With Carson as his constant adviser, as he was now his acknowledged
friend, Fremont here obtained the use of the ship Cyanne, to convey
himself and his command to San Diego, where they hoped to be able to
obtain animals, and march upon the Mexicans under General Castro, who
was then at Los Angelos, leaving their own for the use of Commodore
Stockton and his marines, who were to meet them at that place.
With the Americans who joined him at San Diego, all of them pioneers of
the true stamp, inured to hardships, hard fare, and Indian fights,
Fremont's command numbered one hundred and fifty men, who started for
Los Angelos, with perfect confidence in their own success, though the
force of the enemy was seven or eight hundred.
Fremont camped a league from this beautiful town, to await the arrival
of the Commodore, who soon joined him, with "as fine a body of men as I
ever looked upon," to quote Carson's own words, and the forces thus
united, marched at once upon Los Angelos, which they found deserted, as
General Castro dared not risk a battle with such men as he knew Fremont
commanded.
After this, Fremont was appointed Governor of California by Commodore
Stockton, and returned to Monterey and the northern portion of the
country, while the Commodore went to San Diego, as that was a better
port than San Pedro, the port of Los Angelos; and General Castro
returned to the possession of Los Angelos.
Meantime, Carson, with a force of fifteen men, was dispatched to make
the overland journey to Washington, as the bearer of important
dispatches. He was instructed to make the journey in sixty days if
possible, which he felt sure of being able to accomplish, though no one
knew, better than he did, the difficulties he might expect to encounter.
When two days out from the copper mines of New Mexico, he came suddenly
upon a village of Apache Indians, which his quick wit enabled him to
elude. He rode forward in his path, as if unmindful of their presence,
and halted in a wood a few yards from the village, which seemed to
disconcert the inhabitants, unused to being approached with so much
boldness, as they had never been treated in that manner by the Mexicans.
He here demanded a parley, which was granted, and he told them that his
party were simply travelers on the road to New Mexico, and that they had
come to their village for an exchange of animals, as theirs were nearly
exhausted.
The Indians were satisfied with his explanation; and Carson, choosing as
his camping-ground a suitable spot for defense, traded with the Apaches
to advantage, and at an early hour on the following morning resumed his
journey, glad to be thus easily rid of such treacherous, thieving
rascals. A few more days of travel brought him to the Mexican
settlements, and near to his own home and family. The party had been,
for some time, short of provisions, as their haste in traveling did not
allow them to stop to hunt, and on the route--desert much of the
way--there had been little game; and now, with only a little corn which
they ate parched, they were glad of relief, which Carson readily
obtained from friends at the first ranche he entered; for though the
country was at war with the United States, Carson was a Mexican as much
as an American, having chosen their country for his home, and taken a
wife from their people. He was pursuing his course towards Taos, when,
across a broad prairie, he espied a speck moving towards him, which his
eagle eye soon discerned could not belong to the country. As it neared
him, and its form became visible, hastening on, he met an expedition
sent out by the United States Government to operate in California, under
the command of General Kearney, to which officer he lost no time in
presenting himself, and narrated to him his errand, and the state of
affairs in California, with the most graphic fidelity. Kearney was
extremely glad to meet him, and after detaining him as long as Carson
thought it wise to remain, proposed to Carson to return with him, while
he should send the dispatches to Washington by Mr. Fitzpatrick--with
whom Carson had a familiar acquaintance; and knowing how almost
invaluable his services would be to General Kearney, Carson gave the
ready answer, "As the General pleases," trusting entirely to his
fidelity in the matter, and as the exchange was a self-denial to him, he
had no occasion to weigh the motives that might influence a man like
General Kearney in the affair of the dispatches, or the good that his
presence with them might be to himself when he should arrive in
Washington, but while he would have been glad to have met his family, he
cared for the honor of having done his duty.