But first—-this announcement:
I’ll be signing books at the Chico Library Fall Festival tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If anyone would like a copy of my book, or would like to meet and talk to the author, please stop by and say, “Hi!”
And now, back to our regularly scheduled program.
“Thursday, 14th. This morning we saw at a distance Capt. B. with his 7 men, coming in a direction towards us, but we made no halt, ascended the stream about 20 miles. The mountains continued to increase in height.”
Captain Bartleson was back. He had taken off with seven of his eight companions, their saddlebags packed with most of the meat from a slaughtered ox. One of Bartleson’s friends stayed behind, saying, “The captain is wrong and I will stay with you, boys.” At first the rest of the company followed in Bartleson’s tracks, knowing that the company’s best scout, Charles Hopper, was with them.
On the 11th they deviated from Bartleson’s trail and started along the Walker River into the mountains. It would be another day and a half before Bartleson’s group, in a very hungry condition, caught up with them.
I have enjoyed your short stories. However I believe It was Charles Harper, from North Carolina, not Charles Hopper, that you mention. He is mentioned in the Lingenfelter Archives (married) at CSU Chico : csuchico.edu/lbib/spc/lingenfelter/H/ling_h2.pdf. I think he might be a relative to my wife. For sure her gg grandfather is William Atwood Harper (married Belle Vandergrift). They are buried in Chico. Hope to drop in next year. Steve Alcorn
I don’t think they are the same man. Charles Hopper, born in 1799, came to California in 1841. He is listed in Bancroft’s Pioneer Register. I don’t find a Charles Harper in Bancroft. Do you know what year Charles Harper came to California?