Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1856-07-17
.Honor 70 wnon Honor 1. pus.,,
To the Editors Of the Dayton Journa /

TO the Editors Of the Dayten Journa +
II is with great reluctsnce thalI appear be
lore the public, but a sense OF that duty
which owe 10 that profession OF which | have
been q member fof nearly thirty two years
eompelS me 10 CLAIM for the navy and marine
corps, and for the navy and marine corRs alone
the entire credit. if any is due, for the con.
quest OF California, saving and excepting the
personal services Of the late Gen. Kearney
and his handful Of officers and men, number.
ms ID all not more than o dozen persons, I'm
that was left Of The gallant band that met W i'm
a fate so disastrous at "San Pasqnal;' the
particulars Of that ofIair are fresh in The
memory of many Of our citizens from the fact
that in this b~looGieSt action of the war. there
fell one Of the most gallant and sccomplis he'd
officers Of the army, Capt. A. r. Johnston. of
Dragons, a native Of Piqua, Ohio, and the
son OF our venerable and distinguished fell
low citizen, Col. John Johnston. | again re.
peat That with this exception, all credit for
'he conquest Of California is due TO the navy
ana marine corps. II is well known ll.at the
ia'e war WIN Mexico afforded but little op-
poriuniiy Of distinction TO The nayy.@onSi :,
is HARD II The litlle distinction it did gain ;s 10
be wreSted from them to make capiioI for an
aSplfant 10 the Presidency. | aIiude ~ ,bs
Tact that the fI.sn1S ofFreEnontare CLAIMING n,
him The lions share OF the little glory ach;av'
ed by that conquest. | am prepared 10 move
that so 'ar from his being entitled 10 any c,eI;,
lof his partic ipation in the conquest Of Cali
lorna, That his having failed 10 co oneraIa
heartily and efficiently with Commodore S,ocks
ION, so lar rom assisting in the conaues. en-.
paITaSsed him tSlockton) in his OPERATIONS ami
rendered The victory less complete than I,
would have been had we received from Ere,
mont mat assistance We had a right TO exneot
mounted armed and equipped as be was. 7
ON lnIthef pfepcred 10 Prove that in every
engagement aud every Route of the enemy
which took place in California, Ffemop, was
invariably loo late 10 take part; and 10 snm
up all, assert that during the whole of b;s
services IN California, he was never within
hearing distance Of the enemy's guns. The
canSe Of his ineffciency | will moi here dis.
cu5S.
HIS other claims 10 the distinguished honor
Which 1t is Intended TO confer uiDon him
Know nothing OF, and care nothing about. I
am no politician 1 am neither for Fillmore
or Buchanan, for Stockton or Ger6tt smith.
and Certainly not for Flemont, knowing MN
as do. Since | have stepped SO far ont Of
my proper sphere, as to appear before the pub-
lie IN The character of a newspaper porapraph
writer, hope 10 lie excused Tor telling who
| am, and how | came IN possession of this in
forma lion, and d erest deal more upon the
same subject yet untold.
went 10 California in 1916 with Comma
Goie Stockton, and was al The time a lieu;en-
ant of more ;han eleven years, standing and
during his operations there, | was for some
time his aid de camp and quarter master of
The lorces. ! wsspfeSent and assisted win
my own hands in %hoiSfing our flag at ''Sanla
Baharn," OF "San Pedrn," and 81 f'Pnebia
los Angelos," and | was al his later place
The next officer in rank TO Commodore Stock
ton, when first lieutenant aud breve. Captain
FIemont arrived there with his 'Hunlfed' lust
about thltty SIX hours too late to take part in
The route Of General Castro, Whom we-tbe
sailors and mariners On fdot--hsd driven be fore
It's GCr two days, until his forces scat:efed and
he, together " ith the civil Governor s'Pio pi.
CO." and principal officers, fed to Mexico,
and was never heard Of afterwards during The
war.
| am compelled in this manner TO utterly
annihilole that Beannnll story which appears
IN the Journal Of yesterday entitled '.Fleinnnt
or the ride of one hnndred," copied from the
New York Post, which story ! pronounce 10 be
utterly and entirely false, unless The interview
with General Vallejo, sS Iescr lied, took place.
and Of that never heard before; but All The
adventure and CALAMITY attributed 10 Fremont
in the story / know 10 be ut,true.
] hope il will iiot be Considered indeIicate
in me IL make an appeal 10 he people Of Ohio,
nnI especially 10 The people of Southern Ohid
" here ! am best known, claiming their proiec-
lion from a party, Of men, who are endeavor-
ing 10 make political capital fr their candi-
dare for the Presidency ont Of leeds performed
by my companions aud MYSELF aud in which
he took o very unihporlanl part. ] ground my
claim 10 your protection upon my having the
accidental distinction Of eng Tue FIST native
OF Ohio That ever entered The naval services Of
the United States, and he frs, that ever reach
ed the rank Of Commander; aud | trust that
that State pride which You have q right TO in.
Gnlge in, will extend itself to your sons who
have left yonr peaceful borders ant embarked
in the military and naval service of their
country.
JAMES FlNDLAY ScIENK,
Communicated. S. Navy.