Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-08-02

cAaspcTated Indians that all the great tribes
were IN arms. that several small parties Of white
men had been surprised and killed. that there
was not the smallest chance of company Of
thirty or forty men escaping massacre. These
udings were confirmed by party which had
been attacked near the fort, aud by the Indians,
who still pretended to be friendly. Every ybody
said, Turn back the commander Of the fort,
the irappers aid hunters, the men of Frernont'
own party. Even Xii Carson thought TIC en-
terPrise desperate. and made his will, which
greatly increased the terror Of the men, The
Indians sent delegations to Fremont saying
that they could not send guides with him, nor
would they be responsible ior his safety il he
should 60 forward. To his own men Col. Fre-
mont simply said, in substance "Ld those
'ch0 prefer Il rotHra ! am going ahead 10 c1c-
cute the task iriM iohioh The gorernmenf of my
country has iRtruted me-" Only one man
shrunk from the enterprise. To the lying In
dans the commander made speech, which
showed well the quality Of the man, and his
talent for command
1--WE have thrown away our bodies" ex-
claimed FIemoni, toward the close of this ef-
fectiye oration, 'and will NOT turn back. When
you told us that your young men would kill US,
you did not know our hearts were strong, and
you did not see the rifles which my young men
carry in their hands. We are few, and you
are many, and may kill US all but there will
be much crying in your villages, for many Of
your young men will stay behind, and forget TO
return with your warriors from the mountains
DO you think that our great chief will le, his
soldiers die, and forget to cover their graves
Before the SHOWS melt again his warriors will
sweep away your villages as the FIRE does the
prairie in The autumn. See have pulled
down my irhie houses. and my people are rea-
dy when the sun is ten paces hi CHER, we shall
be on the march. If you have any thing to
tell US, you will say it soon"
The Indians were cowed, and furnished
guide. Fremont marched, and was not molest-
ed. 1t was the resolve Of that hour which de-
cided his career, and made him the adopted
child Of Fortune. Mr. Upham says
''lf he had yielded 10 The fears that had over
come all other minds, failure would have been
stamped upon him forever. But as il was, he
won the glory Of innexible resolution in the
hearts Of his sdmiring followers, and gave to
the savages and all others who dealt with him
an impression they ever after retained, that he
was indeed BRAVE, and that nothing could
prevent his accomplishing whatever he under
took -
1t were easy to ill the page with other H.
lustrations Of the same quality. We have
space only for glance al his daring decision
at an important crisis in California, which gave
US, at length, the possession of that country.
When Col. Fremont reached California, afier a
long journey through wild regions, he was not
aware that war had been declared between
Mexeo and the United States nor had the
news been received by Gen. Castro. the COVER
nor Of the province, who received HIM with
great cordality. In few days, however, Or
ders reached Castro TO expel Col. Fremont and
his party from the territory.
"On the Sd of March," writes our biogra-
pher, "when within about twenty-five miles Of
Monterey, Fremont was met by an officer, who
had detachment of eighty Dragons in his
rear to enforce his message, with letter from
Castro, ordering him, without any explanation,
peremptorily, out Of the country. The COM
munication was in such a tone, so entirely in
violation Of the arrangement made at Monterey,
on his visit to the authorities of the country, in
that place, and the demonstration were, all
around, Of such belligerent look and charac-
ter, that Captain Fremont felt no disposition to
pay a hurried obedience to the order. He
marched, with his party, directly to lofty
hill called Hawks Peak. Captain
Fremont at once proceeded to foriify his posi-
tion, and erected staff on its highest point,
r.. =. IL r. -. Al.
flag of his country. His own spirit pervaded
his whole party. Although few in number,
and far away from aid, in the heart Of foreign
country, thus suddenly assuming hostile atii-
tude toward them, they were determined TO de-
fend themselves against any assault, by howev-
er great force it might be made, and were
thoroughly prepared to meet the last extremi-
y."
And he held his ground. Castro, with all
the resources of the country a. his command,
could not disodge the little band Of sixty
Americans. at was well and nobly done, :"
said Col. Benton 10 The Senate. "Sixty of
our oounirymen. three thousand miles from
home, in sigh, Of ,hs Paeife Ocean, appealing
to the flag Of lheir eoua,ty, unfurling it on the
nlountain-iop, and determined TO die under il
let,se they would Eu5mi, to unjust aggression. Z"
This was Gar from being the last Of Col. Ere
monts decisive deeds in California. To him
we directly owe the possession Of that State,
but space would fail US to give the mere out
line Of his achievements there.
Il is plain from the story Of Col. Fremont's
adventures, that he is a natural cOmmGnder.-
He knows how to govern men. Note The fol-
lowing passage
"Fremont's expeditions were conducted on
temperance principles. This enabled him 10
maintain the perfection of discipline which
won the admiration of all who witnessed the
conduct of his battalion Without any militia
ry badges, without even drum to tap, there
was the mos, exact regularity and order
Without severity there was obedience. Com
bned with that precision and ihoroughness of
discipline, there ioas singular equality Of con-
difion, perpading, fraiernaI feeling, that Init
them together as one family Service under
Fremont lcds a school Qf personal good conduct,
oo3 oooJ faeLoO and nj eterU f,0,bi ,jrItte -