Year: 1859

THE ATTACK ON THE BNoAMPMENr AT THE
STATE FAIR.-As this subject has excited a
good deal of comment all over the State.
we give the following statement as found in
a communication to the Sacramento Bee:


EDITORS BEE:--As numerous reports are in
circulation IN regard to the attack on the Mil
itary Encampment in Washington, and as
they are false as numerous, we deem it our
duty TO give true version of the affair.
! The Turner Rifles, Captain Windan, not
wishing to let the first encampment of the
State militia pass off without some little In.
cident or episode, conceived the idea of at
taeking the camp Having waited upon Col
Hooker and obtained his permission to pro-
ceed as accommodating party to the camp, to
ascertain their position, and, if possible, to
draw them out. Accordingly, about o'clock
on the morning of the 23d, we left the Turn.
Verein Hall and proceeded down j street,
crossed the bridge to Washington, then pro-
ceeded up the bank of the river, about three
quarters of mile, to a road leading to the
west of the camp, where the force was divi-
ded preparatory to an attack Our whole
force consisted of twenty-one men. and was
divided into two squlds-one of fourteen and
the other of seven men. The latter squad
was detailed to draw the guard out, and sue
ceeded in getting within forty feet of the sem
try, before they were discovered. On being
discovered, the sentry gave the alarm, which
brought out the guard, consisting of from
ten to fifteen men, who were fired upon with
blank cartridges by the ITurner Rifles, who
then retreated to the main body, meanwhile
keeping up continual firing We were then
surrounded by the Sutter and Marion Rifles.
who attacked us with their bayonets as fierce.
ly as if we were bona fide enemv-shout-
ing and bowling like pack of exasperated
Diggers, and launching sundry opprobrious
epithets (Which would not look well in print
upon our devoted heads. In their brilliant,
dazzling and overwhelming charge, they per-
formed prodigies of valor; and, Judging
from the extraordinary gymnastic teats per-
formed by some of them, they doubtless i'm
agined themselv IS far superior, in the use of
the bayonet, to the world renowned Zouaves.
They, after considerable exertion, succeeded
in bayoneting two of our men-one in the
hip and the other in the hand


We were certainly surprised at the Sutter
Rifles using their bayonets, for they cannot
plead ignorance in regard to our identity, as
our uniform is well known to them. Our
Captain, perceiving that our visit was looked
upon and treated as an intrusion, and not de-
string that visit of a friendly nature should
terminate in bloodshed. ordered his men to
surrender. We Immediately marched into
camp, and soon after were restored to liberty.
The officers present appeared to regret ex-
ceedingly that our visit had been misunder.
stood, and did everything in their power to
render us comfortable and remove from our
minds the events of the morning.


The report of the affair in the Standard is
false. There was no ambush, as the attack
was make from the road We had no idea
of capturing the artillery! We would ask
the writer of that article if company of 81
men would attack camp of 275 men and at
tempt to be successful ?