2i6 EI<DORADO 



ico. It is still in the possession of the "Pioneer So- 

 ciety" of California at San Francisco. 



Fremont was at Sutter's fort during these eventful 

 operations, but, hearing that Castro intended to make 

 a raid upon Ide at Sonoma, he reached there on the 

 .3rd of June, at the head of ninety riflemen. He met 

 a few retreating- Mexicans, who escaped and made 

 their way across the bay to "Yerba Buena" (now San 

 Francisco). General Castro did not appear. On July 

 4, 1946, Fremont called a meeting of Americans. He 

 was appointed governor, issued a proclamation of inde- 

 pendence, and at the head of one hundred and sixty 

 men, started for Sutter's Fort, intending to attack 

 Castro, who was reported to be at Santa Clara. He 

 soon learned, however, that the Mexican general was 

 on the retreat to Los Angeles, where he determined to 

 follow him. He at once gave the order to his forces 

 to march. Before they had proceeded far, however, 

 news reached him that Commodore Sloat had arrived 

 at Monterey, with the frigate Savannah and another 

 small vessel, which induced Fremont to delay his pur- 

 suit of Catro. 



While at Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico, the 

 Commodore had learned of the annexation of Texas, 

 and that war existed between Mexico and the United 

 State. He was also informed that General Taylor was 

 marching toward the City of Mexico. Instructions had 

 been sent by the President of the United States to 

 Commodore Sloat, to take possession of Mazatlan, 

 Monterey and San Francisco, and to declare the coun- 

 try the property of the United States, but they had 



