ly restrain their joy. New life and activity thrilled
their bodies, and they hurried on with the same elastic eagerness they
felt at the beginning.

In a short while they were challenged by sentinels, and making known
their mission, were taken before Commodore Stockton. That officer, with
his usual promptness, sent a force of nearly two hundred men to the
relief of General Kearney. They took with them a piece of ordnance which
for want of horses the men themselves were forced to draw.

They advanced by forced marches to the endangered Americans, scarcely
pausing night or day, until in sight of the Mexicans, who considering
discretion the better part of valor, withdrew without exchanging a shot
with the naval brigade.

As may be supposed, the feet of Carson and Beale were in a frightful
condition, when they reached San Diego. The mountaineer, on that
account, did not return with the reinforcements, but he described the
course and location so minutely that no difficulty was experienced by
the relieving force.

Lieutenant Beale was a man of sturdy frame, accustomed to roughing it
on the frontier, but the sufferings he underwent on that eventful night
were such that he felt the effects for years afterward.

CHAPTER XXX.

Capture of Los Angeles--Court Martial of Fremont--Carson Appointed a
Bearer of Dispatches to Washington--His Journey to St. Louis--Visits
Washington--Appointed Lieutenant by President Polk--Ordered Back Across
the Continent--His Journey--Assigned to Duty at Tajon Pass--Again
Ordered to Washington--His Appointment not Confirmed by the United
States Senate--Visit to Washington--Return to New Mexico.

The chief force of the Mexicans was at Los Angeles over a hundred miles
to the north of San Diego. They numbered six or seven hundred and were
strongly intrenched. General Kearney and Commodore Stockton joined their
commands and marched to attack them. Arriving in front of the town, they
scattered the Mexicans intrenched on the outside, and then marched into
the place. But the enemy had fled and gone northward to meet Fremont
who was on his way from Monterey with four hundred men to attack Los
Angeles.

The Mexicans had not long to search when they found Fremont, but,
instead of giving him battle, their commander surrendered, possibly
preferring to give him the honor, instead of selecting the other
commanders. Fremont continued his march to Los Angeles, where they went
into winter quarters,