The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-07-24

before he had heard OF the commencement
Of the war with Mexico. he was induced
DIV the entreaties of the American settlers
in the valley Of the Sacramento. whom the
Mexicans threatened to drive out Of tie
country, to put himself at their head. -
Thus led, they defeated the Mexicans. =
Fremont put himself into communication
with the naval commanders on the coast,
and soon, in conjunction with Commodore
Stockton, obtained complete possession of
California, of which on the Gath of Au-
gust, he was appointed by Stockton militia
ry coman.ler, The fighting. however, was
not yet over. The Californians rose in in
surrection; but the arrival of Gen. Kearn-
ey, with his dragons from New Mexico,
enabled the Americans, after some hard
fought battles, to maintain themselves in
possession. Pending these operations, a
commission arrived for Fremont as lieu.
tenant -colonel--ap promotion which neither
lie nor his friends had solicited, but
which he gladly received as ratification
on the part o: the government of his inter-
vention, on his own responsibility, in the
affairs of California. 1ratp. Iaa
On the arrival of Kearney a dispute
arose between him and Commodore Stock
ton as to whom belonged the chief COM
mand. kearney ungenerously sought to
cast upon Fremont the delicate responsible
ity of deciding which of the contestants
had the right of command. This he We
ry wisely declined to do, stating his read
iness to obey the chief under whom the
war had been prosecuted, until the right
of priority Of command should be set
| tied. g1.~z .l a..r -9; so
i Kearney, though dissatisfied, did not
seek resentment until they reached Fort
Leavenworth on their way home. Here
he arrested Fremont on charge Of DISC
bedience of orders. and brought him be-
fore court-martial for trial. This court
held that Kearney. and not Stockton, was
the lightfu superiorin command, and, as
a matter of form. found Fremont guilty
of the charges, and sentenced him to be
dismissed from the service. The, had nc
right to consider the fact that it was i'm
possible for Fremont to know which had
the right Of command, and had he obey,
ed Kearney instead Of Stockton, be naiggi'
with equal reason, apparently, have fear
ed an arrest by Stockton. -.
That this conviction had nothing to
justify it but the cold. technical fact o.
not knowing which of two rivals to obey
is eyinced by the fact that Presto deni
Polk rendered to Fremont O neao commission
of the same grade as, that which he had
been deprived of; but he refused to ac-
cept it, and, like a man of genius. con
scious possessing higher diploma thar
a President could give or court MARTA
take away, returned to private life, and
at once set about the completion of hi:
great labors for the good of an empire
by planning fourth expedition, and tha
on his own account.
This he directed to the discovery of {
passage across the Rocky Mountains
south of the South Pass, which he though
might serve for a. railroad to California
1t needed but this line to complete the
surveys he had so successfully made, ane
though stripped of government patronage
he resolved to finish his work unaided.
He mustered thirty three hardy noun
taineers. who gloried in him as thei
leader, and, with one hundred and thir
three mules, and the necessary equip
ment, started from Puebla, on the uppel
Arkansas, through perils scarcely equal
led in Siberia or the Alps. Being mislec
by bis guides, all bis mules and thirc
lot his men perished in the snow and colo
of the Sierra San Juan, and he arrived OF
foot at Santa Fe, with barely the breath
of life in him, with the loss of every
thing. Nothing daunted, and by M
means disheartened, he re6tted and start
ed again on his perilous but glorious
march ; penetrated the country of th,
fierce and remorseless Apaches, me
many savage tribes. which he awed o
overpowered, and in hundred days from
Santa Fe he stood triumphant on the gilt
tering banks of the golden Sacramento.
Having arrived among his friends, the.
were not slow in reversing the decision o
the court martial toward their gallant de
liverer, by sending him to Washington
as "the first Senator of the Colder
State" This was a just tribute OF a gal
liant people to integrity, heroism. an
self sacrificing philanthropy in their hou
of greatest need, and may be quoted il
favor of the youthful nero as of highe
authority on the score of justice than tn
formal yet unwilling verdict of the court
martial. 4 #1
! He was elected to the short term of tw
years. at the expiration of which he re
r turned to California for the purpose G
Q developing the estate which he bad pur
Y chased on an early visit, called the Mari