The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28

dore Sloat, and on the 9th of the month
there will be celebration in this
City on Portsmouth square in honor of the
raising of the American flag over Yerba
Buena-as San Francisco fifty years ago
was known-and at the request of Major E.
a. Sherman and the Veterans of the Mex
lean war the members OF the Exempt Fire
Company will have charge OF the raising
of the flag on that day.
Ont he 9th of Septem Der, 1916, the United
States sloop OF war Portsmouth entered
the bay of San Francisco and in a short
time came 10 anchor in a cove formed by
jutting of land which became known as
Clarks Point and which is now the corner
of Broadway and San some street, and an
other iutting which IS now the corner of
Sansome and Bush streets. The point at
which she lay was between Merchant and
Sacramento, Montgomery and Sansome
streets, at a point best indicated at this
time by the CIay-street market The yes
sci, in command of Captain Montgomery,
lay broadside to the town of Yerba Buena,
having just came up from Monterey.
What occurred was told in the follow
ing language by c. E. B. Howe thirty-ive
years ago in giving his personal recolec-
tions of early San Francisco:
The sloop-of-war Portsmouth lay brosdside
to the town, and her open ports and waving
bunting told of some unusual action. Pres
emily two boats, laden with seventy marines.
pushed off from the side of the vessel. In the
bow of the foremost boat stood the comman-
der, and as the boats keel grated on the
beach he sprang on shore and climbed the
bank that was a few feet above the landing.
The sergeant, with the colors, followed, the
men were drawn up in line, and as they formed
partial curve the lieutenant, w. A. Bartlett,
cried out: ''FeIl back on the left; keep your
line straight as a street.; then after pause,
with a comic leer al the captain, straight as
Montgomery street." at which the marines
were disposed TO cheer. Captain Mont
gomery cried out, "Silence!" as firmly as he
could, The while his face profuse with bushes.
The captain took the lead, while the
lieutenant commanded; the band struck up
'Hail, Columbia" and the word forward"
was given. They marched straight forward
until they came in line with the adobe Gus
tom-house on the Plaza when the major again
gave the order "Right fank-marehl up
Washington street" Several laughed, for they
were in extremely good humor, and as they
got opposite the flagstaff on the Plaza, again
he gave the order: Company by the right
fiank-march to the flagstaff on Portsmouth
square" Then the company.did laugh; they
took tho town with smiles. The Sub-Prefect
protested in the name of the Mexican Govern
ment against the invasion, but, as he spoke in
Spanish, his remarks were taken for eongratu-
lations.
The American flag was made fast to the hal
yards, and Captain Montgomery raised it to
the peak. All the town was present, and two
thirds of the people cheered Justify as the
stars and stripes ioated out on the morning
breeze. Then followed thirteen volleys from
the guns of the marines, and an answering re-
sponse from the Portsmouth. Captain Mont
gomery read Sioat's proclamation declaring
the surrounding country under American
jurisdiction.
That night patrol guarded the town, and
all the neighborhood gathered at the puebia
of Yerba Buena to see the flag and gaze into
the open doors of the ConsuTs casa. The joy
business was contagious, for the Mexieans got
up an impromptn festival of their own, and all
night long they kept up dancing and drinking.
When the morning dawned the postriders
from Monterey had TO wake them up from
their blankets TO tell them the wonderful
news; that California was taken, and that the
Americans were conquering Mexico, and soon
would move the seat of the American Govern
ment to the ancien capital of the Aztecs.
The little sketch tells how Montgomery