The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-27
MIsCELLANEOUs.
Fro.a The Boston Times, Nov a.
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LIEUT. COL. FREMONT.
Great men, who, by their eminent services ia an
field, by their ingenuity, enterprise or VALUABLE
Developments Of character, shed lustre on th
age IN which they live, should IN Ai cases b
considered the property OF their country, and tina
country prohting by their services should ever con
slider them bright examples for the imitation OF 9th
ers. Wars and revolutions frequently bring forward
men in bold relief in conspicuous positlons. Gu
revolutionary struggles, for example, gave TO thu
world many iDuslrious patriots and statesmen
whose chief merit lay in their fidelity 10 the
their patient endurance of all kinds ofreyerses, the
decision and valor in the field, and the hardy, con
slant character Of the race. History has done then
| ample justice, and a nation has embalmed the
memories Gu claims 10 the Territory Of Oregon
and the events Of the Mexican war, have brough
forward in suspicious relief one Of the most extra
ordinary men Of the age, and one whom our eoun
Try has right 10 be Justly proud of-we allude u
Lieut.. Col. Fremont. The first known Of Captain
Fremont was IN his capacity Of Typographical eng
neeri we see him a man OF science, penetrating
Wild county inhabited only by race of savage In
dians, and, backed by few hardy followers, ascend
ing mountains covered by eternal SHOWS, fordlns
rivers and navigating lakes, laying out roads, foi
lowing the valleys and river courses, examining the
geological surface Of the country, crossing and re-
crossing II in every direction, and presenting 60 his
country map Of Oregon, which hereafter viii be
its true and IN guide. These services alone were
fnFaihAAc AZ OtttIOplnk tue RESOURCES OF vast
tent Of country, It's soil ani climate its great rivers
lakes, and commerce, and the means Of reaching il
with security.
But the exploring Of Oregon, valuable and scien-
tihe as il wss faded into comparative insgnifcance
when eoDtrAsted with the movements Of Colonel Ere
mont in California, as developed in the correspond
lately prepared by Colonel Benton and pub
lished in the Washington Union. With handful
Of men serving merely guides, and few soldiers
used as protectors against Indian depredations,
Lieut.. Col. Fremont, we may say, has captured an
empire, and with gUtanIry unequaled stormed
forts fought treble his number OF Mexicans and
tually chased them out Of California before, we may
say, the squadron in the Pacific took formal posses
sion Of that country. Castro, the Mexican gov
ernor Of California, officially denounced Fremont
at an early period, and charged him with having de-
signs against the country under the disguise Of sci
entihc pursuits. On hearing Of these charged, Col
Fremont left Oregon and the immediate objects OF
his pursuits, and went alone to Monterey to explain
his wishes and Intentions to Governor Castro, and
TO assure him Of his pacific objects and intentions.
This he did In the most formal manner, assuring
the governor that his objects were purely Of scen-
tihc character; that he had with him only a sufF-
Gent number Of men necessary to carry out the
duty Of his mission as a typographical engineer;
and all he requested was 10 winter in the valley
Of San Joaquin, where there was game for
his men and proyender for their horses. The
governor appeared to be satisfied; but scarcely
had Colonel Fremont departed when information
reached him that the Ireaeherous governor was pre-
pairing means to cut him of, and the consul wrote 10
him in his encampment, warning him OF his danger.
"lf we are attacked, !" wrote the colonel, tive will
fight to extremity, and refuse quarter" The Mex
leans, however, with three or four hundred men,
and several pieces Of artillery, ordered him out OF
the country. lie complied, and gradually retreated
and fortified himself with but 62 men in a secure
position He pursued his journey to Oregon, and
returned in May, and found himself hemmed in on
oil sides by Castro and bis men, and the only
left TO cut his way through without further
emony. On the llrh of June he surprised two hun
dred horses, officer, and fourteen men, which he
captured, and on the 18th, with his small detsch-
ment, he attacked and captured the Mexican fort
at Lonora, defended by nine pieces Of artillery, with
q considerable force made prisoners Of general,
several sfheers and two hundred and fifty muskets.
He reinforced himself, and with twenty men attack
ed squadron Of seventy Dragons and captured an
important post, spiked six pieces Of artillery, de-
stroyed their boats drove thet out OF the country
and declared il independent A few days after this
Commodore Sloat took formal possession of Cali.
fornia.
The daring fea,s and gallant enterprise of Ere.
mont, against such superior odds-the exploring OF
Oregon amidst so many dangers-and his great sue.
cess in every movement, civil or military, mark him
MS one of the first men Of the age, to be cherished
by his country, and appauded he will be, by the
admirers Of heroic actions throughout the world.