pasture were abundant. He received a verbal promise from the General that it would be all right, to go where he desired, and that, on his word of honor, "as a soldier," he would not be molested. Fremont and his party were soon on their way to the valley.

Three days after this, the ungallant General Castro, had raised an army of three hundred native Californians, and sent a dispatch to Fremont, notifying him to quit the country at once, else he would march upon him, and put to death his whole company. This treachery did not much surprise Fremont and his party, who replied that he would leave when he was ready. He prepared for action, entrenched himself on "Hank's Peak," about thirty miles from Monterey, and overlooking that village, where he raised the American flag. The whole company were well armed, each with a knife, a tomahawk, two pistols and a rifle.

The warlike Castro, now came dashing on, with cavalry, infantry and artillery; but after making a few ineffectual attacks, always galloped off before coming within range of Fremont's bullets. Castro issued bulletins and proclamations daily, of the impending destruction of the little band, but always keeping out of rifle range of the entrenchments. After four days of this fighting, Fremont broke camp and started on his journey towards Oregon. Castro was not visible.

Fremont had proceeded into Oregon, and had reached Klamath Lake, when he was overtaken by Lieuteuant Gillespie, of the United States Army, who had left Washington the previous November, crossing the country from Vera Cruz to Mazatlan, and who arrived at Monterey in a United States sloop of war, and started up the valley in search of the explorers. Gillespie had letters to Fremont from the Secretary of

State, and it is supposed they, or other letters to him, from friends at Washington, caused him to retrace his steps, and return to the valley of the Sacramento. This move had been quickened by the fact, that on the very night after receiving his dispatches, and whilst all were asleep, the Indians broke into his camp, and assassinated three of his Delaware Indians, and might have slain the whole company, had it not been for the vigilance of Kit Carson, who sounded the alarm.

Fremont soon returned to the Sacramento Valley, and encamped near the mouth of the Feather River,, where the settlers soon flocked around him. Great alarm was caused by reports that General Castro was on the march to attack them, with a strong force of cavalry. A company of twelve volunteers, headed by Mr. Mersite, started for the Mexican Fort at Sonoma, in Sonoma county, and on the 15th of June, 1846, entered and captured the post, where they found two hundred and fifty stand of arms, and nine cannon. Here they captured General Vallejo, and took him a prisoner to Sutter's Fort, at Sacramento.

William B. Ide, a New England man, was left to garrison the fort at Sonoma, with a force of eighteen men. General Castro having charge of the operations at Sonoma, issued his pronunciada, calling upon his countrymen to rise, and drive the marauders from the soil. On the 18th of June, Ide issued his proclamation, to the people of Sonoma, to defend themselves, and calling upon them to assemble at Sonoma, and assist in establishing a Republican Government. A flag was improvised, by painting in rude form, the figure of a grizzly bear on a piece of white cotton cloth; it followed Ide's proclamation, and was the first flag, after California was declared independent of Mexico.

It is

still in possession of the "Pioneer Society" of California, at San Francisco.

Fremont was at Sutter's Fort during these eventful operations; but hearing that Castro intended a raid upon Ide at Sonoma, he reached there on the 23d of June, at the head of ninety riflemen. He met only a few retreating Mexicans of De la Torres' band, who made their way to Saucelito, where they escaped by boat across the Bay to Yerba Buena, (now San Francisco.) Castro did not appear.

Fremont returned to Sonoma, and on July 5th, 1846, his party, consisting of one hundred and sixty mounted men, concluded to make a Declaration of Independence, which they did, thus superseding the "Bear Flag." Fremont was at their head. Soon the whole company started for Sutter's Fort, intending to attack Castro, who was reported to be at Santa Clara; they soon learned, however, that he was on the retreat to Los Angeles, but they determined to follow him, (some five hundred miles).

Soon news reached them of a new feature in affairs. On the 2d day of July, Commodore Sloat, of the United States Navy, with the Frigate Savannah and five smaller vessels, arrived at the Bay of Monterey, California. The Commodore had no instructions from his Government to take any hostile steps on the Pacific coast; on the contrary, his mission was peace. But whilst he was at Mazatlan, he heard of the annexation of Texas, and of the certainty of war between the United States and Mexico, but he did not know of the declaration of war, by the American Congress, against Mexico, nor that General Taylor was already in the field; nor did he know that instructions were on the way to him, from his Government (dated 15th of May,

1846), directing him to take possession of Mazatlan, Monterey and San Francisco, and to declare the country the property of the United States.

Sloat is supposed to have known that the possession of California by the American Government had been much favored at Washington; besides a strong English fleet, under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, was hovering about the coast of California on the same day that the Savannah left Mazatlan. Seymour's flagship, the Collingwood, sailed from San Bias; both headed for Monterey, under a full press of sail, the Savannah being the fastest reached Monterey first, where Sloat learned of the efforts being made by the British authorities to place California under the protection of the English Government.

Governor Pico, the Mexican Governor of the Territory of California, and General Castro, were in favor of this scheme. Mr. Forbes, the English Vice-Consul at Monterey, was active in making the negotiation; and the American Consul, Thomas O. Larkin, also at Monterey, informed Sloat upon his arrival of the state of affairs; this, together with the news of the operations of Fremont and his party at Sonoma (it is supposed he heard of it), determined him at once (July 7th) to dispatch two hundred and fifty marines on shore, to hoist the American flag over the town of Monterey. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired, and a proclamation issued that California henceforth was a part of the United States.

The dull ship of the British Rear-Admiral arrived at Monterey only to see the Stars and Stripes floating over it, as a part of the Republic of America; the Admiral, too, read the proclamation, and saw that he was outwitted by Sloat, and outrun by the Savannah.

The day following, July 8th, by order of Commodore Sloat, a party from the United States sloop of war Portsmouth, landed at Yerba Buena, now San Francisco, and hoisted the American flag on the Plaza,

On the 10th, Commander Montgomery of the Portsmouth, sent an American flag to Sonoma which was hoisted, and the flag improvised by Ide and his men, known as the "Bear Flag," was hauled down, all welcoming the Stars and Stripes.

Commodore Stockton, on board the United States frigate Congress, arrived at Monterey, July 15th, just one week after Sloat had taken possession of the country, and one week later, Commodore Sloat sailed home on board the Levant.

Stockton was now in full command of the American fleet, aided by Commodore Dupont. Meantime, General Kearny had arrived at Monterey, crossing by way of New Mexico. He had orders from the United States Government to take possession of, and establish a Government for California; but on his arrival, he found that Sloat, Stockton, and Fremont, had already accomplished these things. The government of the country was conducted under the military authorities until November 13th, 1849, at which time a State Constitution was adopted.

The Convention to frame this Constitution met at Monterey, September 1st, 1849. Amongst the persons who have since acquired a national or State reputation, who were present at the Convention,were Captain II. W. Halleck, since General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States, an accomplished scholar, sound lawyer, brave man and true patriot; John A. Sutter, of Sutter's Fort, the friend of the needy; Thomas 0. Larkin, the first and only American Consul in