Alta California : embracing notices of the climate, soil, and agricultural products of northern Mexico and the Pacific seaboard : also, a history of the military and naval operations of the United States directed against the territories of northern Mexico, in the year 1846-'47 : with documents declaratory of the policy of the present administration of the national government in regard to the annexation of conquered territory to this union, and the opinion of the Hon. James Buchanan on the Wilmot Proviso, &c
Description of area: p. 9-12; history and documentation: p. 13-64.
Anti-annexation tract.
Summary
The 1847 publication briefly address climate soil and agriculture in Alta and Baja California in chapter I. The following eight chapters consist of communications from the U.S. Government consisting of instructions in the event Mexico declared war, justification of and motives for war, various reports to Washington, communications with Mexican officials in Alta California, accounts of the military operations in California, the articles of capitulation entered into at Rancho of Cowanga on January 13, 1847, all of which are interspersed with personal observations and comments by the author. The final chapter deals with the question of whether slavery would be allowed in California, the policy of the South and its motive for a slave market and emigrants to California and Northern Mexico [from California State University's Digital Commons]
3 p. ø., 9-14, [2] p., 1 ø., 13-335, [2], 336-530 p. incl. front. (port) illus., facsim. plates, ports., maps, facsims., coat of arms, fold. geneal. tab. 24 cm.
Notes
Maps on lining-papers; folded genealogical table mounted on back lining-paper.
"There have been 200 copies ... printed--after which the type was destroyed."
Abraham Rudisill was born in Hanover PA on April 14, 1811, and entered the Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren Church in 1871 at the age of 60. A truly unique personality, he was a soldier throughout the Civil War, including the Battle of Gettysburg. He was also a self-educated scientist who contributed many articles to scientific journals. As much at home with Greek and Hebrew as with English, he was also a scholar and writer - and for a while he published a paper called The Monthly Friend. More information about Abraham, along with many of his letters, can be found at https://www.lycoming.edu/umarch/chronicles/2012/RudisillCombined.pdf.