Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 12

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366

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Instead of surrendering, Castro and Alvara- do, with a force of 200 men, advanced against Carrillo. The two armies met at Campo de Las Flores. General Tobar had fortified a cattle corral with rawhides, carretas and cottonwood poles. A few shots from Alvarado's artillery scattered Tobar's rawhide fortifications. Carrillo surrendered. Tobar and a few of the leaders escaped to Mexico. Alvarado ordered the mis- guided Angeleñan sokliers to go home and behave themselves. He brought the captive gov- ernor back with him and left him with his (Car- rillo's) wife at Santa Barbara, who became surety for the deposed ruler. Not content with his un- fortunate attempts to rule, he again claimed the governorship on the plea that he had been ap- pointed by the supreme government. But the Angeleños had had enough of him. Disgusted with his incompetency, Juan Gallardo, at the session of May 14, 1838, presented a petition praying that this ayuntamiento do not recognize Carlos Carrillo as governor, and setting forth the reasons why we, the petitioners, "should de- clare ourselves subject to the northern gover- nor" and why they opposed Carrillo.

"First. In having compromised the people

IHISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

from San Buenaventura south into a declaration of war, the incalculable calamities of which will never be forgotten, not even by the most ignor- ant."

"Second. Not satisfied with the unfortunate event at San Buenaventura, he repeated the same at Campo de Las Flores, which, only through a divine dispensation, California is not to-day in mourning." Seventy citizens signed the petition, but the city attorney, who had done time in Vallejo's bastile, decided the petition ille- gal because it was written on common paper when paper with the proper seal could be ob- tained.

Next day Gallardo returned with his petition on legal paper. The ayuntamiento decided to sound the "public alarm" and call the people to- gether to give them "public speech." The pub- lic alarmı was sounded. The people assembled at the city hall; speeches were made on both sides; and when the vote was taken 22 were in favor of the northern governor, 5 in favor of whatever the ayuntamiento decides, and Serbulo Vareles alone voted for Don Carlos Carrillo. So the council decided to recognize Don Juan Bau- tista Alvarado as governor and leave the su- preme government to settle the contest be- tween him and Carrillo.

Notwithstanding this apparent burying of the hatchet, there were rumors of plots and intrigues in Los Angeles and San Diego against Alvara- do. At length, aggravated beyond endurance. the governor sent word to the sureños that if they did not behave themselves he would shoot ten of the leading men of the south. As he had about that number locked up in the Castillo at Sonoma, his was no idle threat.

One by one Alvarado's prisoners of state were released from Vallejo's bastile at Sonoma and returned to Los Angeles, sadder if not wiser men. At the session of the ayuntamiento Octo- ber 20, 1838, the president announced that Sen- ior Regidor José Palomares had returned from Sonoma, where he had been compelled to go by reason of "political differences," and that he should be allowed his seat in the council. The request was granted unanimously.

At the next meeting Narciso Botello, its for- mer secretary, after five and a half months' im- prisonment at Sonoma, put in an appearance and

claimed his office and his pay. Although others had filled the office in the interim the illustrious ayuntamiento, "ignoring for what offense he was incarcerated, could not suspend his salary." But his salary was suspended. The treasury was empty. The last horse and the last hide had been paid ont to defray the expenses of the in- auguration festivities of Carlos, the Pretender. and the civil war that followed. Indeed, there was a treasury deficit of whole caballadas of horses and bales of hides. Narciso's back pay was a preferred claim that outlasted El Estado Libre.

The sureños of Los Angeles and San Diego, finding that in Alvarado they had a man of cour- age and determination to deal with, ceased from troubling him and submitted to the inevitable.

At the meeting of the ayuntamiento, October 5, 1839, a notification was received stating that the supreme government of Mexico had ap- pointed Juan Bautista Alvarado "Governor of the Department." There was no grumbling or dissent. On the contrary the records say, "This Illustrious Body acknowledges receipt of the communication and congratulates His Excel- lency. It will announce the same to the citizens to-morrow (Sunday), will raise the national col- ors, salute the same with the required number of volleys, and will invite the people to illumi- nate their houses for a better display in rejoicing at such a happy appointment." With his ap- pointment by the supreme government the "Free and sovereign state of Alta California" be- came a dream of the past-a dead nation. In- deed, months before Alvarado had abandoned his idea of founding an independent state and had taken the oath of allegiance to the constitution of 1836. The loyal sureños received no thanks from the supreme government for all their pro- fessions of loyalty, whilst the rebellious arribañas of the north obtained all the rewards-the gov- ernor, the capital and the offices. The supreme government gave the deposed governor, Carlos Carrillo, a grant of the island of Santa Rosa, ju the Santa Barbara Channel, but whether it was given him as a salve to his wounded dignity or as an Elba or St. Helena, where, in the event of his stirring up another revolution, he might be banished a la Napoleon, the records do not in- form us.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD,

CHAPTER XIII.

THE CLOSING YEARS OF MEXICAN RULE.

T HE decade of revolutions closed with Alvarado firmly established as Governor of the Department of the Californias. (By the constitution of 1836 Upper and Lower California had been united into a department.) The hijos del pais had triumphed. A native son was governor of the department ; another native son was comandante of its military forces. The membership of the departmental junta, which had taken the place of the diputacion, was largely made up of sons of the soil, and natives filled the minor offices. In their zeal to rid themselves of Mexican office-holders they had invoked the assistance of another element that was ultimately to be their undoing.

During the revolutionary era just passed the foreign population had largely increased. Not only had the foreigners come by sea, but they had come by land. Capt. Jedediah S. Smith, a New England-born trapper and hunter, was the first man to enter California by the overland route. He came in 1826 by the way of Great Salt Lake and the Rio Virgin, then across the desert through the Cajon Pass to San Gabriel and Los Angeles. On his return he crossed the Sierra Nevadas, and, following up the Hum- boldt river, returned to Great Salt Lake. He was the first white man to cross the Sierra Ne- vadas. A number of trappers and hunters came in the early '3os from New Mexico by way of the old Mexican trail. This immigration was largely American, and was made up of a bold, adventurous class of men, some of them not the most desirable immigrants. Of this latter class were some of Graham's followers.

By invoking Graham's aid to place him in power, Alvarado had fastened upon his shoul- ders an Old Man of the Sea. It was easy enough to enlist the services of Graham's riflemen, but altogether another matter to get rid of them. Now that he was firmly established in power, Alvarado would, no doubt, have been glad to be rid entirely of his recent allies, but Graham and his adherents were not backward in giving him to understand that he owed his position to them, and they were inclined to put themselves on an equality with him. This did not comport with his ideas of the dignity of his office. To be hailed by some rough buckskin-clad trapper

with "Ho! Bautista ; come here, I want to speak with you," was an affront to his pride that the governor of the two Californias could not quiet- ly pass over, and besides, like all of his country- men, he disliked foreigners.

There were rumors of another revolution, and it was not difficult to persuade Alvarado that the foreigners were plotting to revolutionize Cali- fornia. Mexico had recently lost Texas, and the same class of "malditos extranjeros" (wicked strangers) were invading California, and would ultimately possess themselves of the country. Accordingly, secret orders were sent through- out the department to arrest and imprison all foreigners. Over one hundred men of differ- ent nationalities were arrested, principally American and English. Of these forty-seven were shipped to San Blas, and from there marched overland to Tepic, where they were imprisoned for several months. Through the efforts of the British consul, Barron, they were released. Castro, who had accompanied the prisoners to Mexico to prefer charges against them, was placed under arrest and afterwards tried by court-martial, but was acquitted. He had been acting under orders from his superiors. After an absence of over a year twenty of the exiles landed at Monterey on their return from Mexico. Robinson, who saw them land, says : "They returned neatly dressed, armed with rifles and swords, and looking in much better condi- tion than when they were sent away, or prob- ably than they had ever looked in their lives before." The Mexican government had been compelled to pay them damages for their arrest and imprisonment and to return them to Cali- fornia. Graham, the reputed leader of the for- eigners, was the owner of a distillery near Santa Cruz, and had gathered a number of hard char- acters around him. It would have been no loss had he never returned.

The only other event of importance during Alvarado's term as governor was the capture of Monterey by Commodore Ap Catesby Jones, of the United States navy. This event happened after Alvarado's successor, Micheltorena, had landed in California, but before the government had been formally turned over to him.

The following extract from the diary of a

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD

pioneer and former resident of Los Angeles who was an cye-witness of the affair, gives a good description of the capture :

"Monterey, Oct. 19, 1842 .- At 2 p. m. the United States man-of-war 'United States,' Com- modore Ap Catesby Jones, came to anchor close alongside and inshore of all the ships in port. About 3 p. m. Captain Armstrong came ashore, accompanied by an interpreter, and went direct to the governor's house, where he had a private conversation with him, which proved to be a demand for the surrender of the entire coast of California, Upper and Lower, to the United States government. When he was about to go on board he gave three or four copies of a proc- lamation to the inhabitants of the two Califor- nias, assuring them of the protection of their lives, persons and property. In his notice to the governor (Alvarado) he gave him only until the following morning at 9 a. m. to decide. If he received no answer, then he would fire upon the . town."

"I remained on shore that night and went down to the governor's, with Mr. Larkin and Mr. Eagle. The governor had had some idea of running away and leaving Monterey to its fate, but was told by Mr. Spence that he should not go, and finally he resolved to await the result. At 12 at night some persons were sent on board the "United States" who had been appointed by the governor to meet the commodore and arrange the terms of the surrender. Next morn- ing at half-past ten o'clock about 100 sailors and 50 marines disembarked. The sailors marched up from the shore and took possession of the fort. The American colors were hoisted. The "United States" fired a salute of thirteen guns; it was returned by the fort, which fired twenty- six guns. The marines in the mean time had marched up to the government house. The of- ficers and soldiers of the California government were discharged and their guns and other arms taken possession of and carried to the fort. The stars and stripes now wave over its. Long may they wave here in California !"

"Oct. 21st, 4 p. m .- Flags were again changed, the vessels were released, and all was quiet again. The commodore had received later news by some Mexican newspapers."

Commodore Jones had been stationed at Cal- lao with a squadron of four vessels. An English fleet was also there, and a French fleet was cruising in the Pacific. Both these were sup- posed to have designs on California. Jones learned that the English admiral had received orders to sail next day. Surmising that his des- tination might be California, he slipped out of the harbor the night before and crowded all sail to reach California before the English admiral.

The loss of Texas, and the constant influx of immigrants and adventurers from the United States into California, had embittered the Mex- ican government more and more against for- eigners. Manuel Micheltorena, who had served under Santa Anna in the Texan war, was ap- pointed, January 19, 1842, comandante-general inspector and gobernador propietario of the Californias.

Santa Anna was president of the Mexican Republic. His experience with Americans in Texas during the Texan war of independence, in 1836-37, had determined him to use every cf- fort to prevent California from sharing the fate of Texas.

Micheltorena, the newly-appointed governor, was instructed to take with him sufficient force to check the ingress of Americans. He recruit- ed a force of 350 men, principally convicts en- listed from the prisons of Mexico. His army of thieves and ragamuffins landed at San Diego in August, 1842.

Robinson, who was at San Diego when one of the vessels conveying Micheltorena's cholos (convicts) landed, thus describes them: "Five days afterward the brig Chato arrived with ninety soldiers and their families. I saw them land, and to me they presented a state of wretchedness and misery unequaled. Not one individual among them possessed a jacket or pantaloons, but, naked, and like the savage In- dians, they concealed their nudity with dirty, miserable blankets. The females were not much better off, for the scantiness of their mean ap- parel was too apparent for modest observers. They appeared like convicts, and, indeed, the greater portion of them had been charged with crime, either of murder or theft."

Micheltorena drilled his Falstaffiian army at San Diego for several weeks and then began his march northward. Los Angeles made great preparations to receive the new governor. Seven years had passed since she had been decreed the capital of the territory, and in all these years she had been denied her rights by Monterey. A favorable impression on the new governor might induce him to make the ciudad his capital. The national fiesta of September 16 was post- poned until the arrival of the governor. The best house in the town was secured for him and his staff. A grand ball was projected and the city illuminated the night of his arrival. A camp was established down by the river and the cholos, who in the mean time had been given white linen uniforms, were put through the drill and the manual of arms. They were incorrigible thieves, and stole for the very pleasure of steal- ing. They robbed the hen roosts, the orchards, the vineyards and the vegetable gardens of the

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

citizens. To the Angeleños the glory of their city as the capital of the territory faded in the presence of their empty chicken coops and plundered orchards. They longed to speed the departure of their now unwelcome guests. After a stay of a month in the city, Micheltorena and his army took up their line of march north- ward. He had reached a point about twenty miles north of San Fernando, when, on the night of the 24th of October, a messenger aroused him from his slumbers with the news that the capital had been captured by the Ameri- cans. Micheltorena seized the occasion to make political capital for himself with the home gov- ernment. He spent the remainder of the night in fulminating proclamations against the in- vaders fiercer than the thunderbolts of Jove, copies of which were dispatched post haste to Mexico. He even wished himself a thunderbolt "that he might fly over intervening space and annihilate the invaders." Then, with his own courage and doubtless that of his brave cholos aroused to the highest pitch, instead of rushing on the invaders he and his army fled back to San Fernando, where, afraid to advance or re- treat, he halted until news reached him that Commodore Jones had restored Monterey to the Californians. Then his valor reached the boil- ing point. He boldly marched to Los Angeles, established his headquarters in the city and awaited the coming of Commodore Jones and his officers from Monterey.

On the 19th of January, 1843, Commodore Jones and his staff came to Los Angeles to meet the governor. At the famous conference in the Palacio de Don Abel, Micheltorena presented his Articles of Convention. Among other ridic- ulous demands were the following: "Article VI. Mr. Thomas Ap C. Jones will deliver 1,500 complete infantry uniforms to replace those of nearly one-half of the Mexican force, which have been ruined in the violent march and the con- tinued rains while they were on their way to recover the port thus invaded." "Article VII. Jones to pay $15,000 into the national treasury for expenses incurred from the general alarm; also a complete set of musical instruments in place of those ruined on this occasion."* Judg- ing from Robinson's description of the dress of Micheltorena's cholos it is doubtful whether there was an entire uniform among them.

"The commodore's first impulse," writes a member of his staff, "was to return the papers without comment and to refuse further commu- nication with a man who could have the effront- cry to trump up such charges as those for which indemnification was claimed." The commodore

on reflection put aside his personal feelings, and met the governor at the grand ball in Sanchez Hall held in honor of the occasion. The ball was a brilliant affair, "the dancing ceased only with the rising of the sun next morning." The com- modore returned the articles without his signa- ture. The governor did not again refer to his demands. Next morning, January 21, 1843, Jones and his officers took their departure from the city "amidst the beating of drums, the firing of cannon and the ringing of bells, saluted by the general and his wife from the door of their quarters." On the 31st of December Michel- torena had taken the oath of office in Sanchez Hall, which stood on the east side of the plaza. Salutes were fired, the bells were rung and the city was illuminated for three evenings. For the second time a governor had been inaugurated in Los Angeles.

Micheltorena and his cholo army remained in Los Angeles about eight months. The Angel- eños had all the capital they cared for. They were perfectly willing to have the governor and his army take up their residence in Monterey. The cholos had devoured the country like an army of chapules (locusts) and were willing to move on. Monterey would no doubt "have gladly transferred what right she had to the capital if at the same time she could have trans- ferred to her old rival, Los Angeles, Michel- torena's cholos. Their pilfering was largely en- forced by their necessities. They received little or no pay, and they often had to steal or starve. The leading native Californians still entertained their old dislike to "Mexican dictators" and the retinue of 300 chicken thieves that accompanied the last dictator intensified their hatred.

Micheltorena, while not a model governor, had many good qualities and was generally liked by the better class of foreign residents. He made an earnest effort to establish a system of public education in the territory. Schools were established in all the principal towns, and terri- torial aid from the public funds to the amount of $500 each was given them. The school at Los Angeles had over one hundred pupils in attend- ance. His worst fault was a disposition to med- dle in local affairs. He was unreliable and not careful to keep his agreements. Ile might have succeeded in giving California a stable govern- ment had it not been for the antipathy to his cholo soldiers and the old feud between the "hijos del pais" and the Mexican dictators.

These two proved his undoing. The native sons under Alvarado and Castro rose in rebel- lion. In November, 1844, a revolution was in- augurated at Santa Clara. The governor marched with an army of 150 inen against the rebel forces numbering about 200. They met

*Bancroft History of California Vol. IV.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

at a place called the Laguna de Alvires. A treaty was signed in which Micheltorena agreed to ship his cholos back to Mexico.

This treaty the governor deliberately broke. He then intrigued with Capt. John A. Sutter of New Helvetia and Isaac Graham to obtain as- sistance to crush the rebels. January 9, 1845, Micheltorena and Sutter formed a junction of their forces at Salinas-their united commands numbering about 500 men. They marched against the rebels to crush them. But the rebels did not wait to be crushed. Alvarado and Castro, with about 90 men, started for Los Angeles, and those left behind scattered to their homes. Alvarado and his men reached Los Angeles on the night of January 20, 1845. The garrison stationed at the curate's house was surprised and captured. One man was killed and several wounded. Lieut. Medina, of Micheltorena's army, was the commander of the pueblo troops. Alvarado's army encamped on the plaza and he and Castro set to work to revolutionize the old pueblo. The leading Angeleños had no great love for Juan Bautista, and did not readily fall into his schemes. They had not forgotten their enforced detention in Vallejo's Bastile during the Civil war. An extraordinary session of the ayuntamiento was called January 21. Alvarado and Castro were present and made eloquent ap- peals. The records say: "The Ayuntamiento listened, and after a short interval of silence and meditation decided to notify the senior member of the Departmental Assembly of Don Alvarado and Castro's wishes."

They were more successful with the Pico Brothers. Pio Pico was senior vocal, and in case Micheltorena was deposed, he, by virtue of his office, would become governor. Through the influence of the Picos the revolution gained ground. The most potent influence in spread- ing the revolt was the fear of Micheltorena's cholos. Should the town be captured by them it certainly would be looted. The departmental assembly was called together. A peace com- mission was sent to meet Micheltorena, who was leisurely marching southward, and intercede with him to give up his proposed invasion of the soutlı. He refused. Then the assembly pro- nounced him a traitor, deposed him by vote and appointed Pio Pico governor. Recruiting went on rapidly. Hundreds of saddle horses were contributed, "old rusty guns were repaired, hacked swords sharpened, rude lances manu- factured" and cartridges made for the old iron cannon, that now stand guard at the courthouse. Some fifty foreigners of the south joined Alva- rado's army ; not that they had much interest in the revolution, but to protect their property against the rapacious invaders-the cholos, and

Sutter's Indians,* who were as much dreaded as the cholos. On the 19th of February, Michel- torena reached the Encinos, and the Angelenian army marehed out through Cahuenga Pass to meet him. On the 20th the two armies met on the southern edge of the San Fernando valley, about 15 miles from Los Angeles. Each army numbered about 400 men. Micheltorena had three pieces of artillery, and Castro two. They opened on each other at long range and seem to have fought the battle throughout at very long range. A mustang or a mule-authorities differ-was killed.

Wilson, Workman and Mckinley, of Castro's army, decided to induce the Americans on the other side, many of whom were their personal friends, to abandon Micheltorena. Passing up a ravine they succeeded in attracting the atten- tion of some of them by means of a white flag. Gantt, Hensley and Bidwell joined them in the ravine. The situation was discussed and the Americans of Micheltorena's army agreed to de- sert him if Pico would protect them in their land grants. Wilson, in his account of the bat- tle,; says : "I knew, and so did Pico, that these land questions were the point with those young Americans. Before I started on my journey or embassy, Pico was sent for; on his arrival among us I, in a few words, explained to him what the party had advanced." ""Gentlemen," said he, "are any of you citizens of Mexico?" They answered "No." "Then your title deeds given you by Micheltorena are not worth the paper they are written on, and he knew it well when he gave them to you ; but if you will aban- don his cause I will give you my word of honor as a gentleman and Don Benito Wilson and Don Juan Workman to carry out what I promise- that I will protect each one of you in the land that you now hold, and when you become citi- zens of Mexico I will issue you the proper titles." They said that was all they asked, and promised not to fire a gun against us. They also asked not to be required to fight on our side, which was agreed to.

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Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 12

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 1366

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366