Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-06-26
Sketch of the life of Colonel Fremont

Sketch Of the life of Colonel Fremont.
In January, 1916, Captain j. c. Fremont,
who the year before had been ordered by the
War Department to explore southern route
to Oregon, arrived upon the frontiers of Cali
fornia, with party Of engineers Knowing
that the relations between the United States
and Mexico were in a delicate position, and
that the authorities of the latter were very jea-
o'ls OF Americans, he took the prccaut.on to
leave his party aud go alone to Monterey :;
where, with the United States consul, Mr.. Lar
kin he called upon the commanding. general,
Castro, and made known to him his peaceful
commission receiving express permission to
winter in the valley OF San Joachim, where was
plenty OF game, and no inhabitants to be dis
turbcd. After recruiting his party, he lrocccd, d
onward and, on the 3d Of March, ercampcd
within fifty miles of Monterey, where, to lis
surprise, he received pcr,mptory order from
Castro to leave the country ut once At first
he took no notice at this or.icr as he had given
no occasion for any lnaIc demonstration Int
when he heard that Gen. Castro was really in
pursuit of him. he fortified his party with logs
Of wood, upon Il high hill, and loisted the L. :.
flag and there, in Il quietly brave atttunc,
virtually dtLcd the Culiforna,ls TO d, thcir
worst. From his camp he could see with his
spyglass that an attack was in preparation, and
lac also received from Mr.. Lalk.n letter telling
him of Castro's orders to drive hi,a from the
country The messenger who carried back Ere
,seat's answer to Larkin (whicl, was that he
and his party should defend themselves to the
last inau, added, from his own suggestion, that
two thousand men would rot bc able To drive
Captain Fremont ii"m his position. A.sim:hr
impression seems to have t"ken possession of
Castro himself for be did not venture to attack
him; and, after three days waiting, Captain
Fremont left his little fort, anl proceeded on his
exploring expedition to Oregon. Castro followed
atir oil, but evidently did not dare come upw.th
him; and having picked np few csst-away
things left ia the deserted locfurt he returacd
to California, making a proclamation, full of
tai>ehoodS, declaring that he had driven away
to Oregon this baud of highway robb,rs
In the following May, when Captain Fremont
was cncalnpcd on the Greater Talmath Lake,
lie was surprised ut the arrival of two mounted
men, who toM him that lIicut. Gillespie, with
letters for him, was some miles behind, bcsct Ly
hostile Indians. Captain Fremont immediately
broke up his camp aud went hnck to his assist
ancc, aud met him after day or two Lieut.
Gillespie delivered him Il letter of simple intro
durt'en from Mr.. Buchanan, Secretary OF State,
and family letters from Col. Bcnton. Under all
the circumstances he could not but understand
that Lieut.. Gillespie was accredited by Mr..
Huclanan as an agent Of the government, anu
this the gentleman himself 40 rmcd, informing
Captain Fremont that the government wished
him to return to California, and acquaiat hinr-
self with the disposition of the inhabitants and
the designs OF the British upon the country
and, il they were Of certain kind, to counter
net them. On his return to California, which,
was immediate, he found the valley of the Sacra-
mento in the greatest excitement, for oil the
American settlers had been ordered out of the
country. aud were threatened with massacre aud
the destruction Of their crops. The arrival OF
Captain Fremont inspired them with hope Il
defending themselves ; they expected every mo-
mcut to be attacked by the Indians, who had
been excited against them and they besought
him to take the direction of the defence. The
danger Of the American settlers was Imminent
and their enemy was also his own But he did
not know that the Mexican war was begun. 1t
was impossible for him to communicates with the
authorities at home yet, unauthorized, he could
not commit the United States government, hy
commencing hostilities in its name. But his
heart ble,l for his distressed countrymcn, and he
made up his mind that, at all risks to himself
he must embrace their cause. lie communicated
his feelings to his party, who all joyfnlly accedcd
to his views Lieut. Gillespie also. lie then
advised the Americans to raise the Bear flag al
Souonla for they had no right to that Of the Uni
ted States). and under it the great battle of Sa
crancnto was fought, and all the country north o
the Bay Of San Francisco was conquered. In
dependence was formally declared July 9Th
/ 1896, aud Captain Fremont, by the genera
voice, was put at the head Of affairs. In til,
letter which he wrote to his fathern-law ,Sena
toe Benton. and which is in print, he expresses
his confidence that the United States govern
ment would sanction his conrse but. If it SHOULD
not. he was prepared to resign his commission
With one hundred and sixty riaemca he nov
started from Sonoma in search Of Castro, WHIT
was cntrenchel south Of the bay. at SAINTS
Clara On the 10th Of July. being on his way
he learned that Commodore Sloat had takei
possession Of Monterey Oh the 18th FROM which