George B. Fitzgerald: In California 1849-1850

The first potential snapshot of George's life after the Mexican war comes from Sherman's memoirs. George had been mustered out of the army in 1848 when his regiment was disbanded, but his brother Edward continued his military career as a quartermaster.

By the time the census was taken in 1850, George was working for the army and stationed with his bother as a quartermaster agent. I don't know when George took the position, so I don't know whether he was one of the "some others of us" in the following account, or whether he arrived a few months later, but Sherman mentions George's brother Edward by name.

Below, Sherman describes his arrival in San Francisco in 1849, along with George's brother Edward.











































Some correspondence related to Edward's position as Assistant Quartermaster in San Francisco in 1849 is recorded here.

At this time, the quartermaster department in California was hurting for money.

"The department in California is destitute of funds, and much remains to be done there and in Oregon, which will involve very large expenditures; and I cannot too urgently represent the necessity of liberal appropriations for the service of that country…" said a report published with the December 1850 President's Message to Congress (p. 260).

In fact, "A Bill for the Relief of Major E. H. Fitzgerald" showed up twice in Congress, in January of 1849 and April of 1850. Personally, though, Edward Fitzgerald was doing well, owning $5,000 of property in the 1850 census.

In 1850, Edward was sent to the brand new city of San Diego, and we do know that George showed up with him in the census there, working as a quartermaster agent. While San Diego was a local depot of the quartermaster department, Edward himself may have been in charge of the dragoons and no longer directly connected with quartermaster work.

William Heath Davis described San Diego in 1850, including information on the US Army quartermaster department there:









































George purchased no property in California that I know of, but Edward invested in a lot in San Diego, which he owned until his death in 1860. According to San Diego: California's Cornerstone by Iris Wilson Engstrand, p. 76-77, "Several military men including… Edward H. Fitzgerald… had purchased property in a Playa or near the plaza… Powell described the heart of San Diego as a place of bullfighting, gambling, and drinking. Although such activities no doubt took place, life around the plaza consisted generally of children playing, families gathering, and normal socializing. Washington Plaza, as it was sometimes called, hosted caravans with trade goods and vendors who often sold their wares from stands in the square. A town well sunk at the eastern end near the Estudillo house had a windmill for drawing water. The Americans introduced a Fourth of July celebration in 1847 and continued to celebrate that date each year with fire-crackers, marching bands, speeches, and much singing and dancing.

George and Edward's first summer in San Diego included some excitement.

"George T. Burrill… was Sheriff, in the summer of 1850, when certain members of the infamous Irving party were arraigned for murder, and during that time received private word that many of the prisoners' friends would pack the little court room and attempt a rescue. Burrill, however, who used to wear a sword and had a rather soldierly bearing, was equal to the emergency. He quickly sent to Major E. H. Fitzgerald and had the latter come post-haste to town and court with a detachment of soldiers; and with this superior, disciplined force he overawed the bandits' compañeros who, sure enough, were there and fully armed to make a demonstration." (From Sixty years in Southern California, 1853-1913, containing the reminiscences of Harris Newmark, edited by Maurice H. Newmark; Marco R. Newmark)

The biggest excitement, however, was to occur the following year, when George stepped forward to form the Fitzgerald Volunteers to help protect the community from Indians.
I made my written resignation; but General [Persifer F.] Smith put his veto upon it, saying that he was to command the Division of the Pacific, while General Riley was to have the Department of California, and Colonel Loring that of Oregon. He wanted me as his adjutant-general, because of my familiarity with the country, and knowledge of its then condition: At the time, he had on his staff Gibbs as aide-de-camp, and [Edward] Fitzgerald as quartermaster …

[In San Francisco in the fall of 1849] I opened the office at the custom house, and Gibbs, Fitzgerald, and some others of us, slept in the loft of the Hudson Bay Company house until the lower part was cleared of Howard's store, after which General Smith and the ladies moved in. There we had a general mess, and the efforts at house-keeping were simply ludicrous. One servant after another, whom General Smith had brought from New Orleans, with a solemn promise to stand by him for one whole year, deserted without a word of notice or explanation, and in a few days none remained but little Isaac. The ladies had no maid or attendants; and the general, commanding all the mighty forces of the United States on the Pacific coast, had to scratch to get one good meal a day for his family! He was a gentleman of fine social qualities, genial and gentle, and joked at every thing. Poor Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Ogden did not bear it so philosophically. Gibbs, Fitzgerald, and I, could cruise around and find a meal, which cost three dollars, at some of the many restaurants which had sprung up out of red-wood boards and cotton lining; but the general and ladies could not go out, for ladies were rara aves at that day in California. Isaac was cook, chamber-maid, and every, thing, thoughtless of himself, and struggling, out of the slimmest means, to compound a breakfast for a large and hungry family. Breakfast would be announced any time between ten and twelve, and dinner according to circumstances. Many a time have I seen General Smith, with a can of preserved meat in his hands, going toward the house, take off his hat on meeting a negro, and, on being asked the reason of his politeness, he would answer that they were the only real gentlemen in California. I confess that the fidelity of Colonel Mason's boy "Aaron," and of General Smith's boy "Isaac," at a time when every white man laughed at promises as something made to be broken, has given me a kindly feeling of respect for the negroes, and makes me hope that they will find an honorable "status" in the jumble of affairs in which we now live. …

As winter approached, the immigrants overland came pouring into California, dusty and worn with their two thousand miles of weary travel across the plains and mountains. Those who arrived in October and November reported thousands still behind them, with oxen perishing, and short of food. Appeals were made for help, and General Smith resolved to attempt relief. Major Rucker, who had come across with Pike. Graham's Battalion of Dragoons, had exchanged with Major Fitzgerald, of the Quartermaster's Department, and was detailed to conduct this relief.

In 1850 the American and Mexican commissions appointed to establish the boundary line were at Old Town. Andrew B. Gray, the chief engineer and surveyor for the United States, who was with the commission, introduced himself to me one day at Old Town. In February, 1850, he explained to me the advantages of the locality known as ‘Punta de los Muertos’ (Point of the Dead)…

The first building in New San Diego was put up by myself as a private residence. The building still stands, being known as the San Diego Hotel. I also put up a number of other houses. The cottage built by Andrew B. Gray is still standing and is called ‘The Hermitage.’ George F. Hooper also built a cottage, which is still standing near my house in New San Diego. Under the conditions of our deed, we were to build a substantial wharf and warehouse. The other proprietors of the town deeded to me their interest in Block 20, where the wharf was to be built. The wharf was completed in six months after getting our title in March, 1850, at a cost of $60,000. The piles of the old wharf are still to be seen on the old wharf site in Block 20. At that time I predicted that San Diego would become a great commercial seaport from its fine geographical position and from the fact that it was the only good harbor south of San Francisco. Had it not been for our civil war, railroads would have reached here years before Stanford’s road was built, for our wharf was ready for business.

The depot block which I have mentioned above was donated to the government by the original proprietors of New San Diego at my suggestion, together with another block of land adjacent to the depot and a wharf privilege for all time. The real estate has become very valuable, as well as the water property, since the rapid growth of the city next to Mexico on the waterfront of California.

Speaking of the old historic building at the military headquarters, which has been the receptacle for government stores since the year 1850: The lamented General Nathaniel Lyon of our Civil War times was quartermaster during the construction of the building. On its completion Captain Lyon said to me one evening: “I am going to give a baile at the building, with the aid of my brother officers. Will you assist me to get up the amusements?” I replied, “Certainly, I will help you with pleasure.” Captain Santiaguito Argüello was selected to invite the fair sex, from the Old Town, from the ranchos, and from the City of the Angels. The assemblage of women constituted the élite of San Diego and Los Angeles, which places were noted in early times for their handsome women. The party dispersed in the early hours of morning, guided by the dim light of a constellation to their homes. Thus terminated an enjoyable reunion more than a generation since. (From Seventy-five Years in San Francisco by William Heath Davis, 1929)