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under the command of Captain Donner, who were snow-bound near the lake on the Truckee pass, which now bears his name, is one of the most horrible tales of human endurance on record. The party consisted of eighty persons, thirty of whom were females, and several children. Arriving at the foot of the Truckee pass at the end of October, 1846, they were overtaken by a severe snow storm, which rendered it impossible for the cattle to travel. A portion of the party decided not to attempt to cross the mountains until spring. They built themselves cabins, killed the cattle for food, and thought they could hold out till the snow would melt. The balance of the party, under the direction of Mr. Donner, undertook to make the passage, but they had advanced only a few miles when they encountered a series of snow storms, such as are only witnessed in that elevated district. Their cattle and wagons were buried and lost, and the whole party left with but little food, and scarcely any shelter to pass a winter in that wild region. After struggling along for six weeks in the hope of crossing the summit, it was found impossible for all to proceed. A party of eight men, five women, and two Indians, equipped with extemporized snow shoes, and supplied with all the provisions that could be spared, were dispatched to reach some settlement in California where assistance could be obtained. In less than a week after leaving the camp, the provisions of this party were exhausted, while the terrible condition of the country prevented their travelling more than a mile or two each day. On the seventh day, three of the party died from cold and hunger, and a storm of snow buried the survivors so deeply that it took them thirtysix hours, in their wretched condition, to extricate themselves, three more of them perishing in the effort. The nine survivors having been four days without food, the horrible suggestion presented itself of eating the dead bodies of their late companions. After eating the greater portion of one body, the flesh of another was cut off and packed as a supply for the future, and they started on their way once more. In a few days this supply of flesh was consumed, and they were again confronted by starvation, when they fortunately killed a deer, which sustained them for a few days. When this was gone, they became so exhausted from wandering through the loose, drifting snow that, almost daily, death put an end to the sufferings of one, whose body furnished food for the others. In less than a month from leaving camp, only five remained alive; of these, four were unable to proceed. One, with almost superhuman resolution, managed to drag himself across the summit, and reached a hunter's camp on the Bear River, where he was kindly treated, and his four companions promptly secured from their

perilous position. Information of the condition of the party in the mountains was sent to General Sutter, at his fort on the Sacramento, who, at once dispatched a party of men accustomed to mountain life, with a number of mules laden with food and clothing, for their relief. As it was over one hundred miles from the fort to the Truckee, and the travel over the mountains difficult and slow, it was the 19th of February ere the party reached the nearest company of the sufferers. When found, ten of them were beyond all human aid. Not being able to bring along the whole of them, the relief party left a good supply of provisions with the men, and brought away all of the women, and most of the children. A second relief party reached the lake on the 1st of March, and started with the seventeen survivors left by the first party, but a heavy fall of snow rendered it impossible for the mules to carry them. All the adults were, therefore, left in a sheltered place, and only the children were taken to the fort. A few days later another party was sent after those who had been left on the road; when found, three were dead-the survivors had kept themselves alive by eating the bodies. The Donner party was not discovered until April, by a company sent to their relief by citizens of San Francisco. Mrs. Donner, who is represented to have been a lady of refinement and great personal beauty, had been dead but a few hours when the party reached their camp. Donner was one of the first who died. Twenty-two of the females, and most of the children were saved; twenty-six men, eight women, and three children perished. The people of San Francisco made liberal provision for the son and daughter of Donner, who were rescued. A contribution was raised and the one hundred vara lot No. Thirty-nine, at the southeast corner of Folsom and Second streets was purchased in their name. This lot, at the present time is probably worth $50,000. These children are said to be still living in San Francisco.

One of the female survivors of this fearful tragedy was the first white woman who settled at Marysville-that city being named, as a compliment to her. She subsequently married Mr. Charles Covillaud, one of the founders of Marysville, and resided there until September, 1867, when she died at the early age of thirty-six, leaving a number of children, and greatly beloved by all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. Hiram O. Miller, another of the survivors, settled in Santa Clara County, where he died in October, 1867.

A few months later, another party of emigrants perished in the moun tains, further south, in what, in consequence of their fate, has since been known as Death's valley.

In 1845, the Mormons, having been expelled from their settlements in Illinois, and being informed of the adaptability of California for settlement, and perhaps under the idea that inaccessibility would save them from having many neighbors, made arrangements for a general emigration to the Pacific Coast. In the spring of 1845, a party of nearly two thousand of these people left the Missouri river, for California. Another party, consisting of one hundred and thirty-six men, sixty women, and forty children, under the direction of Mr. Samuel Brannan, left New York on the 4th of February, 1846, on board the Brooklyn, for San Francisco, where they arrived July 31st, 1846, just three weeks after Commodore Montgomery had taken possession of the place, in the name of the United States. A company of them went to San Bernardino, to form a settlement there; but Mormonism never took root in California, and, after lingering for a year or two, the settlement was abandoned. Mr. Brannan, on discovering the country in the possession of the United States, sent messengers to the Mormons coming to California overland, to inform them of the condition of affairs here. These messengers met Brigham Young near Great Salt Lake, in Utah, where it was decided to remain, and abandon California. By this fortunate circumstance, the State was spared the evil of polygamy, which has grown so rankly on the soil of Utah. Many of the party who came to San Francisco, concluded to abandon Mormonism, and remain there. Mr. Brannan, after having the honor of being the first person tried in the territory by a jury—on a frivolous charge, of which he was acquitted--became one of the most enterprising and useful citizens in the State..

Another valuable accession to the early settlers was made by the arrival of Colonel Stevenson's regiment of California Volunteers, consisting of nearly one thousand rank and file. In anticipation of movements which were subsequently developed, in 1846, President Polk authorized Colonel J. D. Stevenson to raise a company of Infantry Volunteers, in New York, for the purpose of protecting the interests of the United States on the Pacific Coast. The men comprising this regiment were selected particularly with the object of their becoming settlers in the country; many of them have become permanent and honored citizens of the State. In its ranks, as privates, were sons of senators and representatives in Congress, lawyers, doctors, editors, printers, and representatives of nearly every trade, who were all permitted to bring tools and materials for carrying on their respective occupations-being in striking contrast to the soldiers sent here by the Mexican Government, who were generally the worst convicts from the

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jails, and such refractory, turbulent characters, as it was most desirable to get rid of.

The California regiment left New York on the 26th of October, 1846, on board the Thomas H. Perkins, Loo Choo, and Susan Drew. The first division, under command of Colonel Stevenson, on board the Thomas H. Perkins, arrived at San Francisco March 6th, 1847. The regiment was mustered out of service in the summer of 1848. Nearly three hundred of its members were alive, in California, in July, 1867. Among its commissioned officers were Captain Folsom, Lieutenant Harrison, and Captain Taylor, whose names are connected with streets formed on land they acquired. Captains H. W. Naglee and J. B. Frisbie, hold prominent positions in the history of the State. W. E. Shannon, the delegate from Sacramento to the State constitutional convention, who was the leader of the "free soil" party in that convention, was captain of Company I, of this regiment. The volunteer service of the United States has been honored by the exemplary conduct of the members of Colonel Stevenson's regiment.

The following incident affords an illustration of the kind of mettle these early California volunteers were made of. In the fall of 1846, Major Gillespie's forces, stationed at Los Angeles, were surrounded by a large body of Californians, under command of Andres Pico, and there was no hope of relief, unless assistance could be obtained from Commodore Stockton, who was then on board the Savannah, at San Francisco. John Brown, or Juan Flacco, (lean John) one of the little band of beseiged Americans, undertook to carry a despatch to the Commodore. The Mexicans suspected his errand, and in their efforts to capture him shot his horse, but this did not stop him; he ran twentyseven miles, to the nearest rancho, where he obtained another horse, and arrived at Santa Barbara the second night after leaving Los Angeles, having been pursued a great portion of the distance by bands of Mexican lancers. By obtaining fresh horses from American settlers, at whose ranchos he called on the way, Brown rode three hundred and fifteen miles, within three days, to Monterey, and reached San Francisco, from Monterey, one hundred and thirty miles, between sunrise and eight o'clock P. M., of the same day. This noted rider died, in Stockton, in 1863.

Mr. Larkin estimated there were two thousand citizens of the United States in California before the close of 1846; about three thousand foreigners who were friendly towards Americans; and about three thousand who were neutral, or opposed to them. The number of British

and French had become so important that in May, 1845, Jas. A. Forbes

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was appointed Consul for England, and Don Luis Gasquet, for France.

In March, 1846, Col. John C. Fremont, on a special mission from the general government, arrived at Monterey, in charge of a party of sixty-two frontiersmen and guides. The results of the attempt on the part of the Mexican authorities to drive this party out of the territory are more directly connected with the early history of the State than with that of the early settlers in the territory. We must, therefore, refer the reader to "Tuthill's History of California," for particulars.

On the 2d of December, 1846, General Kearny, and a force of United States troops, arrived at San Diego, from St. Louis, overland.

Captain Cook, with a battalion of United States cavalry, volunteers, arrived at San Diego in May, 1847, via New Mexico and Sonora. This battalion was soon after disbanded, and the men settled in various localities. Frederick G. E. Tittell, Esq., late Supervisor of the City of San Francisco, and Colonel of the German Regiment, arrived as fifer of this detachment.

January 23d, 1847, a portion of the Third Regiment U. S. Artillery, one hundred and forty-four rank and file, arrived at Monterey, on board the United States storeship Lexington. Lieutenant-General W. T. Sherman, the hero of the march through Georgia, came with these troops, as a lieutenant, and Major-General H. W. Halleck as captain of engineers, attached, who was soon afterwards appointed secretary of the territory by General Mason, then military governor. Speaking the Spanish and French languages fluently, General Halleck's knowledge and experience were of great importance in every department of the new government. Traveling all over the country, he soon acquired a knowledge of its resources and capabilities, unsurpassed by any one in it. His services in defense of the Union, during the late rebellion, are recorded in the history of the Republic. Since his return to the State of his adoption, his labors have been incessant in informing himself and the government of the resources and requirements of the Pacific coast. There are few of the early settlers whose services have been as important to the State, as those of Major-General H. W. Halleck.

It not being necessary to the purpose for which this book is intended, to give further details concerning settlers, individually, who arrived since 1846, we conclude this portion of the early history of the territory by stating, that so extensive had become the overland emigration, before the discovery of gold, that a majority of its white population were American citizens, and their families. It is esti

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