In Rensch's "Historic Spots in California", Nevada Co. chapter, referring to the Donner Party, the author cites efforts by John Sutter to send aid to the people of the trapped wagon train. Apparently, there were at least four groups sent out to attempt rescues. No individual names were cited. Nancy Howard [email protected] wrote: > ATTACHMENT part 1 message/rfc822 > > CA-GOLDRUSH-D Digest Volume 98 : Issue 179 > > Today's Topics: > #1 [CA-GOLDRUSH-L] Mariposa Battalion [[email protected]] > #2 Re: [CA-GOLDRUSH-L] Mariposa Batta [Carolyn Feroben <[email protected]] > #3 [CA-GOLDRUSH-L] patterson [[email protected] (Ken wood] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from CA-GOLDRUSH-D, send a message to > > [email protected] > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________ > ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822 > > Howdy, > With your permission - realizing that I risk boring some, I again exerpt > one of the diaries of 49erPrivate Robert ECCLESTON - a member of the Mariposa > Battalion at the start the Mariposa Indian War of 1851, which battalion > inadvertently disovered(again forgive me Joe WALKER) Yo Semite. > This diary is sorta long. And without the superb annotatons of editor > C. Gregory CRAMPTON, much of it would be difficult to place on the "ground" to > even the most ardent or frequent Yosemite historian/visitor. BUT it's all WE > GOT. Private Eccleston was in Company C and the only one in the entire > Battalion who wrote a regular diary. > I KNOW 49er/doctor/Private L. H. BUNNELL was a member of the Mariposa > Battalion. But he kept no diary. He supposedly wrote his book "Discovery of > the Yosemite and The Indian War of 1851" from his REMINISCENCES some 30/40 > years later.- But Bunnell WAS there; and he probably thought up Yosemite's > name. > Might as well just start at Pvt. Robert Eccleston's beginning, as he > writes: > > "Robt ECCLESTON. Journal of Expedition against the Indians of California, Feb. > 12th, 1851 - Major SAVAGE'S Battalion [I omit a Roster of the Officers] > > "Feb. 12[1851] Wed. > "Mustered into service[probably at WHITTIER's Hotel in Agua Fria] at 12 > o'clk by Jas. G. BURNEY, Sheiff of Mariposa County by order of a requisition > from Gov. McDOUGALL. .About 180 men volunteered, the requistion calling for > 200. Jas. D, SAVAGE was elected Major without an opposing candidate or a > dissenting voice. After this election, the Battalion marched to Dutch Frank's > (LOREMCEISTER) and partook of refreshment eatable & drinkable, after which > they marched to the rendezvous about 2 1/2 miles from Town[Buckeye Creek?], > where a Surgeon, Comissary, &c. were elected." > > "Feb. 13. > "The day was occupied in pressing animals, & by the members in revisiting > their camps & finishing their preparations for a start. In the Evening the > Companies paraded, & although numerically the smallest, the "Mariposa > Co"[Company C- with 55?] was the only company having in them men not only > unarmed but otherwise not in readiness to march" > The next day Eccleston writes that they were to remain "encamped" for > awhile as "the Commissioners in company with Mr. Savage & a group of Regulars > proceed to make overtures of Peace" > Then on March 1st our diarist notes "Major Savage arrived this morning > accompanied by about half a dozen Indians. He was announced by a burst of > cheering." Eccleston adds: > "The Commissioners are doing their best to make a treaty with the Indians > & have given them 8 days from today to bring their families & all they possess > into the plains... > They propose [giving] the Indians... 10 years provision & clothing for 20 yrs, > a pair of pants, shirt & blanket every four mo[nth]s to each Indian. They also > give them 1 Farmer, a Carpenter, a Schoomaster [Aha!:-))] & Preacher, and a > Blacksmith. They are to gather thus all between the King's River & the San > Joaquin, all between the San Joaquin & Mercede & all between the Mercede & > Tuolume, & all between the Tuolume & Calavaras. > Our diarist continues on March 1st; > "Major SAVAGE has got permission at the Expiration of 8 days to scour the > mountains & should any of them stay behind, drive them down & burn up all > their homseteads,,,thus we will break up their old haunts & they will be more > likely to stay in the plains... The Indians will not be allowed to visit the > whites without a guard but will be allowed to go to each other's Rancheris or > towns by obtaining permission. One of the provisions of the treaty are that > the Indians give up the murderers of the whites. > "It is Major Savage's opinion that all the Indians will not come down, > only bringing the young men & fast travelling women[:-)]. They will then > receive the presents, put up some temporary houses but as soon as they get a > good chance, steal a large band of horses & kill a few white men & run back to > the mountains." TO BE CONTINUED - maybe:-) > NOTE: Special thanks to NANCY<[email protected]>, CAROLYN FunFifty, > CINDYLadyBug, RUTHieSkee and maybe others who either sent or directed me to Yo > Semite and related stuff. If I omitted anyone, please forgive. In addition to > Robert Eccleston's diaries, Lafayette BUNNELL's "Discovery of Yosemite" and > Carl Parcher Russell's "One Hundred Years in Yosemite", I have looked at a > bunch of neato - but sometimes confusing/mirky:-) Yo Semite history materials. > Wonder why so many versions evolve from important events?:-))) > > Will try to make the next installment shorter:-). > Bob Norris in Dallas > <BNorris166aol.com> > > > > ______________________________ > ATTACHMENT part 3 message/rfc822 > > Bob wrote: > > > I KNOW 49er/doctor/Private L. H. BUNNELL was a member of the Mariposa > > Battalion. But he kept no diary. He supposedly wrote his book "Discovery of > > the Yosemite and The Indian War of 1851" from his REMINISCENCES some 30/40 > > years later.- But Bunnell WAS there; and he probably thought up Yosemite's > > name. > > Hi Bob and all others interested in Yosemite, > > BUNNELLs book _ Discovery of the Yosemite, and the Indian war of 1851_ > along with several other books relating to the discovery and history of > Yosemite can be found on line at (where else!) the Mariposa County > GenWeb page: > http://www.compuology.com/cagenweb/maripcty.htm > > Just scroll down to "The Reading Room". While there you may also want > to read the Gold Rush Journals that are there too! More will be added > soon. > > If you read the Brunnell book you will find many references to Captain > John BOLING of the Mariposa Battalion. Here is the obituary of the > Captain taken from the Mariposa Gazette, June 17, 1864: > > CAPTAIN BOLING DIES-DISCOVERER OF YO SEMITE(:)) > In Mariposa, Tuesday evening, June 17, 1864 of Consumption, Capt. John > Boling, aged 43 years. > The old pioneers have been gradually passing away until but few of those > who settled here in early times are remaining. Captain boling was one > of the first who settled in Mariposa County. He was a native of > Tennessee, and about 41 years of age(?). He has been identified with > the organization of this county more or less since its organization. In > the Indian wars of '50 and '51 he commanded a company which he led in > many skirmishes with the Indians, finally driving them into their > mountain retreat, Yo Semite Valley. He and his company were the > accidental discoverers of the Valley, and the first white men who ever > gazed upon its indescribable beauties. He was afterwards sheriff of > this county. As a man, he was gold (good?), honorable and independent, > and possessed those peculiar traits that indicated at once his > fearlessness and his high sense of humor. He leaves a wife and > children in +Nevada Territory+, where he expected to join them this > month, and many friends in this part of the State will long remember > him, and lament his early demise. > ========================= > Sure am glad that ole JR Norris spent some of his very interesting life > in Mariposa County - > > Enjoy, Carolyn > > ______________________________ > ATTACHMENT part 4 message/rfc822 > > looking for ca. info on jonathon patterson, on rescue party for donner > party? > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com