Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 16

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996

USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 16

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Fremont, who had sailed for the south in the Sterling with 160 men to co-operate with Stock- ton against Los Angeles, learned from the Van- dalia on its voyage northward of Mervine's de- feat and also that no horses could be obtained in the south. Hereturned to Monterey and proceeded to recruit a force to move against Los Angeles by land from Monterey. His recruits were prin- cipally obtained from the recently arrived im- migrants. Each man was furnished with a horse and was to receive $25 a month. A force of about 450 was obtained. Fremont, now raised to the rank of a lieutenant colonel, left Monterey November 17 and rendezvoused at San Juan Bautista, where he remained to the 29th of the month organizing his battalion. On the 29tli of November he began his march southward to co- operate with Stockton against Flores.

After the expulsion of Gillespie and his men from Los Angeles, detachments from Flores' army were sent to Santa Barbara and San Diego to recapture these places. At Santa Barbara Fremont had left nine men of his battalion under Lieutenant Theodore Talbot to garrison the town. A demand was made on the garrison to surrender by Colonel Garfias of Flores' army. Two hours were given the Americans to decide. Instead of surrendering they fell back into the hills, where they remained three or four days hoping that reinforcements might be sent them from Monterey. Their only subsistance was the flesh of an old gray mare of Daniel Hill's that they captured, brought into camp and killed. They secured one of Micheltorena's cholos that had remained in the country and was living in a cañon among the hills for a guide. He furnished them a horse to carry their blankets and con- ducted them through the mountains to the San Joaquin Valley. Here the guide left them with the Indians, he returning to Santa Barbara. The Indians fed them on chia (wild flaxseed), mush and acorn bread. They traveled down the San Joaquin Valley. On their journey they lived on the flesh of wild horses. 17 of which they killed. After many hardships they reached Monterey on the 8th of November, where they joined Fre- mont's battalion. Elijah Moulton of East Los Angeles is the only survivor of that heroic band. He has been a resident of Los Angeles for fifty- five years. I am indebted to him for the above account.

Captain Merritt, of Fremont's battalion, had been left at San Diego with 40 men to hold the town when the battalion marched north to co- operate with Stockton against Los Angeles. Immediately after Gillespie's retreat, Francisco Rico was sent with 50 men to capture the place. He was joined by recruits at San Diego, Mer-

ritt being in no condition to stand a siege, took refuge on board the American whale ship Ston- ington, which was lying at anchor. After re- maining on board the Stonington ten days, taking advantage of the laxity of discipline among the Californians, he stole a march on them, recap- turing the town and one piece of their artillery. He sent Don Miguel de Pedrorena, who was one of his allies, in a whale boat with four sailors to San Pedro to obtain supplies and assistance. Pe- drorena arrived at San Pedro on the 13th of October with Merritt's dispatchies. Captain Mer- vine chartered the whale ship Magnolia, which was lying in the San Pedro harbor, and dis- patched Lieutenant Minor and Midshipmen Du- vall and Morgan with 35 sailors and 15 of Gillespie's volunteers to reinforce Merritt. They reached San Diego on the 16th. The combined forces of Minor and Merritt, numbering about 90 men, put in the greater part of the next two weeks in dragging cannon from the old fort and mounting them at their barracks, which were located on the hill at the edge of the plain on the west side of the town, convenient to water. They succeeded in mounting six brass 9-pounders and building two bastions of adobes, taken from an old house. There was constant skirmishing between the hostile parties, but few fatalities. The Amer- icans claimed to have killed three of the enemy, and one American was ambushed and killed. The Californians kept well out of range, but pre- vented the Americaus from obtaining supplies. Their provisions were nearly exhausted, and when reduced to almost the last extreme they made a successful foraging expedition and pro- cured a supply of mutton. Midshipman Duvall thus describes the adventure: "We had with us an Indian (chief of a numerous tribe) who, from his knowledge of the country, we thought could avoid the enemy; and getting news of a number of sleep about thirty five miles to the south on the coast, we determined to send him with his companion to drive them onto an island which at low tide connected with the mainland. In a few days a signal was made on the island, and the boats of the whale ship Stonington, stationed off the island, were sent to it. Our good old Indian had managed, through his cunning and by keep- ing concealed in ravines, to drive onto the island about 600 sheep, but his companion had been canght and killed by the enemy. I shall never forget his famished appearance, but pride in his Indian triumph could be seen playing in his dark eyes.

"For thirty or forty days we were constantly expecting, from the movements of the enemy, an attack, soldiers and officers sleeping on their arms and ready for action. About the Ist of No-

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

vember Commodore Stockton arrived, and, after landing Captain Gillespie with his company and about 43 marines, he suddenly disappeared, leav- ing Lientenant Minor governor of the place and Captain Gillespie commandant." *

Foraging continued, the whale ship Stoning- ton, which had been impressed into the govern- ment service, being used to take parties down the coast, who made raids inland and brought back with them cattle and horses.

It was probably on one of these excursions that the flag-making episode occurred, of which there are more versions than Homer had birthplaces. The correct version of the story is as follows: A party had been sent under command of Lieuten- ant Hensley to Jnan Bandini's rancho in Lower California to bring up bands of cattle and horses. Bandini was an adherent of the American cause. He and his family returned with the cavalcade to San Diego. At their last camping place before reaching the town Hensley, in a conversation with Bandini, regretted they had no flag with them to display on their entry into the town. Señora Bandini volunteered to make one, which she did from red, white and blue dresses of her children. This flag, fastened to a staff, was car- ried at the head of the cavalcade when it made its trinmphal entry into San Diego. The Mexican government confiscated Bandini's ranchos in Lower California on account of his friendship to the Americans during the war.

Skirmishing continued almost daily. José Antonio Carrillo was now in command of the Californians, their force numbering about 100 men. Commodore Stockton returned and de- cided to fortify. Midshipman Duvall, in the Log Book referred to in the previous chapter, thus de- scribes the fort: "The commodore now colll- menced to fortify the hill which overlooked the town by building a fort constructed by placing 300 gallon casks full of sand close together. The inclosure was twenty by thirty yards. A bank of earth and small gravel was thrown up in front as high as the top of the casks and a ditch dug around on the outside. Inside a ball-proof vault or ketch was built out of plank and lined on the inside with adobes, on top of which a swivel was mounted. The entrance was guarded by a strong gate, with a drawbridge in front across the ditch or moat. The whole fortification was compelled and the guns mounted on it in about three weeks. Our men working on the fort were 'on short al- lowance of beef and wheat, and for a time without bread, tea, sugar or coffee, many of them being destitute of shoes, but there were few complaints. "About the first of December, information hav-

ing been received that General Kearny was at Warner's Pass, about So miles distant, with1 100 dragoons on his march to San Diego, Commo- dore Stockton immediately sent an escort of 50 mien under command of Captain Gillespie, accom- panied by Past Midshipmen Beale and Dun- can, having with them one piece of artillery. They reached General Kearny without molesta- tion. On the march the combined force was sur- prised by about 93 Californians at San Pasqual, under command of Andrés Pico, who had been sent to that part of the country to drive off all the cattle and horses to prevent us from getting them. In the battle that ensued General Kearny lost in killed Captains Johnston and Moore and Lieu- tenant Hammond, and 15 dragoons. Seventeen dragoons were severely wounded. The enemy captured one piece of artillery. General Kear- ny and Captains Gillespie and Gibson were severely wounded; also one of the engineer offi- cers. Some of the dragoons have since dicd." *

* **

* *

"After the engagement, General Kearny took position on a hill covered with large rocks. It was well suited for defense. Lieutenant Godey, of Gillespie's volunteers, the night after the battle, escaped through the enemy's line of sen- tries and came in with a letter from Captain Turner to the commodore. Whilst among the rocks, Past Midshipman Beale and Kit Carson managed, under cover of night, to pass out through the enemy's ranks, and after three days and nights hard marching through the mount- tains without water, succeeded in getting safely into San Diego, completely famislied. Soon after arriving Lieutenant Beale fainted away, and for some days entirely lost his reason."

On the night of Beale's arrival, December 9, about 9 P. M., detachments of 200 sailors and marines from the Congress and Portsmouth, un- der the immediate command of Captain Zeilin, assisted by Lientenants Gray, Hunter, Renshaw, Parrish, Thompson and Tilghman, and Midship- men Duvall and Morgan, each man carrying a blanket, 3 pounds of jerked beef and the same of hard tack, began their march to relieve General Kearny. They marched all night and camped on a chaparral covered mountain during the day. At 4 A. M. of the second night's march they reached Kearny's camp, surprising him. Godey, who had been sent ahead to inform Kearny that assistance was coming, had been captured by the enemy. General Kearny had burnt and de- stroyed all his baggage and camp equipage, sad- dles, bridles, clothing, etc., preparatory to forc- ing his way through the enemy's line. Bur- dened with his wounded, it is doubtful whether lie could have escaped. Midshipman Duvall

* Log Book of Acting Lieutenant Duvall.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

says: "It would not be a hazard of opinion to say he would have been overpowered and con- pelled to surrender." The enemy disappeared on the arrival of reinforcements. The relief ex- pedition, with Kearny's men, reached San Diego after two days' march.

A brief explanation of why Kearny was at San Pasqual may be necessary. In June, 1846, Gen. Stephen W. Kearny, commander of the Army of the West, as his command was designated, left Fort Leavenworth with a force of regulars and volunteers to take possession of New Mexico. The conquest of that territory was accomplished without a battle. Under orders from the war department Kearny began his march to Califor- nia with a part of his force to co-operate with the naval forces there. October 6, near Socorro, N. M., lie met Kit Carson with an escort of 15 men, en route from Los Angeles to Washington, bear- ing dispatches from Stockton, giving the report of the conquest of California. Kearny required Carson to turn back and act as his guide. Car- son was very unwilling to do so, as he was within a few days' journey of his home and family, from whom he had been separated for nearly two years. He had been guide for Fremont on his exploring expedition. He, however, obeyed Kearny's or- ders. General Kearny sent back about 300 of his men, taking with him 120. After a toilsome march by way of the Pima villages, Tucson, the Gila and across the Colorado desert, they reached the Indian village of San Pasqual (about 40 miles from San Diego), where the battle was fought. It was the bloodiest battle of the conquest; Kear- ny's men, at daybreak, riding on broken down mules and half broken horses, in an irregular and disorderly line, charged the Californians. While the American line was stretched out over the plain Capt. Andrés Pico, who was in com- mand, wheeled his column and charged the Americans. A fierce hand to hand fight ensued, the Californians using their lances and lariats, the Americans clubbed guns and sabers. Of Kearny's command 18 men were killed and 19 wounded; three of the wounded died. Only one, Capt. Abraham R. Johnston (a relative of the author's), was killed by a gunshot; all the others were lanced. The mules to one of the howitzers became unmanageable and ran into the enemy's lines. The driver was killed and the gun cap- tured. One Californian was captured and several slightly wounded; none were killed. Less than half of Kearny's 160 men took part in the battle. His loss in killed and wounded was fifty per cent. of those engaged. Dr. John S. Griffin, for many years a leading physician of Los Angeles, was the surgeon of the command. William H. Dunne,

James R. Barton, John Reed, George W. White- horn, Michael Halpin and others of the command, located in Los Angeles.

The foraging expeditions in Lower California having been quite successful in bringing in cat- tle, horses and mules, Commodore Stockton has- tened his preparation for marching against Los Angeles. The enemy obtained informatiou of the projected movement and left for the pueblo. "The Cyane having arrived," says Duvall, "our force was increased to about 600 men, most of whom, understanding the drill, performed the evolutions like regular soldiers. Everything being ready for our departure the commodore left Captain Montgomery and officers in command of the town, and on the 29th of December took up his line of march for Angeles. General Kear- ny was second in command and having the immediate arrangement of the forces, reserving for himself the prerogative which his rank neces- sarily imposed upon him. Owing to the weak state of our oxen we had not crossed the dry bed of the river San Diego before they began break- ing down, and the carts, which were 30 or 40 in number, had to be dragged by the men. The general urged on the commodore that it was use- less to commence such a march as was before us with our present means of transportation, but the commodore insisted on performing at least one day's march even if we should have to return the next. We succeeded in reaching the valley of the Soledad that night by dragging our carts. Next day the commodore proposed to go six miles farther, which we accomplished, and then continued six miles further. Having obtained some fresh oxen, by assisting the carts up hill, we made ten to twelve miles a day. At San Luis Rey we secured men, carts and oxen, and after that our day's marches ranged from 15 to 22 miles a day.

"The third day out from San Luis Rey a white flag was seen ahead, the bearer of which had a communication from Flores, signing himself 'Commander-in Chief and Governor of Califor- nia,' asking for a conference for the purpose of coming to terms, which would be alike 'honora- ble to both countries.' The commodore refused to answer him in writing, saying to the bearer of the truce that his answer was, 'he knew 110 such person as Governor Flores, that he himself was the only governor in California; that he knew a rebel by that name, a man who had given his parole of honor not to take up arms against the government of the United States, who, if the people of California now in arms against the forces of the United States would deliver up, he (Stockton) would treat with them on condition

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

that they surrender their arms and retire peaceably to their homes and he would grant them, as citi- zens of the United States, protection from further molestation.' This the embassy refused to en- tertain, saying 'they would prefer to die with Flores than to surrender on such terms.' * * * * * * X-

"On the 8th of January they met us on the banks of the river San Gabriel with between five and six hundred men mounted on good horses and armed with lances and carbines, having also four pieces of artillery planted on the heights about 350 yards distant from the river. Owing to circumstances which have occurred since the surrender of the enemy, I prefer not mentioning the particulars of this day's battle and also that of the day following, or of referring to individuals concerned in the successful management of our forces." (The circumstance to which Lieutenant Duvall refers was undoubtedly the quarrel be- tween Stockton and Kearny after the capture of Los Angeles.) "It is sufficient to say that on the 8th of January we succeeded in crossing the river and driving the enemy from the heights. Having resisted all their charges, dismounted one of their pieces and put them to flight in every direction, we encamped on the ground they had occupied during the fight.

"The next day the Californians met us on the Plains of the Mesa. For a time the fighting was carried on by both sides with artillery, but that proving too hot for them they concentrated their whole force in a line ahead of us and at a given signal divided from the center and came down on us like a tornado, charging us on all sides at the same time; but they were effectually defeated and fled in every direction in the utmost confusion. Many of their horses were left dead on the field. Their loss in the two battles, as given by Andrés Pico, second in command, was 83 killed and wounded; our loss, three killed (one accidentally ), and 15 or 20 wounded, none dangerously. The enemy abandoned two pieces of artillery in an Indian village near by."

I have given at considerable length Midship- man Duvall's account of Stockton's march from San Diego and of the two battles fought, not be- cause it is the fullest account of those events, but because it is original historical matter-never having appeared in print before-and also be- cause it is the observations of a participant written at the time the events occurred. In it the losses of the enemy are greatly exaggerated, but that was a fault of his superior officers as well. Commodore Stockton, in his official reports of the two battles, gives the enemy's loss in killed and wounded "between seventy and eighty." And General Kearny, in his report of the battle of

San Pasqual, claimed it as a victory, and states that the enemy left six dead on the field. The actual loss of the Californians in the two battles (San Gabriel River and La Mesa) was three killed and ten or twelve wounded .*

While the events recorded in this chapter were transpiring at San Diego and its vicinity, what was the state of affairs in the capital, Los Angeles ? After the exultation and rejoicing over the ex- pulsion of Gillespie's garrison, Mervine's defeat and the victory over Kearny at San Pasqual there came a reaction. Dissensions continued between the leaders. There was lack of arms and laxity of discipline. The army was but little better than a mob. Obedience to orders of a superior was foreign to the nature of a Califor- nian. His wild, free life in the saddle made him impatient of all restraint. Then the impossi- bility of successful resistance against the Ameri- cans became more and more apparent as the final conflict approached. Fremont's army was mov- ing down on the doomed city from the north, and Stockton's was coming up from the south. Either one of these, in numbers, exceeded the force that Flores could bring into action; combined they would crush him out of existence. The Califor- nian troops were greatly discouraged and it was with great difficulty that the officers kept their men together. There was another and more potent element of disintegration. Many of the wealthier natives and all the foreigners, regard- ing the contest as hopeless, secretly favored the American cause, and it was only through fear of loss of property that they furnished Flores and his officers any supplies for the army.

During the latter part of December and the first days of January Flores' army was stationed at the San Fernando Mission, on the lookout for Fremont's battalion; but the more rapid advance of Stockton's army compelled a change of base. On the 6th and 7th of January Flores moved his army back secretly through the Cahuenga Pass, and, passing to the southward of the city, took position where La Jabonéria (the soap factory) road crosses the San Gabriel River. Here his men were stationed in the thick willows to give Stockton a surprise. Stockton received informa- tion of the trap set for him and after leaving the Los Coyotes swung off to the right until he struck the Upper Santa Ana road. The Califor- nians had barely time to effect a change of base and get their cannon planted when the Americans arrived at the crossing.

Stockton called the engagement there the battle of the San Gabriel River; the Californians call it the battle of Paso de Bartolo, which is the

* The killed were Ignacio Sepulveda, Francisco Rubio, and El Guaymeño, a Yaqui Indian,

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

better name. The place where the battle was fought is on the bluff just south of the Upper Santa Ana road, near where the Southern Cali- fornia Railroad crosses the Old San Gabriel River. (The ford or crossing was formerly known as Pico's Crossing. ) There was, at the time of the battle, but one San Gabriel River. The new river channel was made in the great flood of 1868. What Stockton, Emory, Duvall and other American officers call the battle of the "Plains of the Mesa" the Californians call the battle of La Mesa, which is most decidedly a better name

than the "Plains of the Plain." It was fouglit at a ravine, The Cañada de Los Alisos, near the southeastern corner of the city's boundary. In1 these battles the Californians had four pieces of artillery, two iron nine-pounders, the Old Woman's gun and the howitzer captured from Kearny. Their powder was very poor. It was made at San Gabriel. It was owing to this that they did so little execution in the fight. That the Californians escaped with so little punishment was probably due to the wretched marksmanship of Stockton's sailors and marines.

CHAPTER XX.

OCCUPATION OF LOS ANGELES-BUILDING OF FORT MOORE.

FTER the battle of La Mesa, the Americans, keeping to the south, crossed the river at about the point where the south boundary line of the city crosses it and encamped on the right bank. Here, under a willow tree, those killed in battle were buried. Lieutenant Emory, in his "Notes of a Military Reconnaissance," says: "The town, known to contain great quantities of wine and aguardiente, was four miles distant (four miles from the battlefield). From previous experience of the difficulty of controlling men when entering towns, it was determined to cross the river San Fernando (Los Angeles), halt there for the night and enter the town in the morning, with the whole day before us.

"After we had pitched our camp, the enemy came down from the hills, and 400 horsemen with four pieces of artillery drew off towards the town, in order and regularity, whilst about sixty made a movement down the river on our rear and left flank. This led us to suppose they were not yet whipped, as we thought, and that we should have a night attack.

"January 10 .- Just as we had raised our camp, a flag of truce borne by Mr. Celis, a Castilian, Mr. Workman, an Englishman, and Alvarado, the owner of the rancho at the Alisos, was brought into camp. They proposed, on behalf of the Cal- iforuians, to surrender their dear City of the An- gels, provided we would respect property and persons. This was agreed to, but not altogether

trusting to the honesty of General Flores, who had once broken his parole, we moved into the town in the same order we should have done if expecting an attack.

"It was a wise precaution, for the streets were full of desperate and drunken fellows, who bran- dished their arms and saluted us with every term of reproach. The crest, overlooking the town, in rifle range, was covered with horsemen en- gaged in the same hospitable manner.

"Our men marched steadily on, until crossing the ravine leading into the public square (plaza), when a fight took place amongst the Californians on the hill; one became disarmed and to avoid deatlı rolled down the hill towards us, his adver- sary pursuing and lancing him in the most cold- blooded manner. The man tumbling down the hill was supposed to be one of our vaqueros, and the cry of 'rescue him!' was raised. The crew of the Cyane, nearest the scene, at once and with- out any orders, halted and gave the man that was lancing him a volley; strange to say he did not fall. The general gave the jack tars a curs- ing, not so much for the firing without orders, as for their bad marksmanship."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 16

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 996

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996