"I caused stakes to be driven at every furlong, with a board strongly nailed upon each, and legibly marked 'United States
reserve.'" Lieutenant George Horatio Derby September 29, 1849
1849
“In September, the United States Government established a Military Post
called Camp
Far West, on the north side of Bear River, eight miles below
the Nevada County line. It was occupied
by a detachment of the Second United States Infantry. Usually one Company, although frequently three or four companies were
there. The post was under the command of Captain Day, an old army officer. Major Mckinstry and Captain (afterwards General
Lyon, who was killed at the battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri,
in 1861, occasionally visited the place.” Thompson and West 1879
"Log houses were built for barracks and officers' quarters. There was
also a log fort."
Thompson
and West 1879
“The place was abandoned in May 1852, and the troops numbering about
40 men of Company E. First Infantry, under the Command of Lieutenant Davis, were ordered to set out for the upper Sacramento….A
public sale was held on the first day of May, of the extra stores. Mr. Chana states that many of the soldiers were dishcharged."
Thompson and West 1879
1850
“Placer Times January 19, 1850
Notice
“the new town of Marysville…Persons desirous of visiting this place,
will find a road passable at all seasons of the year from Sacramento city, by
way of Norris Johnson’s old ranch (now Gillespie’s thence to the town…Chas. Covillard & Co., Proprietors
Marysville, January 8, 1850”
Thompson and West 1879
“Placer Times Feb 2, 1850
Court held for the District of Sacramento, at Marysville, upon the Yuba…in
conducting the administration of justice, when necessary, the Court is authorized to call upon the Commandant of the United
States troops stationed at Johnson’s ranch.
Stephen
J. Field
Clerk
of said Court
And
Alcade of Marysville”
Thompson
and West 1879
(Stephen J. Field, future Justice United States Supreme Court)
Stephen J. Field
Early Days in California
1877 (Printed in 1893)
But the case which made the greatest impression upon the people, and did more to confirm my authority than anything
else, was the following: There was a military encampment of United States soldiers on the Bear River, about fifteen miles
from Marysville, known as “Camp Far West.” One day an application
was made to me to issue a warrant for the arrest of one of the soldiers for a larceny he had committed. It was stated that
a complaint had been laid before the local alcalde near the camp; but that the officer in charge had refused to give up the
soldier unless a warrant for that purpose were issued by me, it being the general impression that I was the only duly commissioned
alcalde in the district above Sacramento. On this knowing I issued my warrant, and a lieutenant of the army brought the soldier
over. The soldier was indicted, tried, convicted, and sentenced to be publicly whipped with the usual number of lashes, and
the officer stood by and saw the punishment inflicted. He then took the soldier back to camp, where it was afterwards reported
that he received an additional punishment. But before the lieutenant left me that day, and while we were dining together,
he took occasion to say that, if at any time I had any trouble in enforcing the law, I had but to send him word and he would
order out a company of troops to support me. This offer I permitted to become known through the town; and people said- and
with what effect may be imagined- “Why here is an Alcalde that has the troops of the United States
at his back.”