Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-08-05

rs n0tnlng Dut aTamOl1ng surveyor. hea0
the following "official report" of what the
"young surveyor" did. and then tlv .o,hink
Of anything equally merlorous ever done
by Mr.. Buchanan.
From Annual Report of Sec'y of War, Dec. 1s46.
Secretary Marcy's Opinion Of Col.
Fremont.
WAR DEPARTMENT, Dec. s, 1916.
In Nay, 1916, John C. Fremont, then o
brewer captain in the corps Of Topographic
cal Engineers, and since appointed lieuten-
an, colonel, left here under the orders from
this department, 10 pursue his explorations in
the regions beyond lhe Rocky Mountains.
The objects Of this service were, as those ol
his previous explorations had been, Of a sci.
enliic character, without any view whatever
TO military operations. No, an officer OF
soldier of the United States army accompa.
MED him; and his whole force consisted oil
sixiy.lwo men employed by himself for Sc.
curly against the Indians, and for procuring
subsistence in the wilderness and deser
country through which he was TO pass.
One Of ihe objects he had in view was tc
discover a new and shorter route from ths
western base Of the Rocky Mountains to the
mouth ofthe Columbia River. This search
for part of the distance, would carry him
through The unsettled. and afterwards through
corner Of the sen!ed paris Of California
He approached these settlements in the win
ter of 1856. Aware OF the critical STATE
of affairs between the United States ant
Mexico, and determined TO give no cause o
offence TO the authorities OF the province
with commendable prudence, he halted hi
command on The frontier, one hundred miles
from Monterey, and proceeded alone to lha
city 10 explain the objec, Of his coming I,
the commandam general, Castro, and 10 OBJ
tain permission 10 60 10 The valley of Sal
Joaquin, where there was game for his men
and grass for his horses, and no inha5iianl
10 be molested by his presence. The leave
was gras,ed; but scarcely had he reached
the desired spo, for refreshmen, and repose
before he received information from III
American settlements, and by expresses from
our consul at Monterey, ,ha, Gen. Castr,
was preparing to auack him with compar
lively large force Of arllIery, cavalry, an,
infantry, upon the pretext that, under ,b
cover Of scientific mission, he was excl
ting the American citizens 10 revolt. I,
view Of this danger, and 10 be In condition
to repel an attack, he then took position OIL
a mountain overlooking Monterey, at dis
lance Of about thirty miles. enirenched i
raised the flag of,he United STATES, and wit
his own men, sixly.two in Lumber, awai,e
The approach Of the commandan, genera
From the 7lh TO The 10Th Of March, Co
Fremont and his band maintained this posi-
lion. General Castro did not approach with
in attacking distance. and Col. Fremont, ad
herring TO his plan of avoiding all collisions
and determining neither TO compromil hi
government nor the American settlers read
10 join him at all hazards, if he had bee
attacked, abandoned his position and CON
menced his march Tor Oregon. intending b
that route 10 return 10 the United States
Deeming all danger from the Mexcans I
be passed, he Welded TO the wishes {
some OF his men who desired 10 renal
in the country and discharged them fror
his service, and refused to receive others i
their stead, SO cautious was he 10 avoid dc
ing anything which would comprcmit tn
American selilers or give even color ofo
fense1o the Mexican authorities. He pul
sued his march slowly and 1eisurely, as III
state Of his men end his horses required
lnlil tho middle Of Nav, ard had renche
the northern shore Of The greater Talmai
Jake, within the limits Of the Oregon Terri
tory, when he found his further progress !
,ha, direction obsrycied bv impassabl
snowy mountains and hostile Indians, VIII
had been excited agains, him by Cen, Cat
lro; had killed and wounded four OF his mer
and left him no repose either in camp or, o
his march. Az the same time inlormalio
reached him that General Castro, in add