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

American settlers IN Inc VAey o. the ouc-
ramenlo were comprehended in The scenes
Of destruction medila,ed against his own
party.
Under these circumstances, determined
10 turn upon his Mexican pursuers, and seek
safety both for his own party and the Amer
ican settlers, no, merely in the defeat OF
Castro, but in the total overthrow Of the
Mexican authority ir California, and the. ,es.
Establishment Of an independent government
in, thai extensive department. llwas on the
9Th OF June q, and before the commencement,
Of the war between the United States and
Mexico could have been there known, tha.
this resolution was taken; and, by the 9th
OF July il was carried into effect by series
OF rapid attacks, by small body of adven.
ferrous men, under the cohduc. Of an in.re.
pid leader, quick to perceive and able.io di'
rect the proper measures for accomplishing
such daring enterprise. '4, lra
On the l1th of June, convoy Of 200
horses for Cas,ro's camp, with an officer and
Ia men, were surprised and captured by IL
oil Fremont's party. On the 18th, at day.
break, the military pos. of Sonoma was also
surprised and taken, with nine brass cannon.
2hO stand Of muske,s, several officers, and
some men and munitions of war.
Leaving a smell garrison at Sonoma. Col.
Fremont went to the Sacramento to rouse
The American settlers; but scarcely had he
arrived there, when an express reached him
from the garrison at Sonoma, with informa.
ton that Casro's whole force was crossing
the bay TO attack tina. place. The in,elll-
gence was received in The afternoon Of the
23d of June. while he was on the American
fork Of The Sacramento, 80 miles from the
garrison at Sonoma; and al IL O'Clock on
The morning of the 25Ih, he arrived at thai
place with 80 rhemen from The American
settlers in that valley. The enemy had moi
yet appeared. Scouts were sent out 10 re-
connotre, and party of go fell in with q
squadron Of 10 dragons, Gall OF Castro's
force which had crossed The bay attacked
and defeated, killing and wounding FIVE
withou. harm 10 themselves; the Mexican
Commander, De La Tore, barely escaping
with The loss of his transport boats and nine
pieces OF brass artillery, spiked.
The country north of the Bay of sar
Francisco being cleared of the enemy, Col
Fremop, returned 10 Sonoma on the evening
of the 4lh Of July, and on the morning o
the 5vh, called The people, together, explain
ed 10 them the condition Of things in the
province, and recommended an immediate
declaration. The declaration of indepen
dence was selected 10 take the chief direc
iion of affairs.
j The attack on Castro was the next OBJ
ject. He was at Sarta Clara, an enirenchet
post on the upper or south side Of the Bay
Of San Francisco, with 400 men and tw'
pieces OF field artillery. A circuit Of mor'
Than hundred miles must be iraversed II
reach him. On the 9Th Of July the pursui
/ was commenced by body of 100 mounted
riHemen, commanded by Col. Fremont il
person, who, in three days, arrived a. tn
American settlements on the Rio de lo
, Americanos. Here he learnt that Caslrt
had abandoned Santa Clara, and was retreat
ing Sou,h towards Cindad de los Angeles
(.he city of the Angels, .hesea. Of the Gov
erno, General Of the CALIFORNIA;, and dis
tan, 400 miles. 1t was instantly resolved
on 10 pursue to that place. At the momen
/ Of departure. the gratifying intelligence wa
r received that war with Mexico had com
menced; that Monterey had been taken b.
! our naval force, and the flag Of the unite
States there raised on the 7Ih Of July. an
/, that the fleet would cooperate to The pursui
/, of Castro and his forces The flag Of indie
pendence was hauled down and that Of tb
United States hoisled, amidst the heart
greetings and TO the great jov Of the Amer
can settlers and to the forces under The com
) mand OF Col. Fremont. H .. ..'.
] The combined pursuit was rapidly ccntin
}, ueJ; and on the 12Ih of August, Col. Ere
e mont, with q detachment of marines lror
n the SQUADRON and some rifemen, entered tn
D CITY OF Angels, without resistance or objec
+. lion; the Governor General Pico. the Com
d mandment General Castro, and all the Mex
9 lean authorities, having fled or dispersed
. Commodore Stockton took possession c
n the whole Country as conquest of the ULi
n ted States, and eppoin,e6 Col. Fremon
n Governor, under the law Of nations. to as
]. sumo the functions Of that Office when h
!. should return 20 the squadron.
Thus, in the short space Of sixtv day
q from the first decisive movement, this cor
L quest was achieved by small body Of mer
!. 10 an extent beyond their own expectation
j. for the Mexican su,horiiies proclaimed it
!. conques, not merely Of the Northern par
i bu, Of The whole province Of the California;
}. The Commandant General, Castro, o
the 9Th Of August, from his camp at III
y Mesa. and next day "on the road 10 Sonc
n ra," announced this resu, to the people, tc
j. gelher with the actual flight and dispersio
Y Of lhe former ouihoriIies; and, at the sam
J. time, he officially communicated the fact {
% the conquest TO the French, English an
u Spanish Consuls in California; and TO crow
2 ,he whole, the official paper Of the Mexica
n government. on the 18th Of October, in lay
q ing these official communications before III
J. public, introduced them with the empha,
e declaraion' "The loss OF the Californias
/ consummated." The whole provicne We
i yielded up 10 the United States. and is no
e in our military occupancy. A small par,
}, the troops sen, out 10 subject this proyinc
q will constitute, il IS presumed, suficiel
. force 10 retain our possession, and the 7,
! mainder will be disposibe for other objec
. OF the war. 'FN
el *@48 l,*s,b y bwA# sG s*mit
Q qa4s ~ a1aeasf w. LrMARCY.