Biographical Notes
Stephen Watts Kearny
Commodore Stockton's replacement, Commodore W. Branford Shubrick, recognized Kearny's superior rank and position and cooperated fully with him. In February additional orders arrived from Washington which confirmed Kearny as the senior American on land in California. On March 1, 1847, Commodore Shubrick and General Kearny issued a joint circular clarifying the authority of both and making it clear that Kearny was in charge of establishing the civil government of the new territory. On March 6 Kearny issued a proclamation announcing that he was the governor of California as well as commander of the newly created Tenth Military District. (Also in March Commodore Shubrick was replaced by Commodore James Biddle. Like Shubrick, Biddle respected Kearny's position and the two men enjoyed good working relations.)
Relations between Fremont and Kearny continued to be difficult and Fremont's actions with regard to an order for the mustering out of the California Battalion were regarded as obstructionist. At one point Fremont challenged the officer who was ultimately to succeed Kearny as governor, Colonel Richard B. Mason, to a duel. Mason accepted the challenge but Kearny forbade the duel. At the end of May 1847, Kearny named Colonel Mason to replace him in both his military and civilian duties and left Monterey to travel overland to Fort Leavenworth. Kearny ordered Fremont to accompany him. (While crossing the Sierra Mountains, Kearny's party passed by the site of the Donner tragedy and buried the remains of those who had died there.) On arrival in Fort Leavenworth on August 22, Kearny arrested Fremont and ordered him to report to Washington D.C. for court-martial.
Kearny was, of course, a witness in Fremont's court-martial and participated in the controversial trial from November 2, 1847, through January 31, 1848. Senator Benton vigorously defended his son-in-law and succeeded in raising doubt in many people's minds about Kearny's true motives in the case. In the end, however, Fremont was found guilty of mutiny, disobedience of a lawful command, and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline. He was sentenced to be dismissed from the service. On February 16 President Polk endorsed the verdict of the court-martial, but ordered that Fremont be reinstated in the Army. Fremont, claiming that he had done nothing to warrant the court's decision, resigned his commission on February 19.
After the trial, Kearny was transferred to Veracruz where he was assigned as commander and military governor on April 7, 1848. While in Veracruz, Kearny became seriously ill (yellow fever and dysentery were rampant). He was transferred to Mexico City and named governor on May 23. The major fighting in Mexico had ended and his primary duties revolved around the withdrawal of American forces from Mexico. In July, still ill, he was transferred to St. Louis and on July 30 was given command of the Sixth Military Department with headquarters at Jefferson Barracks. On September 7, 1848, he was promoted to brevet major general. Kearny died on October 31, 1848 in the home of a friend in St. Louis.
