Soonafterwehadreachedthehotel，weorderedabuggy，andGovernorJohnsonandIdrovetoVallejo，sixmiles，crossedovertoMareIsland，andwalkeduptothecommandant’shouse，wherewefoundCommodoreFarragutandhisfamily。Westatedourbusinessfairly，butthecommodoreansweredveryfranklythathehadnoauthority，withoutordersfromhisdepartment，totakeanypartincivilbroils;hedoubtedthewisdomoftheattempt;saidhehadnoshipavailableexcepttheJohnAdams，CaptainBoutwell，andthatsheneededrepairs。Butheassentedatlast，tothepropositiontoletthesloopJohnAdamsdropdownabreastofthecityaftercertainrepairs，tolieoffthereformoraleffect，whichafterwardactuallyoccurred。
WethenreturnedtoBenicia，andWool’sfirstquestionwas，\"Whatluck？\"Weanswered，\"Notmuch，\"andexplainedwhatCommodoreFarragutcouldandwoulddo，andthat，insteadofhavinganavalvessel，wewouldseizeanduseoneofthePacificMailCompany’ssteamers，lyingattheirdockinBenicia，tocarrydowntoSanFranciscothearmsandmunitionswhenthetimecame。
Asthetimewasthennearathandforthearrivaloftheeveningboats，weallwalkeddowntothewharftogether，whereItoldJohnsonthathecouldnotbetoocareful;thatIhadnotheardGeneralWoolmakeapositivepromiseofassistance。
Uponthis，JohnsoncalledGeneralWooltooneside，andwethreedrewtogether。Johnsonsaid:\"GeneralWool，GeneralShermanisveryparticular，andwantstoknowexactlywhatyouproposetodo。\"
Woolanswered:\"Iunderstand，Governor，thatinthefirstplaceawritofHabeascorpuswillbeissuedcommandingthejailersoftheVigilanceCommitteetoproducethebodyofsomeoneoftheprisonersheldbythem（which，ofcourse，willberefused）;thatyouthenissueyourproclamationcommandingthemtodisperse，and，failingthis，youwillcalloutthemilitia，andcommandGeneralShermanwithittosuppresstheVigilanceCommitteeasanunlawfulbody;\"towhichtheGovernorresponded，\"Yes。\"\"Then，\"saidWool，\"onGeneralSherman’smakinghisrequisition，approvedbyyou，I