History of California, Volume XXII, Part 16

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816

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June 24th-9th, miscellaneous corresp. between Sub-prefect Stearns, Al- calde Cota, and others, concerning the measures necessary for the country's defence. Most of the items seem to refer to the preservation of order at the capital rather than to the sending of reinforcements to Pico. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 9-10, 86, 89, 121, 124; Id., Angeles, viii. 68; Moreno, Doc., MS., 21; Coronel, Doc., MS., 135-7.

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BEAR FLAG REVOLT CONTINUED.

ema of the country against those who do not come to its defence," and "holding you responsible before God and the nation if under trivial pretences you do not set out at once." There are some indications that the governor still had hopes of securing a meeting of the consejo general, before which body he had a secret project to urge. The assembly was convened to con- sider Pico's request, backed up by eight documents on the Sonoma revolt; and by Francisco de la Guerra and Joaquin Carrillo, who had come as comisionados: but the decision reached was that their presence was not necessary at Santa Bárbara, especially as Pico would be absent on his expedition; that more com- plete information was needed respecting affairs in the north; and that under the circumstances a weekly mail should be established !25

Meanwhile Don Pio went on with his warlike prep- arations in spite of the Angelinos' lukewarmness in the cause. He also wrote a letter to Consul Larkin on June 29th, complaining in bitter terms of what Americans had done at Sonoma; announcing his sus- picion that the government of the United States was concerned in the acts, which "have the appearance of downright robbery;" blaming the consul for not hav- ing interfered in some way to prevent such scandalous proceedings; and hoping that for the honor of his na- tion he would promptly make a satisfactory explana- tion. Larkin in reply denied that he as consul had any influence over the Americans who had broken the laws at Sonoma; and that his government was in any way concerned. In fulfilment of his duty, he had prof- fered his aid to the general and prefect, by whom it had been refused.26 Not much is recorded of the gov-

25 June 29th-July 14th, miscellaneous records on the convoking and acts of the assembly. Some fault was found by Bandini and others with the tone adopted by Pico toward the assembly. Dept. St. Pap., MS., viii. 112-13, 117-18, 122; vii. 12-13, 90-1; Id., Pref. y Juzg., ii. 162; Leg. Rec., MS., iv. 358-62; Bandini, Doc., MS., 83. Even Guerra, a member residing at Sta B., declined to attend the session on pretext of illness. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 121.

26 June 29, 1846, P. to L. English translation in Larkin's Off. Corresp.,

143

MANUEL CASTRO AND DON PIO.

ernor's last days at Santa Bárbara; but it appears that by the beginning of July he had about 100 mnen ready for the march, most of whom were despatched immediately under Captain Andrés Pico. Don Pio followed on or about July 6th, and two days later was at Santa Inés. Here Manuel Castro met him, hav- ing been sent by the general to effect a reconciliation, as already stated, and having passed Don Andrés with his advance force at Los Alamos. The prefect, as chief civil authority in the north, as a partisan of Pico in most of the past controversies, and as a near rela- tion of both chiefs, was by far the most effective me- diator that could have been employed. Don Manuel worked hard to make the governor understand the true position of affairs, to show that reported dangers were real and not mere pretences on the general's part, to explain the absolute necessity of united action, and, most potent argument of all, to make clear to Don Pio the unenviable position he must occupy in the eyes of all Californians and Mexicans should he allow his re- sentment to outweigh his patriotism at such a time. Pico was convinced against his will, not that Castro

MS., ii. 167; Sawyer's Doc., MS., 65-8; Soule's Annals of S. F., 93-5; Dun- bar's Romance, 34-6; Lancey's Cruise, 71. July 5th, L. to P. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 132; Sawyer's Doc., MS., 68-70. Larkin seems disposed to fan Pico's feeling against Castro, not only by claiming that he had refused his aid, but by implying that the gen. might easily have retaken Sonoma, and also that if he would have furnished men Larkin would have captured an equal number of Americans to hold as hostages for the good treatment of Va- Ilejo and the others.

June 27th, Pico's bando, requiring great precautions and a striet enforce- ment of the passport regulations. S. Luis Ob., Arch., MS., 9-10. June 28th, gov. to sub-prefect, urging that the 50 men under Gallardo be sent at once. He has only 68 men, mostly raw recruits-not enough for his expedition. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 30. June 30th, Sta Bárbara, the Spanish consul will advise all of his nation to place their lives and property in security in view of foreign invasion. Id., vii. 37. July 2d, Moreno to Andrés Pico. A most bombastic letter. Bloody battle-fields, dying for the country, etc. Gal- lardo is on his march with 13 'columns' (one man in a column ?) from Angeles. Pico and the writer will start Monday. Pico, Doc., MS., ii. 89. July 3d, J. M. Flores to Pieo. Has no doubt that Cal. is to share the fate of Texas. Re- fers to Ide's proclamation. There is no doubt that supplies are furnished by the U. S. men-of-war. The consul has publicly declared that the U. S. will get Cal. Dept. St. Pap., MS., vii. 68-9. July 3d, Pico to Capt. Ayala. Or- ders to march to join Andrés Pico. Id., viii. 136. July 8th, Pico at Sta Ines to Sub-prefect Stearns. Declares traitors all who do not enlist for the country's defence. Id., vii. 34.

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BEAR FLAG REVOLT CONTINUED.

was acting in good faith, but that his officers and men could not be depended on to fight the general; and at last he reluctantly promised to forget past dissensions, and to unite with Castro against the foreigners.27 Then they marched northward until the two armies met on or about July 12th at the Santa Margarita rancho, near San Luis Obispo. Castro brought news that Monterey had been taken by naval officers of the United States; the governor and general gave each other a public but not very cordial embrace of recon- ciliation; and all turned mournfully toward the capital to devise new plans of resistance to los extrangeros. I shall follow them later.

27 Castro, Servicios Pub., MS .; Id., Relacion, MS., 201 -- 6.

CHAPTER VII.

BEAR FLAG REVOLT-AFFAIRS AT SONOMA. JUNE-JULY, 1846.

IDE IN COMMAND-BANNER FOR THE NEW REPUBLIC-STAR AND GRIZZLY- RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG-THE FLAGS AS RELICS-IDE'S PROCLAMA- TION-FALSEHOOD AND BOMBAST-FURTHER ORGANIZATION-MINOR HAP- PENINGS-IDE'S VERSION-TREATY WITH ALCALDE-TODD'S MISSION TO MONTGOMERY-MISROON AT SONOMA-MORMONISM-A NEW PROCLAMA- TION-KILLING OF COWIE AND FOWLER BY THE CALIFORNIANS-PADILLA AND CARRILLO-SORTIE BY IDE-OTHER CAPTIVES-GIBSON'S EXPEDITION TO SANTA ROSA-INSURGENTS REENFORCED-LAND LAWS-GRIGSBY'S RETURN-FORD'S CAMPAIGN-PADILLA JOINED BY TORRE-A SURPRISE -FIGHT AT OLOMPALI-TORRE DEFEATED BY THE 'BEARS.'

WE left William B. Ide with twenty-four men in possession of Sonoma. The alcalde and many citizens were under arrest. Three Mexican officials had been sent as prisoners to the Sacramento. This was just before noon on the 14th of June. For four or five days it does not appear that there was any increase in the insurgent garrison; but during that time several weighty matters of state were disposed of by these soi-disant founders of a republic. A flag was devised, manufactured, and raised; a proclamation was written, embodying the principles, plans, and motives of the insurgents; the imprisoned Californians were perhaps released under certain stipulations; and diplomatic messengers were despatched and received by the com- mander. Many details respecting each of these mat- ters are involved in more or less uncertainty, as might be expected from the very nature of the records, chiefly the memory of individuals concerned; but I proceed HIST. CAL., VOL. V. 10 ( 145 )

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BEAR FLAG REVOLT-AFFAIRS AT SONOMA.

to throw on the whole subject such light as existing evidence can be made to furnish, hoping to reduce prevalent doubts and discrepancies of testimony to a minimum.

The need of a banner was naturally one of the first suggested. The insurgents had no right to unfurl the stars and stripes, as many of them would doubt- less have preferred to do; yet any flag devised by Amer- icans must needs have at least a star and a stripe; and the appropriateness of a lone star could not fail to sug- gest itself to men familiar with the history of Texas, and the similarity of condition between that country and what they hoped to make of California. A sim- ple copy would not, however, suffice, and an additional emblem was required. Somebody proposed the griz- zly bear, an animal then common in those regions, and whose reputation for "strength and unyielding resist- ance" could be attested by every one of those resolute hunters from personal experience. For materials they took what they could find; that is, a piece of common unbleached cotton cloth, the manta of the Mexicans, somewhat less than a yard in width and five feet long, and some strips of red flannel about four inches wide. The flannel, the stripe of the flag, made of the requi- site length by piecing, was sewn to the bottom of the cotton. In the upper left-hand corner of the white field was outlined in ink, and filled in with red paint, an irregular five-pointed star, fifteen inches in its great- est diameter. Just to the right of the star, and facing it, was painted in like manner what was intended for a bear, statant, though it has been pronounced more like a hog by experts who cared little for the feelings of the last-named animal. Under the two emblems was rudely lettered in black ink CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. Such was the famous Bear Flag, which has given a name to the revolution, and which caused the insur- gents to be known to the natives as Osos. I think there can be no doubt that William L. Todd was the artist who painted it; but respecting the accuracy of

147

MAKING OF THE FLAG.

many other current details grave doubts arise from conflicting testimony. Who first suggested the com- ponent emblems of the banner; who furnished the cot- ton, and who the flannel; whence came the red paint; was the cloth new or old; had the flannel graced the undergarment of a fair and patriotic lady, or had it filled an humbler station as part of a man's red shirt ; who manipulated the needle and thread; who merely 'stood around' in the artist's way; whose knife was bor- rowed to cut the stuff; and was that knife ever returned to its owner-these are questions that I cannot answer so definitely as might be desired; but on some of them the reader may find light in the appended note.1

I Wm L. Todd in a letter of June 16, 1872, to Wm Baldridge says: 'At a company meeting it was determined that we should raise a flag; and it should be a bear en passant, with one star. One of the ladies at the garrison gave us a piece of brown domestic, and Mrs Capt. John Sears gave us some strips of red flannel about four inches wide. The domestic was new, but the flannel was said to have been part of a petticoat worn by Mrs Sears across the moun- tains. For a corroboration of these facts, I refer to G. P. Swift and Pat Mc- Christian. I took a pen, and with ink drew the outline of the bear and star upon the white cotton cloth. Linseed oil and Venetian red were found in the garrison, and I painted the bear and star. To the best of my recollec- tion, Peter Storm was asked to paint it, but he declined; and as no other per- son would undertake to do it, I did. But Mr Storm with several others assisted in getting the materials, and I believed Storm mixed the paint. Underneath the bear and star were printed with a pen the words "California Republic," in Roman letters. In painting the words I first lined out the letters with a pen, leaving out the letter "i" and putting "c" where "i" should have been, and afterwards the "i" over the "c." It was made with ink, and as we had nothing to remove the marks of the false letter, it now remains so on the flag.' In Napa Register, July 6, 1872. In a letter of Jan. 11, 1878, to the Los Angeles Express, reprinted in many other papers, Todd tells the same story in words but slightly different, saying: 'The following persons performed the work-Granville P. Swift, Peter Storm, Henry L. Ford, and myself.' He also confirms the same version in a letter of March 6, 1878, to the secretary of the Territorial Pioneers. Copy in Bear Flag Pap., MS., 41. Ford, Bear Flag Revol., MS., 12-13, gives an account which agrees so far as it goes with that in my text; and he claims for himself the honor of having suggested the grizzly bear. Ide, Biog. Sketch, 130-1; and also in a quotation from the MS. before publication furnished to the sec. of the territorial pioneers in a letter of April 16, 1878, from Jas G. Bleak of St George, Utah-a letter that has been often reprinted-credits Todd with having done the work; says the flannel was from the red shirt of one of the men; and erroneously states that the lettering was in red paint. In the Hist. Bear Flag, we read: 'A national flag was agreed upon-its base a brown stripe, next above a wide stripe of green cut so as to represent growing Tula; the upper part white to represent the clear horizon, on the end of the flag-staff a rising star, and in the brown stripe the words in capitals "California Republic."" Baldridge, Days of '46, MIS., i .- vii. 8, and in Napa Register, April 27, 1872, who did not reach Sonoma until some days after the flag was raised, heard an account on arrival confirming Todd's

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BEAR FLAG REVOLT -- AFFAIRS AT SONOM.A.

The Bear Flag has been preserved for many years in the hall of the California Pioneers in San Francis- co; that is, I have found no reason to question the

very nearly, except that he understood the flannel to have been furnished by a native Californian, Chepa Matthews, wife of Wm Matthews. Baldridge complains that some of his statements of former years, correcting popular errors, were not so generally credited as they should have been. McChris- tian, Narrative, MIS., 1-5, tells us that Capt. Scott proposed to make a flag if Mrs Hudson would give the stuff, though Mrs Sears gave the white domestic. Phelps, Fore and Aft, 284-6, says the flag was a grizzly rampant done on a white cotton sheet with lamp-black. In the West Shore Gazette, 13, we are told that Mrs Kelsey furnished the worn-out cotton. Thompson, Hist. Sonoma, 15, has it that Mrs Elliott supplied new cotton and flannel. In the Monterry Californian, Feb. 13, 1847, we read that the painting was done with lamp-black and poke-berries; and that the letters were on the top. According to Gillespie, in C'al. Pioneers Soc. Arch., MIS., 137, the white body of the flag was made of the chemise of Mrs Wm Hudson, and the flannel came from Mrs Sears' petticoat. A chewed stick was used for a brush. Me- George, in Petaluma C'rescent, Sept. 10, 1872. Tuthill, Hist. Cal., 172-3, speaks of a pot of berry juice. An account from Semple's MSS. iu Hesperian, ifi. 389-90, has it that the red stripe was stained with berry juice, and nnder it were the words 'The l'cople's Rights.' In an article prepared for the Pioneer Society by its historian, Hittell described the bear as standing nearly upright, confounding the original flag with another. S. F. Alta, Jan. 8, ISTS. and in many other papers. According to a 'true history of the Bear Flag,' in the Santa Rosa Sonoma Democrat, Aug. S, 1874, copied in Napa Register, Aug. 15, 1874, and in other papers, we are told that the project of a flag came up in a 'casnal conversation' between Todd, Dewell, and Cowie. Dewell obtained from Mrs W. B. Elliott the flannel, domestic, and needles and thread. Blue drilling was obtained elsewhere. Cowie and Dewell had been saddlers, and the three young men proceeded to make the flag withont con- sulting any one else, by sewing together alternate strips of red, white, and blue (!), Todd painting a star in the upper corner and a bear in the lower. Swasey, Cal. '45-6, MS., 26, seems to have adopted the version just given. Peter Stormi has often been eredited with having painted the Bear Flag. At a celebration in Napa, Sept. 9, 1873, Storm, introduced by Brannan, stood up and was cheered as the artist, at the same time waving a eonnterpart of the original. Napa Register, Sept. 13, 1873. In 1871 also Storm, visiting S. F., was honored as the painter of the flag. Calistoga Tribune, Dec. 21, 1871. It would seem that Storm did paint a flag, but somewhat later and at Napa. Baldridge, Days of '46, MIN., i .- vi. 8, and in Napa Register, April 27th, tells us that it was painted on a piece of greenish fabric at Napa in 1848 for the use of a party going to Sonoma for a celebration of July 4th. He thinks it is one of the flags preserved by the pioneers at their hall in S. F. A cor- respondent, perhaps Baldridge also, gave the same version to the Vapa Re- porter, and claims to have furnished the materials, He says that Todd's flag was made of 'Dirty Matthews' wife's red flannel petticoat.' Fowler, Bear Flag, MS., 2-4, says the material came from a sloop at the mouth of Napa Creek, the writer being present, Storm doing the work, and the bear being represented as standing on its hind legs. Fowler, however, says that this flag was made before June 14th, and was the one hoisted at Sonoma. Knight, Statement, MIS., 9, thinks that Storm was the painter. In a letter of Feb. 20, 1874, Gen. Josephi W. Revere writes to the soc. of Cal, pioneers: 'At the suggestion of Gen. Sherman, I beg leave to send to your society forthwith a guidon, formerly belonging to the Sonoma troop of the Cal. battalion, 1846, for preservation. This guidon I found among the effects of the troop when I hauled down the Bear Flag at Sonoma and substituted the flag of the U.

149

WHEN WAS THE FLAG HOISTED ?

genuineness of the flag there preserved, though strictly speaking, it is not so fully proven by documentary evi- dence as would be desirable. Two other bear flags are preserved by the same society. One of them is of the same size as the original, but differs from it in several respeets : the white field is of bunting; the star is much smaller, and black instead of red; the bear, also black, is drawn 'rampant' and with outlines much less inaccurate than in Todd's effort. Beyond the probability that this is the flag painted by Peter Storm, as indicated in my notes, I have found no proofs respecting its origin. The other flag is the guidon presented by Revere. Its dimensions are 42 by 20 inches; and the material, both of field and stripe, is silk. The bear, statant, is under the inscription, faces away from the star, and is much better drawn than the original. Both material and execution indi- cate that it was made after Frémont's arrival at So- noma, and probably after communication had been established with the men-of-war; but nothing definite is known of its origin beyond Revere's statement that he found it at Sonoma in July.

The date on which the Bear Flag was raised has been in late years a topic of much discussion. The writers who have engaged in it have devoted their attention almost exclusively to the date of the taking of Sonoma. Obtaining some slight evidence that the town was taken on June 14th-a date respecting the accuracy of which there can be no possible doubt, it being fully established by the many original documents

S. on the 7th (?) of July, 1846, and have preserved it ever since.' Printed in Sacramento Enterprise of Oct. 10, 1975, and in many other places. See accounts of the Bear Flag, containing I believe nothing not already noted, in S. F. Herald, July 9, 1858; S. F. Alta, July 20, 24, 1852; Jan. 20, 1866; Jan. 8, 1878; Oct. 8, 1874; Sac. Union, June 21, 1858; Id. Mercury, 1858; S. José Mercury, 1861 (Hittell); Antioch Ledger, Aug. 15, 1874; Sta Bárbara Press, Oct. 10, 1874; Sta Cruz Sentinel, March 11, 1876; S. F. Post, July 21, 1877; N. F. Bulletin, Dec. 20, 1877; N. F. Call, Jan. 8, 1878; N. José Pioneer, March 1, 1879; Napa Reporter, Jan. 18, 1878; Healdsburg Enterprise, June 27, 1878; Petaluma Argus, Feb. 22, 1878; Napa Register, April 13, 1872. Also general résumé in Upham's Notes, 363-6; Lancey's Cruise, 57-G1. Also mention in nearly all the county histories of Cal., and, in fact, in most of the authorities quoted in this chapter and the preceding.

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BEAR FLAG REVOLT-AFFAIRS AT SONOMA.

I have presented-they have regarded their diligent investigations as rewarded with conclusive proof that the flag was unfurled on the same day. No such conclusive proof, however, exists. The question is whether the flag was raised on the day of the capture, the next day, or later. There is no contemporary record on the subject of earlier date than June 17th, when Misroon found the flag flying; and no witness, testifying from memory, has had his attention called directly to the question at issue. Ide states, though not in a diary as has been claimed, that the flag-rais- ing was on the 14th. Ford also implies that the flag was raised before night on the first day, though he also states that it was hoisted at sunrise next morning. Bidwell's testimony favors the theory that it was probably not raised on the first day. A few in later times tell us that it was several days after the taking of Sonoma; but most say nothing on the subject. The balance of testimony is therefore in a sense in favor of the 14th; but the evidence is very slight in- deed; and it must be regarded as doubtful whether the insurgents had time on that Sunday afternoon to devise, manufacture, and hoist their new banner; especially if, as some say, the halyards were broken, so that the flag-staff in the plaza had to be lowered and raised again.2

A proclamation was deemed no less essential than a flag. Some wished to wait until their force should be increased, or until a few prominent persons could be induced to join the movement, or until Fremont's views could be ascertained. But the majority felt that what they had done bore on its face too strong a resemblance to a mere filibustering movement for

2 In the course of the discussion alluded to, the sec. of the territorial pioneers published the statement that 'Bancroft, the Pacific coast historian,' had fixed the date as June 15th; and this statement has been repeated by a dozen writers. While duly flattered by the complimentary title thus circu- lated in connection with my name, I must protest that I had never formed or expressed any such opinion.

151

IDE'S PROCLAMATION.

plunder; at least, it was sure to be so represented by enemies, and "how were our forces to be augmented, and who would come to the assistance of those who were only represented as robbers and rebels?"3 Ac- cordingly a pronunciamiento was decided on. It was written by Commander Ide, and bore the date of June 15th, having been prepared, as the writer states, be- tween the hours of one and four that morning. Many copies were made during the next few days, in which vast improvements were made in orthography, and some slight verbal changes were introduced. A sup- plemental proclamation was issued on the 18th; and possibly that date was also attached to some copies of the original, a circumstance that has led writers on the subject into great confusion. I reproduce the docu- ment, and add some notes upon the successive stages of its development.4 This proclamation consisted first

3 ' So here we were; by our flag proclaimed 'the California Republic '! 24 self-consecrated victims to the god of equal rights, unknown by any mortal being except 10 men who had dissented from our plan and fled to the protec- tion of Fremont's camp [except 30 or 40 Spaniards who had from a brief ac- quaintance sworn fidelity to our cause], exposed not only to the wrath of 600 armed men (!), whom we were compelled, in order to avoid the just imputa- tion of violence and crime, to defy in open fight, but to the unmingled scorn of all honorable men whether Mexicans or Americans, if we failed to represent our true character, and the circumstances which compelled us to assume such an unusual position. Was it prudent to delay a just representation to the public ear?' etc. Ide's Biog. Sketch, 135-7.

4 What purports to be an original in Ide's own writing-Louis R. Lull cer- tifying to the handwriting, Manuel Castro affirming that it was the one sent him as prefect and remaining in his possession since 1846, and there being no reason that I know of to doubt its genuineness-is preserved by the pioneer society, California Pioneers, Arch., MS., 71-5; and was printed in the S. F. Alta, Jan. 20, 1866. Except in its outrageously bad spelling and punctuation, it agrees with the one I print below.

One of the carly copies, or originals-for they appear to have been copied both by Ide and by others of the garrison-reached Monterey, and was copied by or for Larkin at the time. This copy is found in Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 69-71; and Sawyer's Doc., MS., 49-51. It was also sent up the coast, and was first printed in the Oregon Spectator, July 23, 1846. This is the ver- sion which I reproduce, differing from the original in orthography only. Whether the corrections were introduced wholly or in part at Monterey, there are no means of knowing.

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History of California, Volume XXII, Part 16

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885-1890 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 816

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816