an invasion or quell an uprising. This was wisdom.

But the country called for skilled soldiers and representative
men to join the great work of upholding the Union. A matchless
contingent of Union officers went East.

California had few arms-bearing young Americans to represent its
first ten years of State existence. But it returned to the national
government men identified with the Pacific Coast, who were destined
to be leaders of the Union hosts.

Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, Halleck, Hancock, Hooker, Keyes,
Naglee, Baker, Ord, Farragut (the blameless Nelson of America),
Canby, Fremont, Shields, McPherson, Stoneman, Stone, Porter, Boggs,
Sumner, Heintzelman, Lander, Buell, with other old residents of the
coast, drew the sword. Wool, Denver, Geary, and many more, whose
abilities had been perfected in the struggles of the West, took
high rank.

Where the young were absent (by reason of the infancy of the
State), these men were returned to the government. They went with
a loyalty undimmed, in the prime of their powers. Even the graceful
McClellan was identified with the Pacific Railway survey. Around
the scenes of their early manhood, the halo of these loyal men
will ever linger, and gild the name of "Pioneer." It can never be
forgotten that without the stormy scenes of Western life, without
the knowledge of the great golden empire and the expansion of powers
due to their lessons on plain and prairie, many of these men would
have relapsed into easy mediocrity.