CHAPTER VIII.

Col. John C. Fremont-General José Castro.-Fremont declares war against California.-Capture of Sonoma.-Proclamation of William B. Ide.-Letter of Pio Pico, Governor of the Californias, to Thomas O. Larkin, Consul of the United States.-Thomas O. Larkin's reply to Pio Pico.-California declared independent.-California desired by the American Government.-Col. Stevenson's regiment.-Movements of General Kearney.-Seizure of Monterey.-Proclamation of Com. Sloat.Commander Montgomery takes possession of Yerba Buena and Fremont of San Juan.

COLONEL John C. Fremont is generally considered the conqueror of California; where his exploits, undertaken with so small a force and against such superior numbers, place him on a par with the famous heroes of the days of chivalry. Yet to the bold, daring and energetic measures adopted and prosecuted by Commodore Robert F. Stockton, as we shall hereafter see, may justly be ascribed the final reduction of the country. Holding a commission in the topographical corps of engineers, a great part of Fremont's duties had hitherto consisted in exploring the districts of country around the base of the Rocky Mountains, and the best lines of communication from the Missouri to Oregon and California. 1845, Fremont was instructed by the War Department to ascertain a shorter and more southerly and convenient route to the Columbia River. In the execution of this duty, he reached Monterey in California, in the month of January, 1846. Allusion has already been made to the jealousy with which the successive immigration of American settlers was viewed by the Californians, or rather the Mexican authorities. Accordingly, when Fremont appeared with his small force near Monterey, General José Castro, the commandant at that town, had his suspicions aroused as to their ulterior intentions, and prepared to dispute their farther progress. To allay these suspicions, Fremont, leaving his little army, hastened to Monterey and made such personal explanations to Castro as seemed to satisfy the latter that he had no reason to be alarmed at the appearance of the Americans. Castro having

confessed himself satisfied on the subject, Fremont returned to his people; but, shortly afterwards being informed by the American consul at Monterey that the Mexican general secretly intended to attack him, he at once occupied a strong position in the neighborhood, and displayed the American flag. Castro meanwhile having thought better on the subject, especially after reconnoitering the American position, determined to leave those foolish, obstinate people alone.

Fremont, thus freed from molestation, proceeded on his proposed route to Oregon. He had gone but a little way when he found that hostile Indians (supposed to have been urged on by

the Mexican authorities), barred his farther progress; and learned with extreme surprise and indignation, that Castro intended to attack the American settlers, and expel them from the country. Upon ascertaining this fact, Fremont took the bold resolution of declaring war against California, and of carrying it too into the very camp of the enemy. His force, at this time consisted of only sixty-two men. On the 15th of June, in pursuance of this determination, he, or others acting under his advice, surprised and took possession of the military post of Sonoma, part of the spoils of which place were nine cannon and two hundred and fifty stand of arms. Four days previously they had also cut off an important convoy from Castro's camp. It is true that various contradictory accounts have been given of Fremont's personal connection with these events; and it is difficult to ascertain the real state of the facts. If he had no active share in them, which is probably the true state of the case, it is certain that he formed the resolution mentioned above, just when the noted "bear-flag" party had actually surprised Sonoma, and that he immediately cordially joined them.

After the capture of Sonoma, Mr. William B. Ide, a native of one of the New England States, who had immigrated to California the previous year, and a man of courage and intelligence, was intrusted with the command of the small garrison. At the same time he issued a proclamation explaining the views of the American party, the reasons for their present act, and the principle on which they proposed to conduct their future proceedings. This proclamation is as follows:

A proclamation to all persons and citizens of the District of Sonoma, requesting them to remain at peace, and follow their rightful occupations without fear of molestation.

"The Commander-in-chief of the troops assembled at the fortress of Sonoma, gives his inviolable pledge to all persons in California, not found under arms, that they shall not be disturbed in their persons, their property, or social relations, one with another, by men under his command.

"He also solemnly declares his object to be: first, to defend himself and companions in arms, who were invited to this country by a promise of lands on which to settle themselves and families; who were also promised a Republican Government; when having arrived in California they were denied the privilege of buying or renting lands of their friends; who, instead of being

allowed to participate in or being protected by a Republican Government, were oppressed by a military despotism; who were even threatened by proclamation, by the chief officers of the aforesaid despotism, with extermination, if they should not depart out of the country, leaving all their property, arms, and beasts of burden; and thus deprived of their means of flight or defence, were to be driven through deserts inhabited by hostile Indians to certain destruction.

"To overthrow a government which has seized upon the property of the missions for its individual aggrandizement; which has ruined and shamefully oppressed the laboring people of California, by enormous exactions on goods imported into the country, is the determined purpose of the brave men who are associated under my command.

"I also solemnly declare my object, in the second place, to be to invite all peaceable and good citizens of California, who are friendly to the maintenance of good order and equal rights, and I do hereby invite them to repair to my camp at Sonoma, without delay, to assist us in establishing and perpetuating a Republican Government, which shall secure to all civil and religious liberty; which shall encourage virtue and literature; which shall leave unshackled by fetters, agriculture, commerce, and manufactures.

"I further declare, that I rely upon the rectitude of our intentions, the favor of heaven, and the bravery of those who are bound and associated with me, by the principles of self-preservation, by the love of truth, and the hatred of tyranny, for my hopes of success.

"I furthermore declare, that I believe that a government to be prosperous and happy, must originate with the people, who are friendly to its existence; that the citizens are its guardians, the officers its servants, its glory its reward. "WILLIAM B. IDE.

"Head Quarters, Sonoma, June 18th, 1846."

These sudden, bold, and unexpected proceedings produced much alarm and excitement among the Mexican authorities, as we may learn from the following copy of the translation of a long epistle too interesting to be omitted, and now published for the first time-addressed by his Excellency, Don Pio Pico, the governor of California, to Thomas O. Larkin, Esq., the United States consul at Monterey :—

"The undersigned, Constitutional Governor of the Department of the Californias, has the deep mortification to make known to Mr. Thomas O. Larkin, Consul of the United States of North America, that he has been greatly surprised in being notified by official communications of the General Commandancia of this Department and the Prefecture of the Second District, that a multitude of foreigners of the United States of America have invaded that frontier, taken possession of the fortified town of Sonoma, treacherously making prisoners of the military Commandante, Don Mariano G. Vallejo,

Lieut. Colonel Victor Pruden, Captain Salvador Vallejo, and Mr. Jacob P. Leese, and likewise have stolen the property of these individuals.

"The undersigned can do no less than make known to the Consul of the United States, that acts so extraordinary and alarming have caused very great grief.

"Until the present the Departmental Governor is wanting the least positive information that would give him to understand of a declaration of war between Mexico and the United States, and without such information he judges the course pursued at Sonoma the most atrocious and infamous that can be imagined, so much so that the like is not seen among barbarians.

"They have attacked the rights of the people, breaking the established social compacts; profaning the sacred soil of another nation; indeed scandalously usurping an integral part of the Mexican Republic, and what is more provoking still, as an ignominious libel, is the folly of the principal of this multitude of foreigners, William B. Ide, the separation of the Mexican Union. This act tends to excite the mind of the undersigned, and causes him to suspect that the Government of the United States are concerned in this matter, which certainly should increase his regrets.

Mr. Thomas O. Larkin will permit the undersigned to say to him frankly, that he has witnessed with extraordinary coolness the invasion of the Department, and that he has failed to note the general movement of all the inhabitants, in defence of their country and liberty; he has not been known to make any arrangement that might make the invaders recede from their abominable designs, and prevent the misfortunes which they can cause by means of hostile provocation: misfortunes that the Departmental Government will place to the responsibility of the chief authors before God and the entire world. So base management as observed on this occasion highly compromises the honor of the United States, and if it shall have such a stain upon itself, there is no doubt that it will be graven eternally in the remembrance of all nations, and will cause it to be despised.

"The undersigned believes that the Consul of the United States will agree with him, that the acts committed by the party of foreigners, Americans, have the appearance of actual and downright robbery; also that the Consul will agree with him, that his indifference to prevent such fatal results, seeing that they were subjects of his own nation who were violating this part of the Mexican Republic, compromises more and more both nations.

"The undersigned in fulfilment of his duties sees himself obliged to recommend to the Consul, Thomas O. Larkin, that he make declarations of the occurrence which has happened at Sonoma, to exact full satisfaction from him, hoping that he will use all the means in his power to escape in time such terrible consequences, and finally to protest solemnly, in the name of the Departmental and Supreme Government of the Nation, that it is decidedly opposed to all aggressions, defending to extremity its independence, liberty, inalienable rights; repeating that the principal authors are responsible to the Representative of the United States near this Department for those abuses and results of corrupt designs from which they are not deterred.