The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-09

the valley OF the San Juan, is dated the first day OF
ApTi iR latitude 40 on the Sacramento riseri anu
though written merely 10 inform Mira Fiemont OF
his personal concerns, becomes mporianti IN a pup
lie point Of view account of subsequent events ~
June and July by sho wing that on the hrst OF Aprl
he was on his way to Oregon-that he had aban-
doned al intention Of returning through any part OF
California--wo cross the Rocky mountains
through the Northern Pass on the line between inc
Upper or Kettle Falls Of the Columbia, ana inc
Great Falls Of the Missouri-and be IN me un'teo
States in September This sho Ss that he had, al
that time, no idea Of the events in which ne was
subse auenlly involved, and that he had abandoned
the cherished field Of his intended scientific research
for the express purpose OF avoiding all on1hoe W
the Mexican authorities. OF tho eyents III me val
ley of the San Joaquin and the camp on .ne o'e';a'
he speaks few words, without detail, but descriP-
i've of his condition. Characteristic OF his prudence IN
not compromising his country, and worthy 10 De
repeated Ia his own language. lie says: me span,
iards i0ers sOasohai rude and inosPiaois befov aud
ordered me out Of the country after having gtrsn me
permission 10 ,onier there. Ny sense Of duffy dad mot
permit me 10 Gghi them, bat zoe retired sio,oly and
groolngiy before force Of three or four handed men,
and three peees Of artillery. Without the shad0w g a
cause the governor SUDDENLY raised the Ohois country
againsi me- issuing false and seandaious proclamation
or course, 1 did moi dare 10 compromise me Uni'td
STATES, against uhieh appearances woatd mare been
strong but though IL wSs IN my poiosr to increase nay
party By .4msrea,,s rsaiasd from eo,n'siiiing soil
iayg act Of hostility improperly" His next letlsr
is dated the 18th Of May, and informs me that, IN
his progress to Oregon, he found himself and party
unex pectedly attacked by the Tlamaih Indians
the most warlike Of that quarter-had lost hye men
in killed and wounded-and still expected To he IN
the United States in the month Of September.
This was the last letter received from Captain
Fremont until the one Of July 10Th, from Monte
rey, Of the Pacific ocean, and brought in by Com
modore Soat. The events which brought him
k.cL kay Iaa,nsd from that c0mmodore. bul
the causes which led 10 these events are necessary TO
be known for the Justification Of Captain FremoDt
for, although actually justified by the exstenee OF
the war with Mexico, yet he knew nothing OF the
when these events took place; and, though
knowing of il when he wrote, yet he would not
avail himself Of his subsequent knowledge to JUS
y previous acts and therefore chose TO rest every
thing upon the state Of facts, as he saw them, when
he resolved and acted These causes, and the events
TO which they led, are rapidly sketched by him
in this his last letter; and while the whole letter Is
herewith submitted TO you, yet, for your eonve-
nience, | collect its substance into the smallest
compass and lay il before you. The substance is
this At the middle Of May, Capt. Fremont, 10
pursuance Of his design to reach Oregon, and return
by the Columbia and Missouri through the North
ern Pass in the Rocky mountains, had arrived at
the great Klamath Lake, in the edge Of the Oregon
territory, when he found his further progress com.
pletely barred by the double obstacle Of hostile In.
dams, which Castro had excited against him, and
the lofty mountains, covered with deep and falling
SHOWS, which made the middle OF May in that ele-
waited region the the middle Of winter
These were the difficulties and dangers in front Be-
hind, and on the north bank Of the San Francisco
bay, at the military post Of Sonoma, was General
Castro, assembling troops with the ayowed inten-
ton Of attacking both Fremonts party, and all the
American settlers, against whom the Indians had
been already excited. Thus, his passage barred in
front by i'm passable SHOWS and mountains--hemmed
in by savage Indians who were thinning the ranks
Of his little party--menaced by a general at the
head Of ten-fold forces Of all arms-the American
settlers in California marked out for destruction
false accusation Of meditating revolt under his
iDstgation- his men and horses suffering from
fatigue, cold, and famine-and after the most
anxious elaboration upon all the dangers Of
his position, and upon all the responsibilities Of
his conduct, Captain Fremont determined to
turn upon his pursuers, and fight them instantly,
without regard TO numbers and seek safety for his
party and the American settlers, by overturning the
Mexican government in California. II was on the
9th day Of June that he came to this determination;
and, the resolution being taken, oil halfway
measures were discarded, and a rapid execution OF
the plan commenced On the lIth Of June
supply Of two hundred horses for Castro's troops
on the way to his camp, conducted by an officer
and fourteen men, surprised at daylight and
he whole captured--the men and officers being re-
eased, and the horses retained for American use
On the 18th, at daybreak, the military post Of So
mona (the point Of rendezvous, and intended head
quarters) was surprised and TAKEN with nine pieces
Of brass cannon, two hundred and fifty stand Of
muskets, other arms and ammunition, with several
superior officers, General Vallejo, (Va ys-ho,) his
brother Captain Vallejo, Colonel Greuxdon, and
Others all Of whom were detained and confined as
prisoners. Captain Fremont then repaired to the
American settlem on the Rio de los hurricanes
to obtain assistance; and receiving an express from
his little garrison of fourteen in Sonomn that Gen.
eral Castro was preparing to cross the bay of San
Francisco and attack them with large force he sat
out in the afternoon Of the 23d Of June with ninety
mounted rihemen, and travelling day and night, ar
rived at O'Clock in the morning Of the 18th at So.
noma-eighty miles distance. The vanguard Of
Castro's free had crossed the bay-a squadron Of
seventy Dragons, commanded by de Ia Tore
which was attacked and defeated by twenty Ameri-
cans, with the loss Of two killed and some wound
ed on the part Of the Mexicans and no injury
to themselves--de la Tore barely escaping with
the loss of his transport boats and spikins six
pieces of artillery. In the mean time two of Capt
Fremonts men, going as an express, were captured
by de la Torres men, and, being bound 10 trees were
cut to pieces alive with knives in return for which,
three of de Ia Torres men being taken, instant
ly shot. The north side Of the bay of San Francis
co was now cleared of the enemy and on the fourth
day of July, Capt Fremont called the Americans
together at Sonoma, addressed them upon the dan
gers of their situation, and recommended a dec
aration Of independence, and war upon Cas-
UO ana MS troops, as tne only means OF SAFETY. Inc
independence was Immediately declared, and the war
proclaimed. A few days afterwards an officer from
Commodore Sloat brought intelligence that the
American flag was hosted at Monerey--an exam
pie which was Immediately followed wherever the
news few. The pursuit and defeat of Castro was
then the only remaining enterprise He had fed
south towards the numerous Mexican towns and
settlements beyond Monterey, with his four or five
hundred men; and Capt. Fremont, leaving some IF.
ty men in garrisons, set out with ose hundred and
sixty mounted rihemen in the pursuit, when he re-
| ceived instructions from Commodore Sloat to march
| upon Monterey. He did so, and found Commodore
| Stockton in command, approving the pursuit of
Castro, and aiding il by all the in his power.
The sloop. Cyane was put at his service.
Capt. Fremont, with one hundred and sixty Amer
can rifemen and seventy marines, embarked on that
vessel, and sailed down the coast the 26th of Ju.
ly, to San Diego, four hundred miles south of Mon
tercy, and hundred south Of Pebia de los ange.
| ies where Castro was understood to be, with an in
creasng force OF five hundred men. The descent OF
the coast as far as San Diego was with the view to
get ahead of Castro and be in position either to
intercept him if he aed south to Mexico or to
1