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424 CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA. 
new republic, hearing of the doings of Commodore Sloat, 
overturned their young government by hoisting the 
American flag. At the time of meeting Purser Fauntle- 
roy, Colonel Fremont increased his force to a hundred 
and fifty riflemen, and was in pursuit of Castro, who 
had fled south at the head of four or five hundred men. 
Commodore Sloat soon after resigned the command 
to Commodore Stockton, and returned to the United 
States, to recruit his enfeebled health. Commodore 
Stockton commenced his part of the conquest, by organ¬ 
izing the ““ California battalion of Mounted Riflemen,” 
appointing their officers, and receiving them into the 
service of the United States. Colonel Fremont sailed 
with this battalion to San Diego, in the hope of getting 
in advance of General Castro, and cutting oflfhis retreat. 
He arrived there on the 29th of July, but the Califor¬ 
nians had driven off all the horses, and he was not able 
in consequence to move until the 8th of August. Com¬ 
modore Stockton, meanwhile, had sailed to San Pedro, 
where he landed a sailor-army of three hundred and 
sixty men from the frigate Congress. This force he led 
towards the camp of the Meza, a fortified position held 
by General Castro, three miles from Cuidad de los An¬ 
geles, the City of the Angels, and the capital of the 
Californias. On the approach of the sons of Neptune, 
the martial governor abandoned his camp, and his gas¬ 
conading patriots separated into small parties, and ran 
away in all directions; the governor himself making 
good his escape to Mexico. Colonel Fremont joined the 
commodore on the 15th of August, and the combined 
forces entered the City of the Angels, and took posses¬ 
sion of the Government-house. Here Commodore Stock- 
ton busied himself posting a proclamation, and endeav¬ 
oring to establish a government, while Colonel Fremont 
was absent on an expedition after Governor Castro, 
whom he vainly sought to capture, that he might obtain 
