who knew him well.  He was a careful, prudent, and honest officer, well qualified for his business, and extremely accurate in all his work.  He and I had been intimately associated during our four years together in California, and I felt his loss deeply.  The season was then too far advanced to attempt to avenge his death, and it was not until the next spring that a party was sent out to gather up and bury his scattered bones.

As winter approached, the immigrants overland came pouring into California, dusty and worn with their two thousand miles of weary travel across the plains and mountains.  Those who arrived in October and November reported thousands still behind them, with oxen perishing, and short of food.  Appeals were made for help, and General Smith resolved to attempt relief.  Major Rucker, who had come across with Pike.  Graham’s Battalion of Dragoons, had exchanged with Major Fitzgerald, of the Quartermaster’s Department, and was detailed to conduct this relief.  General Smith ordered him to be supplied with one hundred thousand dollars out of the civil fund, subject to his control, and with this to purchase at Sacramento flour, bacon, etc., and to hire men and mules to send out and meet the immigrants.  Major Rucker fulfilled this duty perfectly, sending out pack-trains loaded with food by the many routes by which the immigrants were known to be approaching, went out himself with one of these trains, and remained in the mountains until the last immigrant had got in.  No doubt this expedition saved many a life which has since been most useful to the country.  I remained at Sacramento a good part of the fall of 1849, recognizing among the immigrants many of my old personal friends—­John C. Fall, William King, Sam Stambaugh, Hugh Ewing, Hampton Denman, etc.  I got Rucker to give these last two employment along with the train for the relief of the immigrants.  They had proposed to begin a ranch on my land on the Cosumnes, but afterward changed their minds, and went out with Rucker.

While I was at Sacramento General Smith had gone on his contemplated trip to Oregon, and promised that he would be back in December, when he would send me home with dispatches.  Accordingly, as the winter and rainy season was at hand, I went to San Francisco, and spent some time at the Presidio, waiting patiently for General Smith’s return.  About Christmas a vessel arrived from Oregon with the dispatches, and an order for me to deliver them in person to General Winfield Scott, in New York City.  General Smith had sent them down, remaining in Oregon for a time.  Of course I was all ready, and others of our set were going home by the same conveyance, viz., Rucker, Ord, A. J. Smith—­some under orders, and the others on leave.  Wanting to see my old friends in Monterey, I arranged for my passage in the steamer of January 1, 1850, paying six hundred dollars for passage to New York, and went down to Monterey by land, Rucker accompanying me.  The