Christmas Day in Downieville, California, 1849
Christmas Day in Downieville, 1849, from Major William Downie’s autobiography Hunting for Gold:
It was on the 10th of December, 1849, that we moved into our new quarters, and then came Christmas. We were determined to make the best of the festive season, even though we were in the midst of the wilds, far away from friends and relations. Our greatest trouble was, that we had but one bottle of brandy in camp, and it took some time to decide whether we would drink it on Christmas or New Years Day.
The Discussion pro and con was very animated and resulted in the drawing of the cork on Christmas morning. It was quite early, when this important event took place, and we made punch with the liquor, using hot water and nutmeg. We drank to absent friends, to wives and sweethearts and to the great American Nation. Gradually, as the sun rose higher in the heavens and the brandy got lower in the bottle, we became more enthusiastic.
I had a small representation of the stars and stripes in my possession, and we determined that on this day it should adorn our house. So I climbed upon the roof with a flag in one hand, a pistol in the other. I made a short speech, waved the flag and fired a few shots and finished up by giving three cheers for the American Constitution. Then I fixed the flag on the gable point, and we all shouted for joy when we saw it unfurled to the breeze for the first time in the fastnesses of the Sierras.
Note: The Anne T. Kent California Room has an indexed facsimile edition of Hunting for Gold. By Major William Downie, Palo Alto: 1971. Call no. 917.94 Downie.
Originally published at https://annetkent.kontribune.com.
