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


auncb 10 me. | Immediately wro TO
him, by the return Of the boat, descIib.
ng 10 him fully my position and inten-
ions, in order that he might not, by
|Supposing me TO be acting under order
from our government, unwilling y COM
mi, himself in af1ordng me other than
such assistance as his instructions
would authorize him naturally u offer
an officer charged with an important
lpubIjc duly; OF; ~ fine, 10 any citizens
Of the u. S.
Information having reached me from
The commanding officer al Sonona, that
his posi- was threatened with an at ack
10y force under Gen. Cssro, raised
camp on The American fork on the al
lreIuoon Of the 22d, and, accompanied
10y Mr. Gillespie, al 3 in the morning Of
he 25lh reached Souoma, with 90
mounted rinrmen, having marched so
miles. Our people still h,ld the place
,nly one division OF Castto's force, =
-quadron Of cavalry, number 10 men,
,nd commanded by Joaquin dc la Tol-
re one Of nj, besl oiIiceIa, having sue
ceeIsd in crossing the sIrslis, Francls'
co bay, ] THIS force had attack d al
advance party OF iwanty land
[ was defeated with the loss two killed
,ud Two or lh!es wonAded. The a
naricsns lost none. This WAS an M.
xbected check TO the Cal loruiaus; wbt
| had annouuccd their intentions TO de:ea
our people without firing gun; to bea
out their brains with their T9pearOS,
md destroy them con cucri los puros.
They were led TO use this expression
llrcm ,he circumstance that Il few day
revious they had ctp,ured two Of oU
nen Ian express, and a(,e. woundiug
Inad bound them TO trees, and cut ther
pieces while alive, with an exsgera
ton Of cruelty, which no In dim wou'
,e capable Of. In q few days de Ia Tor
, re wa, driven from the country, haVln
barely succeeded in efIectlng his escop
across the s'lais, The guns ak larg
md handsome pieces spiked at III
or, on tha south side Of entrance I
Francisco bay, and communication wit
| be opposite side entirely brt ken oh, ,lh
boats and launches being either destroy
ed or in our possession -ThIee OF Gas
ro's party having landed on the Sono
ns side in advance, were killed near III
beach; snd beyond this there was n
oss either side. In all 'hese proceed
ngs; MIR. Gillespie acted with me.
We reached Sonoma again 90 the e
yening of July 4, snd in the morning
lctlIed The people together, and spoke T.
, hem in relation TO 'he position OF IN
county, advising a course OF operation
which was UNANIMOUSLY adop'ed'-Cal
Irornia was declared independent, ID
country put under martial law; The fore
preanjZsd, aud officers elc cNed. A pl, d.
blnd iIg themselves 10 support the
measures, and obey their rllic'rS,
igned by those present The who
,, was placed urdrr my dirtc'lon. Se'
, eraI officers. from The Purr'mou h wfr
present al his meeting. Leaving CsI
tain Grissby with fifty men in comman
Of Sonom9, LETT Mat place on the o.
md reached my eIc1mpmeni on Il
Amerscsn Fork IN 'hrce days. B,iol
we arrived al that place, General Cast,
mad evacuated Santa Clara, which |
= had been engaged 10 for flying, ct
with force OF about 400 men, aud
, pieces Of artillery, commenced hs !
treat upan ST. johns, fortified pos
having 8 pieces Of artillery, principal
brass. Ga the evening OF The 10
were electrified by he arrival Of an e
,.pre,s from Capt Montgomery, with t
Inflammation MA, commodore Sosi h
bosted tho flag OF The United SIaes
Il. Monterey, ,!and laken possession Of I
g. country. Capt. Mont gomeIy had hol