Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-08-01

Report;
Not on officer or soldier Of the U S.
Army accompanied him Fremont, and bis
whole force consisted Of 62 men, employed
by himself tor security against Indians. ~
Report Of Sec Of Uar, 1876.
And now read the conclusion;
"Thus, IN the short space OF sixty days
from the first decisive movement, this cone
quest was achieved. by @ small body Of men
10 an extent beyond their own expectation
[ for the Mexican authorizes proclaimed it ID
conquest. not merely OF the northern part,
but of the whole province OF the Caliornas.
Report Of the See Of UU, 1916.
Forthe full account by Secretary Marcy
see Wuchman ofthc 4th Of July last
We take it that The eGciai r'pod 81 The
Democratic Secretary Of War, at the tine, IS
good enough evidence to rebut oil the sio-
res which Bogus con manIacture nor ten
years after the events occurred. Bot we
have another interesting fact to add, which,
is. that for his course in California IN 1916,
Fremont Aad The authority ofJAMEs BucnAN-
as himself then Secretary Of State. WA
Bogus iupeach hIs beloved Jimmy OH,
how unfortunate these rascas are. Il was
in " the middle of May" ls46 that Fremont
"turncd upon his Mexican pursucrs," says
Secretary MAncr; and il t0a' in .Bay, 1916,
That he toas joined By CAPTAIN GILLESPIE,
,cih verbal instructions from Mn. BUcnAN-
An, Secretary of State, to do all IN his power
to render the people Of California favorable
eve ofa rupture with Mexico, and it was our
intention in the event of war to conquer Cal
ifoniu. FREMoNr followed BucuANAN's
adgice, and not only brought the people into
friendly state of feeling, but completed
the task Indicated By BUCHANAN, by con-
QUERING CALiToRNA. hen the Yer
mont Patriot meanly attempted to rob Ere
mont his lanrels, it was probably ignorant
That james Buchanan was to come IN for
share.
We quote from the Courier md Enquirer
The point was reached at which it be-
came necessary for Fremont 10 decide.
l ne lNuldUr uhu utEuu 10 uuiu llit crops hI
the American settlers, and were assembled
in large force of about six hundred war
riors, at or near what il known as Reddng's
rancho, about thrty-fye or forty miles from
his encampment lie must either uuit the
country, and leave the American settlers,
with their wives and children to utter rom
and a fearful fate, or he must step forward
as their defender. He must either let that
~ tho bauta Of
power, or take instant POSSESSION OF 1t by
his own sword. 1t was fearful hut grea,
crisis in his life. To head "A rebellion ~ n
country with which his own so far as he
then knew, was at peace, was assuming
most serious responsibility. But the ques-
ton was then and there to be decided. lie
decided It IN favor of those who sought his .
protection, and took the responsibility of his
position ut once. lie called his men togeth~
or. laid before them the state of The case.
and referred 10 the destruction impending
over those residents Of California who were
their countrymen. He told them. that be
had 10 right as a United States officer, TO
resist the authorities, or make war upon the
subjects Of government with which this
country was at peace lie would however
release them, for the time being, from the
conditions of their service under hlm as
United States officer, and relmqush his
command. Vt they wished to volunteer IN
defence OF the American settlers and their
families, they were at liberty To do 80. lie
concluded BY announcing that he should
himself 10 It forthwith, They unanimously
declared their readiness tn Join him, and np-
pointed HIM Their commander lie INSTANTLY
marched against the Indians, cuvlng about
dozen men TO defend The camp. He brol %
up and dispersed five villages IN one day
IN such rapid successon that notice Of his
approach could not be sent forward reach
ed their assembled force before sundown;
found them engaged in their war dance, IN
black paint and white feathers, preparatory
to their medilatcd blow upon the ssttler-
attacked them on sight and at the first
charge routed and scattered them, driving
them into the rver and the woods Al
single stroke IN one day he THIS utterly an
nihlated the Indian combination, and rescu-
I ed the settlers from ihreaining RUN, without
I the loss OF o man.
lie thgn returned to camp, aud removed
his force To a place called the Butles about
sixty miles above Suffers Settlement. Ffom
that point he put himself IN communication
with all trlen 'ly TO the movement Not long
after he received information that Castro mad
assembled about -four hundred men at Santa
Clara, and that he had sent an officer with
detachment, to Sonoma, 10 procure horses tu
complete the equipment of ms force. Ere
mont Instantly started small body of men
who volunteered for The service, and chose
Ezekiel Merritt for their leader TO intercept
tasiros detachment on its return. The ser.
wee was CALAMITY executed, aud with entire
success. The whole body, horses and all,
was captured. The prisoners we're released
but the horses brought IN.
BY rapid and vigorous movements Castro's
forces were all driven from the country north
OF the bay Of san Francisco. Al Sonuma,
Gen. Vallejo. two Colonies, and other prs-
oners were taken. A squadron Of eighty
men, under Capt De Ia 'llrrc, remained tor
q short tine ON a peninsula, at Saucchto. ON
the nonherly side Of the bay, directly oppo.
site Ceslro's encampmeui ON the east side
bur he was pressed SO hard that be abandon
ed ms horses, aud escaped 10 launches ucross
the bay TO Castro, Fremont found there
barque from the Eastern States commanded
by patriotic American, named DAVID Phelps,
who, entering heartily into the business, lent
hm his launch, into which hG Jumped with
twelve men. and rowed over TO San Francis
} co.. about eight miles, whore there was a
, a fort with battery Of guns, mostly brass
field pieces, which they spiked, employing
for the purpose steel files used for sharpen
ing knives, which Captain Phelp. happened
to have on board his bark.
Having thus established the Independence
Of North California, Fremont sent message
10 Castro, that as be could not get his horses
over the bay, II he would wait for him, he
would pass around lis head as quickly as
possible, and meet him where he was at
Santa Clara, and end HE contest for the
country at once.
On his way round, finding himself al Son
oma on The 4thd July, The day was duly
celebrated On the next day great con
course Of people, American settlers, and