Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/61



REMINISCENCES 53

wall behind, making a large yard or corral. At night our horses and mules were driven through the driveway into the corral and out every morning to feed on the plains below Sonoma. I presume the old building still stands.

"General Vallejo, governor of California under Spanish rule, was a fine old gentleman, a fine old-style Castillian. His family were Catholics, and I remember seeing them often going to mass. It seemed to me then that the old mission bells at Sonoma were the sweetest-toned bells I ever heard, and I still think so.

"There were about 25 or 30 soldiers there. Lieutenant Page, afterwards famous as a Confederate general in the Civil War, was in command. He was a martinet in the matter of roll calls. The last call for the day, retreat, was 8:30 p. m. As it was often very dark and rainy the men did not like it. The lieutenant was prompt in coming to hear the report from the sergeant as to those present or absent.

"It began to happen that rocks would go singing through the air about the time the lieutenant was to appear. Carrying a lantern did no good: the rocks still kept coming, until the lieutenant, not wishing to take any more chances of being hit, dispensed with the 8:30 p. m. retreat roll call. It was just as well, for there were but few men and no calling of the roll would keep them from deserting to the mines if they wished to do so.

"General Persifor F. Smith was in command of the Pacific division. He was with General Scott in Mexico, and a noted man. Soon after our arrival at Sonoma the general wanted a man to look after his quarters, a servant. He sent for me and told me what he wanted. He said I would be relieved from guard duty, drill and other duties of a soldier. I said I wished to be excused, as I preferred a soldier's duty. I had enlisted for that, though I thanked him for the offer. In- stead of taking offense at my blunt refusal, he talked with me awhile and finished up by complimenting me on my re- fusal. During the ensuing months, while at Sonoma, he seemed to feel an interest in me.