the Governor would make his proclamation for the committee to disperse, and that I should afterward call out the militia, etc.  On the way back to the hotel at Benicia, General Wool, Captain Callendar of the arsenal, and I, were walking side by side, and I was telling him (General Wool) that I would also need some ammunition for the thirty-two-pound guns then in position at Rineon Point, when Wool turned to Callendar and inquired, “Did I not order those guns to be brought away?” Callendar said “Yes, general.  I made a requisition on the quartermaster for transportation, but his schooner has been so busy that the guns are still there.”  Then said Wool:  “Let them remain; we may have use for them.”  I therefrom inferred, of course, that it was all agreed to so far as he was concerned.

Soon after we had reached the hotel, we ordered a buggy, and Governor Johnson and I drove to Vallejo, six miles, crossed over to Mare Island, and walked up to the commandant’s house, where we found Commodore Farragut and his family.  We stated our business fairly, but the commodore answered very frankly that he had no authority, without orders from his department, to take any part in civil broils; he doubted the wisdom of the attempt; said he had no ship available except the John Adams, Captain Boutwell, and that she needed repairs.  But he assented at last, to the proposition to let the sloop John Adams drop down abreast of the city after certain repairs, to lie off there for moral effect, which afterward actually occurred.

We then returned to Benicia, and Wool’s first question was, “What luck?” We answered, “Not much,” and explained what Commodore Farragut could and would do, and that, instead of having a naval vessel, we would seize and use one of the Pacific Mail Company’s steamers, lying at their dock in Benicia, to carry down to San Francisco the arms and munitions when the time came.

As the time was then near at hand for the arrival of the evening boats, we all walked down to the wharf together, where I told Johnson that he could not be too careful; that I had not heard General Wool make a positive promise of assistance.

Upon this, Johnson called General Wool to one side, and we three drew together.  Johnson said:  “General Wool, General Sherman is very particular, and wants to know exactly what you propose to do.”  Wool answered:  “I understand, Governor, that in the first place a writ of Habeas corpus will be issued commanding the jailers of the Vigilance Committee to produce the body of some one of the prisoners held by them (which, of course, will be refused); that you then issue your proclamation commanding them to disperse, and, failing this, you will call out the militia, and command General Sherman with it to suppress the Vigilance Committee as an unlawful body;” to which the Governor responded, “Yes.”  “Then,” said Wool, “on General Sherman’s making his requisition, approved by you, I will order the issue of the necessary arms and ammunition.”  I remember well that I said, emphatically:  “That is all I want.  —­Now, Governor, you may go ahead.”  We soon parted; Johnson and Douglas taking the boat to Sacramento, and I to San Francisco.