"Kearny's March: The Epic Creation of the American West," by Winston Groom tells the adventurous times of the westward expansion through 1846-47's Manifest Destiny. June 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny, along with his two thousand soldiers, began their epic journey from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, towards California. During their journey, America was heavily involved in territorial expansion. President Polk had been threatening England over the borders in Oregon, while at the same time, Congress had just voted to annex Texas from Mexico. Once the U.S. annexed Texas, Mexico declared war on the United States, and Kearny's Army was sent out with the orders to occupy Mexican territories. After a year of Kearny's expedition, the United States had doubled in size, finally stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, fulfilling Manifest Destiny's "from sea to shining see." While fulfilling America's "destiny", the newly acquired territories caused many disputes, which ultimately contributed to setting the stage for the Civil War. .
Groom's book recounts the thrilling, almost Hollywood-esque adventures and dangers that Kearny and his men encountered while venturing throughout the trail. Kearny's story also coincides along with famous mountain man Kit Carson; as well as Brigham Young and his Mormon followers fleeing religious persecution, and the tragic story of the Donner party; who were trapped in the snow of the Sierra Nevada and ultimately resorted to cannibalism to survive. .
In their adventures, Kearny's march encounters wild Indians, Mexican armies, the dangerous environment of the west, and the California gold rushes. While some of the travelers returned in success, many failed, and didn't even return at all. Without people brave enough and willing to explore the unknown, America would not have accomplished its goal of Manifest Destiny. Since many people picture the manifest destiny movement as prophecy of Americans claiming the land that was rightfully there's by god.
