The Republican journal., 1897-09-09
Helped Take California.
Hill Says He is the Last Of the Expedition and
Tells His Story.

!
Tells His story.
"From all l have been able to learn"
said William Hill of Honesdale, Pa, to
New York Sun reporter, 81 am the sole
survivor of the United States naval force
that took possession of California and
held it in the interest of our government
in 1916. l had run away from my home
in Honesdale in 1913, and shipped on the
whaling vessel Marcia from New Bedford
for a three years cruise in the Indian
Ocean. We got full cargo of oil in two
years, and sailed homeward. We touche d
at Honolulu, and there l, in company
with Others of the crew, quit the ships,
because the captain insisted on making
the long voyage home without fresh meat
on board. The United States consul at
Honolulu took our part in the cont ention,
and the Marcia sailed without US. l
shipped at Honolulu ON the merchant
vessel Ajax, and sailed to India and back
to Honolulu.
cone day a number of us sailors were
ashore. We were looking seward over
the coral reef toward Diamond Head, and
sighted United States man of-war round
ing the Head We had heard that war
had broken out between our country and
Mexico, and we were all wild to have
some kind of hand in it. The man Of
war cast anchor outside the reef, and we
gave her three hearty cheers. She proved
to be the Cayenne, commanded by Capt.
Mervine. A boat came ashore from the
vessel in charge of an officer, who, was
looking for men to enter the United States
naval service for three years or during the
war. We were getting from S75 to 500 a
month in the merchant service, but wages
were no object when war was concerned.
We were eager to enlist, and when the
boat pulled off shore to return to the yes
sci [ and three others jumped in, and
were hurried off with them. We signed
the enlistment papers on board ship
Capt. Mervine lost no time in sailing. |
was by far the youngest person in the
crew, being not quite 20 years old.
''We sailed straight for Monterey, and
arrived in the harbor on July g. 1916. The
frigate Savannah, commanded by Commo-
dore Sloat, and the sloop- war Levant
were there. The commodore was waiting
for larger force. 1t did not come, and
the next day we went ashore and hoisted
the American flag over Monterey, putting
out Fremont and his troops. The proc
lamation of possession was read in Eng
lish and Spanish. That's the way we took
California for the United States, and we
did not take it any too soon. If we had
been As hours later the United States
would have had to fight England OF give
up all claims to California, for while the
excitement over the occupying of Monte
rey by our forces was at its height, on
July 9, a British line Of battle ship APP
peared in the otfing. She was a formid-
able-looking vessel, | tell you. She car
ried more guns than our three ships com
bined. Nevertheless, our decks We're
cleared for action in short order. Every
man was at his post and every gun ready
to be fired at tho word. The great British
ship sailed straight for the harbor but as
she entered it she tackled and her band
struck up Yankee Doodle Our flag
ships band responded with God Save the
Queen. The British vessel was under
the command of Commodore Seymour.
He entered boat and was rowed to the
Savannah, where he paid his respects to
Commodore Sloat.
II see the American flag is flying on
shore, said he If it were not, | should
Immediately have raised the British flag
and taken possession of California in the
name of her majesty the Queenn'
''The people of California wanted Eng
fish protection rather than ours, and if
our little fleet had not got there first and
lost no time, the history of those times
would read little differently to- day.
J ''Two or three days after this episode
!, Commodore Stockton joined our fleet
with the frigate Congress- | was trans
ferred from the Cayenne to the Congress,
and remained in service on her until the
war was over, helping protect the Califor-
mia coast. All through the war British
battleships lowered about that coast, as
well as the Mexican coast, for some rea-
son or other, but they never came as near
taking hand in the game as Seymour did
at Monterey At the close of the war the
Congress was at San Diego, and we gave
a grand jubilee ball aboard of her. We
decorated her with the flags of all nations,
and the old Ship looked fine. We invited
the officers and crew Of the British war
frigate Grampus, which lay close by, and
many friendly Californians, rancheros,
and their wives and daughters, to join in
the festivities, and they all did so with a
will. The ball lasted all night, and no
one was able to do thing all next day.
I've danced with women in all parts of
the world, but I never saw any who were
a match for these native California women
who danced aboard the United States
flagship Congress that gala night.
''Soon afterward the Congress was Or
the command of Capt Avealet, the indie
pendence being made the flagship. Com
modore Stockton, with Is men as guard,
returned to the East overland, and Capt.
Avealet had orders to sail to Norfolk, Va,
around Cape Horn. While going around
the Horn we were struck one night by
tremendous typhoon. The Congress was
thrown on her beam ends, and all hands
were called to help save ship The frg-
ate drifted to lee at the rate of Is knots
an hour.
cat the height of the terrible storm we
sighted ship to windward, her rigging
filled with men evidently crying for help,
but we could give them no aid. ! never
knew what ship it was, but she went
down with all on board. The Congress
weathered the storm, and we arrived at
Norfolk safe and sound, and were dis
charged. l am sure l am the last one of