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 17

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

USA > California > 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 17

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).

"We presented truly a pitiable condition, many being barely able to drag one foct after the other from excessive fatigue, having gone through the exertions and excitement in battle and afterwards performing a march of eighteen or twenty miles without rest.

"This is the first battle I have ever been en- gaged in, and, having taken particular notice of those around me, I can assert that no men could have acted more bravely. Even when their ship- mates were falling by their sides, I saw but one impulse and that was to push forward, and when the retreat was ordered I noticed a general re- luctance to turn their backs to the enemy.

"The following is a list of the killed and wounded :

"Michael Hoey (ordinary seaman), killed; David Johnson (o. s.), killed; Wm. H. Berry (o. s.), mortally wounded; Charles Sommers (musician), mortally wounded ; John Tyre (sea- man), severely wounded; John Anderson (sea- man), severely wounded; recovery doubtful. The following-named were slightly wounded : William Conland (marine); Hiram Rockvill (mar.); H. Linland (mar.); James Smith (mar.).

"On the following morning we buried the bodies of William A. Smith, Charles Sommers, David Johnson and Michael Hoey on an island in the harbor.

"At II A. M. the captain called a council of commissioned officers regarding the proper course to adopt in the present crisis, which de- cided that no force should be landed, and that

103

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the ship remain here until further orders from the commodore, who is daily expected."

Entry in the log for Sunday, 11th: "William H. Berry (ordinary seaman) departed this life from the effect of wounds received in battle. Sent his body for interment to Dead Man's Island, so named by us. Mustered the command at quar- ters, after which performed divine service."

From this account it will be seen that the num- ber killed and died of wounds received in battle was four; number wounded, six; and one acci- dentally killed before the battle. On October 22 Henry Lewis died and was buried on the island. Lewis' name does not appear in the list of the wounded. It is presumable that he died of dis- ease. Six of the crew of the Savannah were buried on Dead Man's Island, four of whom were killed in battle. Lieut. Duvall gives the follow- ing list of the officers in the "Expedition on the march to retake Pueblo de Los Angeles":

Capt. William Mervine, commanding.

Capt. Ward Marston, commanding marines.

Brevet Capt. A. H. Gillespie, commanding volun- teers.

Lieut. Henry W. Queen, adjutant.

Lieut. B. F. Pinckney, commanding first company.

Lieut. W. Rinckindoff, commanding second com- pany.

Lieut. I. B. Carter, Colt's riflemen.

Midshipman R. D. Minor, acting lieutenant second company.

Midshipman S. P. Griffin, acting lieutenant first company.

Midshipman P. G. Walmough, acting lieutenant sec- ond company. Midshipman R. C. Duvall, acting lieutenant Colt's riflemen.

Capt. Clark and Capt. Goodsall, commanding pike- men.

Lieut. Hensley, first lieutenant volunteers.

Lieut. Russeau, second lieutenant volunteers.

The piece of artillery that did such deadly execution on the Americans was the famous Old Woman's gun. It was a bronze four-pounder, or pedréro (swivel-gun) that for a number of years has stood on the plaza in front of the church, and was used for firing salutes on feast days and other occasions.

When on the approach of Stockton's and Fre- mont's forces Castro abandoned his artillery and fled, an old lady, Doña Clara Cota de Reyes, declared that the gringos should not have the church's gun; so, with the assistance of her daughters, she buried it in a cane patch near her residence, which stood on the east side of Ala- meda street, near First.

When the Californians revolted against Gilles- pie's rule the gun was unearthed and used against him. The Historical Society of Southern California has in its possession a brass grape- shot, one of a charge that was fired into the face

of Fort Hill at Gillespie's men when they were posted on the hill. This old gun was in the ex- hibit of trophies at the New Orleans Exposition in 1885. The label on it read : "Trophy 53, No. 63, Class 7. Used by Mexico against the United States at the battle of Dominguez' Ranch, Oc- tober 9, 1846; at San Gabriel and the Mesa, Jan- uary 8 and 9, 1847; used by the United States forces against Mexico at Mazatlan, November 1I, 1847; Urios (crew all killed or wounded), Palos Prietos, December 13, 1847, and Lower California, at San José, February 15, 1848." It should be obtained from the government and brought back to Los Angeles. Before the battle the old gun had been mounted on forward axle of a Jersey wagon, which a man by the name of Hunt had brought across the plains the year before. It was lashed to the axle by means of rawhide thongs, and was drawn by riatas, as described by Lieut. Duvall. The range was ob- tained by raising or lowering the pole of the wagon. Ignacio Aguilar acted as gunner, and having neither lanyard or pent-stock to fire it, he touched off the gun with the lighted end of a cigarette. Never before or since, perhaps, was a battle won with such crude artillery. José An- tonio Carrillo was in command of the Califor- nians. During the skirmishing of the first day he had between 80 and 90 men. During the night of the 8th Flores joined him with a force of 60 men. Next morning Flores returned to Los Angeles, taking with him 20 men. Carrillo's force in the battle numbered about 120 men.

Had Mervine known that the Californians had fired their last shot-their powder being ex- hausted-he could have pushed on and captured the pueblo.

The expulsion of Gillespie's garrison from Los Angeles and the defeat of Mervine's force raised the spirits of the Californians, and there was great rejoicing at the pueblo. Detachments of Flores' army were kept at Sepulvedo's Rancho, the Palos Verdes, and at Temple's Rancho of the Cerritos, to watch the Savannah and report any attempt at landing. The leaders of the re- volt were not so sanguine of success as the rank and file. They were without means to procure arms and supplies. There was a scar- city of ammunition, too. An inferior article of gunpowder was manufactured in limited quanti- ties at San Gabriel. The only uniformity in weapons was in lances. These were rough, home-made affairs, the blade beaten out of a rasp or file, and the shaft a willow pole about cight feet long. These weapons were formida- ble in a charge against infantry, but easily par- ried by a swordsman in a cavalry charge.

After the defeat of Mervine, Flores set about reorganizing the territorial government. He

104

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

called together the departmental assembly. It met in the capital (Los Angeles) October 26tlı. The members present-Figueroa, Botello, Guer- ra and Olvera-were all from the south. The assembly decided to fill the place of governor, vacated by Pico, and that of comandante-gen- eral, left vacant by the flight of Castro.

José Maria Flores, who was now recognized as the leader of the revolt against American rule, was chosen to fill both offices, and the two offices, as had formerly been the custom, were united in one person. He chose Narciso Botello for his secretary. Flores, who was Mexi- can born, was an intelligent and patriotic offi- cer. He used every means in his power to prepare his forces for the coming conflict with the Americans, but with little success. The old jealousy of the hijos del pais against the Mex- ican would crop out, and it neutralized his ef- forts. There were bickerings and complaints in the ranks and among the officers. The na- tives claimed that a Californian ought to be chief in command.

The feeling of jealousy against Flores at length culminated in open revolt. Flores had decided to send the prisoners taken at the Chino fight to Mexico. His object was twofold-first, to enhance his own glory with the Mexican gov- ernment, and, secondly, by showing what the Californians had already accomplished to ob- tain aid in the coming conflict. As most of these

men were married to California wives, and by marriage related to many of the leading Cali- fornia families of the south, there was at once a family uproar and fierce denunciations of Flores. But as the Chino prisoners were for- eigners, and had been taken while fighting against the Mexican government, it was neces- sary to disguise the hostility to Flores under some other pretext. He was charged with the design of running away to Sonora with the pub- lic funds. On the night of December 3, Fran- cisco Rico, at the head of a party of Californians, took possession of the cuartel, or guard-house, and arrested Flores. A special session of the as- sembly was called to investigate the charges.

Flores expressed his willingness to give up his purpose of sending the Chino prisoners to Mexico, and the assembly found no foundation to the charge of his design of running away with the public funds, nor did they find any funds to run away with. Flores was liberated, and Rico imprisoned in turn.

Flores was really the last Mexican governor of California. Like Pico, he was elected by the territorial legislature, but he was not confirmed by the Mexican congress. Generals Scott and Taylor were keeping President Santa Anna and his congress on the move so rapidly they had no time to spare for California affairs.

Flores was governor from October 26, 1846, to January 8, 1847.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE SECOND CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA.

S TOCKTON with his flag ship, the Con- gress, arrived at San Pedro on the 23d of October, 1846. The Savannah was still lying at anchor in the harbor. The commo- ‹lore had now at San Pedro a force of about 800 men ; but notwithstanding the contemptuous opinion he held of the Californian soldiers, he did not march against the pueblo. Stock- ton in his report says: "Elated by this transient success (Mervine's defeat), which the enemy with his usual want of veracity mag- nified into a great victory, they collected in large bodies on all the adjacent hills and would not permit a hoof except their own horses to be within fifty miles of San Pedro." But "in the face of their boasting insolence" Stockton landed and again hoisted "the glorious stars in the presence of their horse-covered hills." "The enemy had driven off every animal, man and beast, from that section of the country; and it was not possible by any means in our power

to carry provisions for our march to the city." The city was only 30 miles away and American soldiers have been known to carry rations in their haversacks for a march of 100 miles. The "transient success" of the insolent enemy had evidently made an impression on Stockton. He estimated the Californian force in the vicinity of the landing at 800 men, which was just about 700 too high. He determined to approach Los Angeles by way of San Diego, and on the last day of October he sailed for that port. B. D. Wilson, Stephen C. Foster and others attribute Stockton's abandonment of an attack on Los Angeles from San Pedro to a trick played on him by José Antonio Carrillo. Carrillo was in command of a detachment stationed at the Cer- ritos and the Palos Verdes. Carrillo was anx- ious to obtain an interview with Stockton and if possible secure a cessation of hostilities until the war then progressing in Mexico should be decided, thus settling the fate of California.

105

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

B. D. Wilson, one of the Chino prisoners, was sent with a Mexican sergeant to raise a white flag as the boats of the Congress approached the landing and present Carrillo's proposition for a trnce. Carrillo, with the intention of giving Stockton an exaggerated idea of the number of his troops and thus obtaining more favorable terms in the proposed treaty, collected droves of wild horses from the plains; these his caballeros kept in motion passing and repassing through a gap in the hills, which was in plain view from Stockton's vessel. Owing to the dust raised by the cavalcade it was impossible to discover that most of the horses were riderless. The troops were signaled to return to the vessel, and the commodore shortly afterwards sailed to San Diego. Carrillo always regretted that he made too much demonstration.

As an illustration of the literary trash that has been palmed off for California history, I give an extract from Frost's Pictorial History of Cali- fornia, a book written the year after the close of the Mexican war, by Prof. John Frost, a noted compiler of histories, who writes LL. D after his name. It relates to Stockton's exploits at San Pedro: "At the Rancho Sepulvida (The Palos Verdes) a large force of Californians were posted. Commodore Stockton sent one hundred men forward to receive the fire of the enemy and then fall back on the main body without re- turning it. The main body of Stockton's army was formed in a triangle with the guns hid by the men. By the retreat of the advance party the enemy were decoyed close to the main force, when the wings (of the triangle) were extended and a deadly fire from the artillery opened upon the astonished Californians. More than one hundred were killed, the same number wounded and one hundred prisoners taken." The mathe- matical accuracy of Stockton's artillerists was truly astonishing. They killed a man for every one wounded and took a prisoner for every man they killed. As Flores' army never amounted to more than three hundred, if we are to believe Frost, Stockton had all the enemy "present or accounted for." This silly fabrication of Frost's runs through a number of so-called histories of California. Stockton was a brave man and a very energetic commander, but he would boast of his achievements, and his reports were unre- liable.

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. He returned to Monterey and pro- ceeded to recruit a force to move against Los Angeles by land from Monterey. His recruits

were principally obtained from the recently ar- rived immigrants. 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 29th of November he began his march south- ward 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 Lieut. Theodore Talbot to garrison the town. A demand was made on the garrison to surren- der by Col. 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, hop- ing that reinforcements might be sent them from Monterey. Their only subsistence 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 soldiers who had remained in the country and was living in a cañon among the hills for a guide. He fur- nished them a horse to carry their blankets and conducted them through the mountains to the San Joaquin valley. Here the guide left them with the Indians, he returning to Santa Bar- bara. The Indians fed them on chia (wild flax- seed), 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 Fremont's battalion. Elijah Moulton of East Los Angeles is the only sur- vivor of that heroic band. He has been a resi- dent 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, tak- ing advantage of the laxity of discipline among the Californians, he stole a march on them, re- capturing the town and one piece of their artil- lery. He sent Don Miguel de Pedrorena, who was one of his allies, in a whale boat with four

106

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

sailors to San Pedro to obtain supplies and as- sistance. Pedrorena arrived at San Pedro on the 13th of October with Merritt's dispatches. Captain Mervine chartered the whale ship Mag- nolia, which was lying in the San Pedro harbor, and dispatched Lieut. Minor and Midshipmen Duvall 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 lo- cated 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 be- tween the hostile parties, but few fatalities. The Americans claimed to have killed three of the enemy, and one American was ambushed and killed.

The Californians kept well out of range, but prevented the Americans from obtaining sup- plies. Their provisions were nearly exhausted, and when reduced to almost the last extreme they made a successful foraging expedition and procured a supply of mutton. Midshipman Du- vall 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 sheep 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 main- land. In a few days a signal was made on the island, and the boats of the whale ship Stoning- ton, stationed off the island, were sent to it. Our good old Indian had managed, through his cunning and by keeping concealed in ra- vines, to drive onto the island about 600 sheep, but his companion had been caught and killed by the enemy. I shall never forget his fam- ished 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 November Commodore Stockton arrived, and, after landing Capt. Gillespie with his company and about 43 marines, he suddenly disappeared, leaving Lieut. Minor governor of the place and ('apt. 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 excursionsthat 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 Lieut. Hensley to Juan 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 triumphal entry into San Diego. The Mex- ican government confiscated Bandini's ranchos in Lower California on account of his friend- ship 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 describes the fort: "The commodore now commenced to fortify the hill which overlooked the town by building a fort constructed by pla- cing 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 forti- fication was completed and the guns mounted on it in about three weeks. Our men working on the fort were on short allowance of beef and wheat, and for a time without bread, tca, sugar or coffee, many of them being destitute of shoes, but there were few complaints.

"About the first of December, information having been received that Gen. Kearny was at Warner's Pass, about 80 miles distant, with 100 dragoons on his march to San Diego, Commo- dore Stockton immediately sent an escort of 50 men under command of Capt. Gillespic, accom- panied by Past Midshipmen Beale and Duncan, having with them one piece of artillery. They reached Gen. Kearny without molestation. On the march the combined force was surprised by

*Log Book of Acting Lieutenant Duvall.

107

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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 Gen. Kearny lost in killed Captains Johnston and Moore and Lieutenant Hammond and 15 dragoons. Seventeen dra- goons were severely wounded. The enemy cap -. tured one piece of artillery. Gen. Kearny and Captains Gillespie and Gibson were severely wounded; also one of the engineer officers. Some of the dragoons have since died." *

"After the engagement, Gen. Kearny took po- sition on a hill covered with large rocks. It was well suited for defense. Lieut. Godey, of Gilles- pie's volunteers, the night after the battle, es- caped through the enemy's line of sentries and came in with a letter from Capt. 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 mountains without water, succeeded in getting safely into San Diego, completely famished. Soon after arriv- ing, Lieut. 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, under the immediate command of Capt. Zeilin, assisted by Lieutenants Gray, Hunter, Renshaw, Parrish, Thompson and Tilghman, and Mid- shipmen Duvall and Morgan, each man carry- ing a blanket, three pounds of jerked beef and the same of hardtack, began their march to re- lieve Gen. Kearny. They marched all night and camped on a chaparral-covered mountain dur- ing the day. At 4 A. M. of the second night's march they reached Kcarny's camp, surprising him. Godey, who had been sent ahead to inform Kearny that assistance was coming, had been captured by the enemy. Gen. Kearny had burnt and destroyed all his baggage and camp cqui- page, saddles, bridles, clothing, etc., preparatory to forcing his way through the enemy's line. Burdened with his wounded, it is doubtful whether he could have escaped. Midshipman Duvall says : "It would not be a hazard of opin- ion to say he would have been overpowered and compelled 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 desig-

nated, left Fort Leavenworth with a force of regulars 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., he met Kit Carson with an escort of 15 men, en route from Los Angeles to Washington, bearing dispatches from Stockton, giving the report of the conquest of California. Kearny required Carson to turn back and act as his guide. Carson 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, how- ever, obeyed Kearny's orders.

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 southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 17

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