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The Age of Gold

Page 55

by H. W. Brands


  77–79 “The town of Chagres… die lazily”: Marryat, 1–3.

  79 “naked, screaming”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 27.

  79–81 “We were near…to the base”: ibid., 30–32.

  81 “Scrambling up”: Taylor, 24.

  81 “It was astonishing”: Borthwick, 34.

  81 “We found the ‘road’ ”: Davis, 7.

  81–82 “consisted of frames… landed there”: Marryat, 5.

  82 “There are various reasons”: Hanson letter, Dec. 22, 1849.

  82–83 “The nights were odious… leaving home”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 34.

  83 “Never were modern”: Marryat, 8.

  84 “The natives”: Borthwick, 39.

  84 “is inhabited”: Norris letter, Nov. 12, 1851.

  84 “Many of the women… future occasion”: Borthwick, 39.

  85 “This morning”: Davis, 10.

  85 “Keep clear”: Bunker letter (from Frederick C. Sanford), Jan. 16, 1849.

  86 “I became possessed”: Jessie Frémont memoirs, 82.

  87 “In starving times”: Nevins (1928), 2:410.

  87 “The sight was beautiful”: ibid., 400.

  87–90 “The trail showed… bright weather”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 44–54.

  91 “These two…my strength”: ibid., 56–60.

  4. To the Bottom of the World and Back

  95 “There is no French province”: Nasatir (1934), 13.

  95–103 “The gold fever…of the hair”: Perlot, 6–21.

  105 “a perfect mania”: Whipple, 61.

  105 “A strutting dude”: ibid., 102.

  107 “Her bow rises”: Howe and Matthews, 1:60–61.

  108 “They ate holes”: Whipple, 122.

  110 “I think it was the worst”: ibid., 159.

  111–14 “twenty-two days… with speed”: Perlot, 22–26.

  120 “I felt the bones”: Whipple, 189. (The account here of the reign of terror aboard the Challenge follows Whipple, 178–90.)

  5. To See the Elephant

  124 “Hugh is making… but poetry”: Heiskell, xv.

  124–26 “I have seen…as I have”: Durham, 6–12.

  127–29 “We are quite sure… the spectacle”: Holliday (1981), 55–56, 66–74.

  130 “We were on board”: Bruff, 567.

  130 “The slow progress”: Holliday, (1981) 78–79.

  132 “I felt a change”: Manly, 61–62.

  133 “Is it not owing”: Ingalls, 16.

  133 “rattled away”: Manly, 66.

  133–35 “The morning… lovely scene”: S. Royce, 3–7.

  135 “on nearly as low terms”: Ware, 3.

  135 “It ought to be”: Haskell, xxii–xxiii.

  137 “He says”: Holliday (1981), 71.

  137 “The cholera”: Heiskell, xxii.

  138–39 “The oldest… land of savages?”: S. Royce, 14–17.

  139 “a treacherous, hostile race”: Ingalls, 21.

  139–140 “The men… sight of them”: S. Royce, 13–14.

  141 “We are getting”: Holliday (1981), 129.

  141 “Camp full of Indians”: Heiskell, 12.

  141 “We found”: Manly, 72–73.

  142 “It was a revolting sight”: Holliday (1981), 162.

  142 “This afternoon”: ibid., 151–52.

  143 “He still kept”: Manly, 70.

  144 “I presume that not less”: Sawyer, May 21, 1850.

  145 “We are determined”: Heiskell, xxvi.

  145 “Over 100 teams”: Van Dorn diary, May 13 and August 19, 1849.

  145 “At twelve o’clock”: Holliday (1981), 167–68.

  146 “A flare up”: Heiskell, 25.

  147 “I did not like this”: Manly, 69.

  148 “Our Guide Book”: S. Royce, 26.

  149 “The sun in magnificence”: Heiskell, 15–18.

  150 “presented the appearance”: Holliday (1981), 215.

  150 “who he appears… cowhiding”: Heiskell, 13.

  151–52 “It was near sunset… western feet”: S. Royce, 29–30.

  152–61 “This was bad news… rough and dangerous”: Manly, 76–108.

  6. Where Rivers Die

  163–64 “The road this evening… ride across”: Heiskell, 34–36.

  163 “The river here”: Holliday (1981), 238.

  164 “Dent & Crocker”: Heiskell, 37.

  164 “Range of the Pah Utahs”: Bruff, 633.

  165 “We no longer see”: Heiskell, 51.

  166 “Along the edge”: Bruff, 147–48.

  166–68 “The moon was some… miles distant”: Holliday (1981), 254–62.

  169–74 “After hearing his instructions… Carson River”: S. Royce, 39–56.

  176–85 “I reached the summit… bright day”: Manly, 146–201.

  186–87 “One who has never… Death Valley”: Manly, 221–41.

  188 “We bid a long… own hook”: Holliday (1981), 276–77. 189 “They brought us”: Heiskell, 71–74.

  189 “Their rapidity… how it was”: S. Royce, 63–64.

  190 “Rice came in”: Heiskell, 72.

  190 “I looked down”: S. Royce, 72.

  Part Two: From Vulcan’s Forge

  193 “Never, since the Roman legionry”: Hutchings’ California Magazine, May 1859 (p. 167 in Olmsted ed.)

  193 “tally of gold-hunters”: The best assessment of immigrant numbers is Holliday (1999).

  7. With a Washbowl on My Knee

  197 “The gold is in fine bright scales”: Sherman and Sherman, 45.

  198–200 “The system… ounces of gold”: Pérez Rosales, 44, 51–52.

  200 “This new invention”: Perlot, 103.

  201 “Time is money”: Pérez Rosales, 54 and passim.

  202 “the astonishment”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 80.

  204–06 “a long thin young captain… greatest wishes”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 71–82.

  206 “They all appear”: John Lambert letter, Nov. 4, 1849.

  207 “This they did”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 81.

  207–09 “The blow was terrible… into the trench”: Perlot, 32, 41–42, 60–61, 85–86, 102.

  210 “I did not see him… dreaded hour”: Heiskell, 87.

  211 “Physicians are all making fortunes”: Wyman, 158.

  211 “The price of provisions”: Archer, 214–15.

  212 “a large store”: Pérez Rosales, 37–38.

  214–16 “All were so absorbed… natural prey”: S. Royce, 80–87.

  216–20 “I soon found myself… quarter-ounce nuggets”: Archer, 184–85, 192–95, 204–6.

  221–22 “I saw many places… speedy fortune!”: Perlot, 111–12.

  222–25 “We judged… high hopes”: Holliday (1981), 313–15, 331, 337, 358.

  8. A Millennium in a Day

  226 “Should that sum”: Hutchings’ California Magazine, September 1857 (p. 109 in Olmsted ed.)

  229 “A claim at Iowa Hill… hundred yards”: Paul (1947), 154–55.

  230 “The quantity of powder”: Browne (1869), 150–51.

  231–32 “The Mariposa Estate… from the mine”: Browne (1869), 21, 28.

  235–39 “We descended their shaft… several millions of people”: Hutchings’ California Magazine, October 1857 (pp. 170–77 in Olmsted ed.).

  239 “I have with me”: Holliday (1981), 422–23.

  240–42 “But they were ignorant… myself alone”: Perlot, 118–20.

  Part Three: American Athena

  245 “Plutus rattled his money bags”: Soulé, 507–8.

  9. The Miracle of St. Francis

  248 “Our fourth ended”: Soulé, 171.

  248 “God help the city”: ibid., 165.

  248 “Last Wednesday”: Gilman letter, Jan. 22, 1850.

  249 “Our type”: Soulé, 175.

  250 “In the immense crowds”: S. Royce, 109.

  251 “The usual order”: Charles Thompson letter, Sept. 10, 1851.

  252 “
No place in the world”: Soulé, 645–66.

  252 “Denison’s Exchange”: Taylor, 118–19.

  254 “California beef”: Van Dorn diary, Nov. 13, 1849.

  255 “Before eleven”: Soulé, 274.

  255 “I put into this”: John Lambert letter, May 10, 1850.

  255 “New buildings”: Soulé, 275.

  257 “I arrived here”: Lotchin, 175.

  258 “Her wild fevered gaze”: Nevins (1955), 399

  258 “It is more disagreeable”: Jessie Frémont (1993), 49.

  259 “son of a nigger”: Pérez Rosales, 10.

  261 “It will be asked”: Cary, notebook 1.

  261–62 “Compliant… making bricks!”: Pérez Rosales, 68–69.

  263 “The voyage from Sydney”: Soulé, 565.

  264 “With the families”: Cary, notebook 1.

  265–68 “the maintenance of the peace … the people said Amen!”: Soulé, 569–81.

  10. Sutter’s Last Stand

  271 “Before the celebration was over”: Sherman (1875), 73, 1123.

  271 “I was no more”: Dillon (1967), 294.

  271 “enthusiastic”: Sherman (1875), 1123.

  271–72 “I went to eat…no law”: Dillon (1967), 294–98.

  273 “where orgies”: Vallejo memoirs, 5:160.

  274 “Had I not been”: Bancroft, 6:447.

  275–76 “Hold on…by the Lord”: Dillon (1967), 303, 306, 314.

  277 “As Congress”: Report of Debates, 3–5.

  277 “agriculturist”: ibid., 478.

  278 “Dr. Gwin”: Browne (1969), 121.

  278 “I was gravely”: Taylor, 158.

  279 “Neither slavery”: Report of Debates, 43.

  279 “In a country”: Nevins (1928), 2:438.

  279 “Nor shall the introduction”: Report of Debates, 44.

  280–81 “No population… enlightened principles”: ibid., 137–41.

  283 “The people of California… gambling state”: ibid., 91–92.

  283 “holy horror”: ibid., 327.

  283 “associations”: ibid., appendix.

  283 “I am not wedded”: ibid., 259.

  284–85 “The hall was cleared… from his eyes”: Taylor, 159–64.

  286 “General… prosperity”: Report of Debates, 476–77.

  11. Shaking the Temple

  288–89 “gave freedom… working forces”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 91–94.

  289 “All these women”: Herr, 208.

  289 “Mrs. Frémont”: Bosqui, 150.

  290 “the better man”: Crosby, 35.

  290 “One evening”: Jessie Frémont (1878), 103.

  291 “I had done so many things”: ibid., 100–101.

  293–95 “But it is impossible… heart-rending spectacle”: Congressional Globe 31:1, app. 116–18, 127.

  295–97 “the greatest and the gravest… from all responsibility”: ibid., 451–55.

  297 “He was a black”: Peterson, 38.

  298 “Liberty and Union”: ibid., 178.

  298 “That man”: Hamilton, 26.

  298–301 “I wish to speak… certain destiny”: Congressional Globe 31:1, app. 269–76.

  301 “The Government of the United States”: John Frémont letters, 3:139.

  301 “omnibus speech”: Hamilton, 62.

  302 “calumniator… pistol on me!”: ibid., 93.

  302–03 “This batch…is her cry!”: Congressional Globe 31:1, 677–84.

  303 “The omnibus”: Hamilton, 110.

  303–04 “I was willing… Union stands firm”: Peterson, 474–76.

  12. Children of the Mother Lode

  307 “He is a man”: Eccleston, 106–7.

  310 “Savage said to them”: ibid., 15.

  310 “We reached the camp”: Bunnell, 22.

  311 “He says”: Eccleston, 29.

  311–12 “From his long acquaintance… six mules”: Bunnell, 30–33.

  313 “We had not the time”: ibid., 84.

  313 “Burnt over 5000 … not long deserted”: Eccleston, 49, 67–68.

  313 “Their courage”: Bunnell, 126.

  313–14 “who had been led…I am done”: ibid., 170–71, 177.

  314–15 “We are afraid…to the plains”: ibid., 43, 60, 62–63.

  315 “Where can we now go”: ibid., 234.

  315 “The whites”: ibid., 223.

  316 “The white man”: Hurtado, 134–35.

  317 “high indignation”: ibid., 115.

  319 “that Swiss adventurer”: Vallejo memoirs 5:19.

  320 “When we join our fortunes”: Rosenus, 90–91.

  320 “In spite of the fact”: Vallejo memoirs, 5:77.

  321 “I left Sacramento”: Emparan, 43.

  321 “The good ones”: Pitt, 52.

  321 “the great crowd”: Vallejo memoirs, 5:189.

  322 “He is better acquainted”: Taylor, 157.

  322 “it be represented”: Report of Debates, 323.

  323 “I think I will know”: Rosenus, 230.

  323 “Let me see… purest blood of Europe”: Pitt, 27.

  325 “For some time back”: Latta, 36.

  326 “The band is led”: ibid., 37.

  326–27 “We publish today… along the road”: ibid., 44.

  327 “When shot at”: Varley, 49–50.

  327 “I have been engaged”: Boessenecker, 91.

  328 “I have arrested”: Latta, 479.

  328 “Capt. Love”: ibid., 474–75.

  329 “There is not the least doubt”: ibid., 513.

  331–32 “We find… judicial tribunal”: Farkas, 10–11.

  333 “all great men…do good to them”: Cary, notebook 2.

  13. Reflections in an All-Seeing Eye

  334 “The consummation”: McPherson, 76.

  334 “another triumph… around her”: Peterson, 476.

  336 “sink in hell”: Potter, 155.

  336 “raise a hell… out & out abolitionist”: McPherson, 122–24.

  337 “Since there is no escaping… the abolitionists”: ibid., 145–46.

  338–40 “Mining is not… care and dispatch”: G. Clark, 50–65.

  342 “In Sacramento… stain of abolitionism”: ibid., 73–78.

  343 “In these prosperous times”: Sherman and Sherman, 51.

  346 “My business here”: ibid., 53.

  347 “as clearly as a proposition”: Sherman (1875), 126.

  349–50 “all the banks… any security whatever”: ibid., 130–34.

  351 “It’s no use”: J. Royce, 435.

  351 “I found him on the roof”: Sherman (1875), 143.

  352 “Rosario”: Pérez Rosales, 19.

  352 “Americans were irresistibly attracted”: Levy, 161–62.

  353 “the finest-looking woman”: ibid., 167.

  353 “They commonly accepted”: S. Royce, 115–16.

  354 “Is it not wonderful… meaningless giggle”: Lotchin, 257.

  355 “What the People Expect”: J. Royce, 454.

  356 “Remove your fort… inevitably follow”: Sherman (1875), 146–47.

  358 “I think the community”: Sherman and Sherman, 58.

  Part Four: The Gordian Knot and the Pacific Connection

  361 “The sunburnt immigrant”: Bancroft, 7:542.

  14. The Pathfinder’s Return

  365 “higher law… abominable”: McPherson, 73.

  366 “It is the choice”: Nevins (1928), 2:2:478.

  366 “prairie fire… yet been named”: ibid., 2:481–82.

  366–68 “He also won the heart…to have him elected”: Herr, 254–61.

  368 “quite a female politician”: Donald, 315.

  368 “These incidents”: Jessie Frémont (1969), 132.

  368 “Had we been”: Herr, 265.

  369 “John and Jessie… Jessie for the White House”: ibid., 263; Nevins (1928), 2:496.

  369 “I am above”: Herr, 268.

  369 “We are treading”: Nevins (1928), 2:50
5.

  369 “The election… eternal separation”: Potter, 262.

  369 “Tell me”: Nevins (1928), 2:509.

  370 “I heartily regret”: Jessie Frémont (1969), 140.

  372 “no black or mulatto”: Lapp (1977), 192.

  373 “Private School”: Lapp (1969), 10.

  375 “Why, Lord”: ibid., 48.

  375 “I don’t want”: ibid., 8.

  377 “When they come… Charles A. Stovall”: Franklin, 149–51.

  377 “It vies with the most”: ibid., 152.

  377 “The law was given”: J. Hittell (1878), 271.

  381 “Archy, my boy”: Lapp (1969), 58.

  15. South by West

  383 “His appearance”: Warren, 212–13.

  384 “The Republic”: Wells, 24.

  385 “He is a veritable”: Scroggs, 42.

  385 “The scene”: Wells, 30–31.

  386 “We had to shoot”: ibid., 33.

  387 “There, sir”: Scroggs, 91.

  388 “Gentlemen”: Brands (1999), 20.

  388 “A beleaguered force”: Walker, 266.

  389 “Instead of treating”: Scroggs, 233.

  390 “that we inscribe… railroad is concerned”: G. Clark, 78–79.

  391–92 “I feel… white clingstone”: ibid., 83–91.

  393 “Every dollar”: ibid., 92.

  395–97 “having the Federal… above all price”: ibid., 99, 108–12.

  397 “I believe”: Bancroft, 7:258–59.

  397 “California is ready”: ibid., 7:272.

  398 “I was young”: Harpending, 17.

  399–400 “I will never forget… what followed”: ibid., 24–26.

  400–01 “He fully realized… thought of me”: ibid., 33–34.

  401–02 “After that… small fortune”: ibid., 49–55.

  16. From Sea to Shining Sea

  404: $600 million…$130 million: Hill (1999), 263.

  405 “We are all safe”: Sherman (1909), 150–51.

  406 “Having nothing”: Sherman (1875), 154.

  406 “I suppose”: L. Lewis, 123.

  406 “West Point”: ibid., 97.

  406 “I would as soon”: Sherman (1909), 151.

  406 “If I turn”: ibid., 153.

  406 “Avoid the subject”: Sherman and Sherman, 55.

  407 “If he is fit … nigger question”: Marszalek, 109.

  407 “I would not”: L. Lewis, 119.

  407 “If they design”: Sherman (1909), 163.

  407 “I had read of retreats”: Marszalek, 151.

  408 “I believe he would do it”: Fellman, 91.

  408 “Command me in any way”: ibid., 102.

  408 “Sherman saved”: ibid., 115–16.

  409 “If the North… Georgia howl!”: L. Lewis, 429–31.

 

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