The young American's life of Fremont

Preface

I HAVE written tlie following pages chiefly, not solely, for young Americans — for boys on or near those stairs to manhood called teens. John 0. Fremont is a man who has hewed his way, through many obstacles, to greatness and usefulness. There are few men of the present age, who have accomplished so much, in so brief a period, for themselves and their country. Beginning his career without wealth, without influential friends, without the prestige of distinguished ancestry, he has risen, by the force of his own iron will, to a position among his countrymen, which kings might envy. He has won for himself the name, though still below the full meridian of life, of one of the greatest explorers of the nineteenth century. Whether we judge of his explorations by the amount of genius, and courage, and daring, and perseverance, which they involved, or by their magnificent results, we are forced to admit that they are seldom equaled.

On this account — not only because of his success, but because he made his own road to success — I regard his history as one of great value to young men, now preparing to take active parts in the great drama of life. I have written these sketches, with this end, more than any other, in view. It has been my purpose to hold up before the mind of the young reader, prominently but truthfully, the exploits of the great Pathfinder of the Rocky Mountains ; to show how

Preface.

he rose, from comparative obscurity, crushing all obstacles under his feet, to his present enviable position ; and to incite and encourage young men, let their advantages be few or many, by the example his history affords them.

The book was prepared with no political object. I have not gone out of my way to gather laurels for the subject of it. I have sketched him, according to the best of my ability, just as he was, and is, aiming only to present a correct model, and to render it effective in its influence upon the character and career of the young aspirant to genius.

To Dr. John Kobertou, formerly of Charleston, but now of Philadelphia, I am under special obligations, for incidents which came under his observation while Fremont, then a lad of some thirteen years, was a pupil in his school. Other facts connected with his early history, not embraced in either of the excellent lives already before the public, I have collected from conversations with several former residents of Charleston who were acquainted with the Fremont family. I may add, too, for the benefit of the reader — should I happen to have one of this class and order — who knows so little of the character of Colonel Fremont, as to need such an assurance, that I have derived nothing whatever of my material from him.

Chapter I

Introduction, telling what I am going to do, and how I am going to do it 13

Chapter II

Parentage of John Charles Fremont — Huguenot origin of the Family — Why the Father came to this Country — Taken Prisoner of War — Escapes — His Wooing, and Wedding — Journey among the Indians — Birth of Charles — Condition of the Family Money Chest — Is it well for Boys to start in the World Rich ? — Death of Charles' Father — Incidents of Childhood 18

Chapter III

Early Youth of John Charles— Some Thoughts about the Cultivation of Wild Oats — Charles goes to School at Charleston — The way he served the Bully — Finds a good Friend, who sends him to a Select School — Dr. Eoberton, the excellent Tutor — What he says about his young Pupil — What the Pupil says of the Tutor — Charles at Play — His Fortitude in Suffering — His Love for his Sister — Goes to College — An Act not laid down in the Play — A few grains of Philosophy, dry as Scotch Snuff, though not as pungent 28

Chapter IV

Charles turns over a new Leaf — Kindness to his Mother — Efforts to fit Himself for active Life — Teacher and Scholar at the same Time — Death of his Sister and Brother — Progress in Mathematics — Takes to Civil Engineering — Executes a Difficult Task — Is Enrolled in the National Crusade against South Caroyiii Contents.

Una Nullifiers— Cruise to South America — Appointed Second Lieutenant of the Topographical Engineers — His first taste of Life in the Wilderness — Buffalo Hunt — Getting Lost — Returns to Washington — Falls in love with Jessie Benton — How he wooed, and how he wed her — His Religious Sentiments — What his Enemies say, and how they lie (under a mistake) — Thoughts by the Way, as well as in the Way 46

Chapter V

Fu*st great Exploring Expedition — Its Object — Kit Carson — Hostile Indians — A Funny Mistake — The Dog Feast — Arrival at Foi-t Laramie — Courage of the Party — Harangue of the Indian Chiefs — Fremont's Speech in Reply — The Party move on — Perilous Journey — Stories about Starvation ahead — No Flinching among the Company — How they Broke their Barometer — How it was Repau'ed — Approach to the highest Peak in the Rocky Mountains — Preparations for Climbing it — Difficulty of reaching its Base — Snow and Ice — Ground and Lofty Tumbling — Encampment among the Mountains — They reach the Base of the Highest Peak — Scrambling towards the Top — Dangers of the Ascent — Fremont reaches the Summit First — The Rest of the Party follow — Great Exultation — The Star-Spangled Banner planted on the Top of the Peak — An Exploring Bee — His Capture— Return to the Encampment — Homeward Bound — Wreck on the Platte River— Loss of Valuable Papers and Instruments — Perils of Upsetting among Rapids — Safe Return to St. Louis 57

Chapter VI

Fremont's Second Exploring Expedition— The Object of it— The Outfit — Enlistment of the Company — The Route — Scraping Acquaintance with the Sioux Indians — Queer Articles of Food — Arrival at the Great Salt Lake— Visit to an Island in the Lake — The Bear Springs — Turbulence of the Lake— Perils Commence — Indian Character in General— The Author's Description of Kansas Indians — An Odd Name— Analysis of the Water in the Great Salt Lake— A Party of Exploring Musquitoes —Purchase of a Horse— His Sacrifice for Food— Snake Indians—How they Live— Their Resemblance to the Vegetables

Contents. ix they eat — Men's wants Avhat they choose to make them — Lights and Shadows of Ultra Civihzation 79

Chapter VII

Fremont's Arrival at Fort Hall — Geographical Position of the Fort — The Distance Traveled — Preparation for Winter — Fremont as a Narrator — Arrival at Fort Vancouver — The Main Object of the Expedition Attained — Plans for more Extended Explorations — Sense versus Heroism — Wisdom of Hudibras — Obligations of the Country to tbe Great Pathfinder — Exhibits a nobler Heroism than that of the Battle Field — Value of his Career as a Model for Youth — Fremont and Napoleon Compared — General Ignorance, up to this time, respecting the District to be Explored — Current Fables about it — Fremont's strict regard to Justice — Arrival at the Tlamath Lake — Its singular Character — Overawing Hostile Indians — A Talk with the Tribe— Their Rank in the scale of InteUigence — Singular Indian Dogs — A Glance at the Map — Extent of the Territory of Utah — Something about the Mormons in Particular, and Pools in General 99

Chapter VIII

A Glance at the Snake Indians — Interior View of their Lodges — Their Food — How a whole Village was Frightened olf— Fogs plenty and Grass scarce— Remarkable Boiling Springs— -An Episode in the shape of a Trout Feast— Looking out for the fabled Buenaventura River— Decision to cross over the Sierra Nevada into California — Indians again — Engagement of a chicken-hearted Guide, and how he ran away — Virtues of the Snake Indians not numerous — Character of the Sierra Nevada- Fremont's Address before Commencing the new Enterprise — Scarcity of Provisions— The Roast Dog— Snow increases- How a Path is made— A Mule Slide— Frozen Feet— Traveling on Snow-shoes — The Mercury goes down, as the Party go up — Taking the Veil— Tragic end of the little Dog Tlamath— Arrival at the Summit of the Mountain — Height of the Sierra — An Accidenteil Cold Bath — No Grass — Horses begin to decline in Strength— Grass at last— A Man becomes light-headed. . 114

Contents.

Chapter IX

Loss of Mr. Preuss — Careful Search for him — He is not Fouud — Guns fired, but no Answer — Traces of Indians — An Indian Villa^Q — No Tidings of Preuss — Grass-Eating Squaws — Beautiful Camp — Preuss is found— Story of his Adventures — An Indian Village, neat for a Wonder — Good News — Sutter's Fort near at band — Arrival at Sutter's — A civilized Dinner once mure — New Outfit — Homeward' Bound — Route Indicated— Barter with Indians — Party leave the Plain, and take to the Mountains again — Capture of Horses stolen from Spanish Traders — Adventures with the Digger Indians — Their Lizard-hunting— Their Horse- Stealing — Their Root-digging — Their Deeds in general — A Horse-feast — Tragic end of Tabeau — Arrival at the Southern arm of the Great Salt Lake— Almost a Skirmisli — They reach the Summit of the Rocky Mountains — Arrival at Bent's Fort— End of the Second Expedition 139

Chapter X

Third Expedition — The Route — The objects to be gained — The Pioneer Party — Search for them by Night — Division of the Expedition into two Parties — Route of each Division — Fremont's Party Encounter the old Squaw left to die — ^The young Indian and his Dinner-pot — The 'rheft — Strange Encounter — The two Divisions meet again — Setting in of Winter — The Party again divided — Fremont obtains Supplies from Captain Sutter — Starts in Pursuit of the other Division — Skirmish with Horse Thief Indians — Indian Courage analyzed — Barking and biting Dogs contrasted — Hemmed in by the Snow — Loss of the Cattle — Mi&take in the Name of the Pass — Overwise People — Meeting of the two Divisions — Fremont proceeds to Monterey — Obtains Permission of the Government to pass through the Country, with his Men — Afterwards receives Orders to quit — Encounters Eighty Mexican Dragoons — Takes a Position, and acts on the Defensive — Hia laconic Note to the Consul — Marches again under Cover of the Night— Dispatches from Washington — Battle with the Tlamath Indians — Saving Carson's Life 168

Contents. xi

Chapter XI

Military Exploits in California — State of the Country when Fremont arrived — Designs of England— The people look to Fremont for a Leader — He accedes to their Request — Aims at the Independence of California — Raises the Bear Flag — His Battalion — Marches against the hostle Indians — Advance of Castro — Disappointment in not meeting him — Castro's Scientitio Movements — Fremont's Practical Movements — Attacks and routs Seventy of Castro's Dragoons — Clears the Northern Part of California of Mexican Troops — Intelligence of Declaration of War with Mexico — Hoisting the United States Flag — Pursues Castro — Appointed Governor of California by Commodore Stockton — Capture of Prisoners — Pardon of Pico — Conquest of California due to Fremont more than to any other Man — Boldness of his Movements — Conciliates the Wah lah-wah-lah Indians — Appointed Lieutenant-Colonel — Extraordinary Ride — A Bear Story — Trouble resulting fx-om the Dispute between Stockton and Kearney — The Dilemma — Decides to obey Stockton — Accused by Kearney, and brought before a Court-Martial — Court decide Against him — Reasons — Fremont's Enemies — How he came by them — Reinstated by the President — Gives up his Commission, and leaves the Army — Death of his Mother — Compliment by the Citizens of Charleston t 191

Chapter XII

Fourth Expedition — Why it was undertaken — How it was Effected — Who made up the Party — Mr. Preuss — How strangely he and Fremont became acquainted, and what came of their Acquaintance — Starting of the Expedition — Arrival at Bent's Fort — Letter to Colonel Benton — Letter to his Wife — Engagement of an ignorant Guide — Details of the Sufferings of the Party — Violent Snow Storms — Loss of all the Mules — Provisions give out — Death of ten of the Party from Starvation and Freezing — Arrival of Fremont and a Portion of the Party at Carson's in New Mexico — Further Particulars of Suffering and Death — Hope for the Future — Effoi-ts to Rescue the Men still in the Mountains — Fremont goes on to California — The Mariposas Estate — Story about one of Fremont's Men— Arrival of his Family xii Contents.

— What kind of Life Mrs. Fremont had to live — How she got nloug with it — What she said about having Slaves to help her— What her Husband said, and what he did to keep Slavery out of California — Constitution adopted without Slavery — Fremont Elected Senator — Gets the Short Term by drawing Lots — His Course in the Senate — His Activity and Industry — His rank as a Legislator — His Capacities as a Leader in Washington as well U6 across the Rocky Mountains, . . . .... 213