Autograph letter signed by Sarah Plummer Young Merwin (1833-1920). Sacramento, California, 28 April & 11 May 1863. 4 pages, 4to. With original envelope with Sacramento cancel and green 10-cent stamp. Also with clipped poem from a newspaper "Smile and Be Contented." 

A California letter containing an interesting story of "fake news," when Sacramento rejoiced upon hearing false reports of Richmond's fall.  

Written by California pioneer Sarah Merwin, originally of Maine, who writes of her journey west: "Three weeks last Thursday at half last 6 o'clock, we left here in the cars and went about 30 miles to Auburn Station. Then took the stage for Dutch Flat and rode 45 miles over the roughest road I ever traveled. Suffice it to say that the roughest road I ever traveled in the States was smooth compared with the best road here. We arrived there at 6 o'clock in the afternoon, and went over one piece of road 3 miles long where it was built on the side of a mountain which was 300 feet high and so steep that one could not walk up it, and this road was one hundred feet from the top and only just wide enough for the stage. It seemed to me that every time the wheels went round we should surely go down the bank next." Despite the difficulty of the passage, this route between Auburn and Dutch Flats was in fact the best route over the Sierra Mountains and was selected for the Central Pacific Railroad.  

Continuing her letter a few weeks later, she tells of grand celebrations in Sacramento when they received false reports that Richmond had been captured by Federal forces. She writes of their all-night revels: "at half past eleven we were awakened by the firing of cannons and we and we got up and looked out of the window and the whole city seemed to be in flames. The church bells and engine bells and steam boat bells were ringing and I never saw so much confusion. The first thought that occurred to me was that the secesh had taken full possession as there had been strong talk of it. Perhaps you can imagine my feelings a little. But Orpha (Mrs. Massol) said she guessed it was good news. Samuel went downtown to see and he soon came back and said Richmond is taken. I was on the piazza and I just hallowed to Mr. Pike and told him and he said it was too goot to be true but he just stretched himself out of the window as far as he could and gave three rousing cheers for the Union. Then he hurried on his clothes and he and Johnnie went downtown with all the rest of them in the neighborhood while the women, 15 or 20 in number, went to work and built bonfires in the street...We worked as hard as we could until 3 o'clock when Orpha treated us with nice cake & then Pa, Susan & the children, Samuel and I, and Mrs. Bailey went over in town and I tell you we had a good time generally and about 4 o'clock in the morning we retired to quite rest again. " 

Although the report was untrue, it is a fascinating description of frontier California celebrations in support of the Union. 

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