Born: 01/21/1813 in Savannah, GA
Died: 07/13/1890 in New York, NY

Fremont, John C., major-general, was born in Savannah,
Ga., Jan. 21, 1813 and was educated at Charleston college, from
which he was expelled before graduation, although subsequently,
in 1836, he was given his degree by the college authorities. 
He became teacher of mathematics on the sloop-of-war "Natchez"
in 1833, on which he took a two-year cruise, and, on returning,
passed the necessary examination and was appointed professor of
mathematics in the U. S. navy.  He was commissioned 2nd lieu-
tenant in the U. S. topographical engineers in 1838, while en-
gaged in exploring the country between the Missouri and the
northern frontier, and in 1842, having suggested a geographical
survey of all the territories of the United States, he was sent
at the head of a party of 28 men to explore the Rocky mountain
region.  In accomplishing this he ascended the highest peak of
the Wind River mountains, which was afterwards known as Fre-
mont's peak.  He next explored the territory between the Rocky
mountains and the Pacific, then a region almost unknown, and
early in 1843 started with a party of 39 men, and, after a
journey of 1,700 miles, reached Great Salt lake.  It was his
report of this region which gave to the Mormons their first
idea of settling in Utah.  He proceeded thence to the tributar-
ies of the Columbia river and in November started upon the re-
turn trip, but, finding himself confronted with imminent danger
of death from cold and starvation, turned west, and, after
great hardship, succeeded in crossing the Sierra Nevada range
and in March reached Sutter's fort in California.  His return
journey was conducted safely by the southern route, and he
reached Kansas in July 1844.  He went on another exploring
expedition in 1845, spending the summer along the continental
divide and crossing the Sierras again in the winter.  Upon re-
fusal of the Mexican authorities to allow him to continue his
explorations, he fortified himself with his little force of 64
men on a small mountain some 30 miles from Monterey, but when
the Mexicans prepared to besiege the place he retreated to Ore-
gon.  He was overtaken near Klamath lake, May 9, 1846, by a
courier with dispatches from Washington, directing him to watch
over the interests of the United States in the territory, there
being reason to fear interference from both Great Britain and
Mexico.  He promptly returned to California, where the set-
tlers, learning that Gen. Castro was already marching against
the settlements, flocked to his camp, and in less than a month
Northern California was freed from Mexican authority.  He re-
ceived a lieutenant-colonel's commission, May 27, and was
elected governor of the territory by the settlers July 4.
Learning on July 10 that Com. Sloat, commanding the American
squadron on the Pacific coast, had seized Monterey, Fremont
joined him and, when Com. Stockton arrived with authority to
establish the power of the United States in California, Fremont
was appointed by him military commandant and civil governor.
Near the end of the year Gen. Kearny arrived with a force of
dragoons and said that he had orders also to establish a gov-
ernment.  Friction between the two rival officers immediately
ensued, and Fremont prepared to obey Stockton and continued as
governor in spite of Kearny's orders.  For this he was tried by
court-martial in Washington, and, after a trial which lasted
more than a year, was convicted, Jan. 31, 1847 of "mutiny,"
"disobedience to the lawful command of a superior officer," and
"conduct to the prejudice of good order and military disci-
pline," and was sentenced to dismissal from the service. 
President Polk approved of the conviction for disobedience and
mutiny, but remitted the penalty and Fremont resigned.  In
Oct., 1848, Fremont started on an independent exploring expedi-
tion with a party of 33 men, and reached Sacramento in the
spring of 1849 after more severe sufferings than those experi-
enced on any of his earlier expeditions.  He represented Cali-
fornia in the United States senate from Sept., 1850, to March,
1851, and in 1853 made his fifth and last exploring expedition,
crossing the Rocky mountains by the route which he had at-
tempted to follow in 1848.  Fremont's known opposition to slav-
ery won him the presidential nomination of the Republican party
in 1856, but in the election he was defeated by Buchanan, who
received 174 electoral votes to Fremont's 114.  Soon after the
beginning of the Civil war Fremont was appointed major-general
in the regular army and assigned to command the newly organized
Western Department with headquarters at St. Louis.  Soon after
the battle of Wilson's creek, Aug. 10, 1861 he proclaimed mar-
tial law, arrested active secessionists, suspended the publica-
tion of papers charged with disloyalty, and issued a proclama-
tion assuming the government of the state and announcing that
he would free the slaves of those in arms against the Union.
This proclamation he refused to withdraw, and on Sept. 11, the
president annulled it as unauthorized and premature.  Fremont
was relieved of his command, Nov. 2, 1861, many complaints hav-
ing been made of his administration, but in March, 1862, he was
placed in command of the Mountain Department of Virginia, Ten-
nessee and Kentucky.  Early in June he pursued the Confederate
Gen. Stonewall Jackson for 8 days, finally engaging him at
Cross Keys, June 8, but permitted him to escape with his army.
When the Army of Virginia was created June 26, to include Gen.
Fremont's corps, with Pope in command, Fremont declined to
serve on the ground that he outranked Pope, and for sufficient
personal reasons.  He then went to New York where he remained
throughout the war, expecting a command, but none was given
him.  He was nominated for the presidency, May 31, 1864, by a
small faction of the Republican party, but, finding but slender
support, he withdrew his name in September.  He subsequently
became interested in the construction of railroads and in 1873,
was prosecuted by the French government for alleged participa-
tion in the swindles connected with the proposed transcontinen-
tal railway from Norfolk to San Francisco, and was sentenced on
default, to fine and imprisonment, no judgment being given on
the merits of the case.  Gen. Fremont was governor of Arizona
in 1878-81, and was appointed major-general on the retired list
by act of Congress in 1890.  He died in New York city, July 13,
1890.


Source: The Union Army, vol. 8