Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/765

FRAZER FRfiMONT. 747 party, and returned to Or. in 46, where he still lived after 75. iv. 572, 526; written also Frazier. F. (Alex.), 1827, signs as a witness at Mont. F. (Gco. W.), 1833, Amer. trapper with Walker s party, iii. 391; iv. 409. . , applied land at S. Jose" 40; visited N. Helv. 45-8; at Stockton 47-8. Name also written Fraezher, which was perhaps the correct form. F. (M.), 1836 lumberman at S. Rafael, iv. 118. F. (Thos), 1847, Co. D, Morm. Bat. (v. 469); in Slitter s empioy 47-8; name prob. Frazier. F. (Wm), 1845, Amer. farmer from Or. in the McM.-Clyman party; prob. went back 46 with Abner F., who was perhaps his brother, iv. 572-3, 526. Frederick (J.), 1846, Co. F, Cal. Bat. (v. 358). Fredingburg (H.), 1848, passp. from Honolulu. Freeborn (John), 1847, Co. K, N. Y. Vol. (v. 499); passp. from Hon. 48. Freeman, 1837, mr of the Indian, iv. 104. F. (Duric), 1844, Amer. who obtained a carta at Mont. F. (Elijah), 1847, Morm. Bat. (v. 409); prob. not in Cal. F. (F.), Co. G, Cal. Bat. (v. 358), enlisting at S. Jose, Nov. F. (Isam), 1840, doubtful name of a naturalized foreigner at Sta B. F. (Richard), 1846, bought a house of Capt. Fitch at S. Diego. F. (Truman), 1844, Amer. age 25, in a S.F. padron. F. (W), 1848, passp. from Hon. Freer (Matthew), 1848, hanged at S. Jose" for highway robbery and attempted murder, v. 663-4. Fremont (John Charles), 1844, nat. of Ga, b. in 13, sometime teacher of mathematics and surveyor, lieut of top. engineers from 38, and husband of a daughter of Thos H. Benton from 41. He is in some respects the most famous of all the pioneers named in this register, and his Californian career was the foundation of his fame. Full details of that career will be found in other volumes of this work. His three exploring exped. of 42, 43-4, and 45, in the 2d and 3d of which he reached Cal., are described, with their results, in iv. 434-44, 452, 581-5, 679. Exploring and mapping regions before known only to trappers and immigrants, narrating his labors with modesty and full credit to those who preceded and accompanied him, he gained much credit at home and abroad for his skill in the field and for his reports. As the pioneer of scientific exploration in the far west, he deserves only praise. The ridicule of which he has been the object in this connection resulted mainly from the campaign of 56, in which his achievements as pathfinder were so magnified for effect in the east as to excite the jealousy of western pioneers, a feeling fomented by partisans for political purposes. Fremont s acts of Jan. -May 4(5 in Cal. are given in v. 1-29, 58-9, 644, 660. Being permitted by Gen. Castro to rest his men and animals in the S. Joaquin Valley for a continuation of his exploring trip to Or., he forfeited the privilege by marching his party into S. Jose" and encamping for a week at Fisher s rancho; grossly insulted the alcalde who, in the discharge of his routine duties, served a legal notice on him; and finally marched over the Sta Cruz Mts and down the coast for Oregon ! When the authorities very properly ordered him to leave Cal., he fortified a position on Gavilan Peak and raised the U. S. flag. This was foolish bravado, as he realized after a day or two of reflection, in connection with Consul Larkin s advice and the sight of military preparations at San Juan; so he ran away in the night. The current version of Castro s broken promise and subsequent cowardly bluster is pure fiction, but it has long served its purpose that of covering Fremont s folly. He was overtaken on the Or. frontier by despatches from Wash, which required him to remain in Cal. His part in the Bear revolt of June-July is recorded in v. 77-190. That most indefensible rising of the settlers, which interrupted negotiations for a pacific change of flag, would not have occurred but for F. s promise of active support when needed; therefore he must be held responsible, not only for the bloodshed and bitterness of feel ing that attended the conflict of 46-7, but for the much more disastrous state of affairs that, but for the sheerest good luck, must have resulted. His alleged motives were three fold: 1st, The welfare of Amer. settlers threatened with oppression and expulsion a mere pretext, since the danger was wholly imagi-