Memoirs of My LifeDuring his remarkable life, John Charles Frémont served as a senator for the newly-formed state of California, led Union troops in the Civil War, and was governor of the territory of Arizona. His race for the presidency in 1856 brought prestige to the fledgling Republican Party, yet despite his popularity, his uncompromising determination to abolish slavery cost him the election. For all of his experiences in politics and the military, it was the earlier decades of Frémont's life that were the most exciting. Shortly after graduating from college, he joined a mapping expedition and surveyed the hills of South Carolina and Tennessee for the government. Eager to continue exploring, Frémont went on five more expeditions to America west of the Appalachians during the years from 1839 to 1846. He traveled up the Missouri river, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and reached the West Coast on several journeys, often with his friend Kit Carson, the legendary mountain man. In Memoirs of My Life, Frémont recounts those years in the wilderness, encountering the fabulous landscapes and native people of America's interior before the westward expansion of the U. S. His journeys across the unmapped prairies, mountains, and deserts offer a wonderful glimpse of North America's natural grandeur in its original state. |
Contents
BIOGRAPHICAL Sketch of Senator Benton IN CONNECTION WITH Western ExpaNSION I | 1 |
CHAPTER I | 18 |
CHAPTER II | 30 |
Copyright | |
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abundant afternoon American animals appearance Arkansas River band of horses bank basin beautiful Bent's Fort Benton boat bottom buffalo California camp Captain Frémont Carson Cascade range coast Columbia Columbia River command Commodore continued covered creek crossed descended distance eight elevation emigrants encamped expedition fire flowers foot Fork gave grass ground halted hills horses Hudson Bay Company hundred feet Indians journey lake latitude leaving longitude Mazatlan Mexico miles Monterey morning mouth night noon oaks observations party pass peaks pines pinnules plain plants Platte prairie rain ravine reached region ridge river road rock Rocky Mountains Sacramento Sacramento River Sacramento valley salt sandy shore side Sierra Sierra Nevada Sloat snow soil species specimens spring stream summit sunrise sunset Sutter's Fort thermometer thousand timber tion Tlamath to-day trail travelled trees valley village willow wind wooded yards