NARRATOR: Previously on
"The Men Who Built America-- Frontiersmen." 40 years after Daniel Boone
crossed the Appalachians, the American frontier
now reaches as far west as the Great Plains. [shouting] [non-english]. NARRATOR: Famed Shawnee war
chief Tecumseh falls in battle, and with him dies the dream
of a pan-Indian homeland. Fire! [cannon fire] NARRATOR: Andrew Jackson
defeats Great Britain in the War of 1812, a
victory that propels him to the presidency. His bitter rival, Davy
Crockett, seeks a fresh start in the Mexican
territory of Texas. Could use somebody
like you, Crockett. NARRATOR: What he
finds instead-- Our Texas. MEN: Our Texas. NARRATOR: --is a
fight for freedom that will make him a legend. [MUSIC - ZAYDE WOLF, "BORN
READY"] (SINGING) I've been the last
one standing when all the giants fell. I won't shiver, I won't shake. I'm made of stone,
I don't break. Staring at the pressure now, I
won't quit, not backing down. I was born, born ready. I was born, born ready. In my eyes, turn me
loose, and you'll see why. I was born, born ready. NARRATOR: At a Garrison
in Southern Texas known as the Alamo, nearly 260
men, women, and children prepare for a siege. Among their commanders
is celebrated frontiersman Davy Crockett. Outside the walls, close
to 5,000 Mexican troops, led by the ruthless
General Santa Anna, surround the mission. The Texians believed
that Santa Anna's troops were two months out. But once Crockett
got to the Alamo, and it became clear that
Santa Anna's troops were on the march, and they were
much closer than had been anticipated, there was
no getting out of it at this point for Crockett. All right, close it up. All right, defend the walls. Go, go, go. This massive, well-trained
army surrounding this little mission in the
middle of the desert. The Alamo looks like a complete
disaster waiting to happen. NARRATOR: Outnumbered
15 to 1, Crockett knows the odds of survival are bleak. There's a thing that happens
when death's at the door. Most people don't know when the
reaper's gonna show up, right? Hopefully, you die in
peace, or you die quickly. When you see the reaper
standing outside the door, and you know he's
coming in here for us, your world just kind of lends
perspective in that moment. What was important? What's not important? Who I wished I
would've talked to. Man, it's a hell of a
thing to go through that. [cannon fire] [cannon fire] [gunshot] NARRATOR: Over the course of an
hour, Crockett and the Texans repel the Mexican
advances three times. [gunfire] [cannon fire] But Santa Anna is relentless,
accepting heavy losses to breach the fortress. [cannon fire] [non-english speech] Santa Anna sent his troops
from many different sides, wave after wave after wave of men
who scaled ladders and swarmed, literally like locusts. [gunshots] Davy Crockett did what many
American patriots have done, and that is decide to
stay and fight for a cause in the face of an
attacking enemy. And it speaks volumes about
him and about his character. [gunshot] NARRATOR: 90 minutes
after the battle begins, the Mexican army
takes the Alamo. Almost all of the fort's
defenders are killed. Most accounts
suggest that Crockett was in some of the
heaviest fighting, and that he was one of the
last remaining survivors. They were led out and executed
right in front of Santa Anna. Then they were loaded into
three separate human pyres and lit aflame. For Crockett to live this
incredible life on the frontier and then die at the Alamo
sealed him as legendary. Davy Crockett was not this
kind of backwoods outdoorsman entirely. He was a man with great
political ambitions who got into trouble
because he was also very independent-minded,
so he wouldn't always play ball with the
political establishment. Crockett was always the
congressman of the little guy. It is that underdog struggle,
fighting against a tyranny. And so the story
of Davy Crockett, going down swinging, fighting
to the very last man, the very last breath, feeds the legend of
the king of the wild frontier. NARRATOR: Word of the
slaughter at the Alamo soon spreads across the
country, enraging Americans. In Washington,
President Andrew Jackson sees the defeat in Texas
as a much bigger concern. By 1836, Mexico is a
significant territorial rival in North America. Mexico controls land
stretching from California to the border of Oregon,
covering more than 1.7 million square miles. The US hasn't added a new
state since Missouri in 1821, and the promise of expansion
west feels stalled. Andrew Jackson was
among those Americans who believed that Texas ought
to be part of the United States. But Jackson was also a man with
a keen strategic sense, who wanted to strike at
the right moment. He didn't want to
have a war with Mexico just then, didn't think
the time was right. NARRATOR: If Texas can
win its own independence, Jackson can bring
it into the Union. Until then, his hands are tied. Fortunately for
Jackson, one Texan sees the crushing loss of
the Alamo as an opportunity. His name is Sam Houston. Crockett and Sam Houston
both served in Andrew Jackson's militia during the Creek War. Houston became famous for the
Battle of Horseshoe Bend, where he was impaled through
the groin with an arrow and had one of his other
soldiers yank it out, and he just kept on fighting. And Houston also was really
a rugged frontiersman. NARRATOR: Houston
is now the leader of some 370 untrained men. They comprise the army
of Texas, and their fight for independence isn't over. To increase his numbers in the
face of a much larger enemy, Houston calls on Texans
to avenge Crockett's death and remember the Alamo. The way I see it-- The defeat at the Alamo ended
up creating a great rallying cry of patriotism to
fight for independence and to fight to the death,
to fight to the end. It is really important
that we make sure-- NARRATOR: Hundreds
of angry Texans are drawn to the
cause of independence. In just a month, Houston's
army swells to nearly 1,000. Their position's near
the San Jacinto River, right in the path of
General Santa Anna and 1,500 Mexican troops. Just six weeks after
Crockett's death at the Alamo, Sam Houston takes his revenge,
unleashing 900 furious Texans against a larger Mexican force. Santa Anna is camped near
the San Jacinto River, where the Texans surprise them. [cannon fire] Ultimately, the Battle of San
Jacinto only lasted 18 minutes. It was a chaotic 18 minutes. I don't think anyone expected
the battle to go this way. NARRATOR: Over 630 Mexican
soldiers are killed. The Texans suffer
just 11 casualties. The crushing defeat leads
to Mexico's surrender. And Texas finally
wins independence. Back in Washington, DC,
Jackson welcomes the news. He's dreamed of Texas
joining the US for years. But the future of Texas is
caught in the growing debate over slavery. Congress wasn't willing
to go along with annexation because Texas would enter
the Union with slavery, and the addition of Texas would
tip the balance in the Senate in favor of the
pro-slavery side. The result of this was that
Texas remained in this limbo for almost a decade. NARRATOR: In 1837, Jackson's
presidency ends with one goal unfulfilled-- a nation stretching all
the way to the Pacific. Andrew Jackson remained
politically involved even after he retired. He was writing constant
letters to people, giving very strong
opinions about the subject after subject after subject. And he was a man who believed
in the expansion of the United States. NARRATOR: Expansion in the
Southwest may be stalled, but the United States still
has a claim in the Northwest. Located between British
Canada and Mexico's holdings, the Oregon Territory
is 250,000 square miles of disputed land, claimed by
Britain, Native Americans, and the US. Lewis and Clark planted a
flag here four decades ago. But to truly own it,
the US needs settlers, and that's a problem. Americans really didn't
know how to make it to Oregon. They were aware that there was
very fertile farmland there, but no one was exactly
sure how to make it there. And the entire prospect
of traveling all the way across the nation was
understandably daunting. NARRATOR: So in 1842, the United
States Army sends a lieutenant from the Topographical Corps. His name is John C. Fremont. His mission-- map a route
from Missouri to Oregon that wagon trains of
pioneers can safely travel. John C. Fremont is
actually an illegitimate son. He's born in poverty. He gets a mentor who actually
goes on to become Secretary of War, who gets
him a job serving on the upper Mississippi River. Fremont was vainglorious,
arrogant, extremely ambitious. He didn't just want
to be an explorer. He wanted to be a senator,
he wanted to be president. NARRATOR: But he's never
been west of the Mississippi. So he turns to the most
skilled guide on the frontier-- Kit Carson. Kit Carson came from
very humble origins. He had no formal education. He was illiterate. Yet he was incredibly
knowledgeable about the land of the West. He spoke multiple languages. He had relationships
with native tribes. He knew the topography. He knew how to fight. He knew how to hunt. So here is somebody who had
an invaluable knowledge that allowed him to go
between both worlds. NARRATOR: Growing up, Carson was
raised among frontier legends and mastered wilderness
skills at an early age. Carson was born in Kentucky,
and he moved to Missouri as a child. His family became close
friends with the Boone's. They lived in a place
called Boone's Lick. The Carson family, of
course, was quite well aware of Daniel Boone and his legend. There was this desire to keep
that westward movement going, to keep finding the frontier,
to keep breaking ground. They were literally
carving a civilization out of the wilderness there. NARRATOR: By age 16,
he left home for good, hungry for adventure. Now with Fremont, he'll
embark on a mission that will test all of his skills. Fremont and Carson were
a bit of an odd couple. They were completely opposite. Today, we might say Fremont
was a bit of a nerd, and Carson was the cool kid. Carson was rugged and had
experience in the frontier. He didn't seek fame or fortune. He didn't look
for the spotlight. And so these two, in
many ways, couldn't have been more different,
but at the same time, complemented each
other very well. NARRATOR: Over the
course of five months, Fremont and Carson lead some
three dozen men more than 2,000 miles through treacherous
terrain, known for extreme changes in
temperature and altitude. This expedition was
very, very dangerous. They were going to parts
of the world that had never been explored before. They were a small party. They were relatively well-armed,
but they could always be ambushed. And certainly, Fremont
understood that and was very, very glad to
have a guide like Carson. [thunder rumbling] NARRATOR: On October 24,
1843, Fremont and Carson finally reach the
Oregon Territory. We made it. NARRATOR: The path they
chart becomes famous-- the Oregon Trail. It paves the way
for 400,000 settlers to move West in the decades to
come, opening a new frontier and strengthening the United
States claim to the Northwest. One year after Carson
and Fremont reach Oregon, the 1844 campaign for the
presidency is underway. In my opinion, our
national security requires the
annexation of Texas, and should not stop until
our domain extends from ocean to ocean. [applause] NARRATOR: Dark horse candidate
James K. Polk believes in one thing above all-- expanding America's borders. It's a vision he shares with
his mentor, Andrew Jackson. We're vulnerable
here and here. And we're going to continue to
be vulnerable unless we secure our borders to the
South and to the West. I couldn't agree more. Andrew Jackson was
known as Old Hickory, because he was so tough. James K. Polk was known
as Young Hickory, the idea being that he was a sapling
in Andrew Jackson's model. The last two presidents
have done nothing. They're useless. They're afraid to act. We have to take Texas. That has to be our
first priority. Polk was a younger
generation of politician. As the 1844 election
approached, Jackson made clear that if you were a
supporter of Andrew Jackson, you would go with James Polk. [applause] Pork is able to capitalize on
the legacy of Andrew Jackson, this idea that Americans have
a right, in fact, a duty, a responsibility, to
continue to expand westward, that ultimately, it's this
God-given dictate that they must fulfill. And Polk is able to turn that
into a political agenda that serves his own
political designs. NARRATOR: Polk rides a
wave of popular support to the White House,
then immediately delivers on his
campaign promise. By his first days
in office, Texas is on its way to
becoming the 28th state, adding another 300,000
square miles to the nation. So Polk does what I wish more
presidential candidates would do, says he's going to
do this, this, and this. And he's only going to serve
one term so that he can step on a lot of toes, and
deny the special interests, and just pursue what
he's elected to do. NARRATOR: The move
fulfills Andrew Jackson's long-held dream to
make Texas a state. But he doesn't live
to see it come true. Jackson's legacy was firmly
establishing the principle that the ordinary
people of America wielded political power. He was a self-made individual. He didn't have an inheritance. He didn't have name
recognition handed to him. Today, people don't
like Jackson largely because Jackson's hard
Indian policy offends modern sensibilities. But what's forgotten
about Jackson is his enormous
positive contributions to hold the United
States together in the face of challenges. Fire! [gunfire] And to defend the United
States against foreign attack. Jackson recognized that
the American experiment in self-government was
an ongoing experiment, and its success
was not guaranteed. He was the one who
really imprinted that on the American psyche. Jackson was emblematic
of the contradictions of the American frontiersmen. It was all jumbled together
in this one huge figure, the impressive and
the not so impressive, and the good and the appalling. NARRATOR: President Polk intends
to build on Jackson's legacy, seizing the final open pieces
of land in North America. Polk isn't content
to just look at Texas. Of course he wants Texas, but
he's going to look broader beyond that. Polk wants the entire continent. NARRATOR: There's
just one concern-- Mexico controls most of it,
including the biggest prize-- California. This is what I want, and this
should not be hard to take. NARRATOR: Overflowing
with natural resources, California also has over
3,000 miles of coastline, offering unparalleled access
to Pacific trade, something every president since
Jefferson has coveted. California is a very
desirable place in the world, very beautiful and very fertile. The Mexicans, of course,
have their claim to it. The British are quite interested
in settling it and expanding the Northwestern
territories for themselves. Americans knew
all about the glory of California, the immense
wealth of California. There was a very important
trade already going on in hides, animal hides. And above all, Americans were
interested in the main ports. Thank you, gentlemen. That will be all. NARRATOR: Polk is determined
to take California. But with Congress unwilling
to start a new war, he devises a secret plan. Using the Texas
rebellion as a model, he'll try to incite an uprising. And the man he chooses
to lead his mission is the most famous
explorer in America. Mr. Fremont. I read your reports. I found them very interesting. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm honored. But I, uh-- don't imagine you
took time out of your schedule just to tell me that. No. No, I didn't invite
you here to talk about your past expeditions,
but rather a future one. Another trail to Oregon? Not exactly. Officially, your mission will
be to map out new territory and to discover the source
of the Arkansas River. Unofficially, when you get
to the Rocky Mountains, I want you to ride
south into California. Once in California, I want you
to talk to the local settlers. And if you can,
incite rebellion. And you're sending me because
you don't want it to appear to be a military operation. Exactly. I just need one
thing from you. And that would be? Kit Carson. President Polk
was purposefully placing an explorer
in a capacity to take advantage of any sort
of instability in California. The idea that he's simply
there in official capacity as an explorer and
a map maker, Polk needed to provide
plausible deniability. NARRATOR: With around
60 heavily-armed men, Fremont moves
towards California, tasked with inciting a rebellion
without starting a war. John Fremont and Kit
Carson are on their way to California, part of
President Polk's covert scheme to extend US borders all
the way to the coast. Polk was an outspoken
expansionists. He wanted Texas. He wanted California. He wanted Oregon. He was going to push out the
American frontier all the way to the Pacific. NARRATOR: Disguised as
a surveying mission, their real goal is to
find American settlers and incite them into
rebelling against Mexico. By winter, Fremont
and Carson arrive at Sutter's Fort, in
modern-day Sacramento, the first American
settlement in California. In California of 1845, there
were about 8,000 to 10,000 people living in California,
mostly Mexican Californians, and about 1,000 or so Americans,
a couple hundred foreigners-- German, British, Swiss. And the Mexicans
did welcome them because California was
a far-flung province and underpopulated. American settlers who pushed
West were looking for land. But in Northern California,
it's really kind of a rabble. A lot of these guys are
drunks, unsavory characters. You look empty there, friend. Can I buy you a drink? Can I ask why you came? Good land. You don't really
own that land, do you? Mexican government does. NARRATOR: Mexico allows
Americans to settle and work the land, but not
to legally own it, infuriating settlers and playing
right into Fremont's hands. Mexico's hold over
California is quite tenuous. And lo and behold, there's John
C. Fremont in the middle of all this, this explorer who
has these secret orders from Washington, who's
very well connected, who's part of the army. Now did you know there's
a Mexican fellow in charge of California? Did you? That's because he
doesn't come around. When Fremont showed up
in California in 1845, he found a populace that
was deeply disenchanted with Mexican rule. It doesn't matter if you
bought the land, if you own the land, if you work
the land, it doesn't even matter if you become
a Mexican citizen, all for the love of your
land, the Mexican government will take it away whenever
they find that convenient. Fremont was very skilled. He was outgoing. And so he attracted a
lot of people to him. Who, by right, owns this land? Who, by right, owns it? Fremont convinced
Californian residents there was fighting to do. MEN: Here, here. California, gentlemen. MEN: California. NARRATOR: In Washington,
Polk impatiently awaits news from Fremont, hoping California
settlers will rise up on their own. He knows Congress won't
approve a war with Mexico unless the US is attacked. Tired of waiting,
Polk sends the army to a disputed border
between Texas and Mexico, certain he can provoke
Mexico to strike first. How many men in
the fifth regiment? Polk was waiting for
Mexico to rise to the bait and attack American forces. He believed that
any war fought was going to result in more
territory for the United States. NARRATOR: On April 25, 1846,
convinced American troops are invading, Mexico assaults
a US patrol, killing 11, giving Polk exactly the
provocation he needs. Polk went to
Congress, and he said, American blood has been
shed on American soil. And despite our best efforts
to prevent war with Mexico, they have attacked us. Now this was a lie. In fact, the land in question
was not American land. I won't say that this
is the only instance in American history in
which, let's say, we fudged some things in order to
get something we wanted through an act of aggression,
but this is certainly a great example. NARRATOR: Mere weeks
after the attack, the US declares war on Mexico. In California, Fremont
receives a message from Polk. His mission is no longer secret. It's time to attack. Fremont equips a ragtag army
with rifles, then marches toward present-day Sonoma. His goal-- win California
for Polk at any cost. Following orders
from President Polk, John Fremont leads a
militia of 100 men south. His mission-- seize
California for the US. He plans first to attack
Sonoma, the largest settlement in Northern California. Then he hopes to continue
south to Monterey, Los Angeles, and finally, San Diego. Let's go. The Americans are relatively
few in number, but because of John C. Fremont,
they're going to make their presence
known much more loudly than their
numbers would indicate. NARRATOR: Relying on
grit and determination, Fremont and Kit Carson begin
their improbable conquest. If there's one thing
that marks John C. Fremont, it's his ambition. He was driven to succeed. He was driven to be independent. And I think the frontier,
for John C. Fremont, represented the route to secure
his ambition-- notoriety, fame, wealth. That's what California offered. NARRATOR: As word of Fremont's
revolt begins to spread, other settlers join the fight. They call themselves Los
Osos, Spanish for "the bears." On June 14, 1846,
Fremont's fighters reach Sonoma, but are surprised
to find the Mexican outpost virtually undefended. [shouting] They capture it in what becomes
known as the Bear Flag Revolt. To mark their victory,
they raise a makeshift flag made from a cotton sheet and
decorated with a red grizzly bear. The design will later inspire
the state flag of California. All right, let's go. This revolt that
begins to emerge, it was enough of a movement to
take hold at least in Northern California and to
start this process of the American
conquest of California. NARRATOR: In just two
months, with few casualties, Fremont and Carson conquer
most of California's coast. Under the direction of
Fremont, this rabble of guys have accomplished
this great feat. Never before in history
had so much terrain been won with so little
conflict, with so little bloodshed, and won by such a
small party of individuals. NARRATOR: Polk's plan to win
California seems to be working, but without communication,
he has no idea if Fremont and Carson are even alive. To hedge his bets, he
dispatches a cavalry force from Texas, led by
General Stephen Kearny. Stephen Watts Kearny
has been an officer. He's known Lewis and Clark. And Polk orders him West
to go and capture Santa Fe, and then continue on
down the Rio Grande, and eventually strike
westward to California. NARRATOR: In early August
1846, Fremont and Carson reach Los Angeles. After joining forces with
US Marines sent by Polk, they seize the
city, and with it, the final Mexican
stronghold in California. It's kind of incredible. Fremont took California against
relatively light resistance. It fell into American hands
partly because of the skill and bravery of someone
like John C. Fremont, but partly because
of pure good fortune, because it was there
for the taking. It was at that point Fremont
assumed that California was theirs, that they had taken it. They believed that Mexicans
weren't really good soldiers. They believed that they
were sort of indifferent, politically. And they took this as a sign
that California was theirs. NARRATOR: Fremont,
always ambitious, wants to share his good
news with Polk quickly. Fremont decides
now is the time to let Washington know
what has happened, to let Polk know
what has happened, to sort of solidify the victory. Fremont was interested in
expanding his own celebrity, making this conquest part
of his own personal story. Fremont decides to
send a courier east. Who am I going to
hire to do this? Well, why not the most
competent and pragmatic, strongest member
of my expedition-- Kit Carson? NARRATOR: Adept at
survival, Carson picks the fastest
route possible, even though it means
crossing hundreds of miles of inhospitable desert. The famed frontiersman is
unaware he's about to face his most grueling test yet. By 1846, Kit Carson is
one of the few Americans to ever reach California. Now he's undertaking
a new epic quest-- to cross the continent and
hand-deliver an urgent message to President James
K. Polk, sharing that Fremont and his army
have taken California. He sets out from Los
Angeles with orders to travel to
Washington and back-- a distance of 6,000 miles-- in 140 days. We have to remind
ourselves that there was no transcontinental railroad. There was no telegraph. There was only one way to
get a message to Washington, and that was to travel overland. And this is exactly
the kind of expedition that Carson was perfect for. NARRATOR: But the most direct
route across the country cuts through one of the most
hostile places in America-- the Sonoran Desert. Well, for Kit Carson to
cross the desert in what's now the Southwest would be
a very difficult situation. There's the danger of
heatstroke, of getting lost. There are many dangers. Dehydration would be a huge one. NARRATOR: Carson's
frontier skills make him uniquely
suited for this test. He survives for weeks
by harvesting water from creek beds and cactus
roots buried below the ground. Carson knew where to
find water in a cactus. He had a little trick where he
would nick the ear of a mule and drink its blood. He had all these little
tricks up his sleeve. NARRATOR: But it's not enough
to overcome the relentless heat of the Sonoran summer. Typically, say, a 155-pound
male would need about 1 and 1/2 liters of water a
day to stay alive. If you're crossing a desert in
the heat, instead of 1.5 liters a day, you need
1.5 liters an hour. NARRATOR: After traveling
more than 1,000 miles, Carson's life is in danger. In the desert, as one's
body becomes dehydrated, one's blood is actually
thickening like oil. The water inside your
cells is being drawn out to thin your thickening
blood, so your body is sucking itself dry. And these changes can
occur in the brain as well. Hallucinations typically
accompany severe dehydration. The victim can hallucinate
pools of water. In the latter stages, they
will try to bite their own arm and suck the liquid out. NARRATOR: Then finally,
relief is on the horizon. Kit Carson gets to
a spot in New Mexico and sees this cloud of
dust coming from the West. Well, who is this? What's going on? It turns out to be
the army of the West. NARRATOR: Under the
orders of President Polk, General Stephen Kearny has spent
the last six months driving towards California. CARSON: If you have any extra
supplies you could share, I'd appreciate it. KEARNY: Where is
it you're headed? Washington. I have a message
I need to relay. Where from? California. That's where we're headed. We ride out in the morning. What you say your name was? Kit Carson. Your Fremont's guide. The meeting between
Carson and Kearny is one of the most serendipitous
meetings in American history. General Kearny had
heard of Carson. He knew about his exploits. He knew that Carson had
just been over this very inhospitable terrain. He needed a guide. Just as Fremont earlier
had needed a guide, now Kearny needed a guide to
get him back to California. So Kearny has to
pull rank, basically. Look, I'm a general. You're going to do
what I tell you to do. I need you. You get some rest. We move out first
thing in the morning. Kearny recognized that Carson
was an experienced guide, had been on these
expeditions with Fremont. And I think Kearny has
made a sound decision. He said, you know where you're
going, take me in to San Diego. Carson, always the
dutiful soldier, accepts the orders begrudgingly
and returns with Kearny. So Carson is
guiding Kearny West, and he probably is fuming. He's resentful. He probably hates
this expedition. But there he is again,
moving back and forth across this huge nation. NARRATOR: Carson heads
back into the desert, unaware that he's walking
straight into a war. It's been two months since John
Fremont dispatched Kit Carson east to Washington in a
race to deliver the news that they've taken California. But Carson's
mission has changed. Now he's heading back west,
leading General Kearny's troops to San Diego. Stephen Kearny was the
commander of the American army of the West. He was sent by Polk to
advance into Mexican territory to secure California
for the United States. And Kit Carson is saying,
don't worry about California. Fremont's already
captured California. Well, Kearny's in a
little bit of a quandary. He's been told to do this. He's a good military officer. He's going to follow orders. NARRATOR: The slow-moving
army takes eight weeks to retrace Carson's steps
through the Sonoran Desert. Kearny sends Carson ahead
to scout the best route. 50 miles outside of San
Diego, Carson discovers that Mexico is
far from defeated, and its army is on the move. They get near San Diego. Carson rides ahead. And wait a minute-- California is not conquered. Everything is kind
of turned around now. The Americans have lost ground. NARRATOR: Initially,
Fremont's troops encountered almost
no resistance, taking towns from
Sausalito to Los Angeles. But now, the Mexican
Army has surged north, reclaiming the territory, and
Fremont is trying to regroup. Fremont sends Carson back
to basically say, we've won, and everybody should celebrate. Well, those greetings were
a little bit premature. Essentially, the Mexican Army
had regrouped and reorganized, were ready to defend their land. How many of them were there? Hundred, maybe more. Well-mounted, too. Kearny's men have marched
from Santa Fe, New Mexico. His men are cold and tired. It's raining. His powder is wet. And despite all of
this, Kearny thinks he can engage with
the Mexican Army. We have to attack. You with me? Yes, sir. Carson was the sort of guy you
would want to have on your side if you were in a firefight. He has an incredible
violent streak. He was a violent man
even for his times. Once he's perceived that this
was a violent situation he was about to enter into, he
went for the jugular. Charge! [shouting] [gunfire] Keep moving forward. Keep the pressure up. Kearny completely
underestimates the Mexican presence. And there's disorganization
amongst the Americans, a bit of overzealousness. And the result is Kearny's
men get stretched out, and the Mexicans are able
to take advantage of this. [shout] [gunshot] Carson is momentarily
unconscious. Then he stands up
and finds his rifle. And he begins to pick
off the enemy one by one. It's classic Carson. Carson grew up with
a gun in his hand. He could shoot straight. He was calm. He was composed. He would dispatch you
as quickly as possible. He would talk about
a firefight and say, that was the prettiest
fight I ever saw. Almost like a mafia killer. The Mexicans
suffered some wounded, but it's this point that Kearny
realizes he's in trouble. Kearny himself was nearly
killed in this conflict. It's nip and tuck
whether they're going to survive this thing. Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! [explosion] They have to regroup
and create a perimeter, and it's the beginning
of a siege, basically. The siege at San Pasqual
goes on for several days. And Kearny realizes that they're
not going to survive this. They don't have
enough food and water, and ammunition to
hold out much longer. What he needs to do is
find out whether there are any other American
forces in the area. How many troops you
think are still out there? More than we've got. We need to sneak someone
through enemy lines, get word to San Diego. I'll do it. There's a belief that
somewhere near San Diego is the US Navy and the Marines. And if he can get
reinforcements and get help, that they might be
able to break the siege. So again, who raises his hand? It's Carson. I'll do it. Whenever there's a risky
mission into enemy territory, he's the guy that
raises his hand. NARRATOR: But San
Diego is 40 miles away. And no one knows
if help is there, or if Carson will
survive the journey. Kit Carson has just
volunteered for a mission that could cost his life. To save General
Kearny's trapped army, he will try to reach US Marines
he hopes are in San Diego. You have to imagine the
danger inherent in this mission. Carson has to sneak
through Mexican lines, through enemy territory,
through hills, rock, and cactus, and thorns. It is an unforgiving
environment. And he's not on a horse. He's on hands and knees. He's got to now make his way
across this expanse of desert with prickly pear and
all kinds of cactus. He is traveling in
enemy territory. It's just another one of the
exploits that contributes to the mythology of Kit Carson
as this kind of incredibly plucky, self-reliant guy. NARRATOR: Against
all odds, Kit Carson reaches San Diego in one day. Halt! Who goes there? Hold your fire. Wait, I'm an American. General Kearny sent me. The Mexican army has his
entire battalion surrounded. What? About 35 miles back
across the desert. By the time he makes
it to American lines, his feet are all torn up. He's lacerated. He can't walk. This is one of the great
feats in American history. NARRATOR: After
a brief reprieve, Carson returns to San Pasqual
with 200 reinforcements. As they approach General
Kearny's position, their opposition scatters. The sight of these approaching
Marines, very well-armed, was enough to scatter
the Mexican soldiers. They didn't want
any part of this. NARRATOR: Carson learns Kearny
has survived and now intends to continue his mission. We'll make straight
for San Diego, re-supply, then on to Los Angeles. You think we can take it? We'll see. NARRATOR: As he
prepares to leave, Carson is unaware his friend
John C. Fremont is alive and planning his own mission. Carson hadn't seen
Fremont in a long time now. He didn't know if Fremont
was alive or dead. NARRATOR: He's near Monterey,
trying to gather an army to retake Southern California. By late November, he's amassed
a force of more than 400 men. Determined to
reconquer Los Angeles and burnish his reputation,
Fremont head south. At the same time,
Kearny and Carson plan their own route north. Between them-- the Mexican Army. At stake-- control of
California and the final piece of American Western expansion. President James K. Polk is
determined to seize California. But his plan depends on the
outcome of a battle erupting 3,000 miles away. Los Angeles is Mexico's
final stronghold in the territory, a prize the
Americans want to reclaim. John Fremont closes
in from the north as Kit Carson and General
Kearny move to attack. Think about Los Angeles. You have Kearny
approaching from the south. And Fremont was advancing
along the coastal range and controlled
the Cahuenga Pass. There wasn't really anywhere
for the Mexican Army to go. NARRATOR: Kearny's
army arrives first. Forward! NARRATOR: And overwhelms
the enemy, defeating them in a matter of hours. The combined force
Kearny's soldiers and some American volunteers
pin the Mexican Army down between Fremont's
advancing army from the north and their
combined force in the South. The Mexican Army realizes,
look, we're surrounded, and decided that it
was time to capitulate. NARRATOR: The US flag is
raised over Los Angeles. But the war isn't over. Polk had basically
gotten what he wanted. California was in
American hands. New Mexico was in
American hands. Texas was secure. And Polk decided it was
time for the war to end. Unfortunately, Mexicans had
no interest in ending the war. They were angry, and they
refused to come to terms. NARRATOR: To force
Mexico's hand, Polk launches an invasion. Grabbing California,
United States actually had to land an army on the
coast of Mexico, Veracruz, and then march up
and take Mexico City. NARRATOR: The resulting treaty
finally pushes the frontier to the western coast,
fulfilling the dream of building a nation that spans from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. American expansionism,
this is something that has been on
the agenda right from the American Revolution
with Daniel Boone. So what we see in 1840s is
a fulfillment of the promise of the Founding Fathers,
and even the colonists who arrive and go out
there to get their piece of the American landmass. NARRATOR: The empire of
liberty first imagined by Thomas Jefferson and
championed by Andrew Jackson is achieved by the
unlikeliest of leaders-- James Polk. President Polk is one of our
most underrated presidents. This was a very powerful man, a
guy with very clear intentions. When Polk assumed
office, he looked West, and he saw all that land. And he said, you know what? I want it all. It was really one of
the greatest land grabs in the history of the world, to
take that whole western third of the continent and to get
it all in one generation. If you want to understand
how important Polk's presidency was, just consider this-- California, if it were
an independent country, would be the fifth
largest economy on Earth. Imagine American history
without California, and then imagine Mexican
history with California. The history of the entire
world would be different. NARRATOR: In
California, John Fremont is appointed temporary
governor of the territory. He and his trusted
partner, Kit Carson, parted ways six months before. But now-- Sir. Hello, Carson. It's good to see
you again, sir. NARRATOR: With the war
over, they finally reunite. Carson hadn't seen
Fremont in a long time now. He didn't know if Fremont
was alive or dead. And theirs was a deep
and lasting friendship. So Carson was probably
very, very glad to see him. Well, there's plenty
of work to be done. If you'd like to stay on,
I could certainly use you. Yes, sir. NARRATOR: Fremont goes
on to become California's first Senator,
while Carson fights for the Union in the Civil War. But it's their adventures
on the frontier that make them legends. Fremont's explorations changed
the way Americans thought about the West. Prior to his
explorations, Americans tended to think of the
West as merely a direction. After Fremont, the West becomes
a place with known features. He forces Americans
to see America not as an Atlantic-bound
seaboard nation, more as a continental
nation state. The newspapers
back East called Fremont "the pathfinder." But really, that title
would more appropriately go to Carson. Carson was the real pathfinder. He's the one that kept the
expeditions on track and out of harm's way. These two men just sort
of desperately and rather profoundly needed each other in
order to accomplish everything that they accomplished. NARRATOR: By the end of 1847,
California is officially a US territory. But only 7,000 Americans
are living here. If America wants to hold this
ground, it has to settle it. Polk wanted to get as many
warm bodies on the ground, living there, to start
this process of California, to kind of assert their own
interest in refashioning California as American terrain. There was a policy on the
part of the US government to get as many people out there. Because if you had
boots on the ground, populating these territories,
well, that makes it a fact that this is the
future of America. NARRATOR: And nothing motivates
settlers more then the chance to make a fortune. In January of 1848, the
promise of California pays off when gold
is discovered. This gold rush now
makes this amazing land grab really, really worth it. I mean, this is like
America winning the lottery all of a sudden. NARRATOR: A gold rush will soon
compel thousands to move West. The man who crosses the
country to deliver the message is none other than Kit Carson. The amazing
postscript to this is that Kit Carson meets with
President Polk in December of 1848. And what news is he bringing? He's bringing news
that gold, gold has been discovered
in California. NARRATOR: Gold fever is about
to transform the frontier. With the addition of California,
the United States, at last, stretches from sea to sea. The land itself is sparsely
settled by Americans, until a surprising
discovery in 1848. Gold. Gold was discovered in
California in early 1848. No one expected
anything like this. California, when the
United States acquired it at the end of the
war with Mexico, was about as far from the
civilized portions of America as you could be and still be on
the face of the planet Earth. Nobody expected that California
would be settled in any hurry. NARRATOR: Word of the
find travels quickly, igniting gold fever
across the United States. Soon, over 300,000
pioneers stream into California, one of
the biggest migrations in American history. Once the gold rush is
ignited, all of these men go West on these trails that
had been mapped and charted by Fremont and Carson. This ensures that California is
going to be American territory forever. NARRATOR: Over the
course of the Gold Rush, settlers mine over
750,000 pounds of gold, generating more than $2
billion, over $61 billion today. In 1850, California
becomes the 31st state, completing a chapter
in American history that began 75 years before
on the Appalachian frontier. In many ways, this
was a continuation of the American Revolution. We were 13 colonies, but we kept
pushing west and pushing west. But it wouldn't be
a complete picture until we were a nation
from sea to shining sea. NARRATOR: The
daring frontiersmen who first braved the
wilderness helped to shape the future of America. The American frontier
spirit was right there at the very beginning, during
the American Revolution. That notion where
nothing is going to stop you from going out and
getting your piece of the pie. NARRATOR: As they relentlessly
moved West, seeking new land and opportunity, they clashed
with Native American tribes, determined to defend what
was rightfully theirs. The frontier was both the
dark side and the light side of American expansion. Native people, just
like settler people, need to be counted as Americans. Like any human
being, American Indians fought for their families, for
their nations, for their lands, for their assets,
for their life. We are still here. We have not been exterminated. American Indians are
to be honored for that. And they continue
to fight today. NARRATOR: Brave explorers mapped
the unknown, blazing trails for settlers to follow. Bold and resourceful,
the frontiersmen became American legends. Come on, men. There was always a
fascination with this image of the pathfinder, with buckskin
and rifle, sort of going out into the great unknown. NARRATOR: Icons who inspired
generations with tales of their endurance and skill. The kind of people who would
go to the frontier were tough, and they seemed to relish
danger and the unknown. The frontier was not
for the faint of heart. The frontier was hard, and
it bit back, and it hurt. Fire! [cannon fire] They were willing to
put up with insane risks. This was a world
without outlaws. There were no laws
to be outside of. You kind of created
your own code. NARRATOR: The frontier itself
helped forge the nation's identity and has come to
define the American spirit. Congratulations, Captain. The frontier is
in America's DNA. It is the way we
think of ourselves. We no longer think of ourselves
as a frontier society, but we like to think of
ourselves as these individuals. That was, in essence, frontier. The frontier represented
the quintessence of American opportunity. The frontier disappeared
from American history over 100 years ago. But the frontier remains
very much alive in the way Americans define ourselves.
