Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-07-04

gence was received in the afternoon of the
23d Of juno, while he was on the Arneri-
can fork Of the Sacramento, 80 miles from
the garrison at Sonoma; and at II o'clock
on the morning of the 25th. he arrived atI
that place with 90 rihemen from the Amer
lean settlers in tft valley. The enemy
had not yet appeared. Scouts were sent
cut to reconnoitre, and a party Of 20 fell in
a squadron of 20 dragons, (all of Castro's
force had crossed the bay,) attacked and de-
feated, killing and wounding five, without
harm to themselves; the Mexican conman-
der. De la Tore, barely escaping with the
the loss of his transport boats and nine
pieces Of brass artillery, spiked.
The country north of the Bay of San
Francisco being cleared of the enemy Col.
Fremont returned to Sonoma on the eve
ming of the 4th of July, and on the morn
ing of the 9Th, called the people together.
explained to them the condition of things
in the province, and recommended an i'm
mediate declaration of independence. The
declaration was made and he was selected
to take the chief direetionof affairs.
The attack on Castro was the next Object.
He was at Santa Clard, an entrenched post
on the upper or south side of the Bay of
, San Francisco, with 400 men and two pieces
of field artillery. A circuit of more than a
hundred miles must be traversed to reach
him. On the 9th of July the pursuit COM
meneed, by body q 100 mounted rifle
men commanded by Col. Fremont in per-
son, who, in three days, arrived at the
American settlements on the Rio de los
Americanos. Here he learnt that Castro
had abandoned Santa Clara, and was re-
treating south towards Ciudad de los An
gelos, the city of the Angols1, the seat of
the Governor General Of the CALIFORNIA;.
: and distant 400 miles. 1t was instantly re-
solved on to pursue to that place. At the
moment of departure, the gratifying intelli-
gence was received that war with Mexico
had commenced; that Monterey had been
taken by our naval force, and the flag of the
United States there raised on the 7th of
July, and that the feet would cooperate to
the pursuit of Castro and his forces. The
flag OF independence was hauled down and
that of the United States Eoisted, amidst
the hearty greetings and to the great Joy of
the American settlers and the forces under
the command of Col. Fremont.
The combined pursuit was rapidly contin
ned; and on the 18th of August, Col Ere
mont, with a detachment of Marines from
the squadron and some rifemen, entered the
city of Angels, without resistance or obiec-
ton; the Governor General Pico, the Com
mandant General, Castro, and the Mexican
authorities having fed or dispeSed. Com
modore Stockton took possession of the
whole country as a conquest of the United
States, and appointed Col. Fremont Gov
enor, under the law of nations; to assume
the functions of that office when he should
return to the squadron.
Thus in the short space of sixty DAYS
from the first decisive movement. this con-
quest was achieved, by a small body of
men, to an extent beyond their own expec-
tation; for the Mexican authorities pro
claimed tia conquest, not merely of the
northern part, but of the whole province of
the CALIFORNIA;.
The Commandant General, Castro. on
the 9th Of August, from. his camp at the
Measa, and next day "on the road to Sono-
ra," announced this result to the people, to-
gether with the actual flight and dispersion
of the former authorities; and at the same
time, he officially communicated the fact of
the conquest to the French, English and
Spanish Consuls in California; and, to crown
the whole, the official paper of the Mexican
government on the 18th of October, in Law
ting these official communications before the
! public, introduced them with the emphatic
declaration, "The loss of the CALIFORNIA; is
consummated." The whole province was
/ yielded up to the United States, and is now
in our military occupancy. A small part
of the troops sent out to subject this prov
ince will constitute, it is presumed, suffi-
clent force to retain our possession, and the
remainder will be disposable for other OBJ
jects of the war.
Z
W. L. MARCY.