Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP
Lossing's History Of the United statss.-

Lossing's History Of the United States
A it is proposed to cram" this work into
the public schools of the country, it is worth
the public's while to examine it critically
We therefore proceed to quote and comment
On a few Ct its remarkable passages:
Page 4S6. The command Of the army of the
West ras given 10 General kearney with in
structions 20 conquer New Mexico and Cali
fornia. He left tOrt Leavenworth in June,
and after n journey Of nine hundred miles
over the great plains and mountain ranges,
be arrived at Santa Fe, the cspitsl Of New
Mexico, On the 18th Of August. He met with
no resistance, and having taken peace able
possession Of the country and constituted
Charles Bent its governor, he marched to-
wards California He soon met an express
from Commodore Stockton and Lieut. Col
Fremont, infcrmirg him that the conquest of
California bad already been achieved
Page zSI. Fremont had been sent with a
party oi about sixty men to explore portions
Of New Mexico and California When he ar
rived IN The vlcirity of Monterey, on the Pa
cinc coast ne was opposed by Mexican force
under General Castro Fremont aroused all
the American settlers in the vicinity Of San
Francisco Bay, captured Mexican post and
garrison, and nine cannons and two hundred
and nifty mukke;s at Sonora Pass Jun. Is
1870 and then advanced TO Sonora ard de.
featet Castro and his troops The Mexican
authorities were efectually driven oct Of that
region Of the country, and on the 5th of July
the American CslIforrians declared tb.,r.
selves independent. and placed Fremont az the
head Of the government. Two days aftervard
Commodore Sloat, then in command of the
squadron on the Pacific. bOmbarded and cam
tursd Monterey; and On the 9th Commodore
Montgomery took possession Of San Francisco
Ccmuodore Stockton arrived on the 18th, and
With Col Fremont took possession Of the city
Of Los Angeles on the 18th Of August On re-
ceivirg this Information kearney sent the
main body Of his troops to Santa Pe, and with
.ne 1ardred men he pushed forward to Los
Ahgeios nehr the Pacific coast, where he met
tDecernoeE p, lS47) Stockton and Fremont
20 company with these officers he shared in
'1e hoher q the final battle Of San Gabriel
N11he = .ofI y which completed the conquest
ana pacihcatlon Of California Fremont ~ a
real hbtTAtOr % tina: country cJa;,,aI 80. -,
70 be governor, and was supported bv S,oeL.
ton ana the people; bat Kearn.y. hi. .,r.,;o,
omcer, WoSl1 not acauiesce Fremont rdf,..5
- OBEY hin' and kearney departed. salad %
Monterey, end there in coniunet;on v;,h c. "
nodore ohusrlek he assumed the ofBcs 80
uo'elnOI, anu presumed February 8. l847l
tne annexation OK California 10 n. rn;,.1
States. Onl'eo
Fremont was ordered home b be triad O.,
dlsobedleDce OF orders. He was deprivsd ot
his commission but the President yaIn;n. =; VI -
as one Of the sbles, officers in the armv
ed It 10 him again. Fremont refused'it .nd
went again 70 tie wilderness and engaged In
exploration.
COMMENTS.
II would perhaps Be difficult to compress, in
the same space as much perversion Of the truth
Of history, as the author has succeeded in do
ing in the above extract from his work We
nave no disposition 10 revive the discussiors o!
me political camp aign just past. bu. an at
tempt Is being made u force Mr.. Losing
history upon the schools Of this District as a
's1' book, and We must object to a history
winch In matters tia, recent events have
made familiar TO Us all, is 50 ca-el.ss in it's
facts
OoI. fremon: was net placed by the Amer.
can CalifoEnians at the head Of their govern.
ment, ror Wa he at the battle Of San q sb,ia,
or IN any other fight
The personal memoirs and official docum.n,,
Paoh'h'a during the last autumn give =, All