This Day in History

May 8, 1846: 

Frémont Turns Back 

 

 

This text comes from our high school textbook (currently available only as an e-book), Lands of Hope and Promise: A History of North America. For ordering information on this text and on our other books, please click here.

John Charles Frémont

In December of 1845, a party of about 60 men led by Captain John Charles Frémont of the United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers arrived at John Sutter's fort on the Sacramento River. Frémont's party included 12 Delaware Indians; the explorer and trapper, Kit Carson; and Jedediah Smith's old companion, William Fitzgerald.

It was Frémont's second journey into California. He first came to California in 1843 through Nevada, westward over the Sierra Nevada, and through central and southern California. From California, he made his way home via Santa Fé in New Mexico. Frémont wrote a detailed report of his expedition that not only gave details of topography, flora, and fauna, but revealed the feeble hold Mexico had on California. The report won fame for Frémont as the "Pathfinder."

Frémont's father-in-law was the pro-expansionist senator from Missouri, Thomas Hart Benton; the former ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett, was Frémont's patron. After Frémont returned from his first expedition in 1844, Poinsett introduced him to both General Winfield Scott, who promoted Frémont to captain, and to President Polk. It was with the backing of such powerful men that Frémont undertook his second expedition into California. Ostensibly it was just another topographical expedition, like the first.

Sutter's Fort, in the 1840s

From Sutter's fort, Frémont made a leisurely journey through the San Joaquin Valley and crossed the Diablo Range into the Santa Clara Valley. Then he visited Thomas Larkin in Monterey. Yankee merchant and United States consul to California, Larkin held the trust of Mexican officials, though all the while he was privy to secret information from the United States unfavorable to Mexican interests. In one message, sent in October 1845, President Polk had told Larkin that if the people of California "should desire to unite their destiny with ours, they would be received as brethren." Polk was making his intentions vis-a-vis California very clear to Larkin, and the U.S. consul probably knew that Frémont's visit was connected with Polk's message. 

José Castro

When he learned that Frémont had entered California with a corps of armed men, the Mexican commandante general, Don José Castro, was suspicious. In answer to Castro's inquiries, Frémont said he was a captain in the United States Army Corps of Engineers surveying "the nearest route from the United States to the Pacific Ocean." He had entered California to take on supplies. Castro accepted this explanation. But Frémont lingered in California. Setting up camp 13 miles from San José, he began receiving visits from Anglo-American settlers and continued to explore the countryside. Castro again grew suspicious and this time sent a pointed message to Frémont. While traipsing through the Salinas Valley, Frémont received Don José's missive. It was clear and unequivocal -- leave California at once!

Frémont decried Castro's "breach of good faith." He and his men did not leave California; instead they built a stockade near Gavilan peak, in sight of Mission San Juan Bautista, where Castro was drilling his troops. Raising the American flag over the stockade, Frémont defied Castro for three days. Then, decamping, Frémont headed north towards Mount Shasta, enroute to Oregon. Having had made his stand against the Mexican despot, Frémont could leave California with his honor intact.

Mission San Juan Bautista, as it appeared in 1934

But Frémont did not make it to Oregon. Near Mount Shasta, on May 8, he heard the sound of hoof beats. Two horsemen rode up to Frémont to inform him that Lieutenant Archibald H. Gillespie of the United States marines was following him with important missives. Turning south, Frémont met Gillespie at nightfall. What did the missives contain? "The information received through Gillespie," wrote Frémont years later, "absolved me from my duty as an explorer, and I was left to my duty as an officer of the American Army, with the further authoritative knowledge that the Government intended to take California." Retracing his steps, Frémont returned to the Sacramento River where he awaited the next act in the drama.

  

A Popular Dance in Alta California

The Fandango was a a popular dance of the Mexican rancho culture of Alta California when Frémont arrived there in the 1840s. Here is a performance of something like the Californios danced, performed by a group in La Mancha, Spain.

Manchegan traditional folk dance: Fandango