USA > California > A history of California: the American period > Part 28
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"Policy, as well as humanity, demands, in my humble opinion, such an extension of the "area of freedom" for mankind. If des- erts and mountain chains are wanted as the best barriers between States, this line affords both these advantages by the Bolson de Mapimi in the east, and the extensive Sierra Madre in the west.
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"On the Gulf of California, the important harbor of Guaymas would fall above that line. What sort of communication between Guaymas and the Rio Grande might be considered the best, a closer exploration of the country must decide; but a railroad would most likely in the course of years connect the Rio Grande with the harbor, and give a new thoroughfare from the Atlantic to the Pacific, for commerce as well as for the emigration to California and Oregon. The distance from Laredo to Guaymas, in a straight line, is about 770 miles. The plan of such a railroad, even if the height of the Sierra Madre in the west would not allow it to be carried in a straight line to the Pacific, but from Chihuahua in a northwestern direction to the Gila, would therefore be less chimeri- cal than the much talked of great western railroad from the Mississippi to the Columbia river; and if the above mentioned country should be attached to the United States, we may in less than ten years see such a project realized.
"This boundary line would at the same time allow an easy defence; proper military stations at the Rio Grande and near the Gulf of California, would secure the terminating points of that line; some fortifications erected in the mountain passes of the Sierra Madre, where but one main road connects the State of Chihuahua with the South of Mexico, would prevent invasions from that direction, and some smaller forts in the interior would be sufficient to check and control the wild Indians."
Thus, with a certain measure of public opinion in the United States favorable to further expansion at the expense of Mexico, and with the frontier provinces of that country almost defenceless and apparently ready for revolt, it is not to be wondered at that filibustering movements became the order of the day.
As might have been expected, the most important of these found their origin in California. Here the disturbed condi- tions of society furnished a fruitful soil for reckless under- takings of every kind; and men were ready for any enter- prise in which lay the promise of profit and excitement. Because of its proximity, unusually rich mineral resources, and rumored antagonism to the central government, Sonora became the natural objective of the California filibusters.
It is to be supposed, also, that the leaders of these move-
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ments saw a striking likeness in the case of Sonora to the situation presented by California in the early forties. Both territories were rich in undeveloped natural resources; both suffered from revolution and disturbed political conditions; both were neglected by the central government. It is true that Sonora always maintained a closer connection with Mexico City than did California; possessed a larger native population; and was less consistently disloyal. On the other hand, her inhabitants had suffered much more severely from Indian attacks, and were apparently almost as ready for some form of intervention in 1850 as the Californians were five years before. To conquer this state outright, or to plant American colonies along its frontier which in time might bring about a movement for independence, con- sequently became the ambition of more than one adventur- ous California leader.
The first expeditions to Sonora were not led by Americans, however, but by Frenchmen. There were many representa- tives of this nationality in California in the fifties. Some of these had been attracted to the coast by the prospects of the gold fields. Some came to take advantage of the com- mercial opportunities offered by the new state. Others had been driven over by the upheavals of French politics in the years succeeding the revolution of 1848. Among this large French element, naturally enough, were adventurers of many sorts. Not finding conditions in California alto- gether to their liking, a number of the more restless of these turned to Mexico as a field of larger opportunities.
The first Sonoran expedition of any importance was com- posed of about 150 French recruits under command of the Marquis Charles de Pindray. The latter has been described as a man of noble family, handsome, courageous, gifted with gigantic strength, and very much of a prodigal. As a matter of fact, however, it is doubtful if Pindray's expedition should be classified as a filibustering venture at all. He and his men seemingly had no ambition to stir up a revolt against Mexican sovereignty, but proposed merely to open the rich mining territory in what is now southern Arizona and
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northern Sonora. In return for certain land and mineral concessions in this frontier area, they were under obligation to establish a number of semi-military colonies to defend the unfortunate inhabitants of Sonora from the devasting attacks of Apache and other Indian tribes.
The expedition reached Guaymas on December 26, 1851. Here they were greeted with the greatest enthusiasm by the Mexican inhabitants, and obtained considerable quantities of supplies and ammunition, as well as the promise of financial support, from the local authorities. At Arispe, one of the chief cities of the state, Pindray met the governor and other officials, who assured him of their heartiest co- operation in his undertaking.
The march from Arispe toward the northern frontier, however, was anything but a holiday affair. Privation and danger led to disagreement and insubordination. At last Pindray was taken sick in one of the little settlements of northern Sonora, and there either killed himself in a fit of despondency or died at the hands of one of his disgruntled followers. This misfortune ended the expedition. The dispirited survivors either straggled back to the sea coast, or found an opportunity to enlist in another expedition, also led by one of their countrymen, which shortly afterward made its appearance in Sonora.
This second French enterprise was of much greater magnitude than the Pindray undertaking. The leader of the expedition was an adventurous nobleman, small of stature, decayed in fortune, but full of courage and enthu- siasm, known as Count Raousset-Boulbon. Whatever may have been Raousset's later intentions, this first expedition was apparently organized as a bona fide mining and coloniz- ing scheme. Dillon, the French consul at San Francisco, was one of the original backers of the venture, and largely through his influence Raousset was led to lay his plans in person before the Mexican government.
In Mexico City, Raousset received a cordial reception from President Arista and also obtained the enthusiastic support of Levasseur, the French minister. Here he organ-
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ized a company known as La Restauradora, and obtained for it a concession for the development of the mineral deposits lying south of the Gila River, in what was then northern Sonora. The important banking house of Jecker and Company agreed to finance the undertaking in return for 50% of the company's grant. Raousset, on his part, engaged to equip an expedition of 150 men, establish a defense against the Indians on the Sonora frontier, and open up the valuable mineral resources which the country was said to possess. President Arista and two leading officials of Sonora, named Aguilar and Cubillas, were also to share in the profits of the enterprise.
When Raousset returned to San Francisco he had no difficulty in securing the required number of volunteers for his company, and on June 1, 1852, landed at Guaymas with 260 men. Here, however, unforeseen difficulties awaited him. The British house of Baron, Forbes and Company were stirring up opposition to the plans of the Compañia Restauradora in order that they themselves might obtain the concessions which Raousset had secured from the Mexican government. The contest which ensued was simply the familiar story of two rival foreign companies in Mexico, each seeking to profit from a coveted concession by promised rewards to Mexican officials. In this struggle for political favoritism, the Restauradora's rivals succeeded in enlisting the support of the military governor of Sonora, General Blanco.
Under various pretexts, Blanco succeeded in delaying Raousset's advance to the interior; and when he finally gave permission for the expedition to proceed, it was only that he might still more seriously embarrass it before it reached the Arizona mines. The climax came in August, when the company was encamped on the Altar River in northern Sonora. Here Raousset received a message from Blanco which compelled him either to defy the governor's authority or to abandon the entire enterprise. In Blanco's com- munication the French commander was ordered to choose one of three courses: his men might renounce their French
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citizenship and sign as Mexican soldiers under Blanco's command; they might obtain proper passports from the City of Mexico allowing them to enter the Arizona territory, but conferring upon them no right to denounce mineral properties; or they might reduce their number to fifty men, and under the direction of a Mexican leader proceed to carry out the plans of the Restauradora.
Blanco's orders were interpreted by Raousset as an un- warranted cancellation of the terms of the concession he had received direct from the central government. It was a question, then, whether he should obey a state official and sacrifice all he hoped to acquire for himself and his associates, or rely upon the authority of the federal administration and defy the local governor. The choice was not difficult, especially as Raousset was convinced that Blanco was acting in the interests of his English rivals. Up to this time the expedition had about it none of the ear marks of a filibuster- ing enterprise; but from now on it began to assume the char- acter of such a movement.
Raousset's next step was to appeal to the inhabitants of northern Sonora to join him against the Blanco government. Receiving some measure of support from the Apache-ridden districts in which he was encamped, he next prepared a flag for an independent state, and started to march against Blanco's headquarters at Hermosillo. The attack on this city, garrisoned by some 1200 men, was made by a beggarly force of 240 Frenchmen. As Raousset's command ap- proached the town, the prefect sent a deputation offering a considerable sum of money if the French would retire without bringing on an engagement. Raousset's answer was slightly melodramatic. Holding his watch in hand, he replied, "It is now eight o'clock; in two hours I shall attack the city; at eleven o'clock I shall be master of it. Go tell this to your prefect." Due to Raousset's impetuous leadership and the savage enthusiasm of his followers, "half of whom were heroes, and half bandits," this pledge was almost literally fulfilled. A short, sharp skirmish drove the defenders out of their position and gave the city into Raousset's hands. His
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loss was 17 killed and 23 wounded, against 200 killed and wounded among the Blanco forces.
The capture of Hermosillo marked the climax of Raous- set's career. Seriously ill and weighted down by the re- sponsibilities of an undertaking which had suddenly changed from a peaceful colonizing enterprise to a victorious military campaign, the French leader was in no position to press for- ward for the conquest of the state, if indeed at the time he had any actual ambition to carry out such a program. By an agreement with the new governor of Sonora, Gandara, Raousset agreed to evacuate Hermosillo, provided his men might retire unmolested to the sea coast. Once at Guaymas, most of the expedition were glad to return to San Francisco. Thither the leader himself sailed after some months of convalescence at Mazatlan.
Raousset, however, by no means abandoned his Sonora ambitions with the dissolution of this first expedition. His countrymen, Dillon and Levasseur, who had backed him in the Restauradora enterprise, again urged him to go to the City of Mexico and secure the permission of the central government for the establishment of a French colony on the frontier. Santa Anna had succeeded to the presidency and was reported to be much in favor of such an enterprise.
Accordingly, Raousset again made his appearance in the Mexican capital, and after some negotiations secured Santa Anna's consent to the establishment of a colony of 500 French citizens in northern Sonora, to serve as a barrier against the Indian forays. Before the details of the con- cession could be arranged, however, the Mexican dictator and the volatile Frenchman had a serious falling out, and Raousset returned to San Francisco with the brand of an outlaw fastened upon him. But in no sense discouraged by the hostility of the Mexican government, Raousset set about the organization of the Sonoran expedition. Though at first he met with very poor success, fate at last played directly into his hands. When prospects were most dis- couraging, the attack of William Walker upon Lower Califor- nia aroused Santa Anna's apprehensions against the Amer-
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ican advance into Sonora; and as the only means of off- setting this danger, the Mexican dictator fell back upon the plan of establishing a French colony on the frontier. To carry out this measure, Luis Del Valle, Mexican consul at San Francisco, was instructed by his government to enlist a maximum of 5,000 Frenchmen in California for the Sonora colony. These were to be sent down to Guaymas at public expense, and after a year's service would receive a grant of land from the Mexican government.
Del Valle carried his instructions to the French consul, Dillon, who in turn enlisted the support of Raousset. As a result of the combined efforts of the three, some 800 French- men were enrolled for the enterprise. The British ship Challenge was chartered to transport the expedition down the coast; but before she could sail, certain United States officials at San Francisco had taken a hand in the game, libelled the Challenge, and indicted the Mexican consul for a violation of the neutrality laws. After some legal maneuv- ering, the Challenge, with her passenger list reduced by half, was allowed to depart.
Some weeks later, Raousset quietly sailed out of San Francisco with a handful of companions in a schooner of less than ten tons burden. After trying hardships, including shipwreck on the island of Santa Margarita, he at last reached Guaymas, only to find the most of his countrymen who had preceded him very lukewarm toward any attack against Mexican authority. Nor did Raousset's attempt to induce Yañes, the Mexican commander, to join with him in a revolt against Santa Anna, meet with any better success.
With a few of the French contingent, more venturesome or less sensible than the rest, Raousset next planned to drive the Mexican forces from the city; but a quixotic sense of mod- esty kept him from taking personal command of the attack. Less than 200 Frenchmen engaged in the affray, and most of them were badly demoralized at the first fire. All of Raousset's bravery and exhortations could not check the rout. The filibusters were scattered and many of them killed. The remainder took refuge at the French consulate,
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where they laid down their arms when the Mexican com- mander pledged himself to spare their lives. Raousset himself was included in this pledge. A score of times during the engagement he had courted death; and only when his followers fled like frightened sheep, had he broken the blade of his sword in disgust, and followed the mob to the shelter of the consul's office.
Except in the case of Raousset, the Mexican commander kept his promise of immunity to the French prisoners. But due in part to the treachery of the French consul, Calvo, the unfortunate leader was excluded from the general am- nesty and received the sentence of death at the hands of a military court. The execution took place at six o'clock on the morning of August 12, 1854. The bravery and com- posure of Raousset, who secured the special favor of facing his executioners unblindfolded, so unnerved the soldiers who composed the firing squad that their shots failed to reach a vital spot, and a second volley was required to complete the execution. With Raousset's death, the French ambitions in Sonora for a time came to an end.
Soon after Raousset's execution, an expedition, undis- guisedly filibustering in its character, was set on foot against Sonora by way of Lower California. This was led by the redoubtable William Walker, in some respects the most inveterate filibuster the United States has yet produced. Walker was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of a Scotch banker. He received a very thorough university training and also spent some time in European travel. He later began his professional career as a physician; but soon took up the study of law, and afterwards turned to journal- ism as a more congenial occupation.
In 1849 Walker came to California, and for some time maintained a connection with the San Francisco Herald. In 1851 he went to Marysville where he formed a law partnership with Colonel Henry P. Watkins, the nephew of Henry Clay. While thus engaged, Walker and a few com- panions met at Auburn, California, and talked over a plan similar to that proposed by Raousset-Boulbon, of establish-
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ing a colony on the frontiers of Sonora. One may reasonably conclude, however, that the political features of this enter- prise were more attractive to the Marysville lawyer than the prospect of material gain. Two representatives were sent to Guaymas to obtain the necessary concession for the estab- lishment of the colony, and perhaps to sound out the Sonora governor regarding a more ambitious plan of independence. But these agents accomplished nothing-first, because Raousset had already preempted the field; and second, because the San Francisco capitalists, who were backing the enterprise, withdrew their support on account of changed political conditions in the Mexican capital.
Not long after this fruitless mission, Walker resolved to go to Guaymas to spy out the land on his own account. At this time there was little about the future filibuster to mark him as a popular leader. He was a taciturn, reticent man, who would often "sit for an hour in company without opening his lips." As much as possible he kept himself apart from men and appeared indifferent to their opinions. Phys- ically, too, he was poorly equipped to appeal to the popular imagination. He was below the average in height and weighed not much over a hundred pounds. A contemporary described him as
"a small, red-haired, white-eyed man, freckled-face, slow of speech, very observant, rather visionary, but possessed of a species of perseverance which is most uncommon. His courage is unquestioned, and although one of the most modest men in his manners, he is as bold as a lion in his measures."
On his visit to Guaymas, Walker met with a suspicion bor- dering upon open hostility from the Mexican officials. Nor did his appearance greatly commend itself to their admiration. 1 An American named Warren, who was there at the time, thus described his peculiar costume:
"His head was surmounted by a huge white fur hat, whose long knap waved with the breeze, which, together with a very ill-made, short-waisted blue coat with gilt buttons, and a pair of grey, strapless pantaloons, made up the ensemble of as unprepossessing
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looking a person as one would meet in a day's walk. I will leave you to imagine the figure he cut in Guaymas, with the thermometer at 100 degrees, when every one else was arrayed in white."
Before the close of Walker's stay at Guaymas, there was evidence of a more friendly attitude on the part of the Mexican governor; but Walker refused to meet his ad- vances and returned to San Francisco, intent upon another plan of operations. This, in brief, involved an advance against Sonora by way of Lower California.
After considerable difficulties with United States govern- ment officials at San Francisco, Walker succeeded in putting to sea in the brig Caroline, having on board some forty-five men belonging to the First Independence Battalion, as the expedition was bravely called. The Caroline arrived at the harbor of La Paz, where Cortés had established his short lived colony more than three hundred years before, early in November, 1853. Here Walker's men effected a landing without opposition. They next proceeded to seize the governor, Espinoza, haul down the Mexican flag, and pro- claim the Republic of Lower California.
After a brief stay at La Paz, the expedition embarked for a new field of conquest. Before quitting the harbor for good, however, a detachment of Walker's men engaged in a small skirmish with the La Paz citizens; and about the same time he seized another governor who had been sent from Mexico to succeed Espinoza.
After a brief stop at Cape San Lucas, the Caroline contin- ued up the coast until she reached the harbor of Enseñada. Here Walker made his headquarters and proceeded to organize his new government. One of the first steps in this process was to issue the appended declaration, justifying his course of action to the American people.
"In declaring the Republic of Lower California free, Sovereign and Independent," wrote Walker, "I deem it proper to give the people of the United States the reasons for the course I have taken: " The Mexican government has for a long time failed to perform its duties to the Province of Lower California. Cut off as the
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territory was by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo from all direct communication with the rest of Mexico, the central authorities have manifested little or no interest in the affairs of the California peninsula. The geographical position of the Province is such as to make it entirely separate and distinct in its interests from the other portions of the Mexican Republic. But the moral and social ties which bound it to Mexico have been even weaker and more dissoluble than the physical. Hence to develop the resources of Lower California and to effect a proper social organization therein, it was necessary to make it independent.
"On such considerations have I and my companions in arms acted in the course we have pursued. And for the success of our enterprise we put our trust in Him who controls the destiny of nations, and guides them in the ways of progress and improve- ment.
WM. WALKER,
President of the Republic of Lower California."
The government which Walker established consisted of the following officials: William Walker, President; Frederick Emory, Secretary of State; John M. Jernagin, Secretary of War; Howard H. Snow, Secretary of the Navy; Charles H. Gilman, Captain of Battalion; and William P. Mann, Captain of the Navy.
While Walker was thus occupied in Lower California, his partner, Watkins, was busy organizing reënforcements in San Francisco. The brig Anita was chartered to carry the men down the coast; and in order to avoid detention by the authorities, some measure of secrecy was maintained in the preparations. On December 7th everything was in readiness and the actual work of embarkation began. It was carried out with more than usual dispatch, if the following account is to be relied upon:
"About half way down from Front Street a door was thrown open, and, as if by magic, drays and carts made their appearance. Files of men sprung out and passed quantities of powder from the shore, besides ammunition of all kinds. A detachment stood guard the while in utter silence and the movements were made with such celerity, that the observer could scarcely perceive how and where the articles made their appearance."
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The arrival of the Anita at Enseñada brought Walker both relief and difficulties. The reinforcements were badly needed, for already Walker had engaged in a serious skirmish with the Mexican forces. But the Anita had scant supplies on board, and the problem of securing food was rendered all the more acute by the hundred additional soldiers who must now be fed. An attack upon a notorious Mexican bandit named Menendez enabled Walker to secure a considerable number of cattle; and the flesh of these, with a little corn, constituted the sole provisions of the company.
Necessity and choice alike now drove Walker to proceed with the real purpose of the expedition, namely, the invasion of Sonora. As a preliminary to the actual conquest, he proclaimed the establishment of a new government called the Republic of Sonora. Lower California and Sonora were the states of the new republic, and a flag with two stars was unfurled as its emblem. Walker announced himself the president of the republic, and Watkins became its vice- president.
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