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132 the foreigners in the territory, and expressing his determination tO drive them forthwith from the soil of California. On the 25th of July, the sloop of war Cyane, Captain Mervine, sailed from Monterey, with Lieutenant Colonel Frémont and his battalion, for San Diego, to intercept the retreat of General de Castro, while i Commodore Stockton was to land at San Pedro, and attack him in front. Commodore Sloat gave up the entire command of the squadron to Commodore Stockton, on the 29th, and returned home. The latter soon completed his arrangements for the contemplated attack on de Castro. He left Monterey on the 1st of August, in the Congress, and arrived at San Pedro, about twenty-eight miles from Ciudad de los Angelos, on the 6th; having stopped at Santa Barbara on the way, and taken possession of the place. In the meantime Lieutenant Colonel Frémont had reached San Diego, and landed with his battalion, but experienced great difficulty in procuring horses. He succeeded, at length, in mounting his men, and pushed forward in the direction of the enemy, who were encamped on the Misa, with seven pieces of artillery.

Commodore Stockton landed at San Pedro, with a force of three hundred and sixty sailors and marines, established a camp, and commenced drilling and instructing his men. Not being provided with field artillery, he procured two or three pieces of small ordnance from a merchant ship, and mounted them on cartwheels, together with an eighteen-pounder carronade taken from his own ship. While engaged in making these preparations, two commissioners came from the camp of de Castro, with a flag of truce, to enter into negotiations. The gallant commodore cheerfully listened to their propositions; but when informed that, as