New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-04-16
LETTER FROM COL. FREMONT.
Terrible ssfIerinEs Of his Party among the
Rocky Mountains.

70 boc &c nst ne YVES not nearc o. s1d glFng
terrible events Of that time. They written from
Taos and Santa Fe New Mexico and addressed 70 MIRA
Fremont a, Washington and, in her absence, Cfor II
was deemed probable that she might have set of to
Caforns By before they could srrive to Senator
Benton, and In bis absence 70 William Carey Jones
Esq The letters came from ST. Louis last night, hsv.
log been brought to tina, place BY Mr. st Vran. Mrs
Fremont, fortunately, was gone Senator Benton had
delayed bis departure for Missouri confden, that let
tiers we're on the way and In his hands have
tie originals and propose to give extracts in the
order Of their dates The frstis dated
TAOS. NEW MEXICO Jan. q, 1s4e
write 10 you from the house Of our good friend
Carson. This morning cup Of chocolate was brought
10 me while In Ted. To an overworn overworked,
fagued and starving traveller, these little Injuries Of
the world offsr interest which In your comfortable
home II Is not possible for you TO conceive.
have now 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 fceBes ! have witnessed and the
sufsripgs have endured but as clear information is
due to you, and to your fsther stl more, will give
YOU the story now instead Of waiting TO tell ii to you
in California but write In the great hope that
will no; receive this letter When il reaches Washing
ton you may be on your way to California
Former letters will have made you acquainted with
our progress far as Bents Fort and from report,
you will have heard the circumstances Of depar
ture from the Upper Pueblo, the head Of the Ar
kansas. We left that place on the 25th ofNovember,
with upward Of one hundred good mules and one hun
bred and thirty bushels Of sheed corn, intended 10
support animals in the deep SHOWS Of the high
mountains and down 70 the lower parts OF the Grand
River tributaries where usually the forms DO
obstacle 10 winter travelling At Pueblo had engaged
as guide an old trapper named Bill Williams" and
who had spent some twenty-five years OF MS NE IN
trapping In various parts of the Rocky Mountains
The error of our expedition was committed 10 en-
gsging this He proved never 10 have known, or
entirely 10 have forgotten the whole country through
kt.k ~ Qf
mouutsin) more than half month in making the pro
gress OF few days, bunderng along tortuous course
through deep snow, which already began to ehoke up
the pssses and wasting time In searching the way
The nth Of December found ourselves at ihe mouth
OF the Rio del Nore canon where that river issues from
the Sierra San Juanone OF the highest, most rugged,
and Practicable Of all the Rocky Mountain ranges In
accessible to trsppers and hunters, even In summer
Across tho point Of this elevated range our guide con
Quoted us and having still great confidence 10 this
mans knowledge, we pressed onward with fatal reso
ton Even along the river bottoms the snow was al
ready breast deep for the mules and falling frequently
in the valley and slmos, constantly ON the mountains
The cold was extraordinary. At the wsrmes hours OF
the day between and two) the Thermometer tfsn.
renheiD stood in the shade OF tree trunk at lo and
that was favorable day. the sun shining and moder
ate breeze. Judge Of the nights ana the storms
We pressed up toward the summit the snow deepen
ing az we rose and in four or FIVE days Of this struggling
aud climbing ell on foot reached the naked ridges
which lie above the line OF the timbered region, and
which form the dividing heights between the waters oil
heights il all Winter, and the raging wndssweep
across them with remorseless fury. On our first at
tempt TO cross we encountered pouderp-(dry snow
driven thick through the air by violent wind and In
which objects visible only al short dsisnce)-and
were driven back having some ten or twelve men var
ously frozen-fsce, hands, or feet The guide came
near being frozen to death here and dead mules were
already lying about the camp fires. Meantime 1t snow
| ed steadily. The next day December y we renewed
the attempt TO scale tbs summit, and were more foTtu
| nate as II then seemed Making msuls, and beating
| Aot a mad yn ".
forced the In defiance of the driving pOhdtTtt
crossed the crest descended little, and encsmped Inn
| uedatey below In the edge Of the timbered region
The trail showed III defeated party had passed by
packs pack saddles scattered articles of clothing and
| dead mules strewed along. We we were encamped
about twelve thousand feet above the level OF the
Westward the country was buried Ia snow. The
| storm continued. All movement was parslyzed To
advance with the expedition was impossible to get
| back mp possible Our fate stood revealed. We were
oyer,aken by sudden and inevitable ruin. The poor
animals were go first The only places where grass
could be had 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 tim
bered eglcn the poor animals could not get about the
snow being deep enough TO bury them alive ~ was
instantly apparent that we should lose every one TOOK
my resolution Immediately and determined TO recross
the mountain back TO the valley of the Rio del Norte
dragging or packing the baggage by men With great
labor the baggage was transported across the crest TO
the head springs of little stream leading TO the main
river few days sufficient TO destroy that fine
band Of mules which you saw me purchase last Fail
| on the frontier OF Missouri. They generally kept
hudded together and, as they froze, one would be
seen to tumble down, and disappear under the driving
snow Sometimes they would break of, and rush down
toward the timber till stopped by the deep snow where
they soon hidden by the p0Haerf. Inc courage
| OF some of the men began to fail.
in this situation determined TO send In party 70
the Spanish settlements Of NewMexico for provisions,
aud for mules TO transport our baggage. Win econ
omy and after should leave the mules, we had not
two weeks provisions In the camp and these consisted
OF reserve OF msccsron bacon. sugar, &C intended
for the last extremity. was Indispensable to send Tor
| relief asked for volunteers for the service FROM
| the many that offered chose King. Breckenridge,
Creuiztedt and the guide, Williams and placed the
party under the command Of King with directions 10
send me an express IN case OF me least delay ,he
settlements Ii the day after Christmas that this
little party set out for relief. That day, Ike many
! Christmas days for years past was spent by me on
| the side of the wintry mountain, my heart nlled
with anxious thoughts and gloomy foreoodings You
may be sure we con,rasted IL with the Christmas OF
| home, and made warm wishes for your happiness
Could you have looked into Agrppss glass for few
moments only You remember the volumes OF Black
stone Commentaries which took from your fathers
library when we were overlooking II az our friend
Bran,'si They made my Christmas amnsensh.'
read them pass the time and 10 kill the consciousness
| Of my situation. Certainly you may suppose tnat my
fret law lessons will be well remembered.
The party for relief being gone, we OF the camp
occupied ourselves In removing the baggage and equip
age down the side Of the mountain to the river In the
valley which we accomplished In few days. Now
came the fedtnn of waiting for the return OF the re-
lief party Day alter day passed. and no news from
them. Snow fell almost necessarily In the mountains
The spirits Of the camp grew lower. Life was losing
its charm to those who had reasons beyond them
selves to live Proue laid down in the trail and froze
to death In a sunshiny day, and having with aim the
means to make q FIRE, be threw his blanket down on
the trail laid down upon it. and laid there TIL he froze
10 death We not then with him.
Sixteen days passed away, and no udings from the
party sent for relief became oppressed with anxiety
weary of delay, and determined TO 60 myself both In
search of the absent party and In search OF relief In
the Mexican settlements. was aware that our troops
IN Newexco had b engaged In hosrli,ies with the
Spanish Utsh and with the Apsches who range IN the
valley OF the Rio del NOre and the moostAns where
we were and became fearful that the King and his
party had been cut off by these Indians | could
imagine no other accident 10 them Leaving the camp
employed with the baggage, under the command OF
Vincenthaler, with In functions TO follow me in three
DAYS Sc. of dswn the river with small party. con
sisng Of Cooley bis young nephew. Preuss and saun-
dsrs (colored serysnt) We carried arms and pro
visions for two or three days In the camp (eit under
the command of vincenshsler) the messes only had
provisions for few meals and supply Of I'VE pounds
of sugar TO each man Ii failed to meet King my In
tention was to make the Mexican settlement on the
Colorado little sfueni OF the Rio del Nor about half
degree shove Taos, (you will see II on my msP) and
thence send back the speedest relief possible TO the
/ nd Vtrra