Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1846-12-31
WOODSTOCK VERMONT, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 81,

S, he arrived, after march ofS73 miles, o
m the 18th OF August, and took milal
j. possession Of New Mexico without rests
I'd ance. The Mexican forces, about 400
r. IN number, which had been collected nea
pit the city under the late government. A,
Iy m'Io, to oppose his progress, dispersed o
Is the approach of our troops, and the 60,
e ernor fled himself with a small comman
Is OF Dragons in the direction OF Chihauhau
II Under the apprehension that the fore
e which left Fort Leavenworth, in June
e might not be sufficient fully to effect tn
!. purpose ofIhe expedition, which was,
S found practicable, TO pass on TO California
II after conquering aud securing New Mex
r leo, General Kearny was authorized t
| organize and muster into service balta
l ION of the emigrants which were O!
: the way to California or Oregon. Thu
: has been done, and also one thousand ad
4, dtlonal volunteers from Missouri we're
sent on as relnlorcomenls, and to augmen
= his disposabIe force for California;; but
they had not joined General Kearny when
he departed Tor that country. After max
ing the necessary arrangements at Santa
l Fee, consequent on the military occupation
: Of New Mexico, General Kearny moved
with part of his force to the village of
Tome, about 100 miles down the Rio
) Grande. The inhabitants, not only at
Santa Fe, but throughout the whole of
this department, are represented to be
well satisfied with the change which had
taken place, and the General reports that
there can no longer be apprehendcd any
organized resistance to our troops in that
territory.
With irregular force of about 300 drag
oons, leaving orders for part of the vol
unteers to follow, he commenced his
march from Santa Fe for California, in
tending to proceed down the Rio Grande
about two hundred miles, thence to strike
across to the ella, and to move down that
river near its mouth, then across the Col
orado TO the Pacific, where he hoped to
arrive about the last Of November. AT.
ter proceeding about $50 miles on his
route, he was met by an express from
California, sent by Lieutenant Colonel
Fremont. On learning the condition of
things in that quarter. and deeming that
an additional force would not be required
in California he directed most OF that with
him to return TO Santa Fe Selecting a.
bout one hundred men 10 accompany him,
he continued on his roale. The prompt
and energetic manner in which General
hearny has conducted to a successful ter
mInolon very difficult and distant enter
Prise, is worthy of high commenda.
ton. ,,ooa -,
portant that military occupation should be
taken Of California. Early attention was
given to this subject. General Kcarny
was directed to proceed, with what force
he could spare, across the Rocky noun
talns to that country. A company Of U.
S. artillery, in July, and regiment OF N.
York volunteer infantry, in Sept, were
sent to sea by California; but before these
forces reached their destination, and even
before their departure from the United
States, the Mexican authority IN the whole
province of the CALIFORNIA; has been sub
verted As the series of events which led
to the overthrow OF the Mexican power in
that extensive country, and its occupation
as conquest Of the United States, are
not contained in any official report yet re-
ceived, but collected from various souccs
consdercred authentic, ] deem it not i'll
appropriate to present them with more
than usual particularly.
In May, 1915, John c, Fremont then
a brevet captain in the corps Of Typo.
graphical Engineers, and since appointed
lieutenant colonel, left here under orders
from this department to purse his exp!ora-
lions in the regions beyond the Rocky |
mountains. The object of this service
were as those Of his previous explorations
had been, Of scicnuic character. with
out any view whatever to military opera
tons. NOT an officer or soldier of the u
nited States army accompanied him, and
his whole force consisted of sixty-two men,
employed by himself for security against
Indians, and for procuring subsistence in
the wilderness and desert country through
which he was TO pass,
One Of the objects he had in view was
TO discover new and shorter route from
the western base OF the Rocky mountains
to the mouth Of the Columbia river. This
search, for par; Of the distance, would
carry him through the unsettled, and al-
forwards through corner of the settled
parts of California. lie approached the
settlements in the winter Of lS45-'G.-
Aware Of the critical state Of affairs be-
tween the United States and Mexico, and
determined to give no cause Of offence to
the authorities of the province, with com.
mcndable prudence he halted his com.
maud on the frontier, one hundred miles
from Monterey, aud proceeded alone to
that city, to explain the object of h's com
ing to the Commandant general, Castro,
and to obtain permission TO 90 TO the val
ley of the San Joaquin where there was
game for his men and grass for his horses,
and no inhabitants TO be molested by his ,
presence: The leave was granted; but {
scarcely had he reached the desired spot
for refreshment aud repose, before he re-
ceive1 information from the American set
dement's, aud by expresses from our con-