Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/160

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134

TROOPS SENT TO CALIFORNIA.

Colonel Frémont was appointed military commandant of the territory; laws and regulations were established, and officers selected to enforce them. In the brief period of sixty days possession had been taken of every important town in the territory, and it was supposed that the conquest was permanently secured.^[1]

From the necessity of the case, the government of the United States relied upon the naval squadron in the Pacific to commence offensive movements in California, on the breaking out of the war. It was foreseen, however, that the presence of a military force would be necessary to secure the possession of the country. Accordingly, a company of artillery was embarked from New York, in August, 1846, and followed, in September, by a regiment of volunteer infantry, under Colonel Stevenson.^[2] On the arrival of these troops, and of General Kearny with such part of his force as could be spared from New Mexico, it was expected that the command on shore would be assumed

↑ The instructions issued to the officers commanding the Pacific squadron contemplated the establishment of a temporary civil government in California, but did not authorize any political rights to be conferred on the inhabitants; leaving it for the event of the war to determine, whether the jurisdiction thus assumed, as an incident to the conquest, should be permanent — Letter of the Secretary of the Navy, June 14, 1847. — Special message of President Polk, 2nd session, 29th Congress.
↑ The regiment of volunteers commanded by Colonel Stevenson, was raised upon the condition that they should be discharged, wherever they might be, at the termination of the war, provided it was in a territory of the United States. Men were selected to compose it, under the instructions of the Secretary of War, who would be likely to remain in Oregon, or in that quarter of the country, in order that the authority of the United States, if the territory of California should be permanently acquired by the terms of a treaty of peace, might be more readily maintained, through the instrumentality, if necessary,of the American settlers.

[1] The instructions issued to the officers commanding the Pacific squadron contemplated the establishment of a temporary civil government in California, but did not authorize any political rights to be conferred on the inhabitants; leaving it for the event of the war to determine, whether the jurisdiction thus assumed, as an incident to the conquest, should be permanent — Letter of the Secretary of the Navy, June 14, 1847. — Special message of President Polk, 2nd session, 29th Congress.

[2] The regiment of volunteers commanded by Colonel Stevenson, was raised upon the condition that they should be discharged, wherever they might be, at the termination of the war, provided it was in a territory of the United States. Men were selected to compose it, under the instructions of the Secretary of War, who would be likely to remain in Oregon, or in that quarter of the country, in order that the authority of the United States, if the territory of California should be permanently acquired by the terms of a treaty of peace, might be more readily maintained, through the instrumentality, if necessary,of the American settlers.

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