The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-28
CsI. Fremont and n. Party

enteItalnei OF systematic Teyolts throughout the
provinces, - A'~sviear Paper.
Csi. Fremont and His Party,
Letters have been received from Col. Fremont
covering the two months from the last of Novem-
Der to the I'd of February that he was not heard
Of, and giving terrible events Of that time. They
are written, states the National Intelligencer,
from Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, and adj
dressed to Mrs. Fremont, at Washington; and, in
her absence-for il was deemed probable that she
might have set OFF to California by sea before they
could arrive-to Senator Benton, and in his alb
sence 10 William Carey Jones, ESQ. The letters
came from St Louis on Friday night, having been
brought TO that place by Mr.. ST. Vrain. Mrs. FREE
mont, fortunately, was gone; Senator Benton had
delayed his departure for Missouri, confident that
letters were on the way; and in his hand, the In
telligeneer had seen the originals, and is giving
extracts in the order Of their dates. The letters
are of thrilling interest, and we regret cur nabili-
10, from lack of room, 10 publish them entire
So terrible the details that il is stated Col. Ben
ton is obliged, in a measure 10 suppress them.
| Col Fremont throws the whole blame upon the
ignorance Of the guide; who, however, had been
the guide for years OF Gov Dodge; but on this oe-
casion became completely bswildered. He took
the party by route which, il is stated, should
only have required three days travelling.
The NATIONAL IntelligeneeI prelaees some ex-
tracts from Col Fremonrs letters with the follow
ing brief description Of the localities made mem
orable by the disaster:
| Ills known that the great Rocky Mountain chain,
with general direction north AN south, sends out
| a branch towards the southeast from between the
heads of the Arkansas and the Rio del Norfe; and
this branch forms the dividing ridge between the
upueI valleys of these two rivers and between the
hcad-vatcrs ofthe Red TirsT and the Del Norter
and having accomplished these purposes itsnhsides
and disappears in the plains ofTexas- The high
est part Of This branch chain and the governing OBJ
iect in 10 travellers, the Spanish Peaks, first
made known 10 American geography by the then
Young Lieut. Pike. these PEAKS are about in
north latitude 81 IL deg, and west longitude from
| London lbs deg, and about on a line longitudinal
" with the PuebiOS OF the Upper Arkansas, dis
tant from them half degree, and in sight They
are seen Of great distance, and are guiding OBJ
iects 20 travellers. The road to Santa Fe passes
below these Peaks, and crosses the chain about
two degrees south. Col. Fremont passed above
them, and entered The valley ofthe Del Norts
fD soSed .e and inendea 10 ioicW shs Di
Norts 10 It's hesd and cross the great Rocky Noun
tain chain through some pass there 10 be found
lie WAS tNtItiuitt sptahs into lOtkb
Of the mountain--into the gorge oftwo mountains
and at great elevation, shown by the fact of
the great rivers which issue from the opposite
sides of the Rocky Mountains at that part--the
Arkansas and Del Norte on the east, the Grand
river fork of the Colorado of the gulf OF California
on the west twas at this point--the head Of the
Del NoIte--wheTe no traveller had ever gone be-
fore, that Col Fremont intended TO pass, 10 sui
vey his last line across the continent, complete
his knowledge OF the county between the Missis-
l. Al. &c nd fhal aha Of
exploration by showing the country between the
great river and the great sea 10 be inhabitable by
a civilized people, and practicable for a great
road and that on several lines, and which was the
best
He had been seven years engaged in this greai
labor, and wished TO complete IL II was the be
, ginning of December that he crossed the chair
from the Arkansas valley into the valley of the De
. NOrte; and although late, with the full belief o
, the old hunters and traders at the PueblOs, th'
guide inclusive whom he there engaged, that h,
| would 90 through. lie provided with ever,
thing TO carry the men 10 California and with grail
10 carry oil the animals across all the mountains
into the valleys of the tributaries OF the great Col
orado of the West, where the SHOWS would b
/. light. wood and grass sufficient. game abundant
. and the hardships of the expedition all sumouni
. | ed end left behind. In two weeks he expected 4
be in these mild valleys. Unhappily, the guild
Il consumed these two weeks in getting TO the hea
Z of the del Norte-a distance which only require
Jour or i've days OF uaVei, as OOl. Fremont snow
q ed in coming back. This was the cause OF III
| first calaInity-thc loss of the horses and mules
i | The same guide consumed y days, when sent wit
the party FOR relief, in making the distance whic
, Col Fremont, with Cooley, Preuss, and a ser
VANITY without guide, on loot, IN colder weather
! That was the cause OF the second and irTeparabl
> calamiiy--the death OF the men.
The immediate scene Of suffering in this grea
disaster, where the ascent OF the great mountsi
| was forced and its summit scaled, must have bee
about north latitude 80 10, and west longitud
from London lU7 the elevation above twelve thou
= sand feet, and the time that of dead winter
II Christmas! From this point the noted objects
- Pixies Peak and the Three Parks, would bea
e about f. N E., and the Spanish Peaks about
Sc.
= When COL Fremont wrote he was Going well
and he has arrived, we have no doubt, in Califol
MA before this time.
The following extracts are from his last letter
e the first is dated Taos, New Mexico, Feb. 6ihi
! "Epsning.-How rapid are the changes of life
e few days ago, and was struggling through sno,
IS | in the savage wiIds of the upper Del Nore, 70
lowing the course of the frozen river in more tina
Il Russian cold-no food-no blanket TO cover me i
\ the long freezing nights-u had sold my two 10 IN
- Utah for help TO my menl-uncertain at what me
ment of the night we might be reused by IN
u Indian rife-doubtful, very doubtful, whether
e should ever see yousor friends again. Now al
Il seated bv comfortable tre, aione-pnrsuing m
Il own Notwithstanding 20 you in the certainty
n reaching you-listening TO the raging storm witt
lie outl
Il "you will wish TO know what effect the seen
a. Ihaye passed through have had upon me. In pc
10 son, none. The destruction OF my party, and IN
loss of friends, cause Of grief; but ! have nj
= been injured in body or mind. Both have bee
u strained and taxed severely, but neither hurt
!. have seen one or the other, and sometimes bon
II give way in strong frames, strong minds, and sto'
le hearts, but as heretofore, have come out unhur
ne / believe that the remembrance of friends SOM
rs times gives us power OF resistance which the d
is sire 10 save our own lives could never call up.
n. al have made my preparations 10 proceed.
n | shall have 10 follow the old ella rosd, and sha
- move rapidly, and expect TO be In California
March, and 10 find letters from home, and sl
u ply of newspapers and documents, more WELDON
n perhaps, because these things have home-loc
by about them. The future occupies me. Our hon
hi IN Califomia--your arrival in April-your g0'
an health ia that delightful cmate-the finishing
n of nv geographical and astronomical labors--n
Nv farming iabors and enjoyment | have written
,,s Messrs. Mayhem & Co., agricultural warehous
70 New York, requesting them TO ship me imIae'
40 ately a threshing machine; and 10 Messrs. Hoe
Co.. same city, requesting them TO forward TO .
; at San Francisco two runs, or sets OF mill stone
Ell The mill irons and the agricultural nstrnnier
i'll shipped for me last autumn lor1n New York "
he he Al SAN Francisco by the time ! arrive there
EN- Your arrival in April wild complete oil the plans
~ THESE extracts i'm relation 10 Col Fremonts
of tended pursuits are given to conradic'ihe unio