James W. Marshall was the man who discovered gold in California in 1848, setting off the rush that would go down in history as the California Gold Rush. This biography tells his story, from his early life in New Jersey to his adventures in California and his ultimate disillusionment with the gold rush and the effects it had on the region. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This is a reproduction of the original artefact. Generally these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way the author intended. Since the original versions are generally quite old, there may occasionally be certain imperfections within these reproductions. We're happy to make these classics available again for future generations to enjoy!

In Volunteer Forty-Niners, Walter T. Durham provides the first comprehensive examination of the role Tennessee and Tennesseans played in creating a new state and a new society on the West Coast. Drawing from such archival sources as personal narratives in letters and diaries, public records, and newspaper reports, Durham has woven a wealth of information into his recounting of their adventures.

Teleguac aka Chief Jose Jesus was one of California’s na-tive freedom fighters. Living through an extremely turbulent period in time where everything was put into chaos by climatic disasters and invasions by other races to the very foundations upon which the tribes were based, he would not only survive but forged a future for his people. This unique leader was also chosen by an animal that protected him in numerous battles and who’s presence brought many tribes together in common cause creating what can best be described as the Miwok Confedera-tion. His life’s story inspired the fictional California Hero we call Zorro but the real story is even more fascinating than the fiction. The real history of California Natives is almost com-pletely unknown yet it shaped the history in so many ways that it merits being brought out for all to learn.