Washington telegraph., 1846-12-23
LIEIIr. COL. FREMONT.

Col. Fremont, giving connected account
ofhis operations in california, There was
hiatus to be supplied extending from Ere.
maats intended withdrawal from the coun.
ny down 10 the time when Cum. Sloal
avallrd himself ol his services. Fremont
was compelled In wnge hosliIile. upon the
Meslcans long before he heard nj the war,
aud upon his individual responsibility. Up.
on what grounds he assumed such iespon.
sibli'y he states IN his letter to Col: Ben.
ton, and that gentleman gives the following
bfiei summary oi them, aud Of the events
which cnsuee. Most of these events will
ba entirely new TO our readers.
". o. Pieayune,
In The middle OF MAY, Capt, Fremont, 10
pursuance o. his design 10 reach Oregon,
ani return by the Columbia aud Missouri,
through the northern pass Of the Rocky
Mountains, had arrived al the great 'rlam.
aih lake, in the edge Of the Oregon terri
tory, when he found his urlher progress
completely barred by the double obstacle Of
hostile Indians, which Castro had excited
agaIni, him, and the lofty mountains, cover
ed with deep and falling SHOWS, which
made the mtddle oi My in thai elevated
rnglun the samr as the middle oil winter
These were the difficulties aud dangers in
front. Behind aud aa The north bank nl
Che San Francisco hayi n lhr military post
ol souomi, was Gen. easlru assembling
troops with the ayuwed intention of attack,
Ing both FemadIs pary and all tho Amc.
fiean settlers, against whom the indians
had been aifead, crtilrI. 'lhus h, la-
sage hirrel IN front by imia,,abe snow.
ahi muunlaias-hrmmeI IN by savage In.
dans, WIN were thinning Tho ranks ol his
litile parly-nenaecl hl General at the
had OF ten.flll loraes oi all .afms-ihe
American settlers IN California marked out
for destruction an the false accusation OF
medilallng revolt under his inslisalion--
his men aud horses suffering from fatigue,
cold aud ianine--and alter the most anli.
ous Jeliberallnn upon all the dangers Of his
pn'lion, AMI upon all the responsibilities
ol his conduct. Capt. Fremont determined
Ia turn upon his pursurfs and fight them in
slsnily. without regard to numbers, and seek
safety for his party agl the American sci
tiefs, by ovefturnIng the Meicas Govern.
msni IN California. Il was on the 9th day
ai June thai b. came Ia this determination;
and, the resolution being once iaksn. all
hall say measure. were discarded. and a
fsPidetrculipn Of The plan was commenced
on The l lib al June supply o. Iao hun.
dfrd horses Tor Casiro's troops. ON the way
10 his camp. conducted hF an ulheef and
iauBarn lnra, we're surprised at daylight.
ani the whoia eapured-ihe men and the
officer being released. and the hofses re.
tanned Tor American Us.
TN the 10Th, al ilybfrak, the military
past OF Spnulna (lhe pninl 81 tendeksou,
and intended headqlanersl was surprised
all iakou, With niue pieces ol brass ean
nun, two hundred anI illy sand Of mnskcls,
6hef arms ani ammunition, with several
superior officers, Gen Naileju, (Nal.ya ho)
hi. hno'brf. Capt Nalrlp. Col. Grendnn
anl ulhrr.; all 81 whum were detained and
confined a, prisoners. Capt Fremont thea
frparrl 10 the Am'rican sriilc.Hral, 0n
the RiD he los Amsri dao, to obtain assist.
anc"; and receiving an clpwss irom his
little garrison oi iluurca ia Sonnma, that
Gen. Castro was preparing 10 cross the
has NJ san Fahci.co anl attack iien with
la'ge ibfce, he .ct "i "a The afternoon Il
the 23l Il Jlnc. wlb niu'y ~ ,hnic fiilr
men aud l,lscliing d,, aud night, arrived
2o'c.Drk oH The mimans ri lhr ai.h a,
Sonoma-rigiiy miles DIS ancc. lae van
guard ofCaafo's lJrcr hal crossed the bay
"A squadron ui seyruly dragons, eon.
mandeJ 10y DE- Ia roae-whirh vas at.
tackled anl delra,ci ln twenty Americans,
With toe loss Of ,Wo Killed aud some wound.
cd on the par OF the Nerioans, and no ~.
Jury To themselves; DE Ia Tore barely
escaping with the loss uf his transport boats,
aud spikng siS pieces oi artillery. In The
mean time, Iwu OF Capt. FrcmIni's men.
going a. an express, were captured by DE
la Torres mrn. aud being boUni 10 incs,
were cut To pieces alive with knives LIN
return Tor which three OF DE Ia Torres mcn
being taken were instantly shot. The north
side OF the bay OF San Francisco was now
cleared ofihe enemy, and on the ilh ofJuly,
Capt Fremont called the Americans To-
gclhei at SOnoma, addressed them upon the
Z dangers ofiheir situation, anI recommended
/ a declaration Of independence. and war up
on Castro anihi. troops, as the only means
Of safety. The independence was imme
diaiely declared. aud the war proclaimed.
A few days adcrwarl, an olli'er from Com.
Sloai brought intelligence hat the Amer
can Gag was Losicd At Monterey an c'
ample which was Immediately fHrVg0
wherever The new. flew. rhrpuslue
defeat Of Castro was then the onl, rrn un
ing enterprise. lie had fled .uuih t"wards
The numerous Mexican towns and settle.
mcnts beyond Monterey, with hi. four uf
five hundred men; aud Capt Fremont,
leaving some fifty men in garrison, set %,
y with one hundred and sixty mounted rifle.