In 1845 he explored the
Sierra Nevada in California, and in 1846 became involved in
Mexican War on the Pacific coast. He assisted in
the conquest of California; was appointed its military governor; and,
after its admission as a State, became one of its first United States
Senators. He continued his explorations after the war. For his
scientific researches, Fremont received, in 1850, a gold medal from the
King of Prussia, and another from the Royal Geographical Society of
London. Be had already received from his countrymen the significant
title of "The Path-finder." At his own expense he made a fifth
exploration, in 1853, and found a new route to the Pacific. In 1856, the
newly formed Republican party nominated him for the Presidency of the
United States, and he received 114 electoral votes against 174 given for
Buchanan. Returning from Europe in May, 1861,
and
being appointed a major-general in the United States army, he was
assigned to command the Western Department; but, through the intrigues
of ambitious politicians, was removed from the command in the course of
six months, while successfully prosecuting a campaign he had planned. He
was in command of another department, but resigned in 1862, declining to
serve under an officer inferior to him in rank. Radical Republicans
nominated him for the Presidency in 1864, after which he took leave of
political life; but he became active in promoting the construction of a
transcontinental railway. He died in New York, July 13, 1890.
In the
spring of 1845 Captain Fremont was sent by his government to explore the
great basin and the maritime region of
Oregon and California. He crossed
the Sierra Nevada, in the dead of winter, from Great Salt Lake into
California, with between sixty and seventy men, to obtain supplies.
Leaving them in the valley of the San Joaquin, he went to Monterey, then
the capital of the province of California, to obtain permission from the
Mexican authorities to continue his explorations. It was given, but was
almost immediately withdrawn, and he was peremptorily ordered to leave
the country without delay. He refused, when General de Castro, the
Mexican governor, mustered the forces of the province to expel him. At
length he was permitted to go on with his explorations without
hindrance. On May 9, 1846, he received dispatches from his government,
directing him to watch the movements of the Mexicans in California, who
seemed disposed to hand the province over to the British government. It
was also rumored that General de Castro intended to destroy all the
American settlements on the Sacramento River. Fremont hurried back to
California, and found De Castro on the march against the settlements.
The settlers flew to arms, and joined Fremont's camp, and, under his
leadership, these settlements were not only saved, but the Mexican
authorities were driven out of California. Fremont and his followers met
General de Castro and his forces, strong in numbers, when Fremont
retired about 30 miles, to a mountain position, where he called around
him the American settlers in that region. With these he captured a
Mexican post at Sonoma Pass (June 15, 1846), with nine cannon and 250
muskets. De Castro was routed, and on July 5 the Americans in California
declared themselves independent, and elected Fremont governor of the
province. He then proceeded to join the American naval forces at
Monterey, under Commodore Stockton,
who had lately arrived, with authority from
Washington to conquer California. Fremont appeared there with 160
mounted riflemen. On Aug. 17, 1846, Stockton and Fremont took possession
of the city of Los Angeles; and at that place
General Kearny, who had just
taken possession of New Mexico, joined Stockton and Fremont, Dec. 27,
1846. Kearny would not sanction the election of Fremont as governor of
California, and on Feb. 8, 1847, assuming that office himself, he
declared the annexation of California to the United States. Fremont
refused to obey General Kearny, his superior officer, who sent him to
Washington under arrest, where he was tried by a court-martial, which
sentenced him to be dismissed from the service, but recommended him to
the clemency of the President. The penalty was remitted, and in October,
1848, Fremont entered upon his fourth exploration among the far western
mountains. See KEARNY, STEPHEN
WATTS ; STOCKTON, ROBERT FIELD.
Fremont was in Europe when the
Civil War broke out, and, leaving on receiving notice of his
appointment to the army, he returned home, bringing with him arms for
the government. He arrived in Boston on June 27, and July 6 he was
appointed to the command of the Western Department, just created. He
arrived at St. Louis July 26, where he made his headquarters. He found
disorder everywhere. The terms of enlistment of home guards, or
three-months' men, were expiring, and they were unwilling to reenlist.
He had very little money or arms at his disposal, and was unable to send
aid to
General Lyon, in the southwestern portion of the State, battling
with the Confederates. He resolved to assume grave responsibilities. He
applied to the United States Treasurer at St. Louis for a portion of
$300,000 in his hands, but was refused. He was about to seize $100,000
of it when the officer yielded; and, with the money, Fremont secured the
reenlistment of many of the home guards. He strongly fortified St.
Louis, and prepared to place the important post at
Cairo in a position of absolute security. With nearly 4,000 troops
on steamers, he proceeded to Cairo with such a display that the
impression was general that he had 12,000. Although large bodies of
Confederate troops in Kentucky and Missouri were gathered for the
purpose of seizing Cairo and Bird's Point, Fremont was not molested in
his mission, and
Prentiss, at the former place, was amply strengthened. Pillow and
Thompson and Hardee, who had advanced in that direction, fell back, and
became very discreet. Fremont returned to St. Louis on Aug. 4, having
accomplished his wishes and spread alarm among the Confederates.
Polk, at
Memphis, ordered Pillow to evacuate New Madrid, with his men and
heavy guns, and hasten to Randolph and Fort Pillow, on the Tennessee
shore. When news of the battle at Wilson's Creek, and the death of Lyon,
reached St. Louis, the Confederates were jubilant. Fremont immediately
proclaimed martial law, and appointed a provost-marshal. Some of the
most active Confederates were arrested, and the publication of
newspapers charged with disloyalty was suspended. But the condition of
public affairs in Missouri was becoming more and more alarming. The
provisional government was almost powerless. Fremont took all authority
into his own hands. Confederates were arrested and imprisoned, and
disloyalty of every kind felt the force of his power. He proclaimed that
the property, real and personal, of all persons in Missouri who should
be proven to have taken an active part with the enemies of the
government in the field should be confiscated to the public use, and
their slaves, if they had any, should thereafter be free men (see
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATIONS). As he acted promptly in accordance with
his proclamation, great consternation began to prevail. At that moment
his hand was stayed. Because of his avowed determination to confiscate
the property and free the slaves of the disloyalists, a storm of
indignation suddenly arose in the border slave States, which alarmed the
national government, and the President, wishing to placate the
rebellious spirit of those States, requested Fremont to modify his
proclamation on these points. He declined to do so, when the President,
at Fremont's request, issued an order for such a modification. Fremont
could not, for it would imply that he thought the measure wrong, which
he did not.
Fremont was censured for his failure to reinforce Colonel Mulligan at
Lexington. The public knew very little of his embarrassments at that
time. Pressing demands came for reinforcements from
General Grant at
Paducah. At various points in his department were
heard cries for help, and a peremptory order came from
General Scott for
him to forward 5,000 troops immediately to
Washington, D. C.,
notwithstanding
McClellan numbered 75,000 within easy call of the
capital. Fremont's force, never exceeding 56,000, was scattered over his
department. Chafing under unjust complaints, he proceeded to put into
execution his plan of ridding the Mississippi Valley of Confederates.
His plan contemplated the capture or dispersion of troops under
General
Price in Missouri, and the seizure of Little Rock, Ark. By so doing, he
expected to turn the position of Pillow and others in the vicinity of
New Madrid, cut off the supplies from the southwest, and compel them to
retreat, at which time a flotilla of gunboats, then building near St.
Louis, might descend the Mississippi, and assist in military operations
against the batteries at Memphis. In the event of this movement being
successful, he proposed to push on towards the Gulf of Mexico with his
army, and tale possession of
New Orleans. More than 20,000 soldiers were
set in motion (Sept. 27, 1861) southward (5,000 of them cavalry), under
the respective commands of Generals
Hunter,
Pope,
Sigel, McKinstry, and
Asboth, accompanied by eighty - six heavy guns. These were moving
southward early in October; and on the 11th, when his army was 30,000
strong, he wrote to the government : " My plan is, New Orleans straight;
I would precipitate the war forward, and end it soon victoriously." He
was marching with confidence of success, and his troops were winning
little victories here and there, when, through the influence of men
jealous of him and his political enemies, Fremont's career was suddenly
checked. False accusers, public and private, caused General Scott to
send an order for him to turn over his command to General Hunter, then
some distance in the rear. Hunter arrived just as the troops were about
to attack Price. He took the command, and countermanded Fremont's orders
for battle; and nine days afterwards
General H. W. Halleck was placed in
command of the Department of Missouri. The disappointed and disheartened
army were turned back, and marched to St. Louis in sullen sadness. Soon
afterwards an elegant sword was presented to Fremont, inscribed, " To
the Pathfinder, by the Men of the West." |