The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-26

compelled him to be a witness of the tor
ture to the end.
He remained with the Indians for about
eight months, and, wearying of uncivil'
lied life, made his escape, after walking
and running alternately for forty-eight
hours. A party of hunters met him on
the third day and they returned with him
to Laramie.
The June following he started with g
party overland for California, and on the
25th of September, 1845, reached Suffers
Fort. While there ne acted as secretary
for Captain Suffer. That winter he came
on to Yerba Buena (San Francisco), and
in the spring went to Monterey. There
he was appointed secretary to United
States Consul Thomas o. Larkin, with
whom he remained until after the Ameri-
can flag was raised and the territory taken
possession of by Commodore Sloat. In
October he joined Fremont's battalion a:
assistant commissary, and at the termina-
ton of the campaign was appointed Mar
shall of the Territory.
In June, 184S. the captain established
the first store IN Napa City and was Away:
city.
He entered the military service of the
United States in 1861 as regimental quar-
termaster of the Second California In
fantry, and in November. 1862 was pro
NOTED by President Lincoln to be captain
and assistant quartermaster of United
States Volunteers. In 1866, some time
after the close of the war, he was honor
ably mustered out of the service.
''While in the army" said Captain
Swasey in speaking of the events of that
time, ''my real estate appreciated very
materially in value, and when L returned
to civil life found myself comparatively
wealthy man. But my ingenuity in de-
vising unfortuitous sch mes and specula.
tons in stocks and otherwise amounted
almost to genius, and proved amply sufh-
cient to dissipate my worldly possessions
in very few years, since which time
have been constantly relying upon my
own resources, and sitting in committee
of The whole, so to speak, on ways and
means, always reporting slow progress
and asking further time"
Although old in years Captain Swasey
was the most youthful in appearance OIL
any of the pioneer band. Besides being
the last surviving member of Fremont's
staff, he was, with the exception of w. P.
Toler, probably the only member of that
gallant band who assisted at the raising OF
the stars and stripes at Monterey in 1916.
The captain wrote a most entertaing vol
ume of his recoIleetions of the days of the
conquest.
Captain Swasey was man of consider
able reputation as an orator and writer.
He wrote more about old pioneers than
any man in the State, and was considered
the historian of the Pioneer Society. He
was an encyclopedia of information on
subjects connected with early California
history, and many books and newspa pers
contain special articles of marked ability
written by him.
A striking example of his style may be
seen in his famous tribute to the Ameri-
can flag, delivered at Plymouth Square on
July 8 last, on the occasion of the raising
of the American flag. As he had helped
to raise the flag in the old days, the sight
of the crowd seemed to inspire him to
new endeavors, and as the American flag
waved before him above the veranda he
ton, said:
"Old comrades and tellow-citizens: 1
am the only living man who was con-
nected with the State Government when
Sloat and Montgomery raised the flag.
/ was Larkin's secretary at the time.
We were all waiting intensely, and when
the emblem of liberty was raised an invo-
cation went forth from every heart.
Never until then had We truly felt the
power of that piece OF bunting that repre-
sents what all Americans love. (Cheers.
Never until then did we feel to its fullest
extent the flags permeating and protect
ing power"
Then he turned to the great flag waving
outside the veranda and said:
lyon waving bunting, behold it in glory
therel Beautiful flag of nv country, en-
blem of protection and safety to the whole
worlds down-trodden humanity Thou
art the beacon light of hope, of succor and
of safety to all of Gods liberty-loving
creaturesl The eyes of the oppressed and
down trodd n in all the earth's re-
hottest regions brighten and sparkle
with Joy when they gaze upon
thy rainbow hued loneliness. Born
amid the strife and storms of al
the elements that war against lib
erty, consecrated in the blood of pa
triots, the most honored and revered
known TO the worlds history, what hand
shall dare, what heart shall conceive the
damning infamy of lessening the brill.
fancy of single stripe or the clouding o.
the luster of single star? To US that
flag symbolizes so much of hope, of hap.
piness and of safety that our heart:
cleave to it with a love surprising that OF
man for woman, of mother for child.
May it wave forever in majesty and in
glory undimmed"
Many similar ex mples of the old pic.
neer's style abound throughout various
issues of San Francisco newspapers fol
many years past.