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Reminiscences, 1879.
MANUSCRIPT SMCII Box 13 Folder 15
Collection Overview
Title:
Reminiscences, 1879Marshal C. Brydges reminiscences, 1879
Creator/Contributor:
Brydges, Marshal C., creatorAbstract:
Two ms. documents with transcriptions. Each is two pages in length and consists of short factual entries. Marshal follows
an idiosyncratic custom of ending each paragraph with the punctuation mark xc. The document referring to his Mexican War experiences
has a note on the back indicating it was written for the "Archives of SFr(?)".
The first document is dated Feb. 2nd 1879 and titled 'Reminesences of varous positions that I filled during the Mexican War'.
Here Marshal provides an enumerated list of his service in the Mexican American War. He was an engineer on the Steamboat Augusta
during the first two battles at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He then provided transport service for dispatches as well
as troops during subsequent actions at Tampico and Vera Cruz, serving on several steamships until the end of the war.
The second document, dated Feb 5th 1879, begins 'I Marshal C. Brydges starting to come to California after the Mexican War'.
It is also an enumerated listing of Brydges several unsuccessful efforts to secure passage to California by outfitting various
ships. Finally he meets William Aspinwall who evidently hires him to go to Benicia and help launch a steamboat operation there.
Marshal sails from New York in July of 1850, overlands via Panama, and arrives in San Francisco in Sept. of 1850.
Date:
1879 (issued)Subject:
n-us-ca -- n-mx---Brydges, Marshal C
Mexican War, 1846-1848 -- Naval operations, American
Mexican War, 1846-1848 -- Personal narratives
Voyages to the Pacific coast
Note:
Marshal C. Brydges, a native of New York?, served as an engineer during the Mexican American War. He was assigned to various
steamboats conveying troops in the Gulf of Mexico, including General Winfield Scott and his men. After the war ended, Marshal
attempted to outfit a steamship to travel to California -- a venture that failed. Following several other unsuccessful attempts
he finally succeeded in travelling via Panama to arrive in California in 1850.
The 1852 census shows him resident in Solano County, probably in Benicia; by 1860 he had relocated to San Francisco. In 1869,
Marshal was one of a group of Mexican War veterans who joined to form a National Guard unit which was commissioned as the
Veterans of the Mexican War, Company A, Second Brigade in 1870. The unit was only operational briefly, being decommissioned
in 1872 when the State Legislature greatly reduced the number of guard companies in the state.
From the Allan Ottley papers.
Marshal C. Brydges reminiscences, 1879
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.
Type:
biographyPhysical Description:
print
2 items
Language:
English
Identifier:
MANUSCRIPT SMCII Box 13 Folder 15
Origin:
CaliforniaCopyright Note:
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.