Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/155

Rh of seventy dragoons, who had just crossed the bay. A smart skirmish ensued, which resulted in the defeat of the Mexicans, with the loss of five men in killed and wounded. Frémont's party were uninjured. The Mexican commander, De la Torre, escaped with his men, losing his transport boats and his artillery, the latter being spiked.

Having succeeded in driving the Mexicans from the northern shore of the bay, Lieutenant Colonel Frémont returned to Sonoma on the 4th of July. On the following day he collected the Americans together, and, after explaining the condition of things in the territory, advised an immediate declaration of their independence. This was accordingly made, and he was selected to assume the chief direction of affairs. In the meantime de Castro had established himself at Santa Clara, an intrenched post on the south side of the bay, with four hundred men and two pieces of field artillery. An attack on his position was decided on. In order to reach Santa Clara, it was necessary to make a circuit of upwards of one hundred miles. Lieutenant Colonel Frémont commenced his march on the 6th of July, with one hundred and sixty mounted riflemen, and in three days reached the American settlements on the fork of the Sacramento. Here he learned that de Castro had abandoned Santa Clara, and was retiring to Ciudad de los Angelos, the place of residence of the governor-general of the Californias, and about four hundred miles south of San Francisco. Every thing was prepared for continuing the pursuit, when the information was received that the war had been commenced, and that Commodore Sloat had taken the ports on the Pacific. The American flag was now