The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-11-28

aunch TO me. ! immediately wroe tt
him, by the return Of the boat, desclib
ing 10 him fully my position and int'n
ions, in order that he might moi, BY
supposing me to be acting under Order
from our government, unwiitingly com
init himself in afurding me Other thar
such assistance rs his instructions
would authorize him naturally - oileI
an officer charged with an important
public duy; OF; N fine, 10 any cilizen'
of The U. S.
! Informs,ion having reached me from
the commanding officer at Sonona, ,ha
his post was threatened with an at acb
10y force under Gen. Castro, raised
camp on The American fork on the az
rernoon Of the 22d, and, accompanied
10y Mr.. Gillespie, al in the morning OF
The 25lh reached Sonoms, with &C
mounted rinemen, having marched &C
miles. Our people still hsld the place,
only one division OF Caslro's force, .
squadron of cavalry, number 10 men.
aud commanded by Joaquin de la TOT
Ire one Of his best officers, having sue
csedel in crossing the straits, Francis
co bsy.] THIS force had attacked an
advance party OF twenty Amercsrs,snd
was defeated with the loss two killed
and two or three wOnAded. The A,
mericsns lost none. This was an IN.
expected check 10 the CalGornians; who
had announced their intentions 10 de.ea'
our psOpIe without firing gun; 10 beat
ou, their brains with their 'i0pedroS,
and destroy them 'cOn cuc'i lbs puroS.
Thee were led 10 use this expression
| from the circumstance that d few day,
,revous they had captured two OF onI
men (au express and altar wounding,
had bound them 10 trees, aud cut then
o pieces while alive, with an eXagers-
ton Of cruelty, which 10 In dian would
le capable Of. ln few days de ID 1or
re wa, driven from The country, having
barely succeeded in eGecling his esCap'
acl oss the susils, the guns 'x Iargt
md handsome pieces spiked at tn,
fort on the south side OF entrance Il
Francisco bay, and communication with
bo opposite side entirely bro ken of, the
boats and launches being either Ge-'roy
ed OF in our possession. Three Of Gas
ro'S party having landed on The Sdoo,
ma side in advance, weie killed near the
beach; and beyond this there was no
loss either side. In all these proceed.
,ngq; Mr.. Gillespie acted with me.
We reached Sunoma ag'in on the e,
vening of July 4, and in the morning !
called the people together, and spoke 10
hem in relation to The position Of the
country, advising a course OF operations
which was unan mously adop,cd'-Call
rornia was declared independent, the
country put under martial law; The force
organized, and officers elecIed.A A pledge
bind irg themselves 10 support the
measures, and OBEY their officers, Va
.igned by those present. The whole
was placed urdcr my direction. Sew
eral officers, from The purI'muu h weI'
present at this meeting. Leaving Cop
tain Grigsby with fifty men III c0mmanc
OF Sanoms, | left Iiat place on the Gtn.
md reached my eIcAmpmfnl on TIE
Amerscan Fork IN three days. Before
we arrived at that place, General Cast Q
mad evocuard Santa Clara, which h'
had been engaged in fer flying, an
with force OF about 400 men, aud
IpleCes Of artillery, commenced his re
treal upon ST. johns, fortified pos