JOHN C. FREMONT. 425 



letter of introduction from the Secretary of State, Mr. Buchanan, with 

 letters and papers from Senator Benton. From Gillespie he learned 

 that it was the purpose of the authorities to ascertain the disposition 

 of the inhabitants of California, to conciliate their feelings in favor of 

 the United States, and to counteract as far as possible any designs of 

 the British government upon that Territory. Fremont made his way 

 to the settled parts of California, near Monterey, where he found Com- 

 modore Sloat in command of a United States fleet. In co-operation 

 with him, and largely through Fremont's agency, the Mexican author- 

 ities were dispersed, the flag of the United States was raised at Mon- 

 terey and other points, and all was accomplished before information 

 was received of the existence of war between the United States and 

 Mexico. These proceedings were justified by the government of the 

 United States. In the mouth of December following, Brigadier Gen- 

 eral S. W. Kearny arrived in the Territory, and ultimately there was 

 a conflict between him and Commodore Stockton, who had succeeded 

 Commodore Sloat, as to the command of the forces in California. 

 Until the arrival of Kearny, Fremont had been acting under the or- 

 ders of Commodore Stockton, had raised troops, and had received from 

 him the appointment of Governor of the Territory. General Kearny, 

 in asserting his authority as Commander in Chief, ordered Fremont to 

 raise troops, and to submit himself to his orders. This Fremont de- 

 clined to do, giving as his reason that he had acted under Commodore 

 Stockton, that it was their duty to adjust their differences, and that 

 until they had done so he should act under the orders of Commodore 

 Stockton. This course on his part led to his arrest while on his way 

 to Washington, and his trial by a court martial upon three charges : 

 "1st, mutiny ; 2d, disobedience of orders ; and 3d, conduct prejudicial 

 to good order and discipline." On these charges he was convicted, and 

 sentenced by the court martial to be dismissed from the service. Six 

 of the officers who were of the court recommended him to the clem- 

 ency of the President. The President disapproved of the findings of 

 the court as to the charge of mutiny, but expressed the opinion that 

 the second and third charges were sustained by the proofs ; but that, 

 in consideration of the valuable services of Lieutenant Colonel Fre- 

 mont, the penalty of dismissal from the service was remitted. When 

 the findings of the court were announced, and the action of the Presi- 

 dent was made known to Fremont, he wrote a letter to the Adjutant 

 General resigning his commission as Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, 

 and giving as a reason that he could not, by accepting the clemency of 

 the President, admit the justice of the sentence. 



