Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-12-04

were ulscdfuto, ana q Tdp execution Oi Ne plan
was commenced. On the llIh Of June supply
oftwo hundred horses for Castro's troops, on the
way 10 his camp, conducted by an officer and
fourteen men, were surprised at daylight, and
the whole caPtured-Ihe men and officers being
released, and the horses retained for American
use.
On the 18th, at daybreak the military post al
Sonoma, (the post of rendezvous, and intended
quarers,) was surprised and taken, with nine
pieces Of brass cannon, two hundred and htly
stand Of muskets, other arms and ammunition,
with several superior officers, General Vallejo
(Nal-ya-ho,) his brother, Captain Vallejo, Col.
Greuxton, and others; all Of whom were detained
and confined as prisoners. Capt. Fremont then
repaired TO the American settlements on the Rio
los AmericaHnoS TO obtain assistance; and Teciev-
ing an express from his little garrison Of four
teen in Sonoma that General CaTro was prepar-
ing TO cross the bay Of San Francisco and attack
them with a large force, he sat out in the after
noon Of the Esd of June, with ninety mounted
rihemen, and travelling day g. night, arrived al 9
o'clock in the morning Of the 25lh at Sonoma-
eighty miles distance.
The vanguard Of Castro's force had crossed
the bay-a squadron of seventy dragons, COM
manded by dc laTone-which was attacked and
defeated by twenty Americans, with the loss Of
two killed and some wounded on the part of the
Mexicans, and no injury to themselves-de la
Tore barely escaping with the loss Of his trans
port boats, and spiking six pieces ofartillery.-
In the mean time, two of Capt. Fremont's men,
going as an express, were captured by de la Tor.
res men, and being bound to trees, were cut to
pieces alive with knives! in return for which,
three Of de la Torres men being taken were in.
stanty shot, The north side Of the bay Of San
Francisco was now cleared ofthe enemy, and on
the 4th day of July, Capt. Fremont called the
Americans together at Sonoma, addressed them
upon the dangers Of their situation, and recon-
mended declaration Of independence, and war
upon Castro and his troops as the only means of
safety. The independence was Immediately de.
clared, and the war proclaimed.
A few days afterwards, an officer from Com.
Sloat brought intelligence that the American flag
was hoisted at Monterey-an example which
was Immediately followed wherever the news
flew. The pursuit and defeat of Castro was then
the only remaining enteprize. He had fled
south towards the numerous Mexican towns and
settlements beyond Monterey, with his four or
five hundred men; and Capt. Fremont, leaving
some fifteen men III garrison, set out with one
hundred and sixty mounted rfemen in the pur-
suit, when he received instructions from Commo.
dore Soat to march upon Monterey. He did so
and found Commodore Stockton in command
approving the pursuit of Castro, and aiding it by
all the means in his power. The soop.of-wal
lCyane, was put at his service. Capt. Fremont
with one hundred and sixty American riRemen
and seventy marines, embarked on that vessel
and sailed down the coast on the Goth of July,
to San Diego, four hundred miles south of Monte
rey, and one hundred south Of Pueba de los
Angles, where Castro was understood TO be, with
an increasing force Of 500 men. The descent
Of the coast as far as San Diego was with the
view to get ahead of Castro, and to be in a posi-
ton either to intercept him he fled South to
Mexico or to Lower California, or to turn back
upon him if he remained in Puebla de los An
giles, or any ofthe numerous towns in its neigh.
borhood. In either event, the enterprise will
probably have had its conclusion early in August,
and official details may now be looked for by the
first arrivals from the north Pacific ocean,"