one of
the many unsolved problems of the war, but certainly he was not to the
command of the great Western Department, including the State of Illinois
and all the States and Territories west of the Mississippi River and
east of the Rocky Mountains, to which he was assigned by General Orders,
No. 40, issued July 3,1861.

134

Fremont's father was a Frenchman, who had married a Virginia woman, and
followed the occupation of a teacher of French at Norfolk, Va., but
died at an early age, leaving the members of his family to struggle for
themselves. Fremont became a teacher of mathematics on a sloop of war,
then Professor of Mathematics for the Navy, and later a surveyor and
engineer for railroad lines, and was commissioned by President Van Buren
a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Owing to the opposition
of Senator Benton, his daughter had to be secretly married to Lieut.
Fremont in 1841, but soon after the Senator gave his son-in-law the
benefit of his great influence.

Fremont was designated to conduct surveys across the continent into the
unknown region lying between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific, and
made several very important explorations. He was in California prior to
the outbreak of the Mexican War, and became involved in hostilities
with the Mexicans. When the war did break out he assumed command of the
country around under authority from Commodore Stockton, and proceeded
to declare the independence of California. A quarrel between him and
Stockton followed, and later another quarrel ensued with Gen. Kearny,
who had been sent into this country in command of an expedition.

135

He was court-martialed by Gen. Kearny's orders and found guilty of
mutiny, disobedience, and conduct prejudicial to good order and military
discipline. He was sentenced to be dismissed, but the majority of the
court recommended him to the clemency of President Polk, who refused
to approve the verdict of mutiny, but did approve the rest, though
he remitted the penalty. Fremont, refusing to accept the President's
pardon, then resigned from the Army, settled in California, and bought
the famous Mariposa estate, containing rich gold mines. He became a
leader of the Free-Soil Party in California, and was elected to the
Senate for a brief term of three weeks. He was nominated by the first
Republican Convention in Philadelphia, June 17, 1856, and in his letter
of acceptance expressed himself strongly against the extension