An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 12

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 12

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Avila, Juan Avila, Tomas Colima and Bernardo Yorba; Police Agent, Gabriel de la Torre; Com- missioner of the Zanjas, Vicente Sanchez from April; Zanjeros, Gaspar Valenzuela, Antonio M. Valdes and José M. Lopez.

1845 .- Sub-prefect, José L. Sepúlveda; Al- caldes, Vicente Sanchez, Juan Sepúlveda; Regi- dores, Felipe Lugo, Christobal Aguilar, Leonardo Cota, Luis Jordan; Síndico, Basillio Valdes; Secretary, Ignacio Coronel; Rural Guards, A. M, Lugo, Macedonio Aguilar, Ignacio Reyes, An- tonio I. Avila, Francisco Garcia at St. Feliciano.

1846 .- Snb-prefect, Abel Stearns; Alcaldes, Juan Gallardo and José L. Sepúlveda; Regidores, Leonardo Cota, Luis Jordan, Miguel Pryor and Julian Chavez; Síndico, Alexander Bell; Secre- tary, Ignacio Coronel. Cota was Juez de Aguas and Casildo Aguilar was Celador.

1847 .- Alcaldes, José Salazar and Enrique Avila; Regidores, Miguel N. Pryor, Julian Chavez, Rafael Gallardo and José A. Yorba; Síndico, José Vicente Guerrero; Secretary, Ig- nacio Coronel.

1848 .- Alcalde and Judge of the first instance, Stephen C. Foster; Second Alcalde, Vicente Guer- rero; Síndico, Abel Stearns; Rural Guards, An- tonio I. Avila, Augustin Machado, Tomas Serrano, Juan Ramirez, Antonio Salazar, Fran- cisco Lopez; Sheriff, Henry Cardwell; Collector at San Pedro, David W. Alexander.

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

THE MEXICAN WAR.

CHAPTER VIII.

HE beginning of the Mexican war in Cali- fornia found J. C. Frémont in charge of an exploring expedition in the Upper Sacra- mento Valley, en route to Oregon, whence he was hastily recalled by Lieutenant A. H. Gillespie, a special messenger from Washington. In June, 1846, the American settlers captured the town of Sonoma and raised the famous " Bear Flag." July 7, Commodore Sloat, of the United States Navy, raised the flag of the United States at Monterey, issuing a proclamation that Cali- fornia thenceforth would be a portion of the United States. Commodore Stockton arrived July 15, from Honolulu, on board the ship Congress, and on the 23d assumed command of all the United States forces on land. On the same day he perfected an arrangement with Frémont by which 160 members of the Bear- Flag revolution were received as a battalion of volunteers, and Frémont made major. On the 26th the ship Cyane, commanded by Captain Dupont, was sent to San Diego with the Fré- mont battalion on board.

July 16, Governor Pico issued a proclamation calling the Legislature in special session at Los Angeles; but nothing much was accomplished, although an effort was made to organize an army. With Castro in command, an encamp- ment was made on the mesa a short distance east of the city.

CAPTURE OF LOS ANGELES, AND FLIGHT OF PICO.

Stockton arrived at San Pedro, August 6. Here the flag was raised and a force landed, to be drilled and otherwise prepared for the march inland. Stockton was visited by two commis- sioners from General Castro. They were Pablo de la Guerra and José M. Flores. Their propo- sition was not intelligible, and was evidently made to gain time, and was rejected. August 9, Castro, after holding a council of war with his officers on the mesa, resolved to leave Cali- fornia, and so notified Pico in writing. His reasons were that his force was insufficient and badly armed, and he was wholly unable to cope with the Americans, and closed by inviting the Governor to fly with him. On receipt of Cas- tro's communication Pico submitted it to the Legislature on August 10, and admitted the impossibility of a successful defense, proposing that the Legislature should dissolve itself in order that the Americans might find none of the authorities acting. The Legislature then voted to approve Pico's resolve and adjourned sine die. In his parting address to the people, Pico announced that as " between ignominy and emigration he chose the latter."

Pico and Castro left Los Angeles on the night of the 10th, but did not flee together. Castro, accompanied by his secretary, Francisco Arce, and a small party, went by way of San Bernar-

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

dino and the San Gorgonio Pass to Ynma, and thence to Altar in Sonora. Pico went to Yorba's ranch, on the Santa Ana River, and thence to San Juan Capistrano, where he was concealed for about a month, and was closely linnted by a party under Santiago E. Argüello, who had espoused the American canse. ITis efforts to capture Pico were unsuccessful.

Frémont at San Diego in vain assured Pico that he would not be molested, hoping thereby to induce him to convoke the Legislature and go through the form of turning the country over to the United States. This Pico refused to do, and, being joined by his secretary, Moreno, escaped across the line into Lower California on September 7, and went on down the peninsula to Muleje, arriving there October 22. Cross- ing thence over the gulf to Guaymas, he went on to Hermosillo, when the former place was bombarded by the Americans. He did not return to California until about July, 1848.

Stockton commenced his march from San Pedro to Los Angeles August 11. The cannon were drawn by oxen and sailors. Major Frémont, from San Diego, met the army just outside the town, and at four o'clock on the 13th, the com- bined armies of the United States entered the capital with a band of music playing, and raised the flag with the usual ceremonies. Some of the people had fled to the ranches, while others had withdrawn to the hill where Micheltorena had once started to build a fort, and there watched to see what the Americans would do with the town; but they could not resist the en- chantment of a band of music which was sta- tioned on the plaza, and before night it was the center of attention of nearly the whole popula- tion.

A few of Castro's men were captured, and let out on parole. Stockton mounted a few guns on the hill, and, organizing a garrison under command of Lientenant Archibald H. Gillespie, retired with his force to San Pedro, after having issued a proclamation to the people announcing that the country now belonged to the United States, and would be governed for a time by

military law, though the people were invited to choose their civil officers, and assuring them the protection of their life and property. Hle ordered an election of alcaldes and other muni- cipal officers to be held in the several towns and districts on September 15. Angust 28 he forwarded a full report of his doings to Wash- ington by Kit Carson, the famous scont, who started out on horseback overland to carry the message.

Leaving Gillespie at Los Angeles Major Fre- mont marched northward to the Sacramento Valley.

THE MEXICAN REVOLT.

Gillespie read and spoke Spanish well, and at. once began issning his decrees interfering with the old customs of the people and enforcing arbitrary arrests. These proceedings cansed some irritation, especially in view of the small force he had with which to enforce his regula- tions, who were not regular soldiers and had no idea of discipline,-not that they had any trou- ble with the people, but gave their commander more trouble than any one else, getting drunk and straggling about while he tried to enforce the same discipline on them as on his marines on board ship.

Things went on this way until September 16, the anniversary of Mexican independence. A number of the drinking class continued cele- brating on Negro alley for a week, and some of Gillespie's men with them, and the latter became drunk. Gillespie finally succeeded in getting all his men into the barracks and locking up the drunken ones in the gnard-room. The barracks were in the Government house, a large adobe building fronting on Main street, from and in- cluding the site of the present St. Charles Hotel to the middle of Commercial street, and with his court-yards extending back nearly to Los Angeles street, having a large gate in the rear. The Californians kept up their carousal, and Gillespie's decrees and innovations upon their old enstoms were daily discussed; and while Frémont and Stockton were absent they came

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

to the conclusion that war had not been declared, and that Stockton possibly had been deceived, as Commodore Jones was four years before. The more they drank and discussed the matter the clearer it became; and at all events they deter- mined not to be domineered over by a handful of Americans.

Accordingly, after midnight about twenty inen, headed by Serbúlo Barelas (thus he spells it himself), began an attack on the barracks on Los Angeles street, firing at the gate from their horses, with cries of Viva Mejico ! (Live Mexico !) and Abajo los Americanos! (Down with the Americans !). The uproar aroused the whole town, and a number of American res- idents secured their arms and effected an en- trance to the barracks from Main street, and found Gillespie with some nine or ten men firing at random at the same gate. On being asked where the remainder of his men were, it turned out that he had forgotten that they were shut up in the guard-room ! They were im- mediately released, now perfectly sober, and all hands, mounting upon the flat roof, fired a vol- ley into the assailants, who immediately galloped off, and all was quiet.

Serbúlo Barelas afterward said that it was a drunken frolic, and the affair would have ended there had it not been for the next step taken by Gillespie. American residents kept coming in, and Gillespie then dispatched a party to arrest men who had been paroled, though warned by men who knew the people that he would aronse the whole population. About half a dozen were arrested without any trouble, being found where all honest men should have been found at that time of the night, in bed at home. Among thein were General Andrés Pico, one of the most popular inen in the country, Don José Carrillo, ex-deputy to the Mexican congress, and ex-Captain José María Flores, who, after making a hasty toilet, were taken to the guard-room.

The result predicted took place. Soon after daybreak the whole Mexican population was in arıns, and seized a number of American residents who had been unable to get into the barracks.

Gillespie became alarmed and released lis pris- oners, and the Californians released theirs. The Californians arrested were furious at their seizure and the attempt to hold them responsible for the acts of a few drunken vagabonds; and as Gillespie had violated the promise made them of personal liberty when they gave their parole they declared they would be no longer bound by it.

Before night some 400 men had collected and formed their camp at the mill on the east side of the river, near the Macy street bridge. They chose Flores commander. Every man was pro- vided with lance and sword, but they were badly off for fire-arms and had bnt little ammunition. On September 24, the day after the outbreak, Barelas issued a stereotyped proclamation to his people reciting the wrongs which they had suffered, appealing to their patriotismn, and threatening vengeance.

B. D. Wilson had been put in command of twenty Americans to protect tlie San Bernardino frontier; and while at the Jurupa Rancho. just west of the present town of Riverside, Septein- ber 26, he heard of the revolt of Barelas at Los Angeles, and, receiving an invitation from Isaac Williams for the company to go to the Chino Rancho, they went but found no powder, and had only little themselves, having used their supply in hunting. That afternoon the Califor- nians approached, numbering abont fifty men, under the command of Barelas, and were joined by a force of about twenty Mexicans under J. C. Lugo, of San Bernardino. A few shots were exchanged that evening. The Americans were in a large adobe ranchi house having a few win- dows or other openings in the wall, and was roofed with asphaltum, and was surrounded by a ditch and an adobe fence.

At daylight on the 27th the Californians, many of them on horseback, made a rush for the house, the movement being accompanied and followed by a discharge of fire-arms from both sides. Several horses fell, either into the ditch or against the fence, throwing their riders, one of whom was killed by a rifle ball. Several Americans were seriously wounded. The as-

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

sailants reached a position close under the walls where they could not be seen. The Mexicans set fire to the roof. Williams presented himself with his small children, whose uneles, the Lugos, were among the assailants. Barelas appeared at the entrance and demanded the surrender of the Americans, promising them protection as prisoners of war. The terms were accepted. Wilson and his men then surrendered. The Mexicans then extinguished the fire and secured the plunder, and all were soon on the road to Los Angeles.

Diego Sepúlveda proposed to Barelas to shoot the Americans in revenge for the death of their comrade at Chino, which Barelas refused to do. The prisoners were turned over to General Flores, who subsequently exchanged them. Gil- lespie and his men were now posted on Fort IIill where some guns were mounted.

Following is a list of the members of the Wilson party who were captured at Chino Ranch: B. D. Wilson, Isaac Williams, David W. Alexander, John Rowland, Louis Robdoux (spelled according to autograph letter in the possession of II. HI. Bancroft), Joseph Perdne, William Skene, Isaac and Evan Callaghan, Michael White, Mat. Harbin and George Walters.

The following account of the circumstances attending the mounting of these guns is taken from G. F. Parsons's Life of J. W. Marshall, of gold-discovery fame. Marshall was a member of the company that had been left at San Diego by Commodore Stockton, but within a month was tranferred to Los Angeles. Soon after his arrival in Los Angeles he noticed discontent among the native Californians occasioned by the severe discipline of Gillespie. One day, while ' strolling through the town, he was attracted by the conversation of two Mexicans in a saloon. Pretending ignorance of their language he lulled their suspicions, and heard them talking about a certain six-pound brass cannon which they said was buried in a widow's garden near the town. He at once informed Gillespie of what he had heard, but the latter laughed at the story, being

confident that Stockton had collected all the can- non in the neighborhood.

On another day, on walking through the In- dian quarter, Marshall caine upon a group of Mexicans who were drinking and pledging toasts to " Castro and revolution." At this time Marshall was employed as chief earpenter, and had just received orders to fit up the officers' quarters, which were sitnated in the Government building, on what is now the site of the St. Charles Hotel. Feeling certain that an attack was contemplated by the Californians, he took the responsibility of using the lumber he had ob- tained for the purpose of making furniture, and spent the day in repairing and strengthening the gates of the building. IIis foresight un- doubtedly saved a general massaere of the Americans; for the portals thus strengthened resisted the subsequent attack of the assailants, who, according to Marshall's biographer, were forced to retreat, with the loss of eight killed. The Californians, finding it impossible to take the quarters by storm, retired, and having gath- ered a force of 500 men, prepared for a siege.

The situation of the Government honse was peculiarly unfortunate. Immediately in front of it on the west rose a hill, the summit of which is in the vicinity of the intersection of Rock and Fort streets, commanding a view of every por- tion of the court-yard and buildings, and it was at onee seen that the enemy could mount a gun on the hill and have the Americans at their merey.

While they were deliberating as to the best course to pursue, a shout was heard from the enemy, and looking out it was seen that they were approaching the hill, carrying with them a six-pound brass cannon. At this moment Marshall turned to Gillespie and said grimly: "There, Gillespie, there's my gun that you wouldn't believe in." The officer bit his lip, but made no reply.

Marshall was equal to the emergeney; and declared that the only chance was to get a gun on the crest of the hill before the Mexicans could reach it. Gillespie thought that this was good enough advice, but unfortunately they had no

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

serviceable artillery. It is true that two or three old cannon lay in the court-yard, but they were all spiked and useless. Marshall had two or three days before asked Gillespie for nitric acid to unspike one of these guns, and had been re- fused. He now took a hammer and cold-chisel, and in five minutes had cleared the touch-hole of a four-pounder. In the meantime some of the other soldiers were employed in improvising cartridges for the gun; and this having been rapidly effected, a sally was made from the cita- del and a run for the top of the hill commenced. The Californians had not been idle while these preparations were being made; but they had further to go, and thus the chances were about even. Neither party could see the other, as they were ascending the hill from opposite di- rections, and as the Americans neared the sum- mit the excitement became intense. If the enemy seeured the position, they would them- selves reach the top just in time to receive a deadly discharge from the six-pounder, and they could not tell where their opponents were. Still they strained every nerve up the steep slope dragging the gun with them; and as they sur- mounted the crest a cheer burst from them as they saw the Californians still a considerable distance off, they having made the ascent in a more leisurely manner, being unaware that they were engaged in a match against time. It was the work of but a very few minutes to plant their gun and point it; and before the Mexicans had time to realize the situation a rattling dis- charge came tearing in among them, bringing them to a sudden halt, which changed to a hasty retreat when they saw how they had been out- maneuvered.

After this the Mexicans made no more demn- onstrations that day; but as there was no telling when they would attack again, it was necessary to keep the position on the hill, and for this purpose a guard was placed over the gun and sentries posted about the sides and brow of the eminence. Marshall himself was one of the sentries.

General Flores B. sent D. Wilson to Gillespie

with the proposal that the Americans could march to San Pedro if they would abandon their post in the city. Gillespie accepted the offer, and September 29 marched out with all the honors of war, flags flying and drums beating, taking with him the four eannon of which an account is given elsewhere. At San Pedro, October 4, he embarked on the merchant ship Vandalia, accompanied by a few American citi- zens and twelve of the prisoners taken at the Chino Ranch, for whom he had exchanged a like number of Californians.

BATTLE OF DOMINGUEZ RANCH.

Captain Mervin having left San Francisco on the Savannah, October 4, reached San Pedro on the 6th and immediately landed 350 men, who were joined by Gillespie's men from the Van- dalia, and on the 7th began their march to Los Angeles. They took no cannon from the ship, and had no horses. In the afternoon they saw a mounted company of fifty Californians, under the command of José Antonio Carrillo, with whom they exchanged a few shots. At night the Americans occupied the buildings of the Dominguez Rancho, and before midnight Flores joined Carrillo with sixty more men, bringing with him the brass four-pounder, which they fired on the Americans occasionally during the night.

Early the next morning, October 8, Flores retired to Los Angeles with twenty men, leaving Carrillo with ninety men and the brass cannon, with orders not to risk a general engagement, but to harass the Americans as much as possi- ble. The American forces under Mervin were composed of marines and seamen, whom he formed into a solid square in the center, while Gillespie's party acted as skirmishers on the right and the left. Carrillo also divided his force into three bodies, about forty on each flank, and ten with the gun in the center, with Ignacio Aguilar as gunner.

The Americans advanced and were greeted with a discharge from the gun. The Mexicans immediately fell back, their guns being dragged

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

by riatas attached to the horses' saddles, to be reloaded at a safe distance. These movements were repeated a half dozen times in less than an hour. The first discharge did no harm, on account of the defect of the home-made gun- powder they used; but at last the gun was properly loaded, and the solidly advancing column afforded an excellent target, each shot proving effective. Six Americans were killed and six wounded. No one was hurt on the Californians' side. The Americans behaved bravely; but Mervin, perceiving that it was impossible to overtake the flying artillery and cavalry by soldiers on foot, retreated to San Pedro and re-embarked. The dead were buried on Dead Man's Island, by which name it had been previously known. A company of Mexi- cans was kept at Temple's ranch at Cerritos, and at Sepúlveda's ranch near San Pedro, to watch the movements of the American ships.

Flores summoned the legislature, which met at Los Angeles, October 26, and reorganized. The members present were Figueroa, Botello, Guerra, Olvera and Joaquin Carrillo. Figueroa acted as president, and Olvera as secretary. The principal business at this session was the elec- tion of José Maria Flores as Commander-in- chief of the army and Governor ad interim, thus uniting the two commands in one person, which had been made vacant by the flight of Pico and Castro. Flores took the oath of office about November 1.

Meanwhile Commodore Stockton, having left Monterey October 19, arrived at San Pedro the 23d, on the Congress, and learned from Mervin the story of his defeat. The Californians had driven off all the horses from this section of the country and made it impossible for Stockton to carry his provisions for his march on Los An- geles. He, therefore, decided to attack Los Angeles by way of San Diego. Accordingly he sailed to San Diego, abont November 1. The following sketch of the battle at Dominguez Ranch is condensed from an account given by Stephen C. Foster:

" Mervin was encamped at the Dominguez

Ranch, expecting no resistance, when Carrillo before daybreak ordered the gun to be fired at the house. 'Let ns give the morning salute, boys,' was his order. The ball entered the win- dow and sent the adobe clattering down on the sleepers, the roar of the gun giving them the unwelcome news that the enemy still had artil- lery. Carrillo then fell back on the road about half a mile, posted his gun in the road and his lancers in line to one side. The sailors and volunteers had not the least idea of forming a hollow square to resist cavalry, and Mervin ordered them to close up when the lancers charged toward them. The sailors and marines obeyed orders and so formed a compact mass of 250 men crowded together. Two of the crew dismounted, the others holding the horses, one maneuvering the pole up and down, right and left, until the gunner got the range, when he fired and at the same time the lancers charged, but wheeled about as soon as the gun was dis- charged; the gunners jumped on their horses and were off at full gallop until they got far enough ahead to reload, when the same inaneu- vers were repeated.

"In all, four shots were fired in this manner, the swarthy cannoneer depressing his piece every time so as to strike the ground, and the ball ricochetting spent its force in the solid mass, killing or wounding two or three every time. The volunteers would not obey orders to close up, but kept in scattered order, trusting to their rifles to repel the cavalry, but running and firing on the gunners with the hope of dis- abling them, but hitting neither horses nor riders. The running fight was kept up for about three miles, to the sloughi boundary of the ranch. There the gun stuck fast, and the Americans came near capturing it. The Cali- fornians plied their spurs and crouched to their horses' manes while a shower whistled by them, pulled their gun out and loaded with their last ball to await another attack; but Mervin had got enough.

"The day was very hot, and it was still ten miles to town, with that gun firing at them

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

with deadly aim every half mile, and he ordered a retreat to the ranch. They carried. their killed and wounded back to the house, piled their ghastly load on one of Domingnez' carts, made an old Californian, who was in charge of the house, mount his horse and hitch his riata to the tongue, to steer the craft, while the sailors hauled by hide ropes down to San Pedro, where they re-embarked.

"The next day Commodore Stockton arrived with the remainder of his ships, and landed 800 men and six light guns, to march on the town the next day; but Carrillo maneuvered his force of 400 men by forming them in a circle in columns of fours, so that some eighty men could be seen from the mast-heads marching toward the beach and disappearing in a hollow. · The middies were in the tops with their glasses, counting the enemy's force, and by dark they had counted more than 2,000, and they were still marching when night fell. Stockton re-embarked the next day and proceeded to San Diego."

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092