Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-12

| tuCuiSCfCo CApCCtCO CfcIt lIO
ment to be attacked by the Indians, who had
been excited against them and they besouqht
him to take the direction of the defence The
danger of the American settlers was imminent
and their enemy was also his own. But he did
not know that the Mexican war was begun
| 1t was impossible for him to communicate with
the authorities at home yet, unauthorized, he
| could not commit the United States govern
ment by commencing hOstilities in its name
But his heart bled for his distressed country
men. and he made up his mind that, at all risks
TO himself he must embrace their cause He
communicated his feelings to his party, who all
joyfuly acceded to his views Lieut. Gillespie
also. He theu advised the Americans to raise
the Bear flag at Sonoma (for they had no right
to that of the United States and under it the
great battle of Sacramento was fought and all
the country north of the Bay of San Francis
co was conquered. Independence was formal
ly declared July 5th, 1916, and Capt. Fremont,
by the general voice, was put at the head of
affairs. In the letter which he wrote to his
father-in-aw, Senator Benton, and which is in
print he expresses his confidence that the Uni
ted States government would sanction his
course but, if it should not he was prepared
to resign his commission
With one hundred and sixty rihemen he now
started from SOnoma in search of Castro, who
was cntrenched south of the bay, at Santa
Clara. On the 10th of July, being on his way,
he learned that Commodore Sloat had taken
possession of Monterey on the 1th from which
he thought war had begun between Mexico and
the United States. He therefore Immediately
pulled down the Bear flag, and raised the stars
and stripes.
Commodore Sloat was acting under orders
received the year before from the Navy De-
partment, the Secretary (Bancroft) having di-
rected that as soon as he should know that war
was declared against Mexico. he should take
possession of California. Hearing of the ex.
plOitS of Capt. Fremont i'll the north, he sup
posed that he must be acting under orders from
the government. This appears from his own
letters to Capt Montgomery, in which he ex
pressed hope that Fremont would approve of
what they were about to do, and join them
Capt. Montgomery at SIoat's order, took pos
session of Yerba Buena (now San Francisco
at once hosting the United States flag, with
out opposition in the public square. Commo-
dore Sloat, at the same time, wrote to Capt.
Fremont, telling him what he had DONE and
requesting his cooperation in consequence of
which, Captain Fremont forthwith repaired to
Monterey, and put himself and his rifemen un-
der Sloat'S command but told him, at the
same time, that he had received no order from
Washington, but had acted on his own respon-
sibity
Commodore Sloat was i'll, (he had already
asked leave of absence on that account, and
he was worried by this communication. He
therefore very gladly resigned his command to
Commodore Stockton who arrived at this mo-
ment (July 23d) to relieve him.
Commodore Stockton, finding the state of
the affair, had no hesitation about continuing
the conquest of California and to Commo-
dore Sloat's proclamation, which had promised
the conquered, under the protection of the Uni
ted States, better government than Mexico
had ever given them, he added another, threat
ening war upon any who should molest Ameri-
can citizens Capt Fremont and Lieut.. Giles
pie were both, by their own appointments un-
der government, independent of Com. Stock
ton, and Fremont actually was, by the popular
voice at the head of affairs. But both of them,
without hesitation, with their one hundred and
sixty riflemen, put themselves under Stockton,
and from this moment obeyed him implicitly
having no other interest than that of the Uni
ted States The victory on the plains of Sail
mas soon followed.
On the 25th of July, Capt Fremont sailed
from Monterey in the Cyane, in order to in
tercept the retreating general, Castro Castro
and Governor Pico did not, however, dare to |
him, but fed across the desert to |
Sonora, more than two hundred miles Capt |
Fremont and Com. Stockton then joined their
forces, and marched to Los Angeles, the capi-
tol of the CALIFORNIA;, and took possession of it,
without opposition. On the 22d August Cali
fornia was in the undisputcd possession of the
United States
Two days after (the 24th), Fremont was
appointed military commandant of the Terri
tory by Com. Stockton, who charged him to
enlist sufficient force to garrison the country.
On the 2Sth. he wrote to the government, as
well as to Major Fremont, that he intended to
appoint him governor. This despatch, with
others, President Polk, in his annual message
Of 1916, laid before Congress with these words !
- Our squadron in the Pacific, with the coop
Grafton of gallant officer of the army, and
small force hastily collected in that distant
country, have acquired bloodless possession of
the CALIFORNIA;"
1t is important to remark, that, two days
after Com. Sloat took possession of Monterey,
the British admiral, Seymour, had arrived
and had he not found the United States flag
flying at Monterey, he would have planted the
British. Maj. Fremont found in the archives
Of the government at Los Angeles, business
papers, showing that the Missions had been
lurriedy sold to British purchasers at the
very time that he was fortifying himself at first;
and that an Irish priest (McNamara) was in
reaty for the whole beautiful valley of Joachim,
which was to be settled by an Irish colony,
lndcr British protection These papers are
al in print AS Com Sloat had been deter
mined to take Monterey by hearing of Capt.
Fremont's exploits, and Com. Stockton, when