The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-23
THE UNION.

express of Governor Stockton, and learned that the country
civil established. governor
at the head of IT, and dispatches eec forwarded
the metropolitan government he fell that his mission OF
conquest end thai his orders We're superseded by
events, and Immediately acted upon that convcuon. ne
turned back his force reduced has troops 20 an escort
of hundred dragons, took Governor Stockon express
for gnde and not to conquer but TO Jake posses
sion Ola already made and 10 dispossess not
Mexican, but an American governor ms mas ueei h''
dy shown, and thereby point gained 10 DE uso VA 'o w
mains to be shown-oamely that General Nearby couiu
not have got TO the conquered country nor 10 tue presence
OF the American governor whom he going TO dpace
without the aid Of that governor that lar rom conquer
ing the country he was able to geto 1 me que
tons already put Intended 10 the establishment
OF that position and few others intended 10 follow II Were
meant for the same purpose
Direct testimony, to be offered hereafter, was intended
TO plee that OF the The question asked and
objected to- namely, if General kearny, while ON the hlu
effort them would go show his feeble condi-
ton for certainly he would have suffered that capture
vent IL. IT, in addition this it should be shown by an-
succeeding questions that of these men was
San Diego Governor Stockton for aid and
ceved II in detachment of above Two hundred men, and
never moved I'LL IL came that he burnt and destroyed
public stores H this should be shown the OF inability
going dsplace will be far made out require but
little from other testimony TO make il complete
ing with personal guard Was a declaration on his part
that he considered his orders by events unknown
the War Department at the time y were given and no
.'In other way he justify his march with
only when he had been ordered to take an army
"The march with the without warrant, as it
seems me and the view which induced
Governor Stockons express should induced him
back the whole, hurry the express to Washington
and turn his steps in the direction that Colonel Don-
phan took after If no had done his whole conduct
would have rested and the same reasonthat Of
orders superseded by events AT present. it rests upon
different reasons; turning back his troops namely
that country proceeding with escort
another namely that he wished TO be OF California
in case not contemplated by his orders"
This makes out case OF military misconduct on the
part of Gen. Kearny for which he should be placed be-
martial If the of On la
again what already accomplished had been in good
faith, and with good nenons-a mere act of folly.
tainted by sinister or selfish designs But such was not
the case The public service was part OF his object in
this grauitous ride to California Selfish and personal
objects wholly actuaed him; He went to California
for the gnoble purpose of taking the honors of the
quest from those who had won them--o decorate his
name for month with the title OF governorand then
return to st. Louis TO spend the remainder OF the war in
peace with his family. These were his selfish and gno
BILE designs and judicial testimony establishes the fact
The record OF the martial contains the evidence
numerous to be specifically quoted On his cross exam
nation he admitted that before leaving Santa Fe for the
march on California, he had applied to the War Depart
ment for leave to return u Missouri the
quest and pacication of California complete, the
civil government established, and order restored He
might well admit it, for he wrote to at the time TO
enforce his application. After his arrival in California he
constantly spoke OF the leave which he had asked his
expectation OF obtaining it, his intention remain but
four six weeks, and his design return TO Missouri
which in fact he soon did.
The leave so impaenty expected arrived in February
carried out by Col Mason and record page 40 of
the trial By virtue of that leave, Gen. Kearny departed
from California recently conquered; turned his back
come home the usual route by New Mexico, where the
had broken out afresh in consequence OF his doings
there; and taking an immense circuit by Fort Hail.
Oregon and body of Mormon troops for his escort,
fusng Fremont leave TO go to his regiment under General
Scott violation of Gen SCOTS order and his own, and
bringing him home on false pretext and secret and
wicked purposes he, the said Gen Kearny accomplished
his purpose OF going home by California, and setting
claim for honors which others had won. This is the
tablished fact of the object of his expedition with the
GUARD" to California after meeting Carson-all selfish
personal and ignobe, and meritng dsnisson from the
American army For what more IePrehensble in gen
era than to his back upon Old Mexico where there
was war, to go to California where there was none ?
What repehensibe than to carry troops thousand
miles in one direction when they were wanted thou
attempt take from Stockton and Fremont the honors
they had won' What more unbecoming officer and
soldier than to return from California to Missouri by
high northern route instead OF dashng down south to
Join Taylor and Scott as Fremont prepared to do
What more dsgraceful in general than to come home
to his family time when not Others Were leaving
suited from this selfish obiquity OF Kearny. He left the
field open to the south for DoMphan and his heroic Mis-
mortal expedition of the rHousAND-the glorious
combats of the BRAcrro and SAcRAMENTo-would never
have been heard Of
Thirdly The action of San Pasqua and its sequence,
the siege of the hill OF San Bernardo constitute the third
point Of inquiry in this examination into the claims Of
Gen Kearny for the honors of brevet San Pasqua is
naInea IN tnat neVet III Is 10 be the Buend FSfdthe
Chapuepec-of that veracous record Let us see how
it stands first, in the reports of Gen. Kearny secondly
in the memorable vocabulary of facts But there is
port of operations previous to this affair San Pasqua
which, being perfectly characteristic, and throwing light
upon the manner OF relating events, deserves to be first
read. 1t is the report of the march from Santa Fe to
San Pasqua and brings down events to the 9Th of De-
cember, 1916. 1t is dated, rather ambtiously, "Head
quarters of the Army Of the Vest" San Diego, Deem
Der 12th and therefore written after the affairs Of
San Pasqua and the hill of San Bernardo 1t is address
ed to the AID uant General at Washington city | read
extracts
"As have previously informed you left Santa Fe;
New Mexico for this country the 18th of September,
with $50 OF the first dragons, under Major Sumner We
crossed 10 the bank ofhe Del Noe at buqueque sxy
five mileso continued down that bank till the 9th of Oco-
Der, when we met Mr. Kit Carson, with party Of sixteen
oers--an express from Commodore Stockton and Lieut..
Col Fremont, reporting that the CALIFORNIA; already
IN the possession of the Americans under their command
that the American flag flying from every important
position in the and that the country free
from Mexican control, the ended and peace and ha
mony established among the people, In consequence of
under Major Sumner should remain in New Mexico, and
that the other hundred, with mountain howzers
1nder Captain Moore should accompany me guard 70
1--WE crossed the Colorado about ten miles below the
mouth OF the Ga and hing it about thirty miles
further turned Oft and crossed the desert distance of
about sixty miles, without water grass.
ION the I'd December reached Warmers rancho, (Agua
Caene,) the frontier settlement in California the
route leading TO Sonora. On the 4th marched Mrs.
Stokes rancho, (Santa Isabella and 9Th by
small party OF volunteers under Capt Gillespie
from San Diego by Commodore Stock give what
information they possessed OF the enemy six hun
dred OF whom said to be in and il the field
throughout the territory determined upon opposing the
Americans and resisting their authority in the country
Encamped that night another rancho (Santa Maria)
OF Mrs Stokes's. about forty miles from San Dlego.''