Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-06-27

N''Ntcs " ~ W dS SUutu Oh the
bay, at Santa Clara. On the 10th of
July. being Tn his way, he learned that
&, Commodore Sloat had taken possession
of Monterey on the 9TH !; from which h
thought war had begun between Mexico
and the United States. He therefore
pulled down tina Bear flag, and raised the
stripes and stars
Commodore Sloa. was acting under
!, orders received the year before from the
Navy Department, the Secretary, Ban
croft having directed that as soon as he
should know that war was declared A.
gainst Mexico, he should take posses.
sion of California. Hearing of the ex.
ploits Of Captain Fremont in the north
he supposed that he must be acting un-
der oraers from the government. This
appears from his own letters to Captain
Montgomery, in which he expressed a
hope that Fremont would approve Of
what they were about to do, and Join
them. Captain Montgomery. at Sloat's
order, took possession Of Ycrba Bucna,
now San Francisco at once hosting the
United States flag, without opposition,
in the public square. Commodore Sloat
at the same time wrote TO Captain Ere
mont telling him what he had done,
and requesting his cooperation in con.
sequence of which, Captain Fremon.
forthwith repaired to Monterey, and put
himself and his rinemen under Sloat's
command; but told him a. the Same
time, liz had no orders from Washing
!, ton, but had acted ON his own response
: biIity,
Commodore Sloat was i'll, he had al.
ready asked leave Of absence on that ac.
count, and he WAS worried by this CON-
municat on. lie therefore very gladly
|. resigned his command to Commodore
f. Stockton, who arrived at this moment
! July 23d TO relieve him.
! Commodore Stockton finding the state
, Of the affair, had 40 hesitation about SON
4 tinuing the conquest of California; and
5 to Comm ldole Sloat's proclamasio
! which had promised the conquered,
r under the protection Of the United States,
better government than Mexico had ever
/ given them. he added another, theeaten-
, ing war upon auy Who should modest
American citizens. Capt. Fremont and
Lieut. Gillespie were both, by their own
appointments under governments. indie.
pendent Of Com. Stockton. and Fremont
: actually was, by the popular voice, at the
head OF aft.irs. But both of them with
out hesitation, with their one hundred
aud sixty rihencn, put themselves under
Stockton, and from this moment obeyed
/ him implicitly; having no other interest
than that o! the Cnitcd States. Tn,
victory on the plains Of Salinas soon fol.
loved.
On the 18th Ct July. Capt. Frcmon,
sailed from Monterey in the Cyanc, in or
. der to intercept the retrcating general.
Castro: Castro and Governor Pico did
not, however. dare to encounter him, but
fled across the desert to Sonora more than
/ two hundred miles. Capt Fremont AMI
| Commodore Stockton then joined their
, forces, and marched to Los Angeles, the
capitol Of the CALIFORNIA;, and took pos.
session of it, without opposition. On
, the 22d Of August, California was in
: the undisputcd possession of the United
/ States.
Two days after the path, Frcmon,
f wa appointed military commandant Of
the territory by Commodore Stockton,
, who charged him to enlist sufficient
/ fofee to garrison the country. On the
2sth, he wrote TO the government, us
we'll as to Major Fremont, tina, he intend
ed TO appoint him governor This de.
? spatch, with others, President Polk, in
, his annual message of 1916, laid before
! Congress with these words Our squad
r ron In the Pacific, with the co operation
t OF gallant officer of the army, and
, small force hastily collected in that dis
t tant country, have acquired bloodlcss
| possession Of the CALIFORNIA;.
1t Is important to remark, that two
, days after Commodore Sloat took pos
session OF Monterey. the British admiral,
Seymour, Lad arrived and had he not
found the United States ias flying at
Monterey, he would have planted the
British; Mi. Fremont found in the
E archives Of the government at Los Ange.
los, business papers, showing that the
Missions hal hoo,