Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-09-11
AMERICAN ORGAN.
From the Cincinnati Times.
Fremont in Another Character I-HOw he
Fought the Battle of Puebla.
IeSttnsony Of an Eyc-l0ltneSl

press 10 present Jneir Canuluate IN 80 many
different lights that he would not fail TO captivate
the romantic ideas of every portion of the commu-
nifty. To this end he has been heralded forth as
the Conqueror of California. Col Schenck very
cruelty, however dissolved tho Illusion and proved
most conclusively that Col Fremont had Just about
as much to do with the conquest of California as
had the wheelbarrow man who arrived there sew
eral years afterward. They next proclaimed him
as the great Champion Of Freedom in California,
and as the hero through whose instrumentality
slavery was prescribed in its limits A reference
to the doings of the Convention prove most con-
clusively that Col. Fremont was not member of
the Convention, and that he was in no wise con.
cerned in it.
The public has been furnished with long-spun
account termed the "Ride of One Hundred" and
romance has expended her energy in endeavoring
70 prove him the hero of heroes, and the cham
pion that had almost oclipsed the deeds of Saint
George, Saint Dennis, Saint Andrew, and the hun
dreds OF knights that have made history brilliant
| through the pages OF the Arabian Nights, and
| other works of like character The passage Of
the Alps paled into insgnifcance, and the deeds
OF the elder Napoleon are almost eclipsed in the
glowing description of the Ride of One Hun
| dred."
We acknowledge that it is almost a pity to de-
stroy so highly wrought an illusion, but for the
sake OF future history we propose to look at the
"Great Ride" with little less romance and little
more reality. In connexion with this, we proceed
to show up one item in this great exploit. Wheth-
er the record will be very satisfactory to his friends
we cannot say, but we viii give one portion of his
history as detailed by eyewitness, and one un-
der his command. We refer to the celebrated
Puebla affair, and VIC shall give the details as we
derive them from most authentic and reliable
source.
| In the month of December, lS46, Commodore
| Stockton landed at Sandiego with 700 marines.-
| Colonel Fremont was at that time stationed at
| Monterey with 400 cavalry, among whom were
| three companies Of the celebrated Bear party or
Civil Revolutionists-this latter name they hav-
ing derived from their having conquered Califor-
mia and established an Independent government,
previous to the hosting of the American flag by
/ Commodore Shubrick on the 7h Of July, at Mon.
tcrcy. Fremont having received orders to march
| south with his force to meet Commodore Stockton
| at Pueba, which manGuvre would cut off anv re-
treat by the Mexicans, and put final cessation
| to hostilities, he proceeded on his journey until
| within thirty miles of Stocktons camp Major
! Gillespie was then besieged at Pueba Stockton
was eighteen miles from Puebla, on the plains of
| the Massa. On the morning of the 7th, having
received further orders to march to the relief of
| Gillespie Fremont instead of marching directly
| for Puebla, turned Immediately east, and at right
angles with his line Of march, and travelled up
| the Santa Clara river into the almost impenetra-
| BILE and mountainous region of ST. Marks.
| The Mexican force at Puebla was supposed to
be strong, and Major Gillespie had held out man
| fully against them for two months. His whole
force consisted Of just thirty Americans, while the
Mexican army was composed of near thirty times
| that number.
| The march of Col Fremont had he obcyed his
| orders, could have been travelled easily in two
| days The company, on the 9th of Juuc, left the
camp at the north of the River and proceeded
| up the valley of the Santa Clara. On the morn
| ing Of the second days march, Col. Fremont or
| dered the troops up a valley which would bring
| them in the rear of Puebla, with range of noun
tains almost inaccessible from their roughness and
| hazardous precipces.
| On the second night he camped just where the
ascent of the st. Mark mountains began, at place
| called the eSheep Rancho" Considerable dssat-
isaction was manifested in the camp as to the cir
| cutous route adopted, and the only reason urged
by Col Fremont was, that he wanted to get in the
rear of the Mexicans for the purpose of attacking
| them.
Now begun one Of the most perilous marches
ever undertaken by an American force. Over
mountain sleeps and dangerous precipices, in
some cases being forced to unlmber their artillery
and lower it by ropes hundreds Of feet that little
band forced their way for two whole days, the en-
| tire distance being only twelve miles. These two
| days were the Sth and 9th of January. When in
ley was still twelve miles from Puebla-the officer
/ of the day returned no less than one hundred and
thirteen horses lost by that single march across the
| mountains
The march was finally over, and the company,
under the command of Colonel Fremont, arrived
at Puebla just in tmeto ascertain that, during
the Sth and 9th, while they were toiling over
the dangerous route we refer to, Commodore
Stockton had fought the battle of Puebla and van
quished the Mexicans. This was accomplished by
a hard fought battle of two whole days
Now had Colonel Fremont obeyed his orders,
had he desired to have been present at the battle
Of Puebla had he manifested wish for the relief
of Major Gillespie and his thirty Americans, he
/ could have joined Commodore Stockton by march
| over the plains, with no hindrnnce between him
/ and his superior officer in time TO have partici-
patcd in the battle Of the 9Th and 9th. This was
| known to every private in his company, and feel
i ings Of disgust and almost of mutiny in the camp
/ were manifested without hesitation. IL may be as
well here to state that the soldiers under command
| Of Fremont were anxious for the battle, tho Bear
/ party especially, as they had suffered much from
the Mexicans, and burned with desire for retalia-
| ton They knew that Commodore Stockton would
not await their coming longer than the specified
| time, and that the glory Of the battle would be
/ achieved by the marines under his command
This was the only opportunity Colonel Fremont
4 ever had to enter into an engagement, after he
| took command Of that portion Of his force known
as the Bear party, and he evaded it, as is shown
above, by taking circuitous march over mount.
ainous prccipiccs when level plain Of lees dis.
tance was before him for his choice. II will be
seen that while in this uncalled.for enterprise,
while he was forcing his troops over these danger
Gus precpices, Commore Stockton was, with his
marines, fighting the enemy at considerable odds,
was everywhere busy among them, pointing their
/ cannon and directing every movement and finally
routing them in every quarter, and relieving Mai
| Gillespie and his comrades.
Here, then, is a portion of the Ride Of One