Allison And Powell to Cable, November 27, 1861

(Received 4 a. m.) Mr. CABLE:

DEAR SIR: You will please deliver the inclosed letter to Mr. Sumner, the gentleman that came to your place with Mr. Warner, and tell him to hurry up, and oblige,

P. S.—Please deliver immediately at any expense. [Sub-inclosure.]

TEMECULA, CAL., December 30,* 1861.

FRIEND SUMNER: We arrived here this evening and were sorry to find you gone, for various reasons. I have hired a man to go after you, and I want you to start back as soon as he gets to where you are, and also bring Mr. Chum with you, and look sharp that he don’t play you some trick. He is a bad man for us, and we want him back as soon as pcssible. There are eighteen of us here. Say nothing to lim about what I have written, but tell him we want men, and we are going another road. I have no time to write more.

Yours, truly, T. A. WILSON

*Evidently mis-dated, but so in copy on file,

[Inclosure No. 2.] I. T. A. Wilson says:

I was elected foreman of the party traveling with me for the purpose of selecting camping places and the like; any further than this I have no control over them; designed going to Sonora and spending a portion of the winter, and then proceeding tomy home in Tennessee; havean aged mother living in Tennessee, whom I wish to see ; have ro intention of taking up arms against the Federal Government; perfectly willing to take the oath of allegiance. Served eighteen months in the U.S. Army in Mexico; will never take arms against the Government of the United States; am not acquainted with all the men belonging to the party; a portion of them I never saw until they joined the party at El Monte; did not know that Showalter was coming until I saw him at the Monte; had no preconcerted arrangements to meet Showalter or any other party; am twenty-nine years of age.

Lieut. C. R. Wellman states that Wilson did not object to coming to camp; said he was perfectly willing to be examined, and to take the oath of allegiance, but would abide the decision of the party; did not see any impropriety in their being required to undergo an examination.

I certify that the above is correct.

C. R. WELLMAN, Second Lieutenant, First Cavalry California Volunteers.

II. William Woods says:

I am from Clay County, Mo.; have lived for the last three years in Los Angeles County, Cal.; came to California in 1850; have lived the most of the time in Sierra and Plumas Counties, except the time that I lived ın Los Angeles; lived in Sierra County from 1852 to 1854. Was engaged in mining; lived with a man by the name of Carpenter in Los Angeles; left Los Angeles alone; joined the party at El Monte; knew a portion of the party were at El Monte when I left Los Angeles; my sympathies have heretofore been with the South, having been born there; if I were in Missouri and obliged to take sides it is hard to say which side I would take; have no objections to taking the oath of allegiance; am thirty years of age.

TI. Charles Benbrook says:

Am from Simpson County, Ky.; left Mariposa County on the 26th day of October, 1861; lived in Mariposa County since August, 1850, when Sands and myself left Mariposa together; left Mariposa with the intention of spending the winter in Los Angeles; when I got to Los Angeles 1 found a party was forming to go to Sonora, Mexico, and joined it; was acquainted with Wilson before I started; he had left Mariposa some time before I left; had no idea of meeting Wilson on the trip; I left Kentucky when I was a boy; came to California in 1849 from Texas; do not like to take the oath of allegiance if it can be avoided; have never held the doctrine that any State has a right to secede; will never take arms against the Government of the United States under any circumstances.

IV. William Sands says:

I am from Mariposa; came to California in 1849; lived ten years in Calaveras County; I was born in Wilson County, Tenn. ; came to California from Memphis, Tenn.; Charles Benbrook left Mariposa with me; we started to go to Sonora, Mexico; were going to Sonora to better our condition; my sympathies are with my people; if I were in Tennessee I can’t say which side I would take in the present war; do not think that one State alone has any right to secede; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; ain forty years of age. A

WILLIAM (his x mark) SANDS.

V. T. L. Roberts says:

cane from Placer County to this place, via Los Angeles; stopped in Los Angeles about four months; went to San Francisco with the intention of taking the steamer for Guaymas, Mexico; waited two weeks for the steamer, and finally concluded to go through by land; was going with the intention of going into business if the country suited me; had not made up my mind whether I would return to San Fran cisco or to my native State, in case Sonora did not suit me; my sympathies are with the people of the South, but would not like to see them break up the Government; am sincerely opposed to taking up arms against the Government; am also opposed to taking up arms against my own people; do not like to take the oath of allegiance because I might thereby be compelled to take up arms against my own people; will, however, take it if it is required; am thirty years of age.

VI. R. H. Ward says:

Iam from Jackson, Miss.; came to California in 1852; for the first ten months in California I lived in Santa Barbara; then lived in Tuolumne till 1856; since that time I have lived in Merced County; a man by the name of Holland started with me from Merced; Holland has gone on overland to the Atlantic States; was acquainted with Benbrook and Hamilton before starting from Merced; when I started it was my intention to go to Arkansas; when I got to Los Angeles I gave up the notion of going to Arkansas, and was about starting back to Merced when I heard of this party forming to go to Sonora, and made up my mind to go with it; thought of staying in Sonora a year or two, and then either returning to California or to Arkansas; Was not fully determined to which State; Iam conditionally a Union man; I do not believe in the right of any State to secede; all my sympathies are with the people of the South; all my people are in the South; am perfectly willing to take the oath of allegiance; never thought of taking up arms against the Federal Government; I PR the seceded States as a portion of the United States; am twenty-seven years old.

VII. T. W. Woods says:

I am from Bedford County, Va.; have been in California since July, 1852; came from Missouri to this State; I left Placer County with the intention of going to Sonora, Mexico; T. L. Roberts and a man by the name of Southwick started with me; had heard a good deal of Sonora as being a good country for mining; thought of prospecting for mines; I am a Union man, and always have been; don’t believe any State has a right to secede; am perfectly willing to take the oath of allegiance.

T. W. (his x mark) WOODS.

VIII. J. M. Sampson says:

I was born in Louisville, Ky.; came to this State in 1850; lived in Placer and El Dorado Counties a considerable portion of the time since I have been in this State; lived in Mariposa County three years; started to go to Mexico by water; heard of a party forming to go by land and joined it; I am a Union man; have no objection to taking the oath of allegiance; am thirty-five years old.

IX. S. A. Rogers says:

I am from Warren County, Tenn.; came to California in 1854; came from Alabama to this State; have resided in Sacramento County since I have been in this State; left Sacramento with the intention of going to Sonora, Mexico; my brother. who is now here, started with me; I was engaged in gardening in Sacramento County; kuew of no party forming at the time I started from Sacramento; had no definite object in view in case Sonora did not suit me; wanted to go to the Atlantic States as svon as the present difficulty was settled; I am not an unconditional Union man; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; my object in leaving the country was to avoid having anything to do with the present troubles.

X. William Edwards says:

Tam from Arkansas; came to California in 1854; have resided principally in Mariposa County until within the last two years, which time I have resided in Mono and Carson Valleys; came from Mono to this place in company with J. Lawrence; left Mono with the intention of spending the winter in Los Angeles, and then returning to Mono; met some acquaintances at Los Angeles who were going to Sonora, Mexico, and concluded to go with them; expected no difficulty in getting to Sonora, unless it should be with Indians; was going to Sonora prospecting, and if I found nothing there that suited me to return to California; have mining claims at Mono; my people are residing in Arkansas; am a Union man; do not believe in the right of secession ; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; am twenty-two years old. Í

XI. James Lawrence says:

I am from Washington County, Ark. ; came to California in 1853; am twenty-three years of age; came to California when I was fourteen years old; have resided most of the time in Mariposa County; am a miner by occupation; came from Mono to this place; left Mono with the intention of going to the Bear Valley mines, in California; afterward concluded to go to Sonora, Mexico; left Mono in company with William Edwards; knew of no party forming to go south when I started; met Showalter at Los Angeles; he induced me to go to Sonora; was going for the purpose of prospecting; my relatives reside in Arkansas; did not expect to have any difficulty in getting out of California; Wilson was elected captain of the party; intended crossing the Colorado at Fort Yuma; I am a Union man; believe that the present Administration has done right in all things pertaining to the present war with the South; am twentythree years old.

XII. Levi Rogers says:

Iam from the State of Alabama; came to California in 1858; have lived in Sacramento County all the time I have been in the State; am a brother of S. A. Rogers, who is with the party; left Sacramento County alone; met my brother at Visalia; left Sacramento with the intention of going to Sonora; had thought of going to Alabama to see my folks; expected to have no difficulty in going to Alabama and returning when I pleased; am willing to serve the Government of the United States if necessary; am a Union man; do not believe in the doctrine of secession; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; saw a man at Temecula named Morgan, who, I think, told our party that we would probably be arrested if we followed the road;

am twenty-five years of age.

XIII. Henry Crowell says:

I am from Erie County, Pa.; left there in 1849; went to Illinois; came to California in 1851; have lived most of the time in Mariposa County; am a miner by occupation; started to go to Sonora or Arizona; my object was to prospect for mines; started in company with a man by the name of Gilbert, who is now in Mariposa, and Dan Showalter, who is now here with this party; have mining claims in Mono, to which I intend returning after going to Sonora; I am a constitutional Union man, and believe the Constitution is all Union; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; Ritchie and Morgan at Temecula recommended our party to take the trail to Santa Isabel to strike the overland route at Carriso Creek; seemed to take a good deal of interest in the matter; am twenty-four years of age.

XIV. William Turner says:

I was born in Cass County, Ga.; came from Arkansas to California in 1849; have lived in Amador County ever since; am a miner by occupation; left Amador with the intention of spending the winter in Los Angeles; when I got to Los Angeles I heard of a party forming at El Monte to go to Sonora, Mexico; I concluded to join it and bought my horse at El Monte; am a Union man; willing to take the oath of allegiance; am twenty-two years of age.

XV. A. King says:

I am from Carroll County, Tenn.; came from Texas to California in 1854; have been in Oregon part of the time since 1854; am a laborer; have lived in Mariposa the most of the time for the last two years, driving team the most of the time for Colonel Frémont; came from Mono here; left Mono alone; came from Mariposa in company with Wilson and Sumner; thought of going to Texas when I left Mariposa; at the Monte I gave up the idea of going to Texas, and joined the party to go to Sonora; am a Union man; was going to Texas to visit my relatives; intended going through to Texas from Sonoraif I could get through; Wilson intended going through to Texas, and Sumner to North Carolina; am willing to take the oath of allegiance; am thirty-five years old.

XVI. Dan. Showalter says:

I was born in Greene County, Pa.; came to California in 1852; have lived the greater portion of the time in Mariposa County; my occupation is that of a miner; started for Sonora from Virginia City about one month since; intended going to some mines in Los Alamos, Sonora, and if an opportunity offered, to go through to Texas or Missouri, if I did not like Sonora; had no organized party whatever; started from Virginia City in company with a man by the name of Gilbert; was joined by Crowell at Aurora; Gilbert stopped at Mariposa; taking the trail from Temecula was very much against my wish; a majority of the party were in favor of it, and I acceded to it; am perfectly willing to take the oath of allegiance; am thirty years of age.

XVII. Statement of William Hamilton:

Iam an American citizen; was born near Lexington, Ky.; am fifty-one years əf age; left Kentucky when twelve years old; went to Saint Louis, Mo. ; resided there eighteen months, then went to Santa Fé, N. Mex.; went from there to the city of Mexico; resided in Mexico till October, 1845; went from Mexico to Pensacola; thence to New Orleans; thence to Corpus Christi; thence to Point Isabel, where I joined Captain Walker’s company, and served in General Taylor’s army for three months; I then followed the army as contractor and interpreter to the close of the war between the United States and Mexico; resided in the frontier of Mexico till 1850; came from there to California, where I arrived in July or August in the same year went to Fort Tejon in April or May, 1855; had a contract there for making adobes for the Government; resided there till October or November of the same year; went from there to Stockton; worked there awhile at my trade (gunsmithing); resided in the neighborhood of Stockton and Mariposa until about two years ago, when I went to Mono, Cal., where I have resided until about the 1st of October of the present year; came from Mono via Fort Tejon on my way to Fort Yuma; when I left Mono I designed going to Los Angeles to work at my trade; at Los Angeles I heard of a party forming to go to Texas; thought of joining it, but abandoned the idea before leaving Los Angeles.

XVIII. E. B. Sumner says:

I am from Perquimans County, N. C.; am thirty-four years old; came to California in 1849; am a miner by occupation; have lived in Mariposa the greater portion of the time in California; knew Showalter in Mariposa; started with Wilson and King; left them at El Monte; at El Monte a man by the name of Morgan came to our camp and said he bad heard that our party was going to Texas; Wilson told him that the party was about returning, and had given up the idea of going to Texas; Morgan said that he was going to Texas, and would go alone if he could get no one to go with him; Morgan resides at Temecula; was on my way back from San Bernardino when I met Chum, who told me he was going through to Texas; concluded to go with him; it was my intention to go to North Carolina; am not acquainted in Texas; have always been a Union man; have no idea of taking up arms against the Government of the United States; am willing to take the oath of allegiance.

XIX. F. N. Chum says:

Iam from Texas; was born in Choctaw County, Miss.; left Mississippi when quite young; am thirty years of age; came to California in 1856 from Arkansas; considered Texas my home; am a laborer by occupation; lived in Tuolumne County mostly; my last residence was in Los Angeles; lived there with a man known as little Jack Watson; my objectin going to Texas was to see an aged mother, whom I am anxious to see once more; had no intention of taking up arms against the Government of the

“United States; consider myself a good and loyal citizen of the United States; am perfectly willing to take the oath of allegiance. k

I, ——, do solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the Government of the United States; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies and opposers whatsoever, and that I will support, maintain, and defend the supremacy of the Constitution of the United States, and all laws of Congress made in pursuance thereof, and that I will in all things well and faithfully discharge the duties of a citizen of the United States to the best of my ability. So help me God.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 1st day of December, 1861. Camp Wright, Oak Grove Station, San Diego County, Southern California.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN California, © Los Angeles, Cal., December 7, 1861. The above is a true copy of the oath administered by Maj. E. A. Rigg, First Infantry California Volunteers, and by Lieut. J. P. Hargrave,

First Infantry California Volunteers, post adjutant at Camp Wright, to the men composing the party with Dan. Showalter. It was sworn and subscribed to by the following-named persons: T. A. Wilson, William Woods, O. Benbrook, William Sands, T. L. Roberts, R. H. Ward, T. W. Woods, J. M. Sampson, S. A. Rogers, William Edwards, James Lawrence, William Turner, A. King, Levi Rogers, Henry Crowell, Dan. Showalter, William Hamilton, E. B. Sumner, F. N. Chum. BEN. C. CUTLER, First Lieut., First Infty. California Vols., Acty. Asst. Adjt. Gen.

TEMECULA, CAL., November 30, 1861.

FRIEND WILD: Times have changed so that I feel it will be impossible for me to get to my friends in the East, and therefore have half resolved to stay in the God-forsaken country, provided I can get a situation in a place where I will be satisfied. Now I think that if I could get a place with Jeagers, at the Colorado River, might be contented for afew years. When you go out I wish you would speak to Jeagers or some one out at the river in my behalf. I will be satisfied with any agreement that you may make, so I am well paid. I hear nothing of interest from the States.

P. S.—I would write more, but Iam afraid that I might spin off on a subject that would not be acceptable to some people, provided this did not reach you in safety. Yours, We.,

TEMECULA, SAN DIEGO COUNTY, November 26, 1861.

FRIEND FRANK: For the last chance I drop you a few lines, that you may know we are on the road at last, and are now within forty miles of Warner’s ranch. We will leave the road at this place to avoid the troops at that place, as they are aware that we are coming and are looking for us, and the chances are that we would have some trouble with them. We will have to cross the Colorado in Sonora to avoid Fort It is quite different to what I thought it was when I wrote you before. There are nineteen of us in company, and allin good spirits. There are eleven of them that you know, though I don’t think it policy to do so at this time. Give my respects to all the boys; so good-by once more. I will write again if 1 have a chance.

respectfully,