States that were concentrated at San Diego were entirely recruited, and in fine trim for taking the field again.  At the expiration of this time, a command of six hundred men was detailed for the purpose of capturing Los Angelos.  The commanding officers of this force were General Kearney and Commodore Stockton.  At Los Angelos was assembled the main strength of the Mexicans then in California; the number of their fighting men was about seven hundred.  Towards this town the Americans took up their line of march, and, in the course of a few days, they arrived within fifteen miles of it.  The Mexican forces had taken a strong position on a hill, near by where they had pitched their tents and strongly fortified their camp.  Between the Americans’ and the enemy’s camp ran a small river.  It was decided to postpone the attack until the following day.  Early the next morning, General Kearney ordered two pieces of artillery to be brought to bear upon the Mexican position.  The guns were so well and successfully served, that the Mexicans were forced to break up their camp.  As soon as this state of things became apparent, General Kearney and Commodore Stockton crossed the river and marched on the town.  On entering Los Angelos, they found that it had been evacuated by the Mexicans, and that only a few stragglers remained in or near the place.  From some of these they learned that the retreating army had gone to attack Col.  Fremont; who, with a force of four hundred Americans collected in Monterey, was also on the march for Los Angelos.  It turned out afterwards that the Mexicans succeeded in finding Col.  Fremont, but, for unknown reasons, failed to give him battle, as they had boasted they would; but instead, they gave him the preference over the other American commanders by surrendering to him.  Col.  Fremont continued his journey, and finally reached Los Angelos, where he and all the officers and men heretofore spoken of as engaged in this campaign, rested for the winter, and managed to pass the time very agreeably, considering their remote position.  Carson, who had, for a great length of time, been rendering valuable services to Kearney, rejoined Fremont, when that officer arrived in town, and once more enrolled himself on his old commander’s muster roll.

We have said that the cold and dreary winter days were passed at Los Angelos as agreeably and happily as the circumstances of the case would permit.  This is only true to a certain extent.  It was at Los Angelos, and during this winter, that the seeds of discord were first sown between the rival commanders, and the plot carefully laid, which finally led to Colonel Fremont’s court martial.  Rank, with its green-eyed monster, jealousy, which is ever watching with a restless and caustic determination to snatch from the subaltern his hard-earned laurels, was actively at work during these winter months.  By the programme, cut and dried, the ambitious young soldier, who was nobly breasting the conflicts against the enemies