement.
Their stories 80 excited our troops that
they commenced deserting, and it wasn't
a month before our commission consist
ed only of officers. We could do nothing
in the way OF duty except to determine
the initial point on the coast few miles
below San Diego and erect monument,
which we brought round the Horn with
us for that purpose.
The constant discovery of mines and
the wonderful productions of gold pre-
vented US from coming east and deter
mining the boundary line. After COM
municating with the government OF
Washington, the commission dissolved
and the army officers were ordered for
duty at San Francisco. l will defer for
the present an account of my experience
in San Francisco, to mention in this
connection an event that attracted some
| - of sx.ta II
Importance.
The raid of the Walker filibusterers in
Lower California and Mexico occurred
while l was there. 1t co happened that
Walker surrendered the remnant of his
forces to me at San Diego. l sent him
and his command prisoners up to San
Francisco.
''He MAS tried before Judge Hoffman,
OF tie United States district court, and
was defended by DR.. Foote, q senator of
Mississippi. who WAS then praciicing law
in San Francisco. The United States
attorney for the prosecution WAS named
Inge. He was from Alabama, and
between him and Foote occurred some
curious scenes, in which they almost
came to blows. lnge wsH endeayoripg
to abstract from me, witness on tho
| stand. the details OF private and
confidential communication | had with
Walker previous to his crossing tho line
and surrendering. had refused to give
the testimony he required on the ground
that the conversation was private and
confidential and took place in foreign
| country.
"Iuge had asked the court to compel
me to answer. and Foote, in his speech
defending me from answering, flew into
violent rage and hurled a large law
book ut Inge. OF course there was great
excitement in court and confusion, but
1t subsided. Nothing more was said
/ and did not answer the question. The
court adjourned. As sequel to this
trial seconded man named Graham,
| OF Philadelphia, in duel with Walker
and was assisted by Chief Jurtice Wells
| OF the supreme court of California. In
| this duel Walker was shot, but not dan
gerously. at that time dueling was al
most OF daily occurrence in San Fran
cisco, and the inhabitants of that city
ueed to flock by thousands to witness
| them."
w. II. Nelson, who is in the drug
business at Kingville, Mo-, has 80 much
confidence in Cbamberlsin's Collie,
Cholera and Diarrhea Remedy, that he