USA > California > El Dorado County > Historical souvenir of El Dorado County, California : with illustrations and biographical setches of its prominent men & pioneers > Part 8
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CALIFORNIA BATTALION.
J. C. Fremont, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding ; A. H. Gillespie, Major; P. B. Redding, Paymaster; Henry King, Commissary; J. R. Snyder, Quartermas- ter; William H. Russell, Ordinance Officer; T. Tal- bot Adjutant ; J. J. Myers, Sergeant-Major, (appointed Lieutenant in June, 1847).
COMPANY A.
Richard Owens, Captain; William N. Loker, First Lieutenant, (appointed Adjutant, February 10, 1847); B. M. Hudspeth, Second Lieutenant, (appointed Cap- tain February, 1847); William Findlay, Lieutenant, (appointed Captain February, 1847).
COMPANY B.
Henry Ford, Captain; Andrew Copeland, First Lieutenant.
COMPANY C.
Granville P. Swift, Captain; William Baldridge, First Lieutenant; William Hartgrove, Second Lieu- tenant.
COMPANY D.
John Sears, Captain; William Bradshaw, First Lieutenant.
COMPANY E.
John Grigsby, Captain; Archibald Jesse, First Lieu- tenant ; D. T. Bird, Second Lieutenant.
COMPANY F.
L. W. Hastings (author of a work on California), Captain; M. M. Wombough, First Lieutenant; J. M. Hudspeth, Second Lieutenant.
COMPANY G.
- - Thompson, Captain; - Davis, First Lieu- tenant; - Rock, Second Lieutenant.
COMPANY H.
R. T. Jacobs, Captain; Edwin Bryant (later alcalde of San Francisco), First Lieutenant; George M. Lip- pincott, Second Lieutenant.
ARTILLERY COMPANY *
Louis McLane, Captain, (afterward Major); John K. Wilson, First Lieutenant, (made Captain January, 1847); William Blackburn, Second Lieutenant (later alcalde of Santa Cruz).
There were a number of officers who, on account of doing duty in other parts of the territory, did not accompany their battalion on this march. We give their names and rank :
S. J. Hensley, Captain ; S. Gibson (lanced through the body at St. Pasqual), Captain; Miguel Pedrorena (a Spaniard), Captain; Stgo. Arguello (a Californian), Captain; - Bell (an old resident of Los Angeles), Captain; H. Renshaw, First Lieutenant; A. Godey, First Lieutenant ; James Barton, First Lieutenant; I .. Arguello (a Californian), First Lieutenant.
CHAPTER IX.
AMERICAN CONQUEST. MEXICAN WAR. THE END. Skirmish near San Juan-Death of Captains Burroughs and Fos- ter-The Report as Given by The Californian-The Cali- fornia Battalion on the March to Santa Barbara-Stockton Approaching Los Angeles-Flores Offering Negotiations- The Battle on San Gabriel River, January 8, 1847-Stock- ton's Second Day Decisive-Fremont's Approach -- The Capitulation-Francisco Sanchez' Revolt-Capture of an Officer of the U. S. M. Corps-The Company Sent in His Pursuit-Attack Upon Sanchez Under the Walls of the Santa Clara Mission-Sanchez Surrenders.
Before we can follow the battalion on the march towards Los Angeles, we have to refer to a little ren-
* This company had two pieces of artillery.
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AMERICAN CONQUEST-MEXICAN WAR. THE END.
contre that took place about ten miles south of the notice of what was passing. Soon after he started lie mission of San Juan, on the Monterey road, on Octo- ber 16th, between the advance guard, under Captain Burroughs and a troop of Californians, numbering one hundred and thirty. The following is an extract from the description of Consul Thomas O. Larkin, who was a prisoner and witnessed the affair:
"The Californians, after having, on the night of the 15th, taken up Consul Larkin, who, on his travel from Monterey to Yerba Buena was stopping at the house of Don Joaquin Gomez, demanded him to write to the captain of the volunteers at San Juan to entice some twenty of them to him under the pretense of protecting some distressed families on the river; but Fremont responded to the call, and marched at once, to bring assistance to the American volunteers Larkin refused positively, not yielding to fright or threatening. They moved a little further on the next at San Juan, but failing to meet the enemy, he put up his camp at the mission to await the coming of rein- forcements. The California battalion that started, from San Juan November 30th, on the march to Los Angeles, made only slow progress on account of the heavy rains that season; the men suffered consid- erably by crossing the mountains and the streams run- ning with quick-sand, reaching Santa Barbara, on December 27th; the loss on horses had been so severe that hardly sufficient remained to get the whole command mounted. The most exhausting feat of the whole march had been the descent on Christ- mas night from the Santa Inez mountain range to Santa Barbara in a very heavy storm, and men as well as horses needed a rest before the march for Los An- geles could be resumed, which took place on the third of January, 1847 ; approaching that town from the north about the same time with Commodore Stock- ton on his way from San Diego.
morning, taking their prisoner with them, and always keeping watch of the mission as well as of the road to Monterey, afraid of being attacked by Fremont from that side. There, in the afternoon they encountered eight or ten Americans, all but two or three of them on the approach of the Californians retreated to an oak-covered ground close by, and the rest returned to Gomez' house to alarm their companions, and for more than an hour one hundred and thirty Califor- nians surrounded six or eight American men, not daring to make an attack on them, but requested first, and finally commanded Larkin again to go and bring his countrymen out, whereupon the latter offered to go and call them out, under the condition that they were allowed to return to San Juan or Monterey with their arms; which, of course, was refused. While still engaged in calculations how to advance against the few men, fifty more Amerieans came down on them, and an action of about twenty-five or thirty minutes ensued, ending in a complete flight of the Californians; but either the entering darkness or the loss of the leader of the Americans embarrassed the latter to make no better use of their victory in pursu- ing the enemy, but allowed him to gather his forces about a mile distant from their own standpoint. The loss on the American side was considerably heavy. Captain Burroughs, of St. Louis, Missouri, Captain Foster, and two others were killed, with two or three more wounded."
The Californian, of November 21st, 1846, published at Monterey, says in addition to the former, that "Bur- roughs and Foster were killed at the first onset. The Americans fired and then charged on the enemy with their empty rifles, and ran them off. However, they still kept rallying and firing now and then a musket at the Americans, until about eleven o'clock at night, when one of the Walla-Walla Indians offered his ser- vices to come into Monterey and give Colonel Fremont
was pursued by a party of the enemy. The foremost in pursuit drove a lance at the Indian, who, trying to parry it, received the lance through his hand ; he im- mediately with the other hand seized his tomahawk and struck his opponent a blow which split his head from the crown to the mouth. By this time the others had come up, and with the most extraordinary dexterity and bravery the Indian vanquished two more, and the rest ran away. He rode on towards this town as far as his horse was able to carry him, and then he left his horse and saddle and came in on foot. He arrived about 8 o'clock, Tuesday morning, November 17th."
On Stockton's approach he met several messengers, sent by Flores, with propositions to enter into negotia- tions, but Stockton in short declared to them that he disliked the idea of opening any kind of communica- tions or negotiations other than those of his guns, and that Flores and his companions who had forfeited their paroles should look out, because if any one of them, were taken prisoner, they would be shot most unceremoniously and without any negotiations ; and, continuing his march, he arrived on the evening of January 7th, on the south bank of San Gabriel river. The enemy having taken position on the op- posite side of the river, was discovered there the next morning.
Stockton formed his command in a hollow square, putting the baggage, cattle, etc., in the center, and moved on towards the ford of the river-strict orders having been given not to fire a single gun until the river had been crossed. The water in the river was only three or four feet deep, but it was running with
34
HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
quicksand, and General Kearney, commanding the ad- vance, sent word to Stockton that he could not cross with the artillery ; the latter, in response, without a mo- ment's delay, rushed to the front, laying hands to the rope himself, and under his advice the guns were soon landed on the opposite side. Here the line of battle was immediately formed again, and the artillery opened fire on the enemy's artillery, which occupied a position about fifty or sixty yards from the river on an ele- vation: some forty feet above ; but the old sailors, trained by the commodore himself, soon silenced the enemy's guns and made the men in charge of th. m run Observing this, General Kearney immediately started to bring the deserted guns in, but the Califor- niansrallied, and returning, carried their guns off before he had time to reach them. A violent cavalry at- tack was then made upon Stockton's left wing, which was repulsed, but the enemy right away re- formed his line, and brought his artillery into action again. Stockton sent new orders to his artillery and repulsing another charge broke the enemy's lines by means of his well aimed artillery, thereafter an attempt was made to capture the stores, baggage, etc., and stam- pede the cattle on the south side of the river, which was cut short by Captain Gillespie, who threw the de- tachment back in wild confusion, which was commu- nicated to the balance of the enemy's troops and caused their retreat ; they left the field to the Ameri- cars, taking their dead and wounded with them ; their loss has never become known. The loss on the victorious side was but trifling, two men only having been killed and nine wounded.
The following day Stockton took up his march in the direction of Los Angeles, and after proceeding about six miles he met the enemy again, who had formed in position upon the mesa land of the plains. Stockton made his forces ready, taking the same posi- tion of the hollow square like the previous day, and awaited the result. He did not need to wait long- the Californians anxious to make up for the loss of the day before made some heroic charges with the inten- tion to break through the square; but we better cite a passage from the " Annals of San Francisco," giving a description of the same :
"It is said by those who witnessed it, to have been a brilliant spectacle. Gaily caparisoned, with flying banners, mounted on fleet and splendid horses, they bounded on, spurring at the top of their speed on to the small but compact square into which the American force was compressed. The very earth appeared to tremble beneath their thundering hoofs, and nothing seemed to be capable of resisting such cavalry. But, inspired with the cool courage and dauntless heroism of their leader, his men patiently awaited the result.
The signal was at length given, and a deadly fire di- rected according to orders, at horses, was poured into the ranks of the advancing foe, which emptied many saddles and threw them into complete confusion. Re- treating a few hundred yards, they again formed, and despatching a part of their force to the rear, they at- tacked simultaneously three sides of the square. Or- ders were renewed to reserve fire until the enemy's near approach, and with the same decisive result, their ranks breaking and retreating in disorder. A third time having rallied, they returned to the charge, but once more their ranks were thinned by the deadly aim of the assailed; and despairing of their ability to cope with men so cool, unflinching and resolute, con- fused and discomfited, the scattered and fled in every direction."
In the meantime Fremont, who had hurried as much as possible to reach the scene of action in time, came near enough to open regular communications with the headquarters. On January 9th he had re- ceived a dispatch from Commodore Stockton, bearing the date of January 5th (three days before battle had commenced), advising him to avoid a collision with the enemy until he was within striking distance, show- ing that Stockton did not expect to meet the enemy so soon. On the 11th, while the battalion was on the march, just entering the head of Couenga plains, news reached Fremont of the battles on the 8th and 9th, and the occupation of Los Angeles, where Major Gillespie again had raised the American flag, which he had been forced to lower about three months before. He also received a letter from General Kearney with the same message. The battalion put up their camp at the mission of San Fernando that night, and the next day Don Jose de Jesus Pico, in company with two officers of the Californian army entered the camp with the pronounced desire to treat for peace. The preliminary negotiations were entered into, and the terms had been partly arranged, when they separated about noon. After noon the march was again resumed and the battalion pushed forward to a point about twelve miles out of town, where, at the foot of the Couenga plains, the next halt was made. Here the peace commissioners from Fremont met with those from the hostile force, and the terms of capitulation ratified and signed by the members of both parties. In the following we give a copy of the
ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION
Made and entered into at the ranch of Couenga, this 13th day of January, 1847, between P. B. Reading, Major ; Louis McLane, Jr., commanding Third Artil- lery; William H. Russell, Ordinance Officer, com- missioners appointed by J. C. Fremont, Colonel U. S. Army and Military Commander of California, and
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AMERICAN CONQUEST-MEXICAN WAR. THE END.
Jose Antonio Corillo, Commandante Squadron ; Au- gustin Olivera, Deputado, Commissioners appointed by Don Andreas Pico, Commander-in-chief of the California force under the Mexican flag.
ARTICLE I. The commissioners on the part of the Californians agree that their entire force shall, on presentation of themselves to Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, deliver up their artillery and public arms, and that they shall return peaceably to their homes and conform to the laws and regulations of the United States, and not again take up arms during the war be- tween the United States and Mexico, but will assist and aid in placing the country in a state of peace and tranquility.
ARTICLE 2. The commissioners on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont agree and bind them- selves, on the fulfillment of the first article by the Cal- ifornians, that they shall be guaranteed protection of life and property, whether on parole or otherwise.
ARTICLE 3. That until a treaty of peace be made and signed between the United States of North America and the Republic of Mexico, no Californian or other Mexican citizen shall be bound to take the oath of allegiance.
ARTICLE 4. That any Californian or citizen of Mexico desiring, is permitted by capitulation to leave the country without let or hinderance.
ARTICLE 5. That in virtue of the aforesaid arti- cles, equal rights and privileges are vouchsafed to every citizen of California as are enjoyed by the citi- zens of the United States of North America.
ARTICLE 6. All officers, citizens, foreigners, or others, shall receive the protection guaranteed by the second article.
ARTICLE 7. This capitulation is intended to be no bar in effecting such arrangements as may in future be in justice required by both parties.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.
CUIDAD DE LOS ANGELES, January 16, 1847.
That the paroles of all officers, citizens and others of the United States, and of naturalized citizens of Mexico, are by the foregoing capitulation cancelled, and every condition of said paroles from and after this date are of no further force and effect, and all prisoners of both parties are hereby released.
P. B. READING, Major California Battalion. LOUIS MCLANE, Commanding Artillery.
WM. H. RUSSELL, Ordinance Officer.
JOSE ANTONIO CARILLO, Coind't of Squadron. AUGUSTIN OLIVERA, Deputado.
Approved.
J. C. FREMONT.
Lieut. Col. U. S. Army and Mil. Comd't of Cal. ANDREAS PICO,
On the next morning, the 14th, before the battalion started on their march into Los Angeles, the little brass howitzer taken from Kearney in the rencontre at San Pasqual, and the only piece that had been lost, was brought in and delivered over to Fremont, who carried it along on his entering Los Angeles. Thus was the insurrection ended, and peace with Mexico was made soon after, securing California as a part of the United States, and never since has its peace and tranquility been disturbed. 1910136
There is, however, another part of this rebellion that ran nearly parallel to the one before related, and known as the "Flores Insurrection;" and however short lived and unimportant it has been concerning the result, it has made a record in history, and we have to refer to it:
After Captain C. M. Weber, with the company he had recruited at San Jose, of which James Williams was lieu- tenant, had departed, there were onlyten men left in San Jose and Santa Clara to protect the families of those who had joined the army, and when he had joined his company to the California battalion under Fremont's command, on December Ist, at Gilroy, he saw the unsafeness of the country around there, and becoming satisfied that the lives of those who had to stay at home were in great danger, he felt it his duty to look after their safety and protect their homes. So he and Williams returned to San Jose, and immediately commenced to solicit recruits for another company. John M. Murphy took up Weber's idea and lent his assistance to the enterprise, and soon thirty-three men had enlisted-some from Yerba Buena. Just at this state of affairs Francisco Sanches, who thought the Americans far enough away, and their homes unpro- tected, had raised a revolt and one of his first acts was the capture of Lieut. Washington A. Bartlett in the outskirts of San Francisco. Weber was well acquainted with Bartlett, and he at once tendered the services of his company of mounted men, including his son, to Captain Montgomery to aid in his rescue. Mont- gomery accepted the offer and fitted out a company, under Captain Ward Marston, to go in pursuit of San- ches. On December 29th, the same day that Stock- tond started from San Diego, this expedition, one hundred and one strong, marched for that purpose from Yerba Buena. For those who have an interest, we give the names of the officers of this company :
Ward Marston, U. S. M. corps, Captain, command- ing.
J. Duval, Assistant-Surgeon, acted as Aid-de-Camp. John Pray, Interpreter.
- Tansil, Lieutenant, in command of 34 sailors. William F. D. Tough, Master ; John M. Kell, Mid-
Comd'i. of Squdr'n and Chief of the Nat'l Forces of Cal. | shipman, commanding one field piece and 10 men.
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
C. M. Weber, Captain ; John M. Murphy, First Lieutenant ; John F. Reed, Second Lieutenant ; com- manding San Jose volunteers, 33 men.
William M. Smith, Captain ; John Rose, First Lieu- tenant ; Julius Martin, Second Lieutenant ; command- ing Yerba Buena Volunteers, 12 men.
Total, 101 men.
On January 2d, 1847, Sanches stood before the mission of Santa Clara, where some thirty immigrant families were left under the protection of about fifteen men ; his force embraced about one hundred men, with one piece of artillery, and his camp-fires had been seen all night and had kept awake the poor souls with sorrow and fear. The morning did not bring them any hope; on the contrary, a heavy fog was cov- vering up the country and obscuring the view, so that they were not allowed to see the danger approaching, when, suddenly, the sound of rifle-shots were heard, giving the impression that Sanches was already coming ; fearing the worst, when suddenly more and heavier shooting covinced the sentinel in the belfry of the church that something else was going on, and com- municating his opinion to the listeners down below, he called down : " It's volleys of muisketry ; they are firing by platoons ; it's Weber coming to our rescue." And so it was. The company under Marston's com- mand had met the enemy and made an attack, which, after some resistance, ended in the enemy's retreat. The affair had lasted an hour, and the loss was about proportionate. The California Star*, of February 6th, 1847, speaks of two men wounded-one a marine, the other a volunteer of Captain Weber's company. The expedition was reinforced next day, January 3d, by Captain William A. T. Maddox, with forty-nine mounted Monterey volunteers, and a few days later by fifteen men under Lieut. Grayson. With these forces surrounding him, Sanches was brought to the under- standing that he had to surrender, and on the eighth a treaty was concluded by which he surrendered his whole force, Lieut. Bartlett and the other prisoners, together with all his arms, ammunition and accoutrements, and in return he as well as his men were allowed to go peace- ably to their homes.
CHAPTER X.
CALIFORNIA UNDER AMERICAN REGIME.
Difference between Stockton and Kearney about the Governor- ship -Fremont's Standpoint in the Controversy-Stock- ton Appoints him Governor-Shubrick and Kearney Join Hands-Shubrick's Circular Order-Kearney's Proclama-
tion as Governor -- Fremont, Pressed from All Sides, Sub- mits to the Proclamation -- Taken East as a Prisoner -- He Resigns the Military Service -- R. B. Mason, Governor -- Discovery of Gold -- The Treaty of Queretaro -- What Mexico Received for California and New Mexico -- Population of California January Ist, 1849-News of the Discovery of Gold Reaches Oregon -- Increase of Population from 1849 to 1880.
Immediately upon the occupation of Los Angeles, before Fremont entered the place, some difference of opinion arose between the leaders as to who should establish a civil government in the territory, and thus become its governor. Gen. Kearney, as stated before, came from New Mexico with orders to establish a civil government on the Pacific coast, as he had done in New Mexico, after he had subdued it. To say nothing about his ability to subdue the country, of which he had given proof more than twice that he was not the man to accomplish the task ; but he had done as much as nothing in assistance to fulfil the ac- complishment. The general differed with Commo- dore Stockton in regard to those orders, which ac- counted for his coming ; the latter claimed that as those government orders make the conquest a condi- tion for civil authority, this condition not having been complied with, the whole was null and void ; while Kearney, in his arrogance, pretended that no such thing was necessary. The expression of the government had not the intention that control should be given as a re- ward for gained battles or subjugation of the country, but that he should establish a civil government after the country had been subdued. When, after his being subdued at San Pasqual, Stockton offered him to take the command, the general feeling quite little then, had declined, and proposed to serve under Stockton ; now, that the country was subdued, he claimed to be its governor, and by virtue of his rank as general, he believed himself to be entitled to as- sume the command.
When Fremont entered Los Angeles, the situation became still more complicated ; he was outranked by both of the officers, and with him the question arose as to whom he should have to report, and whom he had to recognize as the head of the department. Fin- ally, Fremont, either moved by sympathy or interest, gave preference for the man under whose orders he had been acting since, and reported to Stockton on the 14th of January, 1847, and, as a matter of course, he received his appointment as governor from him in re- turn, two days later, with Colonel W. H. Russell as secretary of state. On the 18th of January Kearney left for San Diego ; the following day Stockton also took leave from Los Angeles, went to San Pedro, em- barked and started for Mexico; and Fremont, on the the 22d of January issued, at Los Angeles, his procla-
*A paper published by Samuel Brannan, and edited by E. P. Jones, of Yerba Buena.
C.W.DUDEN
37
CALIFORNIA UNDER AMERICAN REGIME.
mation, signing it as "Governor and Commander-in- Chief of California." One day later Commodore W. B. Shubrick arrived at Monterey, and at once assumed the title and duties of Commander-in-Chief, as his proclamation of February Ist, 1847, shows. But it lasted one full month before he and Kearney dared to show their joint complicity ; they did so in the fol- lowing circular order, practically intended to be a notice to Fremont that he had no right to the office of governor ; but that he was a usurper, and that it would be at his own peril if he would do so any longer :
CIRCULAR.
To all Whom it May Concern, Be it known, that the President of the United States, desirous to give and secure to the people of California a share of the good government and happy civil organization enjoyed by the people of the United States, and to protect them at the same time from the attacks of foreign foes and from internal commotions, has invested the undersigned with separate and distinct powers, civil and military, a cordial co-operation in the service of which, it is hoped and believed, will have the happy result desired.
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