Those who have not been in similar dangers cannot properly appreciate
the feelings of the survivors, as they watched with their dead and
performed for them the last sad rites. Fremont had lost Lajeunesse, whom
they all loved, and the other two, Crane and the Delaware Indian, were
not less brave than he. The Indians had watched for Lieutenant
Gillespie, but in Fremont's coming up, while three were taken, more were
saved, and the benefit to the country, and perhaps the safety to
Fremont's whole force was secured by the receipt of the dispatches, and
this early rencontre. None had apprehended danger that night, being, as
they erroneously supposed, far removed from the Tlamath country, and
equally far from the point where they already had encountered and
defeated the red men. The Indians never again found Fremont's party off
guard, for the events of this night proved a serious and melancholy, as
well as a sufficient lesson. That they cherished revenge, is not to be
wondered at, nor that they vowed to seek it at the earliest opportunity,
as it was now known that war had been declared with Mexico, for such was
the tenor of Lieut. Gillespie's information. Fremont determined to
return to California, and choosing to give his men a chance for revenge
before doing so, he traveled around Tlamath lake, and, camping at a spot
nearly opposite where his three men had been killed, the next morning
sent Carson on in advance, with ten chosen men, and with instructions
that, if he discovered a large Indian village, without being seen
himself, he should send back word, and that he would hasten on with the
rest of the party and give them battle; but if this could not be done,
to attack the village himself, if he thought the chances were equal.
Of course Carson and his men were parties to this advice, choosing the
situation of danger because only in that way could they revenge the
death of their comrades.
They were not long in finding a trail, which they followed to a village
of fifty lodges, in each of which were probably three warriors. The
village was in commotion, which indicated that they had discovered
Carson and his party; so that no time could be lost, and Carson and his
comrades at once determined to take advantage of the confusion in which
the Indian camp seemed to be, by making a sudden charge.
The Indians had their families to defend, and were brave in proportion
as that motive is an incentive to activity, therefore the attack of the
white men was received and met with desperation. But a panic of fear
seized them, owing to the suddenness of the attack, and they fled,
leaving behind them all their possessions, while the victors pursued and
shot them down without mercy, and when the victory was declared complete
by their leader Carson, they returned to the richly-stored village. In
all their travels and adventures, they had never seen an Indian village
in which the lodges were more tasteful in their workmanship and their
decorations, or which were better supplied with utensils of convenience.
The wigwams were woven of the broad leaves of a kind of flag which was
highly combustible. Carson therefore ordered that they should be burned,
having first visited them to see that their contents were so arranged as
to be consumed in the conflagration. The work was completed in a few
moments and Fremont, seeing the smoke, knew that Carson was engaged
with the Indians, and hastened forward to render him any needed
assistance. But he arrived only to hear the report of his lieutenant,
and to have the gloom of the whole party dispelled by the news of the
victory accomplished; and to move on a little for an encampment, and a
talk in regard to their future operations.
The next day all started for the valley of the Sacramento, and were four
days out from their camp when they came to a point on the river where it
passes through a deep cañon, through which the trail would take them,
but Carson advised to avoid this gorge, and they were wise in doing so,
as Tlamath Indians were concealed there, intending to cut off the party
of white men. Disappointed that they had lost their prey, the Indians
came out from this ambush, and were immediately dispersed by Carson and
Godey, and a few others, who made a charge upon them. But one old
Indian, inspired probably by revenge for some friend lost, stood his
ground, and with several arrows in his mouth waited the attack he
courted. Carson and Godey advanced, and when within shooting distance,
were obliged to dodge rapidly to avoid the arrows leveled at them. The
Indian was behind a tree, and only by cautiously advancing while
dodging the death he was sending from his bow, did Carson gain a
position where he was able to aim a bullet at his heart. The beautiful
bow and still unexhausted quiver that Carson took from this Indian, he
presented to Lieutenant Gillespie on his return to camp.
They were in a locality where game was scarce, not being able to find
any, the whole party went supperless that night and breakfastless next
morning, but the next day they found some game, and came, after severe
traveling for some days longer, safely in to Peter Lawson's Fort, where
they rested and hunted a week, and then moved lower down on the
Sacramento, and again camped. But his men were restless from inactivity,
and Fremont decided it was no longer wise to wait for positive
instructions, as the war was probably commenced; he therefore sent a
part of his force to take the little town and fort at Sonoma, which had
but a weak garrison. They captured General Vallejos here, with two
captains and several cannon, and a quantity of arms. The whole force
united at Sonoma, and learning that the Mexicans and Americans in the
south were engaged in open hostility, Fremont was preparing to join
them, calling in all the Americans in the vicinity to come to his
command, when a large Mexican force, dispatched by General Castro from
San Francisco, with orders to drive the Americans out of the country,
came into the vicinity, and took prisoners and killed two men, whom
Fremont had sent out as messengers to the American settlers, to inform
them that Sonoma was taken, and that they could fly thither for safety.
The captain of this party of Mexicans, hearing that Fremont and his
forces were anxious to attack him, lost all courage and fled, to be
pursued by the party of explorers, who followed them closely for six
days, and captured many horses which they had abandoned in their fright.
But finding they could not overtake them, Fremont returned to Sonoma,
and the party of Mexicans continued their march to Los Angelos, where
General Castro joined them.
Around Fremont's party, the American citizens now rallied in great
numbers--nearly all who were in the country--knowing that their time to
aid in its emancipation had arrived. Fremont left a strong garrison at
Sonoma, and went to Sutter's Fort, where he left his prisoners, General
Vallejos and the two captains, and an American, a brother-in-law of
General Vallejos, and having put the fort under military rules, with
all his mountain men, started to take possession of Monterey. But he had
been anticipated in this work by Commodore Sloat, who was in port with
the American squadron, and who left soon after Fremont's arrival,
Commodore Stockton assuming the command.
While at Sonoma, Fremont and his mountain men, with the American
settlers, had declared the Independence of California, and assumed the
Bear Flag, which he gallantly tendered to Commodore Sloat, and the flag
of the United States was hoisted over his camp.