pursue the policy of peace, and that he was anxious that every part of the commodore's squadron should be assiduously careful to avoid any act which could be construed as one of aggression, Secretary Bancroft gave the following instruction to the Commodore: "Should Mexico, however, be resolutely bent on hostilities, you will be mindful to protect the persons and interests of citizens of the United States near your station, and should you ascertain beyond a doubt that the Mexican Government has declared war against us, you will at once employ the force under your command to the best advantage. The Mexican ports on the Pacific are said to be open and defenseless. If you ascertain with certainty that Mexico has declared war against the United States, you will at once possess yourself of the port of San Francisco, and blockade or occupy such other ports as your force may permit." Commodore Sloat remained ten days in Honolulu, taking on supplies and water, and making such necessary repairs as were required. In the meantime the British ship Frolic came in and anchored in the inner harbor. On October 12th, 1845, the United States frigate, Savannah, Commodore Sloat's flagship got under way, and Commodore Sloat sailed for Mazatlan, Mexico, where, after thirty-seven days, he arrived on November 18, 1845, and saluted the Mexican flag, which salute was duly returned. Here he waited for many months in a sickly harbor with his flagship, the Savannah, while the other vessels of his squadron were watching the movements of the British fleet under Admiral Seymour with his flagship, the Collingwood, of eighty guns, which was constantly sailing between Mazatlan, San Blas and California. Sloat became very anxious to learn what was being done by the administration, and dispatched Surgeon William Maxwell Wood from Mazatlan across to the city of Mexico, and from thence to Vera Cruz, with instructions to forward him all the information that he could gather, and also to visit Washington and give the Secretary of the Navy an oral account of what was transpiring in Pacific waters. Surgeon Wood dispatched a letter from the city of Mexico to the Commodore, giving an account of the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and giving also the information that the port of Vera Cruz had been blockaded by the American squadron. He gave no information of war having been declared between the two countries, but stated that hostilities had actually commenced. The declaration of war was not made by the United States until four days after these battles were fought. Upon the receipt of the information from Surgeon Wood, on the 7th of June, 1846, Commodore Sloat prepared for action, and on the next day, sailed for Monterey. Before his sailing, the British tender, the brigantine Spy, which was in the harbor of Mazatlan at that time, noticing what was transpiring on the Savannah, hoisted its anchor and sailed for San Blas to convey the information to the British Admiral, Seymour. Commodore Sloat arrived at the harbor of Monterey on July 2nd, 1846, just twenty-four days from Mazatlan, his flagship being one of the fastest vessels known at that time. At Monterey he found the sloops Cyane and Levant belonging to his squadron, which had previously been dispatched there. Having made all necessary preparations he took possession of the town of Monterey on the 7th. On the 6th he sent, by a trusty courier, the following dispatch to Captain John B. Montgomery, commanding the sloop of war Portsmouth, at San Francisco, also sending a copy of it by boat at the same time: "I have determined to hoist the flag of the United States at this place tomorrow, as I would prefer being sacrificed for doing too much than too little. If you consider you have sufficient force, or if Fremont will join you, you will hoist the flag at Yerba Buena, or at any other proper place, and take possession of the fort and that portion of the country." Acting upon this order Captain Montgomery took possession of the port of San Francisco. Sixteen days after Commodore Sloat arrived at Monterey, Admiral Seymour, in his flagship, the Collingwood, sailed into the harbor, and, much to his disappointment, found the American flag hoisted above the fort. It seems the irony of fate that, Sir Francis Drake having hoisted the first British flag over California, it should have been taken from the British Government by one of his descendants, the American Commodore, John Drake Sloat. CHAPTER IX. WAR WITH MEXICO. GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR-GENERAL AMPUDIA'S 'DECLARATION OF HOSTILITY ATTACK OF AMERICAN DRAGOONS-DECLARATION OF WAR BY UNITED STATES-ARMY OF THE WESTGENERAL STEPHEN W. KEARNY-COLONEL ALEX W. DONIPHAN-MORMON BATTALION— CAPT. P. ST. GEORGE COOKE GOVERNOR ARMIJO-AMBASSADOR JAMES MAGOFFINGENERAL KEARNY'S INSTRUCTIONS - CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF NEW MEXICO-KEARNY CODE-DONIPHAN'S EXPEDITION KEARNY'S EXPEDITION TO CALIFORNIA-KIT CARSON'S DEVOTION TO DUTY-PIMA INDIANSCAPTAIN COOKE'S MARCH WITH WAGON TRAIN AND MORMON BATTALION-WILD CATTLE-GAME-ARRIVAL AT TUCSON-LETTER TO DON MANUEL GANDARA, GOVERNOR OF SONORA-MARICOPAS-CROSSING THE COLORADO-COLONEL PRICE-REVOLT IN MEXICOKILLING OF GOVERNOR BENT AND OTHER OFFICIALS-PUNISHMENT OF REVOLUTION ISTS. On the 28th of March, 1846, General Zachary Taylor took up his position on the banks of the Rio Grande opposite Matamoras, and strengthened himself by the erection of fieldworks. Texas, at that time, claimed the Rio Grande as the western boundary of the republic, which not only embraced what is now known as Texas, but a large portion of what is now New Mexico. The Mexicans claimed that the River Nueces was the western boundary of the Lone Star republic. The territory between that river and the Rio Grande-a breadth of one hundred and fifty miles along the coast-they claimed was a part of their territory. It is well to remember that Mexico had no army of occupation in this disputed territory. General Taylor was notified by General Ampudia of the Mexican Army to break up his camp and in twenty-four hours to retire beyond the Nueces River. To this, General Taylor made no reply, and General Arista, who had succeeded General Ampudia in command of the Mexican army, on the 24th of April, advised General Taylor that "he considered hostilities commenced, and should prosecute them." After this notification was received, General Taylor sent a party of dragoons, sixty-three in number, up the valley of the Rio Grande to ascertain whether the Mexicans had crossed the river. They encountered a larger force than their own, and after an engagement in which seventeen of the Americans were killed or wounded, they were surrounded and compelled to surrender. Intelligence of this affair raised the war spirit of the United States. Our country had been invaded; American blood had been spilled on American soil, was the cry heard on every side. In response to public opinion, President Polk, on the 11th of May, sent a message to Congress, "invoking its prompt action to recognize the existence of war, and to place at the disposition of the Executive the |