362 CHARLES WILKES. 



one of brass, to their genius, their perseverance, and 

 their heroism. 



In the year 1848, Captain Wilkes became involved 

 in a public controversy with Colonel Fremont, in 

 reference to the accuracy of some of his explora- 

 tions of the Gulf and coast of California. The 

 origin of the dispute arose from the fact that a 

 vessel had been wrecked upon that coast in conse- 



* 



quence of an error in the charts then in use. Colo- 

 nel Benton, of Missouri, having read an account of 

 that calamity, addressed a letter to the editors of the 

 National Intelligencer at Washington, asserting that 

 Colonel Fremont had by his surveys already detected 

 the error and would correct it in his map of Oregon 

 and "Upper California, then in course of preparation. 

 This letter elicited a reply from Captain Wilkes, 

 which led to a subsequent discussion between him 

 and Colonel Fremont, which possesses a permanent 

 value and interest, not only from the scientific in- 

 formation which it contains, but also from the fact 

 of its connection with two of the most distinguished 

 of American explorers. The nature of the contro- 

 versy was clearly stated in Captain Wilkes's first 

 letter, which was inserted in the National Intelli- 

 gencer of June 8, 1848 ; with which we conclude 

 the present essay. 



" MESSRS. GALES & SEATON : On my return to the 



