The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-31
Col. Fremont and Ells Party.
From the National Intellive ncar March a0

Col. Fremont and Els Party
From the National Intsllissnoer, March SOL
which have SO painfully excited the public mind Tor
some days past, have induced US to inquire at the
source most probable to have the best information,
OF the best opinions, IN relation TO his position.
The result OF this inquiry authorizes the belief
that some OF the most painful OF hese reports
must be unfounded All that relates to the perish
ing OF the party by hunger and starvation are GER
tainly SO. Col. Fremont wrote frem the Pueblos,
near the head OF the Arkansas, when about to
cross the first range OF mountains, the last Of No
vember, that his supplies were ample to carry him
through-that he had more flour than he wanted,
and lett some behind-plenty of meat, and re-
serve OF sugar and coffee, and maccaronl for hard
times, and tor the sick or disabled. Thus he had
abundant provisions, besides the resource OF above
one hundred horses and mules, which, dead or
alive, would be long support to thirty five men.
II frozen to DEATH these ANIMALS would remain
that state until spring, and continue sound;
that there was no danger of death by starvation.
That they pershe OF cold, is another OF the pain
full rumors. This is improbable, though the cold
must have been dreadful, and the SHOWS fearfuly
deep. All accounts, as he approached the noun
taiDs, from Indians and traders, represented the
much snow, so early in the season, all agreed, had
never been seen. 1t was IN the last days OF No
vember that he began to climb the mountain range
(above the Spanish Peaks which divides tae val
ley OF the Upper Ark ansas from the head OF the Rio
del Norte, latitude about 36a, longitude about i06.
The snow about breast deep to the horses
when the party wac last seen, aboutfve miles from
the summit Up to this point the accounts are
suthe ntlc, two men from the Pueblos having toll
lowed to Join Col. Fremont, but whom he did not
receive-probsbly not knowing them, it being his
rule TO take none but reliable men. whom he knew,
In these dangerous expeditions. There IL no doubt
but that Col. Fremont got this first range OF
mountains, aHd thus entered the valley Of the Del
Norte, near the head OF the river, and (abou)
three degrees north OF Santa Fe. A greater obsta
Gle was still before hlm-the great central char
OF the Rocky Mountains, there called Sierra
Madre-MoIher Mountain. He knew the difficult
y OF crossing this great barrier, there reaching the
region Of perpetual snow, and If unable to do 1t,
expected TO winter in some cove or valley where
there might be forests OF evergreens, cedar espe-
cially, which would furnish shelter, and probably
game, with some dried grass and soft wood tor
coming to Taos, which Is about degree north OF
st Louis, is proof that he did not the Sierra
Madre; and, as he came IN for horses, he had pro-
paby lost all his by the cold and deep SHOWS which
he encountered alter getting into the valley of the
Del NOrte. To Judge OF that degree OF cold, and
depth of snow, necessary to referto what they
were known to be at Santa Fe, on the 10th OF De:
Say two weeks afe Ter M fremont hsd
Santa Fe Republicans, received up to that day, says
that the thermometer (FahrenheiD was twenty de-
grees below zero--(6 tty.two degrees below the
freezing point)-that the SHOWS were over the
backs OF the horses IN the gorges OF the mountains
that detachment OF troops, with four guides
which had gone cut IN pursuit OF some marauding
lndlBns, had become involved IN these SHOWS,
anC with difficulty extrlcated themseves--that all
trave ling was stopped-that persons had frozen to
death-and that such prematurly and intensity of
cold, and depth OF snow, had never been wit
messed. This was at Santa Fe, about north latitude
IS degrees 40 seconds, Longitude LOG, and at an
elevation OF seven thousand feet above the level Of
| the sea. At that same time Mr.. Fremont and his
party must have been about three degrees further
north, and about halt degree further west. and
at an elevation (supposlng the valley to continue
rising to near It's gorge IN the Sierra Madre) OF
mt ar eight thousand feet The cold, therefore,
Eust have Aeen greater, and the SHOWS deeper,
cold and SHOWS which killed the thirty thousand
horses Of the French army in one night in Russia.
1t Is probable, then, that Mr.. Fremonts animals
were all killed near the he ad OF the Rio Grande
hold with respect to his men. They had resources
which the poor animals had not. Besides, they
knew their danger, ana were prepared for It. Mr..
Fremont wrote from Bent's Fort In sight of the
mouniains-that he had his party IN the most per
feet order, and every precaution taken tor their
safety. They knew what cold was. Part of them
had climbed the Sierra Nevada with him, when
half the horses persisted, but men. Part
had crossed the Santa Barbara mountain
with him, Christmas day, 1916, when above
one hundred horses Californian horses) perished
in day, but no men. 1t rs probable, then, that
none oil his men perished In this terrible cold, and
that the belief OF the best authority the sub
ject That he came alone, as IL was said, to Taos,
is 90 sign that his men were dead. 1t was his Gus:
tom, when MS party were In danger, and needed
relief, to go himself and bring It, first making them
as safe as possible, taking two or three men with
him (of whom his faithful servant Jacob, now a
messenger to the Senate, was always One). That
he was on foot only proves the loss OF the horses
that he made three hundred and fifty miles, as re-
ported In nine days, proof that his feet not
frozen that he went back with MAJOR Beale, who
went out with relief, Is proof that he expected to
relieve his men, and enable them to come in. II
is probable that early in February he had them re-
fitted and re.mounted In the Settlements OF New
Mexico. and renewed his expedition, crossing the
Sierra Madre lower down.
This is the probable state of the party--horses
lost, but ne men, and the expedition banked and
delay ed two or three months.
The superstition that the party lost their way 10
wholly unwarranied. Mr.. Fremont marked out
his whole route before he set out, and he and hts
men knew, every day and every hour, where they
were. He knew how to 60 10 Taos, though he had
never been there before.