Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-06-27

of October, as commodore otoCktOn Or
dcred him to do, to be installed govern
or, went into the valley Of the Sacramen-
to to enlist an army to suppress. the in
surrection. At this moment General
Kcarncy arrived This officer, ON the
breaking out of the Mexican war, had
been ordered by the government to leave
Fort Lcayenworth, where he was station
cd, and go and conquer New Mexico !;
then to proceed to California, conquer
it, organize government for it. and
himself take the Office Of governor. He
had bravely executed the first part of
these instructions, and was procce ling
to California, when he met the celebrated
,,apper, Kit Carson, with the dispatches
from Commodore Stockton to govern
ment, announcing the Conquest Of Cali
fornia. He sent on his dispatches by
another person, and retained Carson us
guide, on account of his experience in
the Indian country. 1t was not until
after the instruction had broken out
that he arrived in California, when he
encountered the enemy, flushed with
their first success of driving Lieut.. Gill
espie from Los Angeles to Monterey
He had battle with them at San Pas
quail, in which eighteen Of his men fell.
and as many more were wounded. lie
then wrote to Commodore Stockton, that
he was entrenched on rocky eminence
near San Pasqual. surrounded by the
enemy. Stockton sent Lieut.. GRAY,
with two hundred and fifty men, to his
relief; and, on their approach, the be-
sicgers abandoned the field, and left the
relief party to return, unmolcstcd, with
Gen. kearney and his dragons. Gen,
Kearney then communicated to Commo-
dore Stockton his instructions from the
government but Commodore Stockton
did not feel himself compelled to give
up the chief command, especially as the
spirit of the instructions seemed to be.
that the conqueror of California should
be its governor. Gen Kcarney did not
insist, but placed himself under Stock
tons command. aud his dragons helped
to make up his force of SIX hundred men
who joined Fremont and entered Los
Angeles, after the victory San Gabriel,
and still more remarkable one, on the
plains of Meza, where the Americans,
drawn up in a small square, phalanx like
couqurcd the SpanisA Californiaus, whose
onset. however. with the finest cavalry
in the world was very brilliant.
With a small body Of men, Major
Fremont alterward embarked, according
to Commodore Stockton's orders, for
Santa Barbara; but on his way, hearing
that in ali South California only San
Drego was lief, in the hands of the Amer
cans and that no horses could be proeuI
cd there, he returned to Monterey, to
mount his men and march overland.
He arrived October 9th, and WIS agrec-
ably surprised to learn that the Presi-
dent had appointed him Lieutenant CO.
lionel in the United States Army. 1t
was unsolicited by him, or by any Of his
friends; and il sanctioned all that he had
done from the first. He had done II
with so little assurance Of being approx
ed by government--though he hoped
that his country would bear him out
that he had sent 10 Col. Benton with the
account of what he had done, a resi5na
ton of his commission. to be given in, II
the government had disapprovod.l
In December, Col. Fremont. at the
head of four hundred mounted men.
commenced his march southwark, and on
his way surprised aud took possession
of San Louis O,ispo, where found Don
Jesus Pico, who had been made prisoner
on the plains Of Salinas, bat hal broken
his parole, and was at the heal of the
instruction H was tried by cour;
martial, and condemned to death but
was pardoncd by Col. Freemon,-a WISE
act, by which he was attached to the
latter for ever after. in faithful service !;
and the hearts of his friends, among
whom was the governor, Pico, were won.
Col. Fremont being satisfied as lie
wrote to Senator Benton, in another
private letter, THAT it was a great ma
tional measure to unite California To the
Union, as sister STATE, by voluntary
expression of the popular will, proceeded,
with great wisdom and forbcacrnce, and
marched all the way to Los Angeles four
hundred miles, without spillins drop