Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-09-11

Engineers, ana since appointed lieutenant col
onel, left here under orders from this depart.
ment to pursue bis explorations in the regions
beyond the Rocky Mountains. The objects Of
this service were, as those Of his previous eK-
plorations had been, Of scientific character,
without any view whatever to military opera.
tons, Not an officer or soldier Of the United
States Grmy accompanied him: and his whole
force consisted Of sixty.tWo men employed by
himself for security against indians, and for
procuring subsistence in the wilderness and
desert country through which he was to pass
One Of the objects he had 10 view was to dis.
cover a new and shorter route from the west.
ern base Of the Rocky Mountains to the mouth
of the Columbia river. This search, for
part Of distance would carry him through the
unsettled and afterwards through a border Of
lhs settled parts Of California He approach
these settlements in the winter of l845-6.-I
Aware Of the critical state of affairs between
the United States and Mexico. and determined
the province, with commendable prudence, be
halted his command on the frontier, one hun.
dred miles from Monterey, and proceeded alone
to that city TO explain the object Of bis coming
to the commandant general, Castro, and TO OBJ
tain permission to go to the valley Of the San
Joaquin, where there was game for his men and
grass for bis horses, and no inhabitants be mo.
lested by his presence. The leave was granted
but scarcely had be reached the desired
spot for relreshment and repose before he re-
ceived information from the American settle
ments, and BY expresses from our consul at
Monterey, that Gen Castro was preparing to
attack him with comparatively large force of
artillery, cavalry, and infantry, upon the pre-
text that, under the cover Of scientific mis-.
sion, be was exciting the American citizens to
revolt. In view of these dangers, and to be in
condition to repel an attack, he then took a
position on mountain overlooking Monterey.
at distance of about thirty miles, entrenChed
Il, raised the flag of the United States, and
with his own men, sixty-two in number, avail
ted the approach ofthe commandant general.
From the 7th to the 10th Of March, Col.
Fremont and his little band maintained this po.
sition. General Castro did not approach with
in attacking distance, and Colonel Fremont
adhering to his plan Of avoiding all collision,
and determined neither to compromit his gov
ernment nor the American settlers ready to
Join him at all hazards, if he had been attack
ed, abandoned his position aud commenced his
march for Oregon, intending By that route to
r, q b the U. States. DeemiDg all danger from
the Mexicans to be passed, he yielded to the
wishes Of some Of his men who desired to re-
main in the county and discharged them from
his SCI vice, and refused to receive Others in
their stead, so cautious was he to avoid doing
anything which would compromt the Ameri-
can settlers or give even color OF offence to
the Mexican authorities. He pursued bis
march slowly and leiSurely, as the state oil his
men and bis horses required. until the middle
Of Nav, and he had reached the northern
shores of the greater Klamath lake, within the
limits of the Oregon Territory, when he found
his further progress in that direction obstruct-
ed by impossible snowy mountains and hostile
Indians, who had been excited against him by
Gen, Castro, had killed and wounded four oi
his men, and left him no repose either IN camp
or on his march. Al the same time informa-
ton reached him that General Castro, in addI-
tion TO his Indian allies. was advancing in per
son against him, with artillery and cavalry at
the head of four or FIVE hundred men; and that
| thew were passing around the head of the Bay
of San Francisco to a rendezvous on tie north
aide of it. and that the American settlers in the
valley of the Sacramento were comprehended
in the schemes of destruction meditated against
his own party.
Under these circumstances, be determined tC
turn upon his Mexican pursuers, and seek safe
tV both for his own party and the American
settlers, not merely IN the defeat oil CasIro, Ou
in the tota! overthrow Of the Mexican authori
ty in California. and the establishment OF al
independent government in that extensive de
partment. 1t was on the 9th Of June, and be
fore the commencement of The war between thu
United States and Mexico could have beer
there known, that this resolution was taken
and, by the 5th of July it was carried into eff
feet by series of rapid attacks, by smal
body Of adventurous men, under the conduc
of an intrepid leader, quick to perceive and
$ BILE to direct the proper measures for accom-
, plishing such daring enterprise.
e On the l1th OfJune convoy of 200 hor
2 ses for Castro's camp, with an officer and l.
g men, were surprised and captured by l2 c
/. Fremout's party. On the 18th, at daybreak