History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 19

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

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captains of the flagships Cyane and Dale was held, when the decision was come to that possession should be taken of California at all hazards, and afterwards abide by the consequences whatever they might be. Writing from Panama under date Septem- ber 23, 1842, an officer of the last-named vessel tells the story of these movements in the following words : "We sailed from Callao on the 7th of September in company with the United States and Cyane sloop, but on the tenth day out, the 17th, separated, and bore up for this port. Just previous to our departure, two British ships-of-war, the razee Dublin, fifty guns, and the sloop-of-war Champion, eighteen guns, sailed thence on secret service. This mysterious movement of Admiral Thomas elicited a hundred comments and conjectures as to his destination, the most probable of which seemed to be that he was bound for the northwest coast of Mexico, where it is sur- mised that a British settlement (station) is to be located in accordance with a secret convention between the Mexican and English Governments, and it is among the on dits in the squadron that the frigate United States, Cyane, and Dale are to rendezvous as soon as possible at Monterey, to keep an eye on John Bull's movements in that quarter."

These rumors were all strengthened by the fact that eight hundred troops had been embarked at Mazatlan in February, 1842, by General Micheltorena, to assist the English, it was apprehended, to carry out the secret treaty whereby California was to be handed over to Great Britain. Of these troops, who were mostly convicts, Mich- eltorena lost a large percentage by desertion, and after much delay and vexation, marched out of Mazatlan on July 25, 1842, with but four hundred and fifty of the original number. He arrived at San Diego August 25, 1842. When between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara on his northward march, with his army reduced to but three hundred from still further desertions, at eleven o'clock on the night of the 24th of October, he received the astounding intelligence that Commodore Jones had entered the port of Monterey, the capital of the Territory, with the frigate United States and corvette Cyane, had landed an armed force, had hauled down the Mexican national ensign, had hoisted that of the United States in its place, and had issued a proclamation declaring California to be thenceforth belonging to the United States of America. These last-mentioned startling occurrences took place, October 19, 1842; on the 28th, having reflected on this latest achievement, the Commodore became con- vinced of the perpetration of an error in judgment, therefore lowered the "stars and stripes", replaced it with the flag of Mexico, and after saluting it on the day following weighed anchor for Mazatlan, whence he reported his actions to Washington.

On hearing of the capture of Monterey, the Mexican General withdrew to the mission of San Fernando, where he remained for some time, but finally, on the hori- zon being cleared, transferred himself and his staff to Los Angeles, and in that city entertained Commodore Jones on January 19, 1843.

Upon the receipt of the intelligence of the rather energetic proceeding of Jones, at Washington, his recall was demanded by the Mexican Envoy there, which was complied with, and Captain Alexander J. Dallas instructed to proceed to relieve him of the command on the Pacific Coast. This officer at once took his departure by way of Panama to Callao to assume his new functions, and on arrival took the Erie, an old store ship, and proceeded in search of the Commodore, who had, in the mean-

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time, received intelligence of the turn affairs had taken, kept steering from port to port, and finally touching at Valparaiso, sailed for home around the Horn. The reign of Captain Dallas was short; he died on board the frigate Savannah, at Callao, June 3, 1844, and was succeeded by Commodore John Drake Sloat.

The adjustment of the revolution of 1836 left misunderstandings rife between the two highest functionaries in the Department of California; the civil and military authority could not agree, each therefore complained of the other to the Central Gov- ernment, who secretly dispatched Micheltorena to assume the two-fold power of Civil and Military Governor in place of Governor Alvarado and General Vallejo, and not, as it was thought, to perfect a scheme whereby California was to be handed over to the fostering care of a monarchy. On seeing the turn which affairs had taken against them, Alvarado and Vallejo agreed to lay aside their bickerings and make common cause against Micheltorena, who they designated an usurper, and aided by General Castro, drive him from the soil they deemed he tainted. This triumvirate declared California independent, and declared war against the representative of Mex- ico. General Micheltorena, having seen the gage of battle thrown in his teeth, took the field to bring to speedy end the insurrection ; he advanced to within twelve miles of the Pueblo de San José, but discovering that district to be up in arms, he beat a retreat, and halted not until he reached San Juan Bautista, where he was attacked and routed in spite of a stubborn defense, in November, 1844. From this blow, he never rallied, and at last, in February, 1845, he paid eleven thousand dollars for a passage on board the bark Don Quixote, to be taken to San Blas, a seaport town on the west- ern coast of the province of Guadalaxara in Mexico. He joined this craft at San Pedro with about a hundred of his officers and men, and then proceeding to Mon- terey, where touching, the General's lady with several others, were taken on board, and sail was set for a more propitious shore. Strife having terminated, Pio Pico was voted to the Gubernatorial Chair, and José Castro appointed General.

In the month of March, 1845, Brevet-Captain John Charles Fremont departed from Washington for the purpose of organizing a third expedition for the topograph- ical survey of Oregon and California, which, having effected, he left Bent's Fort on or about April 16th, his command consisting of sixty-two men, among them being Kit Carson and six Delaware Indians. Passing through the Sierra Nevada in December, they arrived at Sutter's Fort on the 10th of that month, which, after a stay of only two days, they left, for Fremont was in search of a missing party of his explor- ers. It is not possible here to follow him in his long wanderings over mountain and through valley on his humane undertaking, but not being able to discover the where- abouts of Talbot and Walker, and having lost most of his horses, or consumed the greater number of his cattle, forty head of which he had procured from Sutter, he determined to retrace his steps to the hospitable dwelling of that pioneer which he reached, January 15, 1846. On the 17th Fremont left Sutter's Fort in a launch for Yerba Buena, where he arrived on the 20th; the 21st saw him and Captain Hinckley sailing up the Bay of San Francisco in a whale-boat to the embarcadero at Alviso, and on the 22d they proceeded to the Pueblo of San José, where they received intelli- gence of the lost expedition being encamped on the San Joaquin, whither he at once dispatched two parties under Kit Carson to guide them into Santa Clara Valley.

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Fremont and Hinckley then visited the New Almaden quicksilver mines, and returned to San Francisco. On the 24th Captain Fremont was once more on the move. He started from Yerba Buena and that evening halted at the rancho of Francisco Sanchez; the following evening he passed on the hill-side near the laguna, between Suñol and Pleasanton; the next night at the home of Don José Joaquin Gomez, on the Cañada of San Juan, and on the morning of January 27, 1846, reached Monterey. In com- pany with Thomas O. Larkin, United States Consul, he now paid a visit to General Castro, and stated the cause of his journey-he was in need of provisions, and requested that his party might pass unmolested through the country. The request was granted verbally; however, when asked for the necessary passport in writing the General excused himself on the plea of indisposition, but hinted that no further assur- ance was needed than "his word." A call was also made upon the Prefect of the district, Don Manuel Castro, the same statement made, and he too declared every- thing to be " all right." Fremont then received funds and provisions from the Consul and made all haste to San José, where he was joined by his band, safely led from the San Joaquin by Kit Carson, but not finding there such stores as were needed by him, he determined to retrace his steps to Monterey, and, after some fifteen or twenty days, camped in the Santa Clara Valley, on the ranch of Captain William Fisher, known as the Laguna Seca.

While here a Mexican made his appearance and laid claim to certain of Fremont's horses on the bold plea that they had been stolen; now observe how from a little great things spring! On February 20th the Captain received a summons to appear before the Alcade of San José to answer to a charge of horse-stealing, an action which brought forth, the next day, the following characteristic communication, which the reader will, no doubt, find interesting.

CAMP NEAR ROAD TO SANTA CRUZ, February 21, 1846.

SIR : I received your communication of the 20th informing me that a complaint had been lodged against me in your office for refusing to deliver up certain animals of my band, which are claimed as having been stolen from this vicinity about two months since, and that the plaintiff further complains of having been insulted in my camp. It can be proven on oath by thirty men here present that the animals pointed out by the plaintiff have been brought in my band from the United States of North America. The insult of which he complains, and which was authorized by myself, consisted in his being driven or ordered to immediately leave the camp. After having been detected in endeavoring to obtain animals under false pretenses, he should have been well satisfied to escape without a severe horse-whipping. There are four animals in my band which were bartered from the Tulare Indians by a division of my party which descended the San Joaquin Valley. I was not then present, and if any more legal owners present themselves, these shall be immediately given or delivered upon proving property. It may save you trouble to inform you that, with this exception, all the animals in my band have been purchased and paid for. You will readily understand that my duties will not permit me to appear before the magistrates in your towns on the complaint of every straggling vagabond who may chance to visit my camp. You inform me that unless satisfaction be immediately made by the delivery of the animals

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in question, the complaint will be forwarded to the Governor. I beg you will at the same time inclose to his Excellency a copy of this note.

" I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"J. C. FREMONT, U. S. Army.

"To Sr. Don Dolores Pacheco, Alcalde of San José."

Hence, the intrepid Pathfinder moved, by easy marches, in the direction of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which he crossed about ten miles from San José at the gap where the Los Gatos Creek enters the plain; he then made his way towards the coast, and on the Ist of March encamped on the rancho of Edward Petty Hartnell. While here he received, late in the afternoon of the 5th, at the hands of a Mexican officer, attended by an armed escort, a dispatch from Don Manuel Castro, Prefect of the district, charging him (Fremont) with having entered the towns and villages under his (the Prefect's) jurisdiction, in contempt of the laws of the Mexican Government, and ordering him out of the country, else compulsory measures would be taken to compel him to do so. On the receipt of this communication Fremont did not display much hesitancy in arriving at a conclusion. That evening he struck his camp, and ascend- ing "Hawks Peak," a rough looking mountain in the Salinas Range, about thirty miles from Monterey, and two thousand feet above the sea level, commenced the construc- tion of a rude fort, protected by felled trees, and stripping one standing near by of its branches nailed the "Star Spangled Banner" to its highest point-full forty feet above their heads-and the morning of the 6th found him awaiting further developments.

Let us now take a glance at the movements of Castro. On the day that Fremont had fairly established himself on Hawks Peak the General communicated the accom- panying letter to the Minister of Marine in Mexico: "In my communication of the 5th ultimo, I announced to you the arrival of a captain, at the head of fifty men, who came, as he said, by order of the Government of the United States, to survey the limits of Oregon. This person presented himself at my headquarters some days ago, accompanied by two individuals (Thos. O. Larkin, Consul, and Capt. William A. Leidesdorff, Vice-Consul), with the object of asking permission to procure provisions for his men that he had left in the mountains, which was given him, but two days ago, March 4th, I was much surprised at being informed that this person was only two days' journey from this place (Monterey). In consequence, I immediately sent him a communication, ordering him, on the instant of its receipt, to put himself on the march and leave the department, but I have not received an answer, and in order to make him obey, in case of resistance, I sent out a force to observe their operations, and to-day, the 6th, I march in person to join it and to see that the object is attained. The hurry with which I undertake my march does not permit me to be more diffuse, and I beg that you will inform his Excellency, the President, assuring him that not only shall the national integrity of this party be defended with the enthusiasm of good Mexicans, but those who attempt to violate it will find an impregnable barrier in the valor and patriotism of every one of the Californians. Receive the assurance of my respect, etc. God and Liberty."

We left Captain Fremont in his hastily constructed fort, every avenue to which was commanded by the trusty rifles of his men, calmly awaiting the speedy vengeance

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promised in the communication of the Prefect. To carry it out Don José had sum- moned a force of two hundred men to the field, strengthened by one or two cannon of small calibre, but nothing beyond a demonstration was attained. In the language of the late General Revere (then Lieutenant), " Don José was rather in the humor of that renowned King of France, who, with twenty thousand men, marched up the hill, and then marched down again." Castro's next move was the concocting of an epistle to Fremont, desiring a cessation of hostilities, and making the proposition that they should join forces, declare the country independent, and with their allied armies march against Governor Pio Pico, at that time at Los Angeles. To John Gilroy, an old Scotch settler, was entrusted the delivery of this exquisite piece of treachery. He reached Hawks Peak on the night of the 10th, but found the fort untenanted. Fremont had wearied, after three days' waiting for General Castro's attack, which, not being made, he struck his camp, threw away all useless articles that might impede a forced march, and the morning of the I Ith found him in the valley of the San Joaquin. Gilroy, on his return related his tale of the camp-fires still alight, the discarded pack-saddles and no Fremont, a circumstance which so elated the courageous Castro that he at once resolved on attacking the fort, which he was the first to enter. After performing prodigies of valor and sacking the inclosure, he sat down on one of Fremont's left-off pack-saddles, and penned a dispatch to Monterey descriptive of the glorious victory he had gained, while his return need not be looked for until his promise of driving Fremont from the department, long ago given, should be fulfilled.

And so matters for a time rested. The American settlers began to feel far from safe, and should the necessity for defense arise, no time should be lost in preparing for the emergency; their action was the cause of the raising of the Bear Flag.

About June 1, 1846, General Castro, with Lieutenant Francisco de Arci, his Sec- retary, left the Santa Clara Mission, where they had ensconced themselves after fol- lowing in Fremont's wake through that district, and, passing through Yerba Buena, crossed the bay to the Mission of San Rafael, and there collected a number of horses, which he directed Arci to take to Sonoma, with as many more as he could capture on the way, and from there proceed with all haste back to the Santa Clara Mission by way of Knight's Landing and Sutter's Fort. These animals were intended to be used by Castro against Fremont and Governor Pico, both of whom had questioned and defied his authority. On June 5th, Castro transferred his base of operations from Santa Clara to Monterey, but while en route back to Santa Clara on the 12th, he received the intelligence by special courier that his aide had been surprised and taken prisoner on the roth by a party of adventurers who had also seized a large number of the horses that he had in charge. Here was a dilemma! Castro's cali- graphic education had been woefully neglected-it is said he could only paint his signature-and being without his amanuensis, he retraced his steps to Monterey, and there compounded a letter, with the assistance of Don Juan B. Alvarado, to the Pre- fect, Manuel Castro, saying that the time had come when their differences should be laid aside, and conjoint action taken for the defense and protection of their common country, at the same time requesting that he should collect as large a number of men and horses as he could and despatch them to Santa Clara, whither he then returned.

When Lieutenant Arci left Sonoma with the caballada of horses and mares,

W.C. Blackwood

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crossing the dividing ridge, he passed up the Sacramento Valley to Knight's Land- ing on the left bank of the Sacramento River, about fifteen miles from the present Sacramento City [this ferry was kept by William Knight, who left Missouri, May 6, 1841, and arrived in California on the Ioth of November of the same year. Receiving a grant of land, he settled at the point known as Knight's Land- ing, Yolo County, of to-day, and died at the mines on the Stanislaus River in Novem- ber, 1849], on reaching which he met Mrs. Knight, to whom, on account of her being born of the country, and therefore thought to be trustworthy, he confided the secret of the expedition. To contain such a secret was too much for any ordinary femi- nine bosom; she imparted the news to her husband, who, in assisting the officer to cross his horses, gave him fair words so as to lull suspicion, and then, bestriding his fleetest horse, made direct for Captain Fremont's camp, at the confluence of the Feather and Yuba Rivers, where he arrived early in the morning of June 9th. Here Knight, who found some twenty settlers, that had arrived earlier than he, discussing matters, communicated to Fremont and those assembled the fact that Lieutenant Arci had, the evening before, the 8th of June, crossed at his landing, bound to Santa Clara, via the Cosumnes River; that Arci had told Mrs. Knight, in confidence, that the animals he had in charge were to be used by Castro in expelling the American settlers from the country, and that it was also the intention to fortify Bear River Pass above the ranch of William Johnson, thereby putting a stop to immigration, a menace of Castro's which was strengthened by the return to Sutter's Fort, on June 7th, of a force that had gone out to chastise the Mokelumne Indians, who had threatened to burn the settlers' crops, being incited thereto, presumably, by Castro.

Fremont, while encamped at the Buttes, near the Yuba and Feather Rivers, was visited by nearly all the settlers, and gleaned vast stores of fresh informa- tion hitherto unknown to him. From them he learned that the greater proportion of foreigners in the country had become Mexican citizens, and had married native Cali- fornian ladies, for the sake of procuring land, and through them had become pos- sessed of deep secrets supposed to be known only to the prominent people. Another was that a convention had been held at the San Juan Mission to decide which of the two nations, America or Great Britain, should guarantee protection to California for certain privileges and considerations. In this regard, Lieutenant Revere says: "I have been favored by an intelligent member of the Junta with the following authentic report of the substance of Pico's address to that illustrious body :--

" EXCELLENT SIRS: To what a deplorable condition is our country reduced! Mexico, professing to be our mother and our protectress, has given us neither arms nor money, nor the material of war for defense. She is not likely to do any- thing in our behalf, although she is quite willing to afflict us with her extortion- ate minions, who come hither in the guise of soldiers and civil officers, to harass and oppress our people. We possess a glorious country, capable of attaining a phys- ical and moral greatness corresponding with the grandeur and beauty which an Almighty hand has stamped on the face of our beloved California. But although nature has been prodigal, it cannot be denied that we are not in a position to avail ourselves of her bounty. Our population is not large, and is sparsely scattered over valley and mountain, covering an immense area of virgin soil, destitute of roads, and IO

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traversed with difficulty; hence it is hardly possible to collect an army of any considera- ble force. Our people are poor, as well as few, and cannot well govern themselves and maintain a decent show of sovereign power. Although we live in the midst of plenty, we lay up nothing, but tilling the earth in an imperfect manner, all our time is required to provide subsistence for ourselves and our families. Thus circumstanced, we find ourselves suddenly threatened by hordes of Yankee immigrants, who have already begun to flock to our country, and whose progress we cannot arrest. Already have the wagons of that perfidious people scaled the almost inaccessible summits of the Sierra Nevada, crossed the entire continent and penetrated the fruitful valley of the Sacramento. What that astonishing people will next undertake I cannot say, but in whatever enterprise they embark they will be sure to prove successful. Already have these adventurous land-voyagers spread themselves far and wide over a country which seems suited to their tastes. They are cultivating farms, establishing vine- yards, erecting mills, sawing lumber, building workshops, and doing a thousand other things which seem natural to them, but which Californians neglect or despise. What, then, are we to do? Shall we remain supine while these daring strangers are over- running our fertile plains and gradually outnumbering and displacing us? Shall these mercenaries go on unchecked, until we shall become strangers in our own land ? We cannot successfully oppose them by our own unaided power, and the swelling tide of immigration renders the odds against us more formidable every day. We cannot stand alone against them, nor can we creditably maintain our indepen- dence even against Mexico; but there is something we can do which will elevate our country, strengthen her at all points, and yet enable us to preserve our identity and remain masters of our own soil. Perhaps what I am about to suggest may seem to some faint-hearted and dishonorable. But to me it does not seem so. It is the last hope of a feeble people, struggling against a tyrannical government which claims their submission at home, and threatened by bands of avaricious strangers from without, voluntarily to connect themselves with a power able and willing to defend and preserve them. It is the right and the duty of the weak to demand support from the strong, provided the demand be made upon terms just to both parties. I see no dishonor in this last refuge of the oppressed and powerless, and I boldly avow that such is the step that I would have California take. There are two great powers in Europe which are destined to divide between them the unappropriated countries of the world. They have large fleets and armies not unpractised in the art of war. Is it not better to connect ourselves with one of those powerful nations than to struggle on without hope, as we are now doing? Is it not better that one of them should be invited to send a fleet and an army to defend and protect California, rather than we should fall an easy prey to the lawless adventurers who are over- running our beautiful country ? I pronounce for annexation to France or England, and the people of California will never regret having taken my advice. They will no longer be subjected to the trouble and grievous exposure of governing themselves; and their beef and their grain, which they produce in such abundance, would find a ready market among the new-comers. But I hear some one say: 'No monarchy!' But is not monarchy better than anarchy? Is not existence in some shape better than annihilation? No monarchy ! and what is there so terrible in a monarchy ?

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 19

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206