e Sheriff, but that if they should resolve such a course,
they would withdraw their guard. At two o'clock P. M. on Saturday, the
process of enrollment was suddenly stopped. Two thousand six hundred
men had then been enrolled. In the evening the whole force was broken
up into twenty-six companies or divisions, as they were called first,
of one hundred men. Each division then made choice of its officers,
consisting of a Captain, two Lieutenants; and Sergeants and Corporals
were likewise appointed. The Command-in-Chief was entrusted by the
Executive Committee to Colonel Charles Doane; who, in all the subsequent
military operations proved himself to be a most skillful tactician and
efficient commander. The great body of the force at first under his
command, was infantry armed with flint-lock muskets, afterwards changed
for percussion ones. There were, in addition, a company of horse;
two companies of riflemen, and artillerists for two field pieces. The
evening closed with a sharp drill of all the divisions.

Sunday the Eighteenth day of May was bright and beautiful. It dawned on
the pleasant and picturesque City slumbering in its holy light. The roar
and tumult of the populous City in its hours of business were stilled.
The sun shone joyously in the deep blue sky, undimmed by cloud or vapor.
All was hushed in the breathing repose of nature, and the soft and
fragrant air, the still earth, and the unruffled surface of the
magnificent bay, graced and dignified by grand old Monte Diavolo looking
down upon it from its far off border, seemed united together in the same
sweet spirit of devotion. As the day wore on, the bells of the various
churches rang out their summons to the house of God. No unusual movement
or sound in the early morning gave token of that calm solemn, most
fearful uprising of the people which, at a later hour, was to make that
day one never to be forgotten by any who took part in or witnessed its
extraordinary events. The Executive Committee with consummate prudence
had kept their plan of action profoundly secret.

At an early hour in the morning the Commander of the force issued orders
to the Captains of Companies to notify their men to appear at Head
Quarters, No. 41 Sacramento Street, at nine o'clock A. M. ready for
duty. Time was of course required to circulate the notice through the
City; but soon the men began to congregate from all quarters and the
building, extensive as it was, by half past ten o'clock