John C Fremont: The Pathfinder

welcome back to biographics I'm your host Cosmic horror madman Eric Malachite and today's protagonist is none other than John C Fremont the Pathfinder written by Larry holsworth if Larry has provided socials they'll be linked alongside my own with that said let's go ahead and get right to it John Charles Fremont was an Explorer topologist botanist Soldier politician railroad Tycoon Gold Miner abolitionist and one of the most controversial entities in the opening of the American West he achieved Fame and infamy wealth and destitution military command and Court Marshal his life was as up and down challenging and exhilarating as the trails he blazed across the continent he was born under the surname Fremont the illegitimate son of a French Canadian school teacher named Charles fremond and Anne Whiting the married woman he had been hired to teach French and was married to John prior a Richmond tobacco Merchant of considerable wealth however prior was in his 60s and his young wife was but 17 years of age so The Dashing French Canadians soon swept her off her feet when prior learned his young wife was having an affair with her tutor he Enlisted the Virginia authorities to have fremond arrested fremond and Anne fled to Savannah Georgia where she gave birth to a son on January 21st 1813 the infant was given the name John Charles Fremont retaining the French U over the letter E in his last name indicating it was pronounced with the sound a though TX still record his last name with the auu it is still uniformly pronounced with the sound of e as in free or tree eventually fron made his way back to Norfolk Virginia where he died in 1818 after failing to obtain a rid of divorce from the Virginia assembly his widow and children found themselves with little income they moved to Charleston South Carolina where young John well aware of the circumstances of his birth grew to be a rebellious proud youth unencumbered by friends and somewhat contemptuous of rules and societal Norms a Charleston lawyer named John Mitchell took an interest in Anne and thus in her son John and helped provide his Early Education in 1829 young Charles entered the College of Charleston though indifferent attendance led to his with draw in 1831 John had developed a strong knowledge of mathematics as well as astronomy and in 1833 he gained the support of another Charleston attorney and politician Joel poinset poinset used his then considerable influence to obtain for JN an appointment as a teacher of mathematics to midshipman aboard the USS Naz Jon remained in the Navy for just a short period of time resigning to take a position with the newly created United States topographical Corp he joined an expedition to chart a route for the proposed Charleston Louisville in Cincinnati railroad for several years he worked in surveys for the pedmont to the Great Smoky Mountains including preparing routes for the removal of the Cherokee Indians to the newly created Indian Territory in the west today's Oklahoma in 1837 poinset became Secretary of War under President Martin van beran poinet supported an expedition to explore and map the lands between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and after obtaining the necessary Appropriations he hired a noted French explorer Joseph nicholet to lead it assisted by John Fremont as lead topographer by then John had become expert not only in topography but in astronomy geology navigation and botany by working with nicholet Fremont came into contact with many of the men whose names would resonate throughout the history of the American West among them were the mountain men as they were called the earliest explorers of European and African descent to penetrate into the far western territories Fremont became a confidant of men like Kit Carson jedadiah Smith and Henry sibi he also became known to the leaders of the western Native American tribes including the then friendly Sue Nation the warlike youths the uraha the Cheyenne and others his explorations with Nicollet brought him considerable a claim and his written reports of his Expeditions were reprinted by Eastern newspapers and magazines Fremont found himself in demand in Washington City consulted by politicians and Powerful interests all looking toward the Western lands and the emerging concept of manifest destiny among the powerful politicians who sought his Council was Thomas Hart Benton senator from Missouri Benton was an early proponent of manifest destiny and with more than 30 years Senate seniority one of the most powerful men in Washington he was also the father of a 16-year-old daughter named Jesse with whom John was quickly and thoroughly smitten Senator Benton did not approve in part due to the circumstances of Jon's birth and his low social standing undeterred John and Jesse eloped in 1841 before Bon could intervene the couple were married John was then 28 years of age and though his bride had not yet reached the age of majority such marriages were common at the time eventually they had five children together Benton's Fury gradually dissipated his daughter winning him over eventually and Fremont acquired a powerful Patron in the form of his father-in-law the expansionists in Washington and throughout America faced considerable obstacles implementing the policy that they called Manifest Destiny in the mid 19th century from their vantage point in Vancouver Great Britain coveted the section of the North American continent then known as The Oregon Territory leading to an ongoing dispute between Britain and America over the exact location of the boundary between American territory and British Canada to the South and West Mexico controlled a wide swath of land including California blocking American access to much of the Pacific Coastline as well as much of what is now Nevada New Mexico Arizona Colorado and Wyoming in betweens in the Great Plains the Great Basin between the Rockies and sieras and in the mountains themselves eles Native American tribes lived on hunted and roamed the lands expansionists wanted American settlers on those lands to get them there routes were needed as were reports on the nature of the lands themselves how they were watered how fertile they were how they could be defended and how they could be connected via roads waterways and the newly emerging Transportation opportunities offered by steam locomotives on Rails Thomas Hart Benton and and other leading expansionists supported the funding of military and scientific Expeditions into the west and were tasked with mapping the continent and assessing its Wildlife flora and fauna and mineral wealth Benton tapped his son-in-law to lead his first of these Expeditions in 1842 sending him to the Oregon Territory Fremont was to lead the small scientific and exploratory party to explore the Oregon Trail alternative routes and to examine sits for the establishment of Sports and trading posts along the way Fremont departed on the expedition in June 1842 his 5-month track through the Wilderness accomplished via River travel and a foot included his scaling of what is now known as Fremont's Peak at 13,745 FT the third highest peak in modern-day Wyoming on its Summit he planted an American flag and used it to claim the Rocky Mountains and the lands on both sides of the range for the United States upon his return returned to Washington in October with the literary assistance of his wife Jesse he wrote report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains their account of the journey minimized the dangers maximized the opportunities the land offered and made Fremont a celebrity in the East the famed American poet Henry wattsw worth Longfellow wrote of him Fremont has touched my imagination what a wild life and what a fresh kind of existence Eastern newspapers praised Fremont and bestowed upon him a new name borrowed from a novel from James Fenimore Cooper published in 1840 they called him the Pathfinder Fremont's 1842 expedition was the first of several he led during the turbulent decade of the 1840s among the controversies which royed American society during those years was the role of slavery in the expanding territories quarrels with Britain over the Canadian border the ad mission of Texas to the union and the resulting border disputes with Mexico Fremont's Expeditions contributed to the debates as his reports lotted land for settlement and led to increasing American demands for ownership of lands then claimed by others his second Expedition beginning in the summer of 1843 took his party to the Great Salt Lake along the Snake River in modern day Idaho and along the Columbia River he then LED his group South into the Great Basin between the Rockies and the Sierra eventually reaching Lake Tahoe from there they crossed the high sieras led by Fremont and Kit Carson reaching Sutter's Fort near today's Sacramento in the early spring 1844 while refitting his party at Sutter Fremont observed the large number of non-mexican settlers there and the lack of authority exhibited by The Mexican government by August 1844 front and his party had returned to St Louis front then journeyed to Washington where he again assisted by his wife Jesse published his findings as a report to Congress Congress ordered his report and Maps printed for public dissemination and 10,000 copies appeared in the first printing in 1845 Fremont's report became one of the first travel guides in American history used by pioneers and settlers moving into the West in 1845 with prominent Manifest Destiny proponent James K pulk entering the White House Fremont prepared for another expedition to the West one which added political and Military aspects to its exploratory and scientific goals Hulk's campaign had openly discussed this goal of the United States seizing California from Mexico these desires were expressed to Fremont both directly by the president and in detail via Senator Brenton and Secretary of the Navy George boft Fremont's third Expedition his largest to date was formed to serve as a military force in California under his command working with us Navy frigs and Ste ERS once war with Mexico was declared Fremont departed St Louis in June 1845 and by the end of the year his force was near Sutter's Fort in early 1846 Mexican authorities ordered Fremont and his large party to leave Mexican lands and though the American made a show of departing for the Oregon County he was soon encamped on today's Fremont Peak California where he defied the Mexicans by displaying the American flag Fremont then LED his expedition northward encountering several native settlements in route conflicts with the tribes led to atrocities including murder of prisoners in the spring of 1846 Fremont LED his troops back to California where he met with US Navy forces stationed near selo after requesting supplies for his expedition he informed the naval authorities of his intention to return that summer to St Louis in late May 1846 fremond was encamped once again near Sutter's Fort where he encouraged American settlers to join his forces in a rebellion Against The Mexican government in June a force of American Irregulars captured somoma over which they raised the flag of the be Republic though Fremont had incited the Americans to Rebel he disassociated himself from their actions after the fact he began signing his correspondences as military commander of United States forces in California in July 1846 US navvy forces arrived in Monteray and although they did not carry definitive news of war between the United States in Mexico hostilities nonetheless continued between Mexican and American settlers the US Naval commander in California Commodore John SLO posted proclamations claiming California as part of the United States during this time Fremont used his assumed Authority backed by his armed troops to absorb irregular troops of the bare Republic under his command Commodore SLO was relieved of command when Commodore Robert Stockton arrived in California in July both naval officers believed Fremont was operating under orders from the war department in Washington that belief ended when General Steven Kerney arrived in late 1846 Kerney carried orders from pul directing him to seize California and establish a civil government by then most of the coastal settlements had already been taken by Fremont conducting joint operations with Stockton's ships and Marine detachments Kerney attempted to assert his authority by ordering Fremont to place his troops and himself under his command Fremont refused claiming he was under the command of Stockton none of the three commanders in California Stockton Kerney and Fremont held sufficient troops to establish military control over the vast region on their own in early 1847 Stockton assigned Fremont as military Governor which contradicted kerney's expressed orders from Washington cooperation between kery and Fremont was virtually non-existent throughout the summer of 1847 the two quarreled over each other's Authority and the best use of their respective commands rumors during the summer reached kerney's ears that Fremont supported the continued existence of the independent Bear Republic rather than California becoming a US territory in August 1847 Kerney had Fremont arrested charged with Mutiny and sent to Washington to stand trial in January 1848 Fremont was found not guilty of mutiny but guilty of Disobedience toward a superior officer Senator Benton intervened on his son-in-law's behalf with president pulk who commuted his sentence of a dishonorable discharge the president did not pardon Fremont nor did he overturn the court Marshal's findings Fremont received the president's commutation petulant resigning his commission rather than accepting what he viewed as partial Vindication after leaving leing the Army he returned to California putting him in the territory just before one of the most famed events in the Region's history Benson was an early supporter of a railroad across the continent from St Louis to San Francisco along the track of the 38th parallel of latitude in October 1848 Fremont left St Lewis with a party of 35 men intent on proving the viability of the proposed route by the time his group reached B fort in Southeastern Colorado the snow was already too deep for them to progress more than a handful of miles per day the fourth expedition was a failure at least in terms of finding proof of a viable railroad route yet while his reputation had been damaged by his military adventurism and his role as the Pathfinder was tarnished by the failed fourth Expedition Fremont had consolation for his troubles in 1847 he purchased a ranch of over 70 square miles miles near yuse in the foothills of the sieras he installed a sawmill in 1848 intending to chip lumber from his Ranch to the growing communities in coastal California the following year Fremont learned that his Ranch included a vein of quartz which stretched over 5 miles and held enough gold for hundreds of pounds to be mined every month John C Fremont became fabulously wealthy virtually overnight though the wealth brought problems as well legal issues arose over the ownership of mineral r in what had formerly been Mexican lands with Deeds of title stretching back in some cases to the days of the Spanish conquistadors as the California Gold Rush boomed squatters appeared on land claims forcing owners to hire guards to protect their property Fremont's legal issues centered upon the fact that the owner from whom the land had been purchased while under Mexican control had never resided upon it a violation of Mexican law in addition the borders had never been formed normally entered upon the deed while in Mexican control Fremont thus had legal disputes with neighboring owners desirous of his goldrich property and tax settlement issues with local government not until 1856 would the US Supreme Court rule on the case though when it did it found for Fremont allowing him to retain his land and the wealth it created for him with wealth Fame and considerable public Sympathy For What some viewed as an unjust Court Marshal it was probably inevitable that John Fremont entered politics he was one of the two senators elected by the state legislature to represent California in Washington DC in December 1849 California had not yet been granted statehood and Fremont entered the Senate as a shadow Senator unable to vote or participate in legislative activities the following September he became a full-fledged senator from California Fremont served in Washington a total of just 21 days during a term in office of 175 days he devoted most of his time in office to attempting to enact legislation which would establish laws clearly supporting his own land claims in California then still and meshed in litigation he also supported laws which would prevent foreign ownership of any mineral rights particularly gold claims another Brazen attempt to feather his own Nest through congressional action both failed as did his campaign to win reelection to the senate in 1851 his brief tenure did establish his reputation as being an Ardent supporter of the Abolitionist Movement as well as the prevention of slavery in new States and territories he was not finished in politics however in 1856 Fremont ran for the presidency though he had been a member of the democratic party during his earlier political Endeavors he switched to the fledgling Republican Party in 1854 and was the party's first nominee for president in 1856 throughout the campaign Fremont remained at his New York residents while his supporters emphasize his views with the slogan Free Soil free men and Fremont not only did Fremont lose the general election he failed to carry California the state with which he was most deeply connected in the Public Image following his defeat he returned to California and his Ranch and gold mines in 1861 Fremont traveled to Europe hoping to attract Investment Partners in his Mining and railroad interests he was in France when civil war broke out in North America and President Lincoln expresses desire to make Fremont ambassador to France Lincoln believed Fremont's well-known opposition to slavery would strengthen the American position with the French government Secretary of State Seward opposed granting Fremont an ambassadorship fearing he was too radical Lincoln deferred to his secretary of state when Fremont's returned to America arriving at Boston in June 1861 he learned the president had commissioned him as a major general and assigned him to command the department of the West framont journeyed to Washington to discuss his command with Lincoln and his generals before establishing his headquarters in St Louis in Late July his task was immense including recruiting training and equipping an army before leading it to sec here Missouri Kentucky and the Western counties of Virginia as well as South along the Mississippi to New Orleans he immediately demonstrated he was not up to the task rumors of corruption kickbacks from contractors and criminal activities by the California business and political contacts to whom he assigned leading roles in his command were rif he created his own personal guard a troop of 300 Kian and a houseguard of foreign troops assigned to protect the lavish mansion He he selected as his personal headquarters the one action Fremont took which proved to be fortuitous was his selection of Brigadier ulses S Grant to command his troops Grant assumed command in August and was soon on the offensive in Kentucky in Eastern Missouri winning small but important victories in what was referred to in eastern newspapers as the West meanwhile Fremont's reacted to increasing pressure to quell the partisan Warfare in Missouri by placing the entire state under martial law and in so doing emancipated the enslaved peoples within the state in Washington union leaders quailed against the action fearful that it would Inspire Kentucky to vote to secede Lincoln responded by directing Fremont to resend his order Fremont refused and instead dispatched his wife Jesse to Washington to make his case to the president Fremont's refusal to obey the orders of his commander-in-chief coupled with the corruption surrounding his command and his previously attained reputation for refusing to obey orders led to Lincoln dismissing him from command on November 2nd 1861 in addition Fremont's private guard was disbanded and all contracts which he had generated were suspended until they could be reviewed and amended by authorities in Washington as a concession to the still popular Pathfinder at least among Radical Republicans Fremont was assigned to command the mountain Department which included included Western Virginia Eastern Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky in June 1862 after several failed actions in the region Fremont resigned returning to New York and began plotting his future in 1864 Fremont again became a thorn in Lincoln's side helping to create the radical Democracy party and accepting its nomination as their candidate for president the new party effectively split the Republican an Lincoln adroitly maneuvered to assuage The Radical Republicans who supported Fremont's candidacy and in September of that year the Pathfinder announced his withdrawal from the election he and Jesse purchased an estate in New York which they named pocoo near Sleepy Hollow having retired from politics with his withdrawal from the election of 1864 Fremont turned to his business interests his fabulous gold strike in California had by then petered out and his railroad Investments soon followed the panic of 1873 wiped out what remained of the rest of his fortune he was forced to sell pocoo in 1875 and returned to New York City in 1878 president Rutherford B Hayes appointed Fremont as the governor of the Arizona territory the fremonts found life in Arizona not to their taste and they spent so little time there that he was eventually directed to remain in the territory and attend to his duties or resign he resigned in 1881 and he and Jesse remained in New York and a house on Staten Island dependent on her writing income to make ends meet Jesse wrote several books on her experiences in the west including four which were published prior to her husband receiving an army pension in 1890 shortly after that fortuitous event the Pathfinder was taken ill he died on July 1890 of peritonitis in his bedroom at home on Staten Island Fremont's name is attached to counties cities towns and numerous pontari across the United States historians regard his exploratory Expeditions as major contributors to the opening of the American West and his Fame during his life spread throughout the continent and to Europe as well yet his military and political careers were checkered with self-serving irregularities which still adversely affect his reputation John Fremont followed his own path regardless of where it led him and left behind a legacy for others to sort out indifferent to the results well I certainly hope you enjoyed this video and found it informative if you did be sure to do all that algorithmic jazz and check the links in the description while you're at it I'm Eric Malachite and I'll see you next time space cowboy

Channel: Biographics

Views: 14,608

Keywords: biographics, biography, biographies, people, famous people, karl smallwood, history, john c fremont, united states, expansion

Id: taGhYEEyFxQ

Length: 25min 19sec (1519 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 25 2024