The record of Fremont and Carson's journey through this region of
country, already so thoroughly explored at such great hazard, and
accompanied with such unheard-of sufferings, would be but a repetition
of what has already been written, for they were again driven to mule
meat, or whatever else chance or Providence might throw in their way, to
sustain life. In every need--in every peril--in every quarter where
coolness, sagacity, and skill were most required, Carson was ever first,
and his conduct throughout cemented, if possible, more firmly the
friendship between him and his young commander.
They reached, at last, Sutter's Fort, where they were received with the
hospitality which has made Mr. Sutter's name proverbial; and leaving his
party to recruit there, Fremont pushed on towards Monterey, to make
known to the authorities there the condition of his party, and obtained
permission to recruit and procure the supplies necessary for the
prosecution of his exploration.
Journeying in the security of this permission, he was suddenly arrested
in his march, near Monterey, by an officer at the head of a body of
cavalry, who bore him a violent message from the commanding officer in
California--Gen. Castro--commanding him to retire instantly from the
country.
There was now no alternative but to put himself on the defensive, as he
had come to the country for an entirely peaceable purpose, and it was
not in the blood of Americans to submit to dictation. The direction of
travel was therefore changed; a strong point was selected and fortified
as thoroughly as could be with the means at their command, which work
was hardly completed before Gen. Castro, at the head of several hundred
men, arrived and established his camp within a few hundred yards and in
sight of the exploring party, evidently under the mistaken idea that he
could intimidate them by his numbers.
Though the Americans were but forty in number, every man had already
seen service, and the half score of old traders and trappers, who had
been leaders in many an Indian fight, made the party, small as it was,
quite equal to that of the ten fold greater number of the Mexicans; for
the men, equally with their leader, were determined to maintain their
rights, and if need be, to sacrifice their lives in defence of the cause
of American citizens in Mexico; for in the three days during which they
lay there encamped, expresses came in from the American citizens in
Monterey, warning them of their danger, and announcing too, the
probability of a war with Mexico, and urging the propriety that every
American should unite in a common defence against the Mexican
authorities.
At the end of three days the council which Fremont now called, agreed
with him, that the Mexican General had no intention of attacking them,
and that it was the more prudent course to break up camp, push on to the
Sacramento River, and endeavor at Lawson's trading post to obtain the
needed outfit for their return homeward through Oregon, as further
exploration in southern California seemed out of the question; and
because, as an officer in the United States service, Fremont felt he
could not commence, or willingly court hostility with the Mexican
authorities--besides, all the American residents in the country were
equally in peril; and if the event of war pressed upon them,
preparation was needed, and should be made at once.
In council Fremont found Carson ready for such, as for every emergency;
and, around the camp fires, where the subject was discussed, every man
was ready for the affray; and while willing to retire and wait the
command of the leader evinced no disposition to avoid it.
The party remained ten days at Lawson's post, when information was
brought that the Indians were in arms at the instigation of the
Mexicans, as it was supposed, and were advancing to destroy the post,
and any other American settlement; and it was soon rumored that a
thousand warriors were collected, and on their way to aid in this
purpose. The time had now come for action, and, with five men from the
post, Captain Fremont and his command, with Carson for his Lieutenant,
by choice of the party, as well as of its leader, took up their march
against the savages, in aid of their countrymen.
They had no difficulty in finding the Indian war party, and immediately
made the attack, which was responded to with vigor by the Indians, and
contested bravely; but, of course, with inability to conquer. The red
men were defeated with terrible slaughter, and learned here the lesson
not forgotten for many years, that it was useless to measure their
strength with white men.
Carson was, of course, as was his invariable custom, in the thickest of
the fight, and when it was over, and the Indians had retired, cowed and
defeated, ventured the opinion that they had received a lesson which
would not be required to be repeated in many years.
This victory won, and present danger from these Indians thus avoided,
the party returned to Lawson's post, where, having completed their
outfit, they turned their backs on Mexican possessions, and started
northward, Fremont looking to Oregon as the field of his future
operations, intending to explore a new route to the Wah-lah-math
settlements.
While on that journey, Carson being as ever his guide, companion, and
friend, the party was suddenly surprised by the appearance of two white
men, who, as all knew from experience, must have incurred the greatest
perils and hazards to reach that spot.
They proved to be two of Mr. Fremont's old _voyageurs_, and quickly told
their story. They were part of a guard of six men conducting a United
States officer, who was on his trail with despatches from Washington,
and whom they had left two days back, while they came on to give notice
of his approach, and to ask that assistance might be sent him. They
themselves had only escaped the Indians by the swiftness of their
horses. It was a case in which there was no time to be lost, nor a
mistake made. Mr. Fremont determined to go himself; and taking ten
picked men, Carson of course accompanying him, he rode down the western
shore of the lake on the morning of the 9th, (the direction the officer
was to come,) and made a journey of sixty miles without a halt. But to
meet men, and not to miss them, was the difficult point in this
trackless region. It was not the case of a high road, where all
travelers must meet in passing each other: at intervals there were
places--defiles, or camping grounds--where both parties might pass; and
watching for these, he came to one in the afternoon, and decided that,
if the party was not killed, it must be there that night. He halted and
encamped; and, as the sun was going down, had the inexpressible
satisfaction to see the four men approaching. The officer proved to be
Lieutenant Gillespie, of the United States marines, who had been
despatched from Washington the November previous, to make his way by
Vera Cruz, the City of Mexico, and Mazatlan, to Monterey, in Upper
California, deliver despatches to the United States consul there; and
then find Mr. Fremont, wherever he should be.
Carson, in a letter to the Washington Union in June 1847, thus describes
the interview, and the events consequent upon it:
"Mr. Gillespie had brought the Colonel letters from home--the first he
had had since leaving the States the year before--and he was up, and
kept a large fire burning until after midnight; the rest of us were
tired out, and all went to sleep. This was the only night in all our
travels, except the one night on the island in the Salt Lake, that we
failed to keep guard; and as the men were so tired, and we expected no
attack now that we had sixteen in the party, the Colonel didn't like to
ask it of them, but sat up late himself. Owens and I were sleeping
together, and we were waked at the same time by the licks of the axe
that killed our men. At first, I didn't know it was that; but I called
to Basil, who was on that side--'What's the matter there?--What's that
fuss about?'--he never answered, for he was dead then, poor fellow, and
he never knew what killed him--his head had been cut in, in his sleep;
the other groaned a little as he died. The Delawares (we had four with
us) were sleeping at that fire, and they sprang up as the Tlamaths
charged them. One of them caught up a gun, which was unloaded; but,
although he could do no execution, he kept them at bay, fighting like a
soldier, and didn't give up until he was shot full of arrows--three
entering his heart; he died bravely. As soon as I had called out, I saw
it was Indians in the camp, and I and Owens together cried out
'Indians.' There were no orders given; things went on too fast, and the
Colonel had men with him that didn't need to be told their duty. The
Colonel and I, Maxwell, Owens, Godey, and Stepp, jumped together, we
six, and ran to the assistance of our Delawares. I don't know who fired
and who didn't; but I think it was Stepp's shot that killed the Tlamath
chief; for it was at the crack of Stepp's gun that he fell. He had an
English half-axe slung to his wrist by a cord, and there were forty
arrows left in his quiver--the most beautiful and warlike arrows I ever
saw. He must have been the bravest man among them, from the way he was
armed, and judging by his cap. When the Tlamaths saw him fall, they ran;
but we lay, every man with his rifle cocked, until daylight, expecting
another attack.
"In the morning we found by the tracks that from fifteen to twenty of
the Tlamaths had attacked us. They had killed three of our men, and
wounded one of the Delawares, who scalped the chief, whom we left where
he fell. Our dead men we carried on mules; but, after going about ten
miles, we found it impossible to get them any farther through the thick
timber, and finding a secret place, we buried them under logs and
chunks, having no way to dig a grave. It was only a few days before this
fight that some of these same Indians had come into our camp; and,
although we had only meat for two days, and felt sure that we should
have to eat mules for ten or fifteen days to come, the Colonel divided
with them, and even had a mule unpacked to give them some tobacco and
knives."