The San Francisco call., 1909-02-07

thsniei Buckmaster, inspector and
mastering officer.
''F. AINSWORTH, Adjutant General"
The above record shows that Lincoln
and his company were in active serv-
ice Just s6 days. But only ~ days.
had elapsed when, the war breaking
out afresh volunteers were again
called for and Lincoln volunteered
again; he did not stand upon any
claims OF past rank as a captain, but
enlisted as a private Gas did also his
friend Major John T. Stuart), which
showed the true character of the man
and his noble, unselfsh disposition
more than anything else at that early
period in his life He enlisted as the
fourth private in Captain Jacob NJ.
Early's company of mounted volun
teere, and was mustered into the United
States service June 20, 1892. by order
of Brigadier General Atkinson of the
United States army, at the rapids of the
Illinois, by Robert Anderson. assistant
inspector general. He furnished his
own horse and equipments. He valued
his horse at $50 and equipments at SIS.
The company was mustered out Of
service July 10. 1882 on White Water
or Rock river. by order of General At
kinson, L. s. A. by Robert Anderson,
assistant inspector general Black
Hawk being taken prisoner, ending the
war That mastering officer was no
other than General Robert Anderson,
efterward of Fort Sumter fame
But what is of special interest to us
Californians in this matter is the fact
that the man next to Abraham Lincoln.
as private No. 5, was James Frazier
Reed. Evidently Lincoln was COM
pany clerk who made out the muster
rolls. and he gave to Reed copies of the
same which he had made out and they
We're duly signed by Captain Early and
Assistant Inspector General Robert An
derson Reed helped to organize the
Donner party in April, 1S46. at Spring
field. H., when ii started across the
plains and met with misfortune on the
eastern slope of the Sierra Navada.
and when he started for relief across
the mountains he left those muster rolls
and other papers with his wife and she
brought them safely In her bosom to
California when helped by the first re-
lief party which went to their assist
ance. These papers have been preserved
all these X years by her and her daugh-
ter. Mrs. Patty Reed Lewis of Capitola,
and now temporarily in mye care; as
also the receipt for United States prop
erty furnished Lincoln having signed
for one tent and James i. Reed for two
pistols, which We're to be returned when
they were mustered out or their value
deducted from their pay.
Reed, before he could continue his
journey to San Francisco for relief. was
forced to join Captain Weber's company
Of Americans at San Jose as first lieu
tenant and fight the Spanish Califor-
mans, under Sanchez. at Santa Clara.
and, the latter being defeated. captured
and paroled, Reed continued his jour
ney to San Francisco, where he OBJ
tained assistance and SUPPLIES and res
cued the last of his family. with others,
from Starvation Camp" at Donner
lake. Afterward Colonel Mason, U. s.
A., military and civil governor of Cal
ifornia, upon the recommendation of
General Vallejo and George c. Yount
appointed James +. Reed sheriff of So
noma district. which embraced all the
territory north of San Francisco San
Pablo and Suisun bays and west of the
Sacramento river and up to the Oregon
line. which office he held until the state
government of California was organized
at San Jose. on December 20. 1S49. to
which place he removed and resided
until his death in July, 1874