Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-11-17

was an 2ct oil Inc nl1neSt neTolSm, WoltHy W oe
recorded by Xenophon, and rejecting equal
honor upon The brave young officer who COM
manded and the heroic siIrY-Two by whom ne
was supported.
The flrsI letter that We received from Captain
Fremont alter his withdrawal from The Sierra,
and from The valley OF the San Juan, is dated The
first day of April, in latitude 40, on the Sacra-
menlo river; and, though written merely 10 IN
form Mrs. Fremont OF his personal concerns, be-
comes important in public point OF view on ac-
count OF subsequent events in June and July, by
showing that on The lst Of April he was on his
way 10 Oregon-lhat he had abandoned all in
tenIion OF returning through any part oil CaliloI-
nia-would cross The Rocky Mountains through
the Northern Pass, on the line between the up
per, or Kettle Falls OF the Columbia, ana me
Great Falls of The Missouri-and be IN Inc Uni-
ted States in September This shows mat NJ
had al that time no idea OF The events In when
he was subsequently involved, and that ne mad
abandoned the cherished field of his intended sci
enlifc researches for The express purpose Of
avoiding all offence 10 The Mexican authorities.
or the events in The valley OF the San Joaquin
and the camp on The Sierra, he speaks lew
words without Gelail but descriptive OF his con-
diiion, characteristic OF his prudence in not COM
promising his country, and worthy TO be repeat
ed in his own language. lie says: "The Span
iards were somewhat rude and lnhospable be-
low, and ordered me out Of the country after hay
ing given me permission 10 winter there. MY
sense OF duty did not permit me 10 hight them, but
we retired slowly and srowlinsly before force Of
three or tour hundred men. and three pieces Of ar
tilleTy Without the shadow OF cause, the Go
vernon suddenly raised the whole country against
me, issuing false and scandalous proclamation.
OF course did not dare 10 compromise The Uni
,,,bs al
have been strong; bu, though j, was in my power
to increase my party BY Americans, | RETAINED
from committing a solitary act OF hostility or i'm
propriey" His next letter is dated the l4h May,
and informs me that, in his progress 10 Oregon,
he found himself and party unexpectedly attack
ed by the Tlamalh lndians-lhe most warlike ot
that quaTter-had lost 5 men in killed and wound
ed-and still expected 10 be in the United States
in the month OF September.
This was the last letter received from Captain
Fremont until The one of July 26lh, from Monte
rev, on the Pacific Ocean, and brought in by
Commodore Sloal. The events which brought
him back you have learned from that Commo-
dore; but The causes which led 10 these events are
necessary 10 be known Tor The justification II
Captain Fremont Tor, although actually justified
By The existence Of The war with Mexico, yet he
knew nothing OF The war when these events took
vel he would mol avail himself OF his subsequent
knowledge TO justify previous acts, ard therefore
chose 10 rest every thing upon the state oi facts,
as he saw them when he resoircd and Qcted.-
These causes, and The even's 10 which they led,
are rapidly skelched by him in this his las letter.
and while the whole letter is herewith submitted
10 you, yet, Tor your conv,niencs, collect lis
substance into the smallest compass and lay II he
lore YOU. The substance is this:
Al the middle Of May, Capt. Fremont, in pu!
suance of his design TO reach Oregon and return
by The Columbia and Missouri thrunsh the North
ern Pass in The Rocky Mountains, hal arrived al
The Tamalh Lake, in the edge OF The Oregon ter
riury; when he found his further progress COM
pleely barred nv he double obstacle Of hostile In
dams which Castro had excited against him, aud
The lofty mountains, covered win ceep and tall
inc SHOWS, which made The NJ ddle 81 May IN that
elevated region the same As the middle "l winter.
These were The difficulties and dangers in front.
Behind and on The north bank Of The San Fran
cisco Bay, al The military post Of Sonoma, was
Gen. Castro, assembling troops with the avowed
intention Of attacking both Fremonls parry, and
all the American settlers, against whom The II
diaus had been already excited. Thus, his pa:-
sage barred in front BY impossible SHOWS and
mountains, hemmed in BY savage indians, who
were thinning The ranks oil his lile pariy-mr-
Daced by general al The head OF enold forces
of all arms the American settlers in California
marked GU, for destruction on d ia sc accusation
of medilatins revolt under his Ds,iSation-his
men and horses suffering from fatigue, cold and
famine-and after the most anxious deDer :
ton upon all The dangers OF his position,
and upon all the responsibilities OF his cor
duct, Captain Fremon, determined 10 tern
upon his pursuers, and hight Them instantly
without regard 10 numbers, and seek safely Tor
his party and The American sctlels, Ivy overluFn-
ing the Mexican Government in California. Il
was on the 9Th day Of June that he came 10 this
determination; and the resolution being once la.
den, all halfway measures were discarded, and
rand execution OF The plan commenced. On tie
IIin vr J---, suppy oil 2u0 horses Tor Lasuu's
troops, on the way 10 his camp, conducted By an
officer and fourteen men, were surprised al day
light and the whole captured-the men and Off
GERS being released, and the horses retained fer
American use. On the 18th, at day-break, The
military post OF Soncma (the point OF rendezvous
and intended headquarers) was surprised and
taken, with nine pieces Of brass cannon, two
hundred and fifty stand Of muskeis other arms
and ammunition, with several superior officers,
Gen. Vallejo (Velya-ho) his brother, Captain
Vallejo, Colonel Greuxdon, and others; all oil
whom we're deiain d and confined a prisoners
Captain Fremont then repaired To The American
settlements on the Rto dc las Amn itan0s 10 obtain
assistance; and receiving an express from his
lile garrison OF fourteen in Sonoma that Ge-
neral Castro was preparing 10 cross The bay Of
San Francisco and attack them with a large
force, he sat out in the afternoon OF The lwen-
lv-tnrd Of June with ninety mounted rfemen,
and travelling day and night, he arrived at Two
o'clock in the morning OF The 25th a .Sonoma-eO
miles distance The vanguard vi Cast'o's force
H.
goons commanded by dc la Turre-whch was
attacked and defeated By twenty Americans, with
the loss Of two killed and some Wounded, on The
part Of the Meyicans, and no injury 70 them
Selves-de la Tore barely escaping wilh The loss
Of his transport boats and spkin2 six pieces II
artillery In the mean time, TWO os Captain Ere
moni's men, going as an express, were captured
by lie Ia Tore. men, ard beng bound 10 trees,
we're IN, Ia pieces alive with knives-in relnn
for which, three of de Ia Torres men being taken,
were Instantly shot. The North side OF The bay
Of San Francisco was now cleared Of The enemy,
and On ihr i.h day oi July Captain Fremont
called The Americans together al Sonoma, all
dressed them upon the dangers Of their situation,
and recommended declaration OF ndepenc-
encc and wal upon Castro and his troops, as The
only means OF safety. The independence was
Immediately declared, and the war proclaimed.
A few days afterwards, an officer from Commo-
dore Sloai brought intelligence that The American
flag was hoisled at Monerey-an example which
was Immediately followed wherever the news
flew. The pursuit and defeat OF Castro was
then the only remaining enterprise. He had
fled south towards the numerous Mexican towns
and settlements beyond Monterey with his four
or five hundred men; and, Capt. Fremont, leav-
ing some fifty men in garrison, sci out with one
hundred and sixty mounted rifemen in The pur-
suit, when he received instructions from Com.
Soat 10 march upon Monterey. He did So and
found Commodore Stockton in command, appro-
wing the pursuit OF Castro, and aiding il by all The
means in his power The sloop-of.war Cyane
was put at his service. Capt. Fremont, with one
hundred and sixty American rifemen and seven
~ marines. embarked on that vessel, and sailed
down the coast on The Goth Of July. 10 San De-
20, tour hundred miles south Of Monterey, and
one hundred south u Pn.tia dc los Angeles where
Castro was understood 10 be, with an increasing
force OF five hundred men. The descent OF the
coast as far as San Diego was with The view TO
oet ahead Of Castro, and TO be in position either
ia intercept him if he hed south 10 Mexico or TO
over California, or 10 turn back upon him il he