The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-15
Colonel Fremont and his Party-Authcn
tic Particulars.

IRON the NutOnAl lntellgencer, April Ia
Letters have been received from Col. Fremont
covering the two months Qrom 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 from Taos and Santa Fe New Mexi
CO, and addressed to Mrs. Fremont, at Washing
ton; and in her absence, Qor it was deemed pro
bable she might have set off to California BY Sc,
before they could arrive,) to Senator Benton ant
in his absence to William Carey Jones, ESQ. TIL,
letters came from st. Louis last night, having beer
brought to that place by Mr.. ST. Vrain. Mrs. Ere
mont, fortunately, was gone; Senator Benton had
delayed his departure for Missouri, confident that
letters were on the way; and in his hands we have
the originals, and we propose to give extracts
In the order OF their dates The first is dated
"TAos, NEw Mexico, Jan. 81, 1S49
IL write to you from the house Of friend Carson
This morning u cup Of chocolate brought to me
while in bed. To overworn, overworked fatigued,
and starving traveller these little uxures of the world
offer an interest which in your comfortable home 1t is
not possible for you to conceive.
IL have the unpleasant task Of telling you how
came here ! had much rather speak Of the future
with plans for which am already occupied) for the
mind turns from the scenes have witnessed and the
sufierings have endured but clear information is
due to you, and to your father still more will give
you the story instead Of waiting to tell 1t TO you
in California; but write in the great hope that you
will not receive this letter When it reaches washing
ton you may be on your way to California
Former letters will have made you acquainted with
progress far Bents Fort and report you
will have heard the circumstances Of our departure
from the Upper Pueblo the head Of the Arkansas
We left that place the 25th of November with up.
wards OF one hundred good mules and hundred and
thirty bushels of shelied ntened to support our
animals in the deep SHOWS Of the high mountains and
down TO the lower parts Of the Grand river tributaries
where, usually, the forms obstacle to winter
travelling. At Pueblo had engaged as a guide IN old
trapper, well known as Bill Williams and who had
spent some twenty years Of his life in trapping in
various parts Of the Rocky Mountains.
The error OF our expedition was committed in en-
gagiDr this man. He proved never to have known or
entirely to have forgotten the whole country through
which we were to pass. We occupied (after passing
the mountain) more than half n month in taking
the progress Of few days laundering along u
tortuous course through deep which al
ready began to choke up the passes and wasting
time in searching the way The 18th of December we
found ourselves the mouth OF the Rio del Norte ca
whore that river issues from the Sierra San Juan
one Of the highest most rugged aud mpractcabe of
all the Rocky Mountain ranges, inaccessible to trap
pers and hunters. even in summer Across the point
OF TINS elevated range our guide conducted us; and
having still great confidence in this mans knowledge
pressed onwards with fatal resolution Even along
the river bottoms the snow already breast deep for
the mules, and falling frequently in the valley and
most constantly on the mountains. The cold cx-
traordinary. AT the warmest hours Of the day (be-
tween one and two the Thermometer Qahrcnhcit)
stood in the shade Of tree trunk at zero; and that
favorable day. the sun shining and a moderate
breeze Judge of the nights and the storms
:" We pressed up towards the summit the snow deep
ening az We rose and in four or five days of this
struggling and climbing, all foot, reached the
naked ridges which lie above the line Of the timbcred
region. and which form the dividing heights between
the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans Along
these naked heights it storms all winter and the rag
ing winds sweep across them with remorselcss fury
On our FIRST attempt to cross, encountered mould
oie-(dy driven thick through the air by violent
wind and in which objects visible only at n
short distance)-and were driven back, having some
ten or twelve men yarously frozen-face hands or
feet The guide came near being frozen to death here
and dead mules were already lying about the camp
fires Meantime it showed steadily The next day
December } We renewed the attempt TO scale the
summit, and were more fortunate as il then seemed
Making mauls. and beating down road. or trench.
through the deep forced the ascent in spite Of
the driving popdie crossed the crest, descended lit
tie and cncampcd immediately below in the edge of the
tmbered region The trail showed rs If defeated par
~ had passed bypacks pack saddles scattered arti
ces Of clothing, and dead mules strewed along We
were encamped about twelve thousand feet above the
level of the gea Westward the country was buried in
fnow. The storm continued All movement was pa
ralyzed. To advance with the expedition mpossi-
bic to get back impossible. Our fate stood revealed.
We oyertaken by sudden and inevitable ruin
J he poor animals were TO go first The only places
where grass could be had were the extreme SUBMITS
OF the Sierra, where the sweeping winds kept the
rocky ground bare, and where the men could not
live Below, in the timbcrcd region. the poor animals
could not get about the snow being deep enough to
lury them alive 1t was instantly apparent that we
mould lose every one took my resolution immedi-
'iy and determined TO the mountain back to
the valley Of the Rio del Norte dragging or packing
tne baggage by men. With great labor the baggage
was ported across the crest the head springs OF
niue strenin leading TO the main river A few days
WIZ holcht TO destroy that fine band Of mules which
You saw me purchase fall on the frontier OF Mis-
souri, lhey generally kept huddled together: and as
a,! no one would be seen to tumble down and dis
aapI' a".t we uriNlhg snow. Sometimes they would
break of and rush down towards he ,onro
W the ueop now "here they were hidden by tho
pOuderte he courage OF some Of the men r.r ~ f,u
In this situation determined TO send In nartv 10
the Spanish settlements Of Now Mexico for nravis1rs
and for mules 10 transport our baggage win
economy, and after we should leave tho mules Yo
had not two weeks provisions in the camp; and those
consisted af reserve Of maccaroni bacon sugar Sc
intended for the last extremity IL indspcnsalo
TO send for relief asked for volunteers for the ser
vice. Frorn the mnny that offered ] chose King
Breckenridge, CreutZfcldt and the guide, Williams;
and placed the party under the command u King
with directions % send me express in Of the
least delay at the settlements IL was the day after
{ christmas that this little party set out for relief
] hat day, like many Christmas days for years past,
was spent by me on the tde Of the wntry mountain,
my heart filed with anxious thoughts and gloomy
iorebodings You may be sure we contrasted ID with
he Christmas Of home, and made warm wishes
ior your happiness. Could you have looked into
hgrlppa't glass for few moments only You remefn-
Der The volumes Of Bdekstone's Commentaries which
foIs Of ne Colorado u ,hs Gulf Of Californin