Collection: Books and Periodicals

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Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 31 a Delaware were killed as they slept, by blows from axes. The sound of these blows aroused Carson and Owens, who gave the alarm; when the Indians fled, after killing with their arrows a Delaware named Crane, and leaving dead a chief of their number, who proved to be the very man from whom Gillespie had that morning been furnished with food and aid further south. Next morning they started northward to join the main body, burying the bodies of their slain comrades on the way. The whole party started on the 11th down the eastern side of the lake, wreaking terrible vengeance on the innocent natives along the route, if we may credit the statenient of Kit Carson, who played a leading part in the butcheries. They reached Lassen’s rancho on their return the 24th, and a few days later moved their camp down to the Buttes. This awakens the reflection that the greatest of human events are subject to the modifying influence of currents and cross-currents; for had the Indians who made that midnight attack been successful in their evident design to massacre all in that unguarded camp, it is more than probable that the Bear Flag revolution would never have formed a chapter of California history. Mr. Bancroft expresses the opinion that Gillespie’s meeting with Fremont had nothing to do with the latter’s return northward—that “the Captain had nearly determined, on account of the difficulty of crossing the mountains intv Oregon on account of the snow,” to retrace his steps. We dissent from this view of the subject. If Gillespie was only the bearer of instructions to Fremont couched ‘in the same language of diplomacy as that used by Secretary Buchanan in imparting to Larkin the duties devolved upon him by the President, then the continued presence of Fremont could have served no good end. In truth, his continued presence would be detrimental to the very object Larkin was expected to achieve. Gillespie must have had full knowledge of what Fremont had done at Gabilan Peak, and as he was the duly accredited secret agent of the United States government it is but reasonable to suppose that he would have ai least sume advisory influence with Fremont. Then, again, Fremont and Larkin were occupying entirely different positions, and it is quite probable that while the latter was expected only to use the weapons of diplomacy, the former may have been accorded discretionary power, if circumstances seemed to warrant, to use more weighty _ arguments. But outside of all this it must he remembered that Gillespie had placed in Fremont’s hands letters from Hon. Thomas H. Benton. The latter was just as near to the war-making power as was James Buchanan, and he was under no trammel to measure his words with red tape. While he was not in a position to give Fremont either instructions or orders, it is fair to presume that he would intimate to the husband of his favorite daughter the true condition of affairs and impress upon him the importance of holding himself in readiness to improve any opportunites, such as were liable to suddenly arise, for preferment and position. To believe that Fremont had any serious intention of leaving California just at a time when he must have known that right here and then he was upon the very eve of the fruition of Benton’s most ardent expectation, would be to impute to him a lack of regard for name and fame singularly at variance with reputed character of either himself or Mr. Benton. But we now put behind us matters speculative and enter upon the domain of thrilling tacts. During Fremont’s absence north there were all kinds of wild rumors afloat, and they lost nothing as they passed from mouth to mouth. Castro’s war preparations had been magnified into an expressed purpose on his part té drive the American settlers ont of the country. It was rumored and so believed, that the Indians of the Sacramento Valley were being incited to an uprising, and that as soon as the grain fields were far enough advanced to be combustible, the torch would be applied. Captain Sutter seems to have given credence to these stories, for he was on an active Indian campaign ‘against some of the lawless tribes. Fremont had moved camp from the Buttes to Bear River, near where Nicholas now stands. It was but natural that his camp should become the head centre, around which the hopes and expectations of his fellow-countrymen should clus-