With My Own Eyes
Five Memoirs of Old California
by
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In this state of affairs, with the country completely disrupted, the means of communication cut off by the enemy (the American forces), the ports occupied by warships, etc.—such being the times, I stayed in Los Angeles and chose a wife. I got married, and after a couple of months became seriously ill with fever. During my convalescence, one night a squadron came whose arms I could hear clinking from one of the rooms. They knocked on the door. My wife opened it and two American officers asked for me. My wife was scared and said that I wasn’t there. On hearing this, he said not to deny it. I got out of bed and went to meet these men. I invited them in, and they very carefully explained to me the order to arrest me that they had received from military commander Gillespie. After having obtained permission from the officers, I changed my clothes. I left with them after they had searched my home. We went to Gillespie, who asked me questions about Ramon Carrillo, whom I had helped escape. I replied that I had not seen Carrillo since I had separated from Don Jose Castro. His response was for me to be thrown into the calaboose from which I would not be released until I informed them of Ramon Carrillo’s whereabouts. The officers shoved me out and took me to a lockup adjoining headquarters. They removed a drunk Indian to put me there. They took a blanket off the Indian and threw it over me so that I could cover myself with it; later on, they brought me a wooden table. They had me there a number of days (about thirty), despite the efforts of leading townsmen; but the officers who had arrested me pleaded with Gillespie and managed to get me out under their bond; and then, after removing my shackles, allowed me to stay in their quarters
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About the Book
Five lively firsthand accounts of real life in the exciting pre-Yankee era of California’s rich history are offered in this book—four of them world premiere publications, and all of them new and complete translations. This was an era not only of political intrigues and sectional clashes but also of upheaval as new ideas and attitudes came to a conservative Californian society. Piracy, kidnapping, lust, Indian uprisings, and scenes of battle all vie for the reader’s attention with fascinating passages about everyday life in the missions and presidios, governmental offices, and barracks. Governors are ejected, invaders fought, revolts arise, and plots hatched. While largely centered in Southern California, these accounts also bring us north to the Bay area and south to Baja California and farther. The reader of these memoirs will enjoy an intimate experience of life as it really was—a personal view not to be found in standard textbooks. As before with the author’s previous foray into California history, Narciso Botello’s Annals 1833–1847, the original manuscripts are rendered into a spirited English translation, capturing the nuances and vigor of these adventures in a land so familiar yet so exotic.
About the Author
Brent C. Dickerson is the internationally-known researcher and author of, first, a series of books documenting and clarifying the history of the development of Roses, and now another series about California in the pre-Yankee era. His books such as The Old Rose Advisor, The Old Rose Adventurer, The Old Rose Informant, Old Roses: The Master List, and most recently Narciso Botello's Annals of Southern California 1833 - 1847 (iUniverse, 2014), are considered indispensable classics in their field. He is currently at work on his next book in the old California series.