Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-15

gagged Carson as his guide. Through the
territory now embraced by Kansas. Ne
braska and Colorado. Carson plotted the
expedition. and when its work was sup
posed to be done lie left il and went to
his home at Taos. \. NJ. where he mar
ried Sonora Josepha Jamirilla. Mexican
woman of beauty and refinement.
But F'remont's expedition to Colorado
was only a blind. The authorities in
Washington. anticipating trouble with
Mexico over the Texas situation. wanted
to survey the lands Mexico controlled on
the Pacific shore, for it was certain that
in event of war the United States would
seize California. Fremont. therefore, was
ordered to proceed to the Pacific and
Carson was again engaged as his scout.
From the Rockies in Colorado Carson
piloted the party over the route that now
is the line of the Union Pacific railroad
and one day they came into sight of the
Pacific ocean. 1t was Fremont's purpose
to go to Monterey for supplies and to re-
cuperate. but when near that city a mes
sage came from Cen Castro. Mexican
commander of California, ordering Ere
mont and his party to leave the country.
Although Fremont had only forty men
he refused to obey. He established his
force In a strong defensive position and
prepared for battle. Gen. Castro came
up with several hundred troops and
camped close to Fremont's quarters. The
two forces watched each other for three
days. Then Fremont turned his attention
to the north. He explored the Columbia
river district. and incidentally had a bat
tie with the klamath Indians. It was
soon after the battle that Fremont learned
that war between the United States and
Mexico had begun. Immediately the eX-
ploring force was turned into a miniature
army, and it started back toward Mon
terey. Before it got to that city Com
modore Soat had captured the Mexican
fort so Fremont and his party took ship
to- San Diego and marched from there to
attack Los Angeles. From San Diego
Fremont sent Carson with dispatches to
Washington.
To go from California to Washington to-
day is not much of task. but then 1t
meant that nearly 5000 miles of the trip
was through desert mountains and plain.
every foot of the way one of danger from
hostile Indians. When Carson reached
New Mexico he met the little army of
Gen kearny, which was marching over
land for the conquest of California kear-
ny asked Carson to guide the army over
the great American desert kearny re-
lieved Carson of responsibility Tor the
safe delivery of Fremont's dispatches But
before Carson would pilot the army the
army had to fight few battles for the
control of New Mexico. Then the march
across the desert began. The force was
too formidable for the Indians TO give IT
much trouble, but to provision it and to
save il from suffering required all Car
sons great knowledge and skill.
When kearny arrived in California in
December 1915. all the advantage the
Americans had gained the previous sum
mer had been lost through neglect TO
garrison the places captured. Los An
geles and all lower California had been re-
captured by the Mexicans. kearny had
no knowledge of this condition of affairs
when his little army worn out by its
large march across the desert. arrived
within fifteen miles of San Diego. This
town was the only one of the southern
ports held by the Americans
Suddenly Kearny found himself con
fronted by a far superior force of MeXi-
cans. and soon he was surrounded and
retreat cut off kearny ntrenchel him
self and repulsed several assaults made
by the combined force OF MeXicanS AMI
Apaches. but his position was of such eN-
IRENE peril that he would have to sur
render unless reinforced. To get aid he
ordered Carson and Lieut.. Beale to go 10
San Diego. Never did two men have u
more hazardous mission. They had to
make their way through three lines Of
guards. Barefoot and on their hands and
knees, they crawled inch by inch for
several hours Once they were within "A
few feet of sentry. and the sentry
struck a match to light his cigarette,
But they got through. Then they had
to race many miles over jagged rocks
and through cactus beds for hour after
hour. They reached San Diego at day
light, and Commodore Stockton sent out
relief force. which arrived just in time
to save the army of kearny from ami
hilation. Both Of Carsons feet and legs
were SO terribly torn and lacerated by
the rocks and cactus that for a time
it was thought they would have to be am
putated. Lieut.. Beale did not recover
for nearly two years. and for several