Bisbee daily review., 1910-08-24
REAL FACTS ABOUT
 TIE FIRST CAPITAL
ORIGINAL STORY FOUND TO BE WRONG IN SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS

PRESCOTT, Aug. 23-Personal recollections about the first capital of Arizona are given in an interesting letter which A. F. Banta of St. Johns. Arizona. has whitten recently to the Phoenix Republican. Concerning a published statement to the effect that the party of emigrants who establish August 1863, and went into camp at Navajo Springs, this Arizona pioneer continues:
 Here are the facts by one who was there at the time and speaks from personal knowledge and not from learning. The aforesaid party Of emigrant statesmen" reached Navajo Springs in the early days of Nevem- Der, 1863. I think the governors proclamation has the date of No vember or 10 of that year. Fort Whipple was not established in Aug ust, as was averred on the 22nd day of December 1863.
 The expedition to establish the fort was in command of General James H. Carleton. commanding in New Mexico, and made it's final start west ward from Fort Wingate told Fort Wingate) on the 7th day of Noyem- Der. 1863. The personnel of this military expedition to establish Fort Whipple comprised two companies of infantry of the First California vol unteers, Companies F. and C., Captains Benson and Hargrave. lentenants Nelson. Pomeroy and Taylor, with Major Willis in command. Captain Pishan with a detachment of the First California volunteer cavalry came with our expedition but imme- diately returned to New Mexico.
 Fort Whipple was first established fin Chino valley, afterwards moved to its present site, and the Chino site renamed Camp Clark" Clark was surveyor general of New Mexico.
 Governor Goodwin selected the present townsite of Prescott. not for a temporary capital' as your cor respondent says but for the perma1- ent capital-unless moved by act of the legislature. If you care to look up the records think you will find the capital was moved to Tucson dur ing Governor R. c. Mccormick s term A F. K. Stafford was governor in 1869 and for several years there after. the capital removal in 1867 was the consummation of a political trade between Mccormick and the southern delegation, they agreeing to nominate and elect Mccormick delegate to con gress provided he (the governor) would not veto the act
 Tn 1876 the board of supervisors of Yavapai county ordered a new registration of Yavapai county and they appointed John H. Behan to do the work" The work was so well done by Behan that Yavapai had eight members in the house and four members in the council With this membership, one-third of the entire membership of the legislature. they went down to Tucson for the express purpose of bringing the capitol back to Prescott dislike to tell tales out of school but history should state facts. therefore I say Josh c. Camp bell, afterwards delegate to congress carried the sinews of war. i e. the sack" The capitol came back to Prescott, but the supervisors and others did not carry out their pre- viously made agreement with Johnny Behan and he left Yavapai in a huff going to Mohave county, which he represented in the legislature.
 The writer had about sworn of paying attention to people who write statements for the press of Arizona
 history. and who have no persona knowledge Of the events of which they write have not seen Bancroft'i history of Arizona. bat will say. and the military records of Arizona vii bear me out, if Bancroft's or any other historian made the statement
 quoted by your correspondent thel
 are false and misleading. My state
 ments in the foregoing article ar'
 facts and capable of proof.