XVII
THE CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA
1846 — 1847
In December, 1845, Brevet Captain John C. Frémont of the United States army, who was engaged with a party of about fifty or sixty men — necessarily armed but not soldiers — -in looking for a satisfactory road to the Pacific, reached New Helvetia, and at the end of January he presented himself at Monterey to obtain funds and supplies, and ask for permission to recruit his followers and horses in California. Castro gave this permission; but unfortunately one of the two men either misunderstood or violated the terms of the agreement, and when the surveying party was discovered early in March near Monterey, Castro denounced Fremont as having invaded Mexican territory and aiming to excite a revolt.[1]
It was an admirable opportunity to figure at home and at Mexico as a dauntless patriot, and the comandante general made the most of it. His narrow but high forehead, framed with curling black hair, seemed to expand, and his brilliant black eyes darted fire, as he galloped about the countryside rallying militia. Frémont placed himself in a strong position, built some fortifications, raised the American flag and announced that he would perish fighting; but after cannon were seen in the distance he retired under cover of darkness, and slowly proceeded toward Oregon, Castro then put out a bombastic proclamation, of course, declaring that he had driven the American intruder away.[2]
Far to the north Frémont was overtaken early in May by Gillespie, and went back to the Sacramento.[3] On June 6 he decided to act. At his instance Americans captured a drove of_horses that Castro had sent for. Some days later a sizable company took Sonoma, a military post north of San Francisco
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