XII

CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST

Gen. William T. Sherman - Departure for the West -The G. A. R. Encampment at San Francisco Bishop Tuttle in Salt Lake City-My Colorado Legal Cases-Justice Miller and Judge Usher Clash -Gen. Sherman as Host.

The annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held in San Francisco, in August, 1886. General William Tecumseh Sherman had been retired from the United States Army and was a resident of St. Louis, living in a splendid home on Garrison Avenue that had been presented to him by citizens of St. Louis, in consideration of the distinguished services by him rendered to the country during the Civil War. He was a member and the first Commander of Ransom Post, Grand Army of the Republic at St. Louis, which was named, upon the recommendation of General Sherman, for General T. R. Ransom, a distinguished soldier who served under him and who died in that service while on "Sherman's March to the Sea."

I was one of the "Charter Members" of Ransom Post and lived within three blocks of General Sherman. It was my great privilege and honor to know him personally and I was, seemingly, a welcome visi

tor at his house. As the time approached for the annual encampment of the Grand Army at San Francisco, great interest was made manifest by its members and by others, as well, who were attracted by the low railroad rates that were allowed for those visiting California at that time. General Sherman left for San Francisco in the early part of July. After reaching there, he wrote me the following letter:

Dear Dyer:

PALACE HOTEL

San Francisco, July 7, 1886.

I left St. Louis Thursday evening July 1, and arrived here yesterday at noon-four and onehalf days - with as little fatigue as if from St. Louis to New York,

I am very anxious that you should come out with the St. Louis delegation. Come by the Wabash to Omaha, thence by the Union & Central to San Francisco and straight to this, the Palace Hotel, the best in the world. If I know of your coming I can make suitable arrangements for you and any of your comrades at this Hotel, and if crowded, which is hardly possible I can give you a good room in the suite assigned to me. Notwithstanding the allurements of this City and of California I am sure you will return to old Pike with increased faith in its destiny -the treeless plains, the sagebrush desert and tiny patches of green made by casual springs, will make you love the land of the oak, hickory, walnut, etc., all the more.

Last night, though still covered with the dust of travel, I had to speak to the Grand Army Post, and tonight must go to the California Pioneers, of which society I am one of the ancients, and must move on to secure the rest which I seek.

Come and help me, for we must make the "cause" glorious and transcendant. Your friend,

W. T. Sherman.

I had never been in California and upon the receipt of this letter determined to go and attend the encampment. I decided to take with me my wife and my two oldest children, Erza Hunt and Emma Grace. Mrs. Ann Kercheval, a near neighbor and friend of my family, and Miss Nannie Broadhead, daughter of Colonel James O. Broadhead, my old preceptor, desired to go in company with us.

Mrs. Kercheval was a daughter of Eleazor Block of Bowling Green. Block had several children, some of whom had gone to California the year of the gold excitement. They were Emanuel, who a few years before this trip died and was buried at San Francisco, Elias, Sallie, who had been one of my wife's bridesmaids and had married William H. McCormick, and James N. Block. All three of the last named were residents of San Francisco.

Mr. Eleazor Block in his lifetime had been the owner of slaves and one of these was a woman named Rachel. In addition to raising two children of her own, two sons, she was the nurse for each and every one of Mr. Block's children. Aunt Rachel's two boys grew to manhood and at the beginning of the Civil War enlisted in the Union Army. One of them was killed in battle and the other died of disease in camp. Aunt Rachel received quite a pension from the Government on account of her deceased sons and this pension was carefully invested for her by William B. Dean, a son-in-law of Mrs. Kercheval.

The old negress then lived in St. Louis and hearing of my proposed visit to California, came to my house and asked the privilege of going with me, saying, "I always promised myself that if I ever had money enough to pay my way, I would go to the grave of Mars Emanuel and make a visit to my other young masters and to Miss Sallie in California." She said that she had plenty of money for her fare and wanted to go along with me and "Miss Ann." Of course I said "Yes" to her request and promised to see her safely through.

The day to start came and with a full basket of eatables from each of the houses of Kercheval, Broadhead and myself, the party, including Aunt Rachel, took a train on the Wabash Railroad to Omaha and from there over the Union Pacific to San Francisco. Thousands of persons availed themselves of the opportunities offered and went to California. I secured a berth for Aunt Rachel in the same car with the rest of the party. The roads were taxed to their full capacity in taking the great crowds across the plains and mountains. In passing through the treeless plains and sagebursh deserts, the attention of Aunt Rachel was called to the character of the land. Her only remark was, "I would not give one acre of land on the Bowling Green prairie for all that I see here."

The Blocks knew of the coming of their sister, but did not dream of seeing their old Mammy, Aunt Rachel. When the train late at night pulled into Oakland, Elias, Sallie and Jimmie Block were waiting at the dock and greeted their sister and the rest of the white contingent with great warmth. Aunt Rachel had covered her face with a veil and stood

back while kisses were being showered on others of the party. After a little while, I lifted the veil from the face of the old black Mammy. The scene that followed beggars description, and if any one there ever doubted the affection that existed between the "young masters and young miss" and the old black Mammy, it was speedily dispelled. God holds somewhere in the great unknown a place where such spirits may meet.

Arriving in San Francisco, my wife, son, daughter and myself went straight to the Palace Hotel. The rest of the party was taken in charge by friends. It was about midnight when I registered. The clerk recognized the name and said he, at the instance of General Sherman, had reserved for me two rooms. These were on the parlor floor not far removed from the suites occupied by General Sherman and his daughter. They were large and handsomely furnished. Having had some experience at hotels in Chicago and elsewhere with large crowds, and the prices demanded, I laughingly said to my wife, "We may be able to stay here the rest of the night."

Early the next morning I asked the clerk what rates he was making for these two rooms. I was perfectly surprised and greatly pleased to hear him say, "two dollars for each person." It has now been thirty-five years since I first went to San Francisco and it is but just to say that the Grand Army was never as well treated at any encampment as it was in that city in 1886.

The two weeks of my stay were filled with interesting events.

The address of welcome to the Grand Army, made