 Frontier fighters following the immortal trailblazers into the wilderness of early Western America Among these pathfinders none has a more secure place in history than John Charles Fremont scientist soldier and explorer In 1841 Fremont then a junior lieutenant in the army married Jesse Benton a senator's daughter Isn't it glorious? What's glorious the weather the spring flowers or you my love neither you silly goose I mean I've been married of course darling. I have something to tell you not this dressing I hope John dear depends on how you look at it You're a soldier's bride remember so keep that pretty chin up. I'll be brave. Tell me the secretary of war is issued orders That I'm to explore the Western country between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, but you've only just returned from one expedition I'll speak to father. He's a senator. You know who do you know good the purpose of this expedition is more than exploration It has an international aspect International yes, I'm to aid the immigrant movement to Oregon and in so doing so convent probable British control of that territory When Fremont returned to Washington from his first Western exploration He was immediately ordered to return to the Rockies to make a more thorough and a more scientific survey of the interior wilderness And to coordinate his maps with those of the Pacific slope May 29th 143 Some of Fremont's company of adventurers are examining a squat brass cylinder in one of the mule carts in the little town of Kansas On the Missouri frontier. It's Patrick. You're a mountain man who's seen everything, but did you ever see the like of this? Well, I'll swan Talbot. What is it? I ain't got no idea. Hmm. I never saw anything like it before here comes Maxwell Let's see if he knows what it is. Maxwell. What do you see in this cart here? The loaders must have made a mistake that don't belong to us. Give me a hand boys, and we'll leave it out All together now boys What's your boys doing? Oh, that's brass thing post don't belong to us. We're even it out leave it in the car That's a cannon a 12 pounder. Oh, yeah, Freeman is taking it along to use against the red savages if they molest us Look man under the sacs Powder well and shot enough to start a war Well, then let's fire a parting to the loot to the Missouri settlements and a successful journey westward under a gallant soldier a great engineer and a gentleman born a Few months later at a small Mexican settlement on the Arkansas river when we get the same brains That's Patrick the party will divine you go direct to Fort Hall while I'll take the longer route to Green River Yes, sir. Okay. I haven't come up the hill. I've been watching him probably a curious Mexican. Oh, that's no Mexican That's our new guide into the Rockies gentlemen a cannon salute to the greatest frontiersmen of us all Kit Carson With the famous Kit Carson as his personal guide Fremont and his men plotted 300 miles through a region never before trod by white feet Salt Lake was Fremont's immediate objective, which he was the first to explore One day in a collapsible boat Calvin and not these waters sublime after being so long shot in by those mountain walls Yes, sir, but I'd rather be exploring the shores with Kit Carson instead of riding around on this wobbly cramp Bruce, what do you think of all this blue liquid beauty? I see no beauty only black storm clouds and shore disaster Unless we get a short week That's a scientist in you, Bruce. No poetry. No soul only cold logic Yes, no poetry in a heavy storm here Fremont in the middle of this inland sea in a leaky boat I don't like those cars either commander and we're several miles from shore Yes, it's not quick happy month back to land easy now no panic every man take an or yes, Bruce you bail Yes, sir. I'll set the stroke ready one two one One one one two don't upset the craft Bruce they'll they'll it comes in faster than I can feed Get darker to every minute. You help Bruce tell us a faster now with a stroke one two One two one two. Why did you never make it here? Preman divan is over my ankles already nonsense Bruce. It's a very close to shore now. You better I smell land land Yes, and here we are Oh Yes, Bruce, bless your logical German heart just listen to the heavenly poetry in that thunder and those falling raindrops When the expedition reached the Columbia River Fremont left his men half starved to personally request supplies from the Hudson Bay Company's trading post at Fort Vancouver In Dr. John McLaughlin the factor Fremont meets a kindred spirit Welcome to Fort Vancouver Fremont delighted to see you again doctor But it's good to get out of the wilderness even for a few days. I agree with you Can I be of any help? I need supplies food for three months, and you shall have them Never in the honorable history of the Hudson Bay Company as it refused food or shelter to any man Shortly after midnight November 25th 1843 Sierra Nevada the stars are brilliant and the weather bitterly cold Men we have two objectives a mysterious Mary's Lake and an unknown stream called the Buenaventura River Which is supposed to flow from Salt Lake to San Francisco Bay To discover these places will be a difficult task and may cost us our lives Anyone wish to remain here until spring? No Very well, it's almost one o'clock so forward December 16th after a difficult and heartbreaking passage over the mountains Fremont stood on top of the sheer eastern wall of the Sierra Nevada's Looking out over the vast floor of the Great Basin many hundred feet below Kid Carson, did you ever see anything more beautiful? Captain Fremont Proust was right, right? What do you mean kid captain? You may be a soldier by profession and engineer by training and an explorer board or the secretary of war Captain Fremont you're a poet at heart nothing Then who could see anything pretty in that sandy wind blown devil's dance hall down there below with a port like yourself Proust bitten their eyeballs seared by the snow-reflected rays of the brilliant cold winter sun The Fremont party labored mightily facing death at every turn as it made its slow descent to the level of the basin Christmas Day 1843 I'm a little tuggered out captain then get into one of the cars Talbot. Oh, no Mules got all they can do now. Proust. Yes. Yes. Yeah, we'll make a halt soon. Oh, yes, my hair to celebrate Yes, you can sing if you're strong enough But when we stop we'll throw out that cannon so Talbot can ride. No, no, no captain Fremont. I am all right now It's the brister on my foot We'll sing you bet but let's keep the cannon. Let's keep the cannon New Year's Day was even more gloomy than Christmas all hope of discovering Mary's Lake and the Buena Ventura River gone Fremont's only course was to continue down the east side of the Sierra Nevada's keeping close to the base of the mountains Half-starved nearly naked foot sore and weary but unshaken in its faith in its great leader The party reached an Indian village at Pyramid Lake where the men dropped in their tracks exhausted Look here Fremont a savage comes. I see improved Help me to my feet Fitzpatrick It's a chief and Redskins chiefs require a dignified reception welcome. Oh my white brother Thank you red dweller along the water my white brother look weak They need food. Yes. Oh red chief Our fair has been meager the trail has been long and worrisome my braves are in their canoe on the lake Soon they bring fish fish I could eat a trout roar head tails fin and skin Our great white father's blessing on you my red brother and on your braves who bring us sorely needed food To save the expedition from total annihilation Fremont determined to recross the mountains and to explore, California, which many said should now be taken from Mexico Up up up into the pathless limitless mountains climbed the heroic party The nights were too cold for sleep in places. The snow was 20 feet deep on February 13th 1844 Fremont's pet dog was killed for food on February 21st the company reached the summit of the Sierra to look down on a scene of exquisite natural beauty in The distance shimmered San Francisco Bay Their captain Fremont is Mexico Mexico. Oh, yes, I'd almost forgotten Upper California was a Mexican province war. What do you mean captain? Was a Mexican problem? I have a premonition that Patrick that's poor it again every time he sees a fine view Our gallant leader becomes a poet gentlemen I have a feeling that the United States of America will soon welcome into the foals of the stars and stripes our new territory California Because John Charles Fremont brought boundless enthusiasm patriotism vivid imagination Scientific skill and valor to his task as explorer his place in American history is permanent and secure Thus closes another inspiring chapter in the lives of those frontier fighters who with their brains They're drawn in off-times. They're very blood thrust America's boundaries ever westward toward the setting sun