Page:Sherman - Memoirs of Gen. William T. Sherman, 1891, Volume 1.djvu/46

 At the foot of Clay Street was a small wharf which small boats could reach at high tide; but the principal landing-place was where some stones had fallen into the water, about where Broadway now intersects Battery Street. On the steep blu&#xfb00; above had been excavated, by the navy, during the year before, a bench, wherein were mounted a couple of navy-guns, styled the battery, which, I suppose, gave name to the street. I explained to Folsom the object of my visit, and learned from him that he had no boat in which to send me to Sonoma, and that the only chance to get there was to borrow a boat from the navy. The line-of-battle-ship Columbus was then lying at anchor o&#xfb00; the town, and he said if I would get up early the next morning I could go o&#xfb00; to her in one of the market-boats.

Accordingly, I was up bright and early, down at the wharf, found a boat, and went o&#xfb00; to the Columbus to see Commodore Biddle. On reaching the ship and stating to the o&#xfb03;cer of the deck my business, I was shown into the commodore’s cabin, and soon made known to him my object. Biddle was a small-sized man, but vivacious in the extreme. He had a perfect contempt for all humbug, and at once entered into the business with extreme alacrity. I was somewhat amused at the importance he attached to the step. He had a chaplain, and a private secretary, in a small room latticed o&#xfb00; from his cabin, and he &#xfb01;rst called on them to go out, and, when we were alone, he enlarged on the folly of Sloat’s proclamation, giving the people the right to elect their own o&#xfb03;cers, and commended Kearney and Mason for nipping that idea in the bud, and keeping the power in their own hands. He then sent for the &#xfb01;rst lieutenant (Drayton), and inquired if there were among the o&#xfb03;cers on board any who had ever been in the Upper Bay, and learning that there was a midshipman (Whittaker) he was sent for. It so happened that this midshipman had been on a frolic on shore a few nights before, and was accordingly much frightened when summoned into the commodore’s presence, but as soon as he was questioned as to his knowledge of the bay, he was sensibly relieved, and professed to know every thing about it.

Accordingly, the long-boat was ordered with this