Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1846-12-31

n rcy, at distance Of abou, thirty miles, el
y Wenched, it, raised the flag of the Unite
: States, and with his own men, siXty.lw
0 IN number, awaited the approach of tn
r commandant general.
: From the 9Th TO the 10th Of Marcel
u Colonel Fremont and his little band main
; tanned their position, General Castro di
j not approach within attacking distance
. and Col. Fremont adhcriug to his plan O
avoiding all collisions, and determined mel
) Their 10 compromt his government nor tin
American settlers ready to Join him at al
hazards if he had been attacked abandon
ed his position and marched TO Oregon
intending, by that route, to return TO tn
United States, Deeming all DANCE. from
the MeXicans 10 be passed, he yielded tc
the wishes of some his men, who desired
to remain in the country, discharged then
from his service and refused to receive
others in their sIead--so cautious was he
TO avoiding anything which would com
promit the American settlers, or give ever
a color Of offence to the Mexican author.
tiles. He pursued his march slowly and
leisurely, as the state of his men s. horses
required, until the middle of May and had
reached the northern shore Of the greater
1lamath Lake, within the limits of Ore
gon Territory, when he found his further
progress in that direction obstructcd by
impossible snowy mountains and hostile
Indians, who had been excited against
him by General Castro, had killed and
wounded four of his men, and left HIM to
repose either in camp or on his march, -
At the same time information reached
HIM that General Castro, in addition to
his Indian allies, was advancing IN person
against him with artillery and cavalry,
at the head Of or 5 hundred men; that
they were passing around the head of the
bay Of San Francisco TO rendezvous Of
the north side OF ii, and that the American
settlers in the valley OF the Sacramento
were comprehended in the scheme of de-
slruction meditated against his own par
y.
Under these circumstances he dete.min.
ed to turn upon his Mexican pursuers and
seek safety both for his own party and
the American settlers, not merely in the
defeat of Castro, but in the total over.
throw Of the Mexican authority in CaIifor.
MIA, aud the establishment of an independ-
ent government in that extensive depart
ment. 1t was on the 9Th of June, and
before the commencement Of The war be-
tween the United States and Mexico could
have been there known, that this resolu-
tlon was taken, and by the 5Ih Of July it
was carried into effect by series OF rapid
men huder the Gondutt Vi al, .nterr ptu
leader, quick TO perceive, and able to d.
rect the proper measures for accomplish
ing such daring enterprise.
On the II Of June, convoy Of two
hundred horses for Castro's camp, with
an officer and fourteen men, were surprls,
ed and captured by twelve of Fremonl's
party; on the 18th, at day break, the mill.
tary post Of Sanoma was also surprised
and taken, with nine brass cannon, two
hundred and fifty stand of muskcts, and
several officers, and some men and num-
tions Of war.
Leaving a small garrison in Sanoma,
Colonel Fremont went to the Sacramento
to rouse the American settlers but scarce.
~ had he arrived there. when an express
reached him from the garrison at Sanoma,
with information that Castro's whole force
was crossing the bay to attack that place
This intelligence was received in The after
noon of the 90 Of June while he was on
rhe American fork of the Sacramento,
eighty miles from the Iiule garrison at Sa-
mona, and at 2 o'clock on the morning
of the 25lh he arrived at that place with
ninety riAemen from the American settlers
in that valley, The enemy had no, vet
appeared; scouts were sent GU, to recon-
uoire, and party Of twenty fell in with
squadron of seventy Dragons, Gall OF Cas-
tro's force winch had crossed the bay, |
attacked and defeated it, killing and
woundIng five, without harm to themselves
tile Mexican commander, De Ia Tore,
barely escaping, with the loss of his trans.
port boats, and nine pieces Of brass artII-
Iery spiked.
The country north Of the bay Of San
Francisco being cleared of the enemy,
Colonel Fremont returned to Sanoma on
The evening Of the 4h Of July, and on the
morning of the 9th called the people to-
gether, explained to them the condition Of
things in the province, and recommended
an immediate declaration of independence.
The declaration was made, aud he was Sc.
ecled to take the chief direction of az
fairs.
The attack on Castro was the next OBJ
cct. lie was al Santa Claro, an en-
rcnched post on the upper or south side
IF the bay Of San Francisco, with 400
men and two pieces of field artillery. A
:ircuit Of more than an hundred miles
must be trnversed to reach him. On the
jth of July the pursuit was commenced by
| body OF 100 mounted riemcn, com
handed by Colonel Fremont in person,
Who, in three days, arrived at the Ameri-
AN settlements on the Rio de loss .Amcm- $
amos. Here he learnt that Castro had
abandoned Santa Clara, aud was retreat
ng south towards Cuidad do los Asclcs,
the Ci,y Of the Angels, } the seat of the
governor general Of the CALIFORNIA;, aud 7