|
On the 22d August, 1853, after a short interview with Col. J. C. Fremont, I accepted
his invitation to accompany him as artist of an Exploring Expedition across the Rocky
Mountains. A half hour previously, if anybody had suggested to me, the probability of my
undertaking an overland journey to California, even over the emigrant route, I should have
replied there were no inducements sufficiently powerful to have tempted me. Yet, in this
instance, I impulsively, without even a consultation with my family, passed my word to
join an exploring party, under command of Col. Fremont, over a hitherto untrodden country,
in an elevated region, with the full expectation of being exposed to all the inclemencies
of an arctic winder. I know of no other man to whom I would have trusted my life, order
similar circumstances.
Col. Fremont's former extraordinary explorations, his astronomical and geographical
contributions to the useful sciences, and his successful pursuit of them under
difficulties, had deeply interested me, and aided in forming for him, in my mind, the beau
ideal of all that was chivalrous and noble.
His conquest of California, appointment as Governor by Commodore Stockton, the jealousy
and persecution by General Kearney for not acknowledging him instead of Commodore Stockton
as commander-in-chief, his court-martial and subsequent finding of the court, are matters
of American history, and they reflect no dishonor on the individual who was a
distinguished example of the ingratitude of republics.
The recognition of his claims on the American public by the citizens of Charleston, S.
C., who presented him with an elegant sword and golden scabbard, satisfied me that I had
formed no incorrect estimate of his character, and made me feel an instinctive pride that
I, too, drew my first breath on the same soil that gave birth to heroes and statesmen.
Entertaining those feelings, the dangers and perils of the journey, which Col. Fremont
pointed out to me, were entirely obscured by the pleasure I anticipated in accompanying
him, and adding my limited skill to facilitate him in the realization of one of the
objects of the expedition—which was to obtain an exact description of the face of the
country over which we were to travel.
The party consisted of twenty-two persons; among them were ten Delaware chiefs; and two
Mexicans. The officers were: Mr. Egloffstein, topographical engineer; Mr. Strobel,
assistant; Mr. Oliver Fuller, assistant engineer; Mr. S. N. Carvalho, artist and
daguerrotypist; Mr. W. H. Palmer, passenger.
The expedition was fitted out, I think, at the individual expense of Col. Fremont.
|
