Gold Discovery Journal Of Azariah Smith [Paperback]

David Bigler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1996

Azariah Smith's journal is one of only two eyewitness accounts of the discovery of gold by James Marshall at Sutter's Fort on January 24, 1848. Introduced and annotated by western historian David L. Bigler, Smith's journal is a compelling account of an average citizen experiencing the making of western history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The editor of this work makes the reading of this journal worthwhile; without his footnotes and commentary, the journal itself would be very plain. Bigler's role is [actually] more than that of "editor," his writing probably equals that of Smith in terms of quantity, but it is Bigler's historical commentary that gives this book depth and significance. -- California HISTORIAN, Summer 1997

From the Back Cover

Azariah Smith wrote one of only two contemporary eyewitness accounts of the discovery of gold by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill, California, in January 1848. Smith, at eighteen, was a member of the Mormon Battalion. He recorded the experiences of that far-traveling unit, including its march across Sonora to assist in the conquest of California during the Mexican War and its opening of wagon roads over the Sierra Nevada and Salt Lake Desert, which would be principal routes of the forty-niners. His journal, thoroughly introduced and annotated by David L. Bigler, is a compelling account of an average citizen experiencing the making of history.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Utah State University Press (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874212170
• ISBN-13: 978-0874212174
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,610,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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