History of California, Volume IV, Part 47

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820

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That there did exist a strong popular feeling against the batallon is a fact that cannot be ignored, and there was abundant justification for a much more bit- ter feeling than was actually entertained. Alvarado and other active leaders in the movement, however, have grossly exaggerated the evil deeds of the cholos. They have represented them as an uncontrolled band of thieves and assassins, accusing them of numerous outrages that were never committed, and unjustly blaming the general for not being able to control his

men. They have pictured a reign of terror, which drove the people-their lives and property and the honor of their families being in constant peril-to rise as a last desperate expedient and overpower their oppressors; and they have naturally assumed the rôle of patriot leaders of a popular rising in defence of their country's liberties. In fact, being Californians, they desired now, as in 1836, that the department should rule itself under national allegiance. They desired personally a return to power, and they were ready to utilize in part, for their own interests, the only just cause of complaint against the administra- tion.

457

CAUSES OF REVOLT.

On the other hand, those who in the struggle sided with Micheltorena have pushed their exaggerations quite as far: notably so John A. Sutter and other more or less prominent foreigners. They have doubted the reports that the batallon was composed of convicts, ridiculed the idea of founding a revolution on the stealing of a few chickens, regarded the feeling against the cholos as a mere pretext of the revolutionary leaders to bolster up their ambitious schemes, over- praised the governor and the wisdom and benefits of his rule, and have even had the assurance to claim in some instances that the Californians revolted against Micheltorena chiefly because of the latter's disposi- tion to favor American immigrants. I shall have much to say later about the part taken by foreigners in this affair; but it is well to state here that the gov- ernor's foreign policy had little or nothing to do with the rising, at the beginning at least. It should also be stated at the outset that the Californians from be- ginning to end had no thought of throwing off their national allegiance to Mexico; though that view of the matter was somewhat current in the United States at the time. I need hardly add that no class of the Californians had at first any personal grounds of ob- jection to Micheltorena as governor; though this does not imply that there were not several individuals al- together willing to take his place.

Before November there had doubtless been talk of using force to get rid of the batallon, but the plan had probably not assumed any definite form, even in the minds of the plotters; while on the other side there were but vague suspicions of danger. Warnings were sent to Mexico, but such warnings were not infre- quent, coupled with appeals for aid.1 Juan B. Alva-

1 As early as March Castañares expressed fears of internal troubles in Cal., on account of the conduct of the convicts, and for other reasons; and Michel- torena, in announcing the outbreak of the revolt, spoke of having predicted the trouble in his letters of April and August. Castañares, Col. Dor., 10, 58. Mofras, Explor., i. 313, whose book was printed in 1844, says: 'L'autorité du

458

REVOLUTION AGAINST MICHELTORENA.

rado had in some way, not clearly explained, rendered himself an object of suspicion at the beginning of the year;2 but while there is no reason to doubt that Al- varado, Osio, and perhaps Castro had taken a promi- nent part in preliminary speculations respecting the best way to get rid of the obnoxious Mexicans, and in fomenting the popular feeling against them, there is reason to believe that they had not agreed upon a plan, and that the final outbreak was without their immediate leadership or even knowledge. Michelto- rena's personal popularity, the obligations under which he had put José Castro by defending him in Mexico, his relations with Vallejo and the uncertainty re- specting the latter's probable course, a fear that the foreigners might aid Micheltorena or that the Ameri- cans might take advantage of a revolt to seize the country, and finally a lack of assurance that the south could be induced to cooperate-were circumstances which troubled the leading Californians, obscured their prospects of success, and delayed the perfection of their plots, if, as is believed, they entertained such plots.

At any rate, on the 14th and 15th of November, a party of perhaps fifty Californians, under the leader- ship of Manuel Castro, Jesus Pico, Antonio Chavez, and Francisco Rico, having driven off all the govern- ment horses from Monterey to the Salinas Valley, 'pronounced' at the Cañada de San Miguel, seized at San Juan Bautista such part of the arms and muni- tions stored there as they could use, and set about the task of rousing the people to support their patri- otic enterprise. One version is to the effect that at a fandango some of the Californians had a quarrel

général Micheltorena ne paraît guère affermie; il est probable que tôt ou tard il sera traité comme ses prédécesseurs mexicains. Les Californiens influents répètent souvent que, ne recevant rien du Mexique, ils prétendent n'employer les revenus du pays qu'à solder des Californiens; ils ajoutent que s'ils con- sentent à entretenir une petite troupe de soldats, ils ne veulent pas avoir à craindre les attaques des galeriens. . . et tout port à croire que le général Mi- cheltorena ne tarderá pas à subir le sort des gouverneurs Victoria, Herrera (?), Chico, Gutierrez, et Carrillo.'

2 Sce chap. xvii. of this vol.

459

PRONUNCIAMIENTO OF SAN MIGUEL.

and came to blows with officers of the batallon; and that in their anger Castro, Pico, and Chavez, with a dozen or fifteen others, left Monterey that same night, driving away the horses which were under guard in the Carmelo Valley.3 A more probable and better supported statement is that of Manuel Castro him- self, who says that the plan was formed and signed at Monterey by himself and the others in October. Early in November they left the capital, gathered a company in the Salinas Valley, and sent Chavez back with a small force to capture the horses and cut off supplies.4 The plan of San Miguel is not extant, if indeed it was ever reduced to writing; but the pur- port of it was doubtless that the batallon, and per- haps its leader, must leave the country.5

Alvarado, in a letter of the time which there is every reason to credit, claimed that all this was done prematurely and without his knowledge. He had been on a visit to Sonoma, probably to sound Vallejo on the subject of revolt, with results that are not known, and on his return to Gomez's rancho, and to Alisal, had been warned by friends from Monterey, and by Commodore Armstrong of the Savannah, who had come out with a large company to hunt in the valley, that he was the object of much suspicion at Monterey, and that it was unsafe for him to remain at Alisal. He accordingly departed, but was soon overtaken by Jesus Pico, with news of the rising, which he was asked to support, and consented, though sur-

3 Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 91-2; Torre, Remin., MS., 117-18. On Sept. 18th, Micheltorena wished to buy of Vallejo 100 horses for the govt; and Oct. 28th, V. writes that they will be sent via the Sacramento, at $50 each (!). Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 95. These were doubtless among the animals taken by the rebels.

4 Castro, Relacion, MS., 97-9. Larkin in a letter of March 22, 1845, says 10 or 15 men 'came into' Monterey and drove off the horses; and during the month gathered about 100 men. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., i. 35.

5 In the Micheltorena Expediente of 1845, Pico claimed that the people of Monterey rose en masse to demand a meeting of the assembly, etc., which is absurd. Castro, ubi supra, and Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 409, talk about the bases of Tacubaya, and the restoration of Alvarado to the governorship, of which he had been despoiled.

460

REVOLUTION AGAINST MICHELTORBNA.

prised, and looking upon the step as too hasty.6 The report was sent to Mexico at the time, and it has often been stated since that Colonel Vallejo, as well as Al- varado and Castro, was a leader in this pronuncia- miento; but as we shall see later, he took no part in it whatever.7

6 Nov. 20th, Alvarado, Carta Relacion, MS., 108. A. wrote from San Pablo. Wood, surgeon of the Savannah, was a member of the party of hunters to which Alvarado allndes. The visit to the ex-gov. was on Nov. 13th. He was found 'surrounded by several of his conntrymen, with drinking materials on the table at which they were sitting, and from subsequent events it is cer- tain that they had assembled in furtherance of a political conspiracy, which soon developed itself. Alvarado has the appearance of physical strength and mental energy.' Osio was met at Gomez's rancho, 'a large, dark, grave-look- ing man, neither in manner nor costume resembling a Mexican.' On Nov. 14th the American officers visited S. Juan mission; and at a ball given by Padre Ánsar a letter was received by one of the Mexican officers who had ac- companied the hunters, probably Capt. Abella, stating 'that 20 soldiers had deserted from Monterey, taking with them every horse.' This was about 2 or 3 A. M. on Nov. 15th. Later in the day the whole country was said to be in revolution, under Alvarado and Osio, though there was much uncertainty about Castro being implicated. The people at the mission were friendly to the rebels, and no objection was made when an ox-cart came to carry off am- munition. Wood remained at S. Juan two nights more, and on the 17th started for Monterey, where he arrived on the 19th. The Mexican officers had been allowed after some objections to return with the Americans. They had learned during the past few days that the rebels were seizing all supplies and arms to be found at the ranchos; and they found the capital in a sad state of alarm. Wood's Wandering Sketches, 254, 259, 273-85.

Francisco Rico, Mem. Hist., MS., 1-3, tells us that after the plan was formed at Monterey, he was sent with it to Alisal to obtain Alvarado's ap- proval, which after many objections was given. This statement of course con- tradicts that of Alvarado. Castro, Relacion,, MS., 97-9, says that he first submitted the plan to Alvarado after the pronunciamiento, and that he de . clined at first to sign it, retiring to S. Pablo. Alvarado's statement in his Hist. Cal., MS., v. 22-3, agrees with that made in his letter of the time-that he disapproved of the haste shown by the hot-headed young Californians, but joined the movement and went to S. Pablo to work for the cause. Rafael Gonzalez in a record made at the time, Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiv. 112, says that he and others had repeatedly warned Micheltorena that a revolt was brewing. Francisco Arce, Memorias, MS., 35-7, was invited to take part in the plots begun at Mannel Castro's house, but declined on account of personal favors from the gov., promising however to keep silent. A letter announc- ing the revolt seems to have been dated Nov. 14. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., viii. 34. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 417-18, speaks of the movement as having begun at Alisal on Nov. 14th. Micheltorena wrote to Mexico that the government horses were seized Nov. 15th, together with all cattle and horses in the region, so that Monterey was cut off from all supplies. Casta- ñares, Col. Doc., 57.

7 Everett of the Tasso, who left Cal. on the Guipuzcoana on Dec. 2d, car- ried the first news to Mexico, reporting that Alvarado, Castro, and Vallejo had pronounced at Alisal Nov. 14th, with 300 armed paisanos. Castañares, Col. Doc., 56. Tuthill, Hist. Cal., 149-50; Hall, Hist. S. José, 133-5; the author of Yolo Co. Hist., 11; Tinkham, Hist. Stockton, 87; and Robinson, Life in Cal., 212-13-the last being the original followed by the others-tell us that Vallejo, Alvarado, aud Castro harmonized their old differences,

461

THE GOVERNOR'S MOVEMENTS.

Micheltorena's first step to put down the revolt was to issue a proclamation on the 18th of November, the tenor of which was, that, whereas a band of horse- thieves had pronounced at the Rio, therefore all tak- ing part in the movement would be tried under the laws, and lose their property. Foreigners so forget- ful of the hospitality shown them as to join in the disorders would be put to death without quarter; those who aided the rebels would be executed or con- demned to the presidios according to their degree of guilt; but any who might present themselves within eight days would receive pardon for past offences.8 At the same time-or probably a day or two before issuing the proclamation, for we have no exact dates-Colonel Tellez and Captain Mejía were sent out to reconnoitre with a force of eighty men. They reached the Sali- nas River, but returned without having overtaken the rebels or recovered the lost horses, though they did obtain from the ranchos a few cattle that had es- caped the clutches of the other party.9 Finally, with most of his batallon, perhaps 150 men, Micheltorena marched out of the capital on the 22d to crush the rebellion, "both because the necessity of eating made itself felt, and because the rebel forces were on the in- crease, destroying and carrying away everything, al-

turned against Micheltorena, and captured S. Juan where the govt ammuni- tion was stored. The outbreak of the revolt is also mentioned without any additional information requiring notice in Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 442-4; Coro- nel, Cosas de Cal., MS., 55; Galindo, Apuntes, MS., 48-9; Garnica, Recuer- dos, MS., 4; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 134; Ezquer, Mem., MS., 17; Amador, Mem., MS., 153; Fernandez, Cosas de Cal., MS., 111-12; Gomez, Lo Que Sabe, MS., 361; Belden's Hist. Statement, MS., 36.

8 Nov. 18, IS44, M.'s proclamation, Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., x. 47-8. 9 Nearly all the authorities mention this expedition, some implying that there were two, one under Tellez and a later one under Mejía. Wood, Wan- dering Sketches, 282-5, on approaching Monterey from the interior, spent the night of the 18th at a rancho, where the people were in great trouble because the night before Capt. Mejía's foragers had seized a herd of cattle which a young man of the family had collected in anticipation of his approaching marriage. In his report to Mexico, Castañares, Col. Doc., 57, Micheltorena claimed to have paid for all the cattle taken, in order to show the contrast between the conduct of his men and that of the rebels; but this was probably a figure of speech.

462

REVOLUTION AGAINST MICHELTORENA.

though not yet manifesting any political plan or ob- .ject."10

Meanwhile the Californians under Manuel Castro labored to increase their strength, the leaders meeting but little opposition among the people, but having considerable difficulty in obtaining weapons and amınu- nition. Messengers were sent in all directions to rouse the people. José María Villavicencio and José Antonio Carrillo were notified of what had been done, and were expected to cooperate with forces from Santa Bárbara and Los Angeles. A courier was sent in great haste to summon José Castro, who with about twenty-five men was absent on Indian service in the Tulares. Influences were brought to bear on Weber and Gulnac at San José to secure the support of for- eigners. Manuel Castro made a visit in person to the Santa Cruz region. Francisco Rico was sent to San Francisco, which place was also visited by Anto- nio María Osio, and Alvarado proceeded to San Pablo to rouse the inhabitants of the Contra Costa, and es- pecially to labor with his uncle Vallejo. Naturally we have few details respecting the rebel movements in these days, and the few extant are contradictory and unreliable. It appears clearly enough, however, that reinforcements were obtained from all the places mentioned above except perhaps the south; that some military stores were obtained at San Francisco by Rico and Torre with the connivance of other officials; that Joaquin de la Torre joined the rebels and was associated with Manuel Castro in the military com- mand before the arrival of Don José; that the forces retreated from the Cañada de San Miguel and Salinas Valley as Micheltorena advanced, by way of San Juan to Santa Clara; and that there about 220 men were assembled before November 28th, including a com- pany of foreigners under Charles M. Weber, the

10 Dec. 12th, M. to Mex. govt. Castañares, Col. Doc., 59.

463

CASTRO'S POSITION.

whole under José Castro, with Alvarado nominally second in command.11

Colonel Castro arrived from the Tulares, joined the rebels at La Brea near San Juan, and assumed the chief military command. All agree that he did this with much reluctance, real or pretended. He was friendly to Micheltorena, being also under great per- sonal obligations to him for past favors. There is no need to record all the variations of opinion that have been expressed about his action and motives in this affair. The Californians have been much mystified on the subject. Some think he had been an original leader in the plot with Alvarado, and that his reluc- tance was a pretence; others, that it was real, his scruples having been overcome by the arguments, entreaties, ridicule, and even threats of his associate Californians, and of the men under his command; still others, that he took the command with a view to help his friend, the general; and finally, there are some- both Vallejo and Alvarado accepting this theory- who insist that he had an understanding with Mi- cheltorena from the first, the latter requesting him to take command of the movement, and to conduct a sham campaign which should drive him honorably from a position and a country of which he was heartily tired, without the risk of shedding either Mexican or Californian blood! This theory has its charms, ac- counting for some things otherwise more or less inex- plicable, and is not altogether improbable; yet in the absence of positive proof, it is perhaps as well to con-

11 Dec. 10th, Alvarado, Carta Relacion, MS., 116; Rico, Mem. Hist., MS., 3-8; Torre, Reminis., MS., 117-20; Castro, Rel., MS., 97-105; Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 23-4; Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 92-3; Amador, Mem., MS., 154-5. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 408, speaks of a pronunciamiento at S. F. on Nov. 20th, made without any knowledge of what had happened on the Salinas. Pinto, Apuntaciones, MS., 93, 97-8, speaks of Osio's coming to S. F. and working to enlist the custom-house employés in the revolt; but says that himself and Jacinto Rodriguez refused to join the movement. Rico tells us that the receptor, Benito Diaz, and Comandante Joaquin Peña, aided him in his work. German, Sucesos, MS., 9-12, narrates at some length a quarrel between his brother Luis German and Gabriel Castro while the rebel forces were at Sta Clara.

454

REVOLUTION AGAINST MICHELTORENA.

clude that Castro deemed his own interests as well as inclinations to be on the side of the Californians; and that he satisfied his scruples of conscience, so far as such a man had any scruples, by reflecting that the movement was against the batallon, and not the gen- eral.12

Colonel Vallejo felt perhaps more deeply than any other man in California the disgrace of having his country used as a penal colony, though he had not, like the Montereyans, come directly in contact with the cholos. He knew that the country could not prosper under such a burden; and he was the more troubled because in a sense he had been instrumental in introducing the convict army. He had doubtless expressed his views freely, but there is no contempo- rary evidence to contradict his statement, and that of others in later times, that he took no part in promot- ing the revolt of November. On hearing of the ris- ing, Vallejo, November 18th, wrote the governor, assuring him of his belief that the only ill-feeling of the Californians was against the batallon, and sug- gesting indirectly that as the troops were useless and burdensome both to the general and to the country, and as there could be no peace while they remained, the best way out of present difficulties was to send them away.13 Soon came Alvarado's letter of the 20th from San Pablo, in which the writer described

12 Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 100-7, relates that he was subsequently shown by Castro a letter in which Micheltorena wrote: 'My godson, a revolt has broken out at the Cañada de San Miguel, among some hot-headed young men. This suits me, but I do not wish for any personal persecution or ven- geance. Put yourself at the head of this movement, and we shall come to an understanding.' Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 412-19, adds that the letter was sent in duplicate to Castro, and one of the copies was captured on the way; but this writer's version of ensuing complications between the two Castros is utterly absurd and unintelligible. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 23, also speaks of the captured letter. Arce, Memorias, MS., 39-40, was told by Castro that he joined the movement to help Micheltorena personally. Botello, Anales, MS., 113-14, and Arnaz, Recuerdos, MS., 68-9, give credit to the theory that there was an understanding between C. and M.

13 Nov. 18, 1844, V. to M., in Bear Flag Papers, MS., 3. In his Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 417-18, V. declares that he not only had nothing to do with the revolt, but was ready to defend M. as gov. if his authority should be threat- ened after the departure of the batallon.

465

VALLEJO NEUTRAL.

what had occurred, declared the movement to be a just and popular one, and called upon Vallejo to sup- port it, either in person or at least by sending his brother Salvador with horses and supplies.14 The colonel's reply was to send Don Salvador to confer with Alvarado at San Pablo, and to bring back more minute details of what the rebels had done, what they intended to do, and what were their prospects of success, for Vallejo retained all his old spirit of cau- tion and fondness for being found on, or at least not very strongly against, the winning side.15 His posi- tion was a somewhat difficult one. As a Mexican officer his duty was of course to obey and support his superior; but in doing so he would be obliged not only to take sides against his friends and countrymen, and to defend a band of convicts whose presence he deemed a curse to California, but also to pay from his own pocket the whole expenses of the campaign; while on the other hand, he had little doubt that, without his support, Micheltorena would soon be compelled to yield, send away his troops, and thus prevent revolutionary troubles and possible bloodshed. His decision was to remain neutral; and to avoid the obligation of obeying the general's orders to send reënforcements, though it nowhere clearly appears that such orders were ever issued, he disbanded the Sonoma forces November 28th, on the plea that he could no longer support them at his own expense as he had been doing. The men were left free to gain a living as best they could, and doubtless some of them joined the rebels.16

14 Alvarado, Carta Relacion, MS., p. 108. Nov. 20, 1844. In this letter A. states that J. J. Vallejo would join the rebels; and he speaks of a correspondence between himself and Micheltorena, in which M. had de- plored the injurious results of a revolt, admitted the justice of complaints, and promised to arrange all satisfactorily as soon as the California should arrive with orders and aid; while A. had replied that he could not control the movement, which resulted wholly from the conduct of the cholos.

15 No date, V. to A., with blotter of 14 points on which information is required. Must have the minutest particulars to guide his course, which will of course be 'in accordance with honor, duty, and patriotism.' l'allejo, Doc., MS., xiv. 21-2.

16 Nov. 28th, V. to gov., notifying him of having disbanded the troops,. HIST. CAL., VOL. IV. 30

466

REVOLUTION AGAINST MICHELTORENA.

Micheltorena, marching from Monterey on the 22d with 150 men and two or three pieces of artillery, encamped four or five days later at the Laguna Seca, on the rancho of Juan Alvires, ten or twelve miles south-east of San José. The rebel forces, 220 strong, marched down from Santa Clara to meet him, encamp- ing in the hills of the Santa Teresa rancho, a mile or two from the lake and the general's camp. After two or three days of manœuvres and negotiations, a treaty was concluded, by which Micheltorena agreed to retire to the capital and send away his batallon, while the Californians promised to retire to San José mission and wait for the general to fulfil his agree- ment. Such is an outline of the campaign. Most who have described it from memory add but little of importance in the way of detail;17 but there are some contemporary narratives that demand attention.

Micheltorena himself, in a report to the government, described the campaign as follows: "I made such rapid marches by night as they could not even believe pos-

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History of California, Volume IV, Part 47

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 820

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820