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Show 4ti8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF who could use a rifle was a host against the invaders, and besought me to· arm in defense, and to influence my n1en likewise to espouse the cause. I replied to his solicitations by promising him 1ny active co-operation, and also that I would represent his arguments to the men -riving with me. Accordingly, I informed my people that I intended to shoulder my rifle in the defense of life and property, and they were unanimous in their resolution to accompany me. Hence there were thirteen riflemen instead of one. We shortly after received an accession of sixty more good frontiersmen, and mustered ourselves for service. The company elected me captain, but I declined the office. ~Ir. Bell finally assumed the command, with the promise of ·my unflinching support in extremities. Our company steadily increased in number until we had one hundred and sixty men, including native Californians, who joined us with rifles. General Castro's first movement was against Pueblo. He entered the place at the head of his forces, and took the fort, arsenal, with all the government arms, ammunition, and stores, with the slight loss of one officer wounded. This enabled the rebels to arm themselves, and he was shortly at the head of a small but well-appointed army. The general highly extolled the rifle battalion, and he looked upon it as a powerful support. Castro then took a detachment of rebel troops, and p:~ceeded nor~hward to reconnoitre the enemy's positiOn, our main body also moving in the direction of the e,nemy as far as Monterey, where were the governor s head-quarters. On first hearing the intelli? ence ?f the o~tbreak, the governor had put his forces 1n motion, and Issued orders to shoot the rebels wherev- JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 46~ er met, and destroy their property of whatever kind. General Castro, having proceeded as far as Santa Barbara, a distance of ninety-six miles, and having obtained full information concerning the movements of the governor, returned and joined the main b.ody .. During his expedition he captured five Amencans 1n the Mexican service. He dis:;trmed them, telling them that he had no disposition to injure Americans, and that he would return their arms as soon as he had expelled the enemies of the peo~le. . . Our forces were concentrated 1n a large open praine, the enemy being stationed at no great distance, likewise on the prairie. I ascended, one morning, the summit of a mountain, which would afford me a fair view of the enemy's camp, just to discover their numbers and strength of position. On my road I encountered two Americans, who were serving in the capacity of spies to the enemy. I accosted them, and expressed surprise to see them in the service of such an old 1·ascal as Torrejon, and recommended them to join the popular cause ; but they seemed to have an eye to the promised booty of the rebels, and my arguments could not influence them. I dispatched one of them with a letter to Gant, an American who held the commission of captain in the governor's army, offering him, as we did not wish to fight against our American brethren, to withdraw all the Americans from the rebel ranks, if he would do the same on the side of the governor, and leave the Mexicans and Californians, who were ,, most interested in the issue, to measure their strength. Some Germans who were with us also made the same proposal to Colonel Sutter. Our messenger conveyed the dispatches, and delivered the German's letter to Colonel Sutter, who read both that and our letter to |
