History of California, Volume XXII, Part 22

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

USA > California > History of California, Volume XXII > Part 22

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At the beginning of May William M. Wood, late fleet surgeon, being permitted to return home over- land through Mexico, was intrusted with despatches to the government, and was instructed to send back to Sloat any information of importance that might be gathered on the way. Accompanied by John Par- rott, U. S. consul at Mazatlan, Wood went up to San Blas by sea, started inland on May 4th, and on the 10th arrived at Guadalajara. "Startling news here reached us," writes Wood, "placing us, and par- ticularly myself, in most unpleasant circumstances. In triumphant and boastful language we were in- formed of the successful attack upon our forces on the Rio Grande, and the capture of some of our dragoons. The intelligence reached the city about the same time with ourselves; and soon after news- boys were selling extras in the streets, and crying, at the highest pitch of their voices, 'Triumph over the North Americans.' In every respect this was bad news, mortifying to our national pride ... Our own position was a cause of much anxiety. Here was war, and we in the centre of the country; I with a hostile uniform in my trunk, and despatches in my cap, which unfortunately stated that one object of my journey was to collect information in relation to expected hostilities. What was to be done, was a

9 Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 107, 115, 126-7, containing corresp. on the trip of the Portsmouth and the news brought by her of the state of affairs at Maza- tlan. See also Wood's Wandering Sketches, 346-8, the author of which was at Mazatlan at the time and gives some particulars.

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serious question. I had no disposition to be placed in the position of a spy in an enemy's country; and yet, to avoid being in such a position, I should at once surrender myself to the authorities. By pur- suing this course, I would be compelled to surrender or destroy the despatches, and, what was worse, would lose an opportunity of communicating the state of af- fairs to the commander-in-chief in the Pacific. The condition of things left by us on the western coast seemed to demand that such an opportunity should not be lost. Whether correctly or not, it was be- lieved that in case of war the British squadron would attempt to take California under its protection .. . After due deliberation, it was determined that we should continue our journey through the country, and, if possible, send an express to the commander- in-chief of our squadron in the Pacific. The latter was a matter of some difficulty, as all expresses must be sent through and under authority of the govern- ment post-office. However, Mr Parrott was ell- abled to manage the matter with much skill. The express went through safely, making ten days' ordi- nary travel in five days, and delivering, on the 17th of May, the first news of the war to our forces on the Pacific." 10

Having received on May 17th from James R. Bol- ton, acting consul, the despatch sent by Wood and Parrott, Sloat at once sent the Cyane under Captain Mervine to California. She sailed on or about May

10 Wood's Wandering Sketches, 348-69. In Mc Whorter's Incidents of the War with Mexico, a small pamphlet of 10 pages, without date of publica- tion, and devoted to a record of Wood's services, we find Sloat's letter of April 30th, to the sec. of the navy, explaining Wood's mission; and also a letter from Sloat to Wood, dated March 20, 1855, in which the doc- tor's great services are acknowledged, with a statement that the news re- ceived from him was what determined the writer to take Cal. Wood was also complimented for his valuable services by the chairman of the senate naval committee. Lancey, Cruise, 74-8, quotes Wood, and gives full partic- ulars. The services of Parrott, Wood, and James R. Bolton, the latter act- ing consul in Parrott's absence, are also recorded in the S. F. Alta, Feb. 23, 1880; and by A. Williams, in Pioneer Soc. Arch., MS., 120-2. The praise due Parrott and the others for their service has been somewhat exaggerated, under the mistaken idea that their acts saved Cal. from being taken by Eng- land.

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SLOAT'S LETTER TO LARKIN.

18th, and reached Monterey on or about June 20th. She brought a letter from Sloat to Larkin, dated May 18th and marked 'strictly confidential.' The original is in my possession, and, as the best means of making known the commodore's intentions, I quote as follows : "From information I have received from Metamoras, it appears certain that hostilities have commenced on the north bank of the Rio Grande. It is said the Mexicans crossed the river with 1,200 cavalry and 400 infantry, and fell in with a reconnoitring party of our troops of 50 men, which they attacked, killed, and captured the whole. It was expected in Metamoras that General Taylor would bombard the town next day. It is my intention to visit your place immedi- ately, and from the instructions I have received from my government, I am led to hope that you will be pre- pared to put me in possession of the necessary infor- mation, and to consult and advise with me on the course of operations I may be disposed to make on the coast of California. When my force arrives there, I shall have the Savannah, Congress, Portsmouth, Cyane, Warren, Levant, and Shark. Of course you will keep all this a profound secret until my arrival, as no offi- cer of my squadron has any knowledge of my intended movements. They are, however, aware that a colli- sion has taken place on the north side of the Rio Grande between the American and Mexican troops; and should this subject get into circulation, you will make as light of it as possible, saying that it has been only a mere skirmish between the reconnoitring par- ties. I shall call off Monterey first, and hope to be there as soon as this, which goes by the Cyane. Her commander has instructions to advise with you whether it is best for him to remain there or proceed to San Francisco. I do not think it necessary to write more particulars, as I am confident you will understand my object."11 Sloat's allusion to information which he ex-

11 May 18, 1846, Sloat to Larkin, in duplicate. Larkin's Dor., MS., iv. 122- 3; Sawyer's Doc., MS., 57-9.

2)4

PRELIMINARIES OF THE CONQUEST.

pected to get from Larkin doubtless signified that he knew the nature of the latter's efforts and instructions as confidential agent, and hoped to be told by him how to raise the flag without opposition from the Cal- ifornians. Larkin, however, thought the allusion might be to despatches sent him from Washington but not received; and he therefore notified Leidesdorff and others to be on the lookout for missing documents by an overland courier. 12

But Sloat, though he knew that hostilities had be- gun, and had once made up his mind to act promptly in obedience to his orders, changed his mind, and did not start for Monterey. It is not known that he re- ceived contradictory reports from the east, or that he had any reasons for delay, save his natural indecision of character. On May 31st he heard of General Taylor's battles of the 8th and 9th on the Rio Grande;13 and this news so restored his wavering de- termination, that on the same day he wrote to the secretary of the navy: "I have received such intelli- gence as I think will justify my acting upon your order of the 24th of June, and shall sail immediately to see what can be done. "14 His renewed enthusiasm did not last long; though about this time he de- spatched the Levant under Captain Hugh N. Page to Monterey ;13 and we are also told, on authority not the best, of a short cruise off the coast and return to Mazatlan, all with intent to deceive the English ad- miral.16

12 June 22d, Larkin to Leidesdorff, Montgomery, et al. Larkin's Doc., MS .. iv. 119-20; Sawyer's Doc., MS., 62. June 20th, L. had notified Montgomery that Sloat was to come at once. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., i. 115.

13 An extract from the Savannah's log, furnished by L. W. Sloat to Dun- bar's Romance, 38-9, and also printed in Lancey's Cruise, 78-9, contains this entry: 'May 31, 1846, received report of Gen. Taylor's victory over the Mex- icans on the 8th and 9th of May.' The news of May 31st, according to Will- iams, in Cal. Pioneer Soc. Arch., MS., 120-5, was received by Bolton from a German correspondent, Fageman, at Durango.

14 May 31, 1846, Sloat to sec. navy, in Fremont's Cal. Claims, 70. Sloat had asked on May 6th to be relieved from his command on account of failing health. Id., 72.

15 I have found no definite record of the Levant's trip, except that she arrived at Monterey on June 30th. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., i. 96.

16 Testimony of Lient Geo. Minor, in Fremont's Cul. Claims, 44. He says

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AN IRRESOLUTE COMMODORE.

According to the log of the flag-ship, on June 5th the news of Taylor's battles was confirmed, and the capture of Matamoros was announced. This, how- ever, was by no means enough for the irresolute com- modore; and he wrote next day to Secretary Ban- croft : "I have, upon more mature reflection, come to the conclusion that your instructions of the 24th of June last, and every subsequent order, will not justify my taking possession of any part of California, or any hostile measures against Mexico (notwithstanding their attack upon our troops), as neither party have declared war. I shall therefore, in conformity with those in- structions, be careful to avoid any act of aggression until I am certain one or the other party have done so, or until I find that our squadron in the gulf have com- menced offensive operations," announcing, however, his intention of proceeding to California to await fur- ther intelligence.17 This extraordinary determination was of course not approved at Washington, and brought out a severe reprimand for the dilatory commander of the squadron. "The department willingly believes in the purity of your intentions; but your anxiety not to do wrong has led you into a most unfortunate and un- warranted inactivity," wrote Bancroft, after dwelling on the previous orders and hints to act promptly; and on the same day, by reason of failing health, in accord-

that when the Savannah sailed an English vessel at once started for San Blas, apparently to notify the admiral; and on Sloat's return the same manœuvre was repeated. Lancey, Cruise, 78, gives a 'sailor's story,' to the effect that Sloat, suspecting that Seymour was closely watching his movements, resolved to verify his suspicion, and put the Englishman off his guard by a Yankee trick. So a sham trial was got up, and a man condemned to death, a fact much talked about whenever English hearers were present. The Savannah put out to sea to hang a 'dummy' at the yard-arm, closely followed and watched by a vessel of the rival fleet. Soon after, a similar affair was planned and talked about; but when the ship sailed to execute the sentence, the English- man thought it not worth while to watch the operation, and the Savannah started unobserved for Cal. !

17 June 6, 1846, Sloat to Bancroft, in Fremont's Cal. Claims, 70. Sloat continues: 'The want of communication with and information from the de- partment and our consul render my situation anything but pleasant; indeed, it is humiliating and mortifying in the extreme, as by my order I cannot act, while it appears to the world that we are actually at war on the other coast.'

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PRELIMINARIES OF THE CONQUEST.

ance with his own earlier request, "and for other rea- sons," Sloat was relieved of his command.19

Yet again Sloat changed his mind, in time practi- cally to nullify the censure of the government, and to escape the dishonor in which his removal must other- wise have involved him; for long before the commu- nications cited above had reached him he had done the things which he had been reprimanded for not doing, and thus saved his reputation. The Savan- nah's log, according to the extract published, has this entry: "June 7th, news received of the blockade of Vera Cruz by the American squadron. At 2 P. M. got under way for Monterey." In a later report the commodore writes: "On the 7th of June I received at Mazatlan information that the Mexican troops, six or seven thousand strong, had by order of the Mexican government invaded the territory of the United States north of the Rio Grande, and had attacked the forces under General Taylor; and that the squadron of the United States were blockading the coast of Mexico on the gulf. These hostilities I considered would justify my commencing offensive operations on the west coast. I therefore sailed on the 8th in the Savannah for the coast of California, to carry out the orders of the depart- ment of the 24th June, 1845, leaving the Warren at Mazatlan to bring me any despatches or information that might reach there."19 It was probably the report of an eastern blockade that determined Sloat's action, since in his letter of the 6th he had declared his inten- tion of awaiting such news. How this news of June 7th was received I am not quite certain. Perhaps it was through another letter from Parrott and Wood, written at the city of Mexico, as several persons state; but there is some confusion in the testimony.20 I shall

18 Aug. 13, 1846, Bancroft to Sloat. Fremont's Cal. Claims, 71-2.

19 July 31, 1846, Sloat to Bancroft, in War with Mexico, Repts Operations of U. S. Naval Forces, 30th cong. 2d sess., H. Ex. Dec. no. 1, pt ii. p. 2. Repeated substantially in report of sec. navy, Dec. 5, 1846, 29th cong. 2d sess., H. Ex. Doc. 4, p. 378; and often elsewhere.

20 Wood in his narrative says nothing of any despatches from the city of Mexico, but implies that those from Guadalajara were the only ones sent to

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ENGLISH SCHEMES.

notice later the possibility that no such determining news was received at all, and that Sloat did not make up his mind until after his arrival at Monterey. At any rate, the commodore sailed on June 8th for Cali- fornia, whither I shall follow him in the next chapter.

One phase of Sloat's experience at Mazatlan, and his voyage to California, yet remains to be noticed; it is that arising from his relations with Admiral Sey- mour, and brings up anew the old subject of English designs on California. It was believed at the time that England intended to take possession, in the event of war, or at least to assume a protectorate, and thus keep the territory from the United States. It has been the opinion of most Americans ever since, and has been stated directly or indirectly by writers on the conquest almost without exception, that the rival squadrons were closely watching each other's move- ments at Mazatlan and San Blas in the spring of 1846; that there was a contest between the respective commanders as to which should first obtain definite information that war had been declared, and with it reach California; that had Seymour in the Colling- wood reached Monterey before Sloat in the Savannah, the English flag would have been raised instead of the stars and strips; but that the commodore, either by getting the first news overland, or by sending the ad- miral off on a false scent, or by a trick which enabled him to sail without the knowledge of his rival, or by the superior speed of his flag-ship, won the race, and

Sloat. Parrott, in an interview printed in the S. F. Alta, Feb. 25, 1880, mentions only one despatch. Sloat in his letter of 1845 to Wood speaks of the news from Guadalajara as having determined his action, alluding to no other communication. This letter is also quoted in Willey's Thirty Years in Cal., 14-15. Williams and Lancey, however, on authority not stated, men- tion a communication sent from Mexico by Parrott May 23d to Bolton, who received it June 7th. Parrott's letter was founded on one received from a friend at S. Luis Potosí, and closed with these words: 'You can tell the com- modore if he is with you that I did not write to him, because there is too much risk; that he has a field open to signalize himself, and I wish him a crown of laurels.' This literal citation indicates that the writers saw the original letter, which may have been furnished by Parrott or Bolton. (In a later con- versation I understood Mr Williams to confirm this.)

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PRELIMINARIES OF THE CONQUEST.

saved California for his government. The tangible facts in the case are the belief of Americans that Eng- land intended to occupy the country; the presence at Mazatlan of the rival fleets closely watchful one of the other; a trip of the Collingwood to Monterey, arriving about a week after the U. S. flag had been raised; and finally, that an Irish subject of Great Britain was at- tempting in 1845-6 to obtain Californian lands for colonization. The question for consideration is wheth- er these facts are a sufficient foundation for the cur- rent version of former writers, or whether that version may be deemed to rest on mere conjecture and patri- otic prejudice.

In other chapters this subject of English schemes has been fully treated for earlier years; and our inves- tigation has shown simply that several travellers had praised California highly, had predicted that it could not long remain a Mexican possession, had shown the ease with which it might be occupied by a foreign power, and had dwelt on the advantages to its people and to England of its becoming an English province rather than a territory of the United States; that some popular writers had echoed the desires of the travellers, and had ridiculed the claims of the United States to any exclusive rights in that direction; and that a part of the English holders of Mexican bonds had favored an arrangement by which Californian lands for colonization could be taken in payment, or as security for the payment, of the debt, though it has never clearly appeared that even a majority of the bond-holders decided in favor of such an arrangement. In 1846 the bond-holders' scheme, so far as outward manifestations were concerned, was a thing of the past, unless the MeNamara project, of which I shall speak presently, might be in some way connected with it. The only new developments of the year in this connection were the undoubted existence of a party among the Californians in favor of a British protecto- rate, and the well known fears, leading to some diplo-

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A BRITISH BUGBEAR.

matic efforts, of the English government with regard to the prospective annexation of Mexican territory to the United States in consequence of the war. The former subject has been fully presented already; the latter requires no further remark, as England made no secret of her perfectly natural and legitimate dis- favor to the extension of American territory south- ward and westward at the expense of Mexico.21

I find nowhere a single word of official utterance to indicate that England had the slightest intention or desire of obtaining California by conquest or purchase, or that she ever gave any encouragement to the col- onization plans of her bond-holding subjects. In the total absence of any such definite indication, and in view of the fact that the testimony in favor of the English scheme, though bulky, is composed wholly of mere statements of belief from men who like myself have had no special facilities for penetrating court secrets in London, I have no hesitation in expressing my con- viction that England did not deem California a desir- able acquisition at the price of serious complications with another nation; and that she knew perfectly well that trouble with the United States was sure to re- sult from any attempt in that direction. There was never any definite plan on the part of the government to make California an English possession.22

21 I refer only to remarks of Bentinck, Palmerston, Disraeli, and others in parliament. Aug. 1846, Hansard's Parl. Debates, lxxxviii. 978-93, when free reference was made to the harm to English interests likely to result from the war. See remarks on the policy of England on this matter in my Hist. Mex.

22 For testimony in favor of the English schemes, all of the nature indicated in my text, see American Review, iii. 87-99; Frémont's Cal. Claims; Debates in Congressional Globe, 1847-8; some of the same speeches printed in pamphlet or book form, as Dic's Speeches, i. 281-2; S. F. Californian, Oct. 28, Nov. +, 1848; Overland Monthly, iii. 156; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., 178-80; Ripley's War with Mex., i. 294; Lancey's Cruise; and indeed almost every authority cited in this and the following chapters, including manuscript statements of pio- neers, and very many newspaper narratives. Writers and speakers in 1846 and earlier founded their opinions on prevalent national prejudices, on the Oregon troubles, on the narratives of English navigators on what was known of the bond-holders' affair, and on the suspicions of Larkin and his friends in Cal. In 1847-8, during the 'claims' agitation, opinions of many men were brought out and exaggerated as testimony to magnify the services of Frémont and his Bear Flag battalion. In later times, writers have simply cited the HIST. CAL., VOL. V. 14

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PRELIMINARIES OF THE CONQUEST.

In its phase of a proposed protectorate, the matter of English intervention assumes, it must be admitted, a somewhat different and more plausible aspect. Eng- land made no secret of her opposition to any further extension of American territory on the Pacific if it could be prevented by diplomacy or other means than war. There could be little doubt that the United States would seize California as soon as war began. There was a party of some strength among the Cali- fornians, including the governor, in favor of English interference; they would likely have asked for protec- tion had a British man-of-war arrived opportunely- perhaps did petition for it through an agent sent to Mexico.23 The question is, Had the British govern- ment through any authorized agent encouraged or ap- proved the scheme? Had Admiral Seymour instruc- tions to raise his flag at Monterey? or was he likely to assume the responsibility of such an act? If he in- tended to do it, the design was by assuming a protec- torate, not necessarily to secure permanent possession, but to set on foot a long train of diplomatic corre- spondence, to prevent the United States being in pos- session at the close of the war, and thus indefinitely delay if not prevent the dreaded annexation. The aim and the methods would have been legitimate enough; but was any such purpose entertained or any such means devised ? As I have remarked, the theory that such was the case is a more plausible one than that favoring conquest or purchase; but that is about all that can be said in its favor. There is the same absence of all positive or documentary evidence, and the same exclusive reliance by its advocates on mere

testimony of the earlier witnesses of both classes, or more frequently have in a spirit of boasting alluded to England's ambition and defeat as matters of historic record requiring no support.

23 José M. Covarrubias was sent to Mexico, as we have seen, chap. ii., in Feb., and he returned at the beginning of July. Bandini, Doc., MS., 85. Pio Pico, Hist. Cal. MS., states that Covarrubias was instructed, if not successful in Mexico, to call on the English admiral and promise a revolt of California on condition of an English protectorate; also that Covarrubias on his return reported that Admiral Seymour had spoken favorably of the scheme.

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CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

opinion and conjecture. I proceed to note some items of circumstantial evidence bearing on the subject.

First: the presence of an unusually strong British fleet in the Pacific at this time, and the close and con- stant watch kept on the movements of the American squadron, are amply accounted for by the pending complications of the Oregon question, which it was thought might at any time result in war between England and the United States. Consequently naval operations of a general nature prove nothing respect- ing designs on California. Second: the statements of different writers respecting the suspicious actions of the English naval officers, the methods by which Sloat outwitted Seymour, and the race between the Savan- nah and Collingwood, are so contradictory in the mat- ter of details, and so inaccurate in respect of minor facts, as to more than suggest their lack of solid foun- dation.24 Third: some of the theories advanced sug-

24 Lieut Minor, as we have seen, Fremont's Cal. Claims, 43-5, testified that Sloat so manœuvred as to get away from Mazatlan without Seymour's knowl- edge; and 'a sailor,' Lancey's Cruise, 78, explains the method by which the trick was played. According to Minor and others, the Collingwood was at San Blas. Benton, Thirty Years' View, ii. 692, says: 'Sloat saw that he was watched and pursued hy Admiral Seymour, who lay alongside of him, and he determined to deceive him. He stood out to sea and was followed by the British admiral. During the day he bore west across the ocean, as if going to the S. I .; Adm. Seymour followed. In the night the American commodore tacked and ran up the coast toward Cal .; the British admiral, not seeing the tack, continued on his course and went entirely to the S. I. before he was undeceived.' Ar- riving in Cal. from Honolulu, 'to his astonishment he beheld the American flag flying over Monterey, the American squadron in its harbor, etc. His mission was at an end. The prize had escaped him.' Randolph, Oration, says: 'The flag of the U. S. was no sooner flying than the Collingwood entered the hay of Monterey. There had been a race.' Wm H. Davis, Glimpses, MS., 343-6, learned from Capt. Mervine at the time at Monterey that the rivals had close- ly watched each other; and that the Savannah and Cyane left Mazatlan se- cretly by night, fearing that the Collingwood might have pursued them and arrived before them at Monterey. But we know that the Cyane had come long before. There are other slight inaccuracies, showing that Davis gives the common report rather than Mervine's direct testimony. W. S. Green pub- lished in the Colusa Sun a statement-which I find in the Bakersfield Courier, Sept. 21, 1870, and which was published in several other newspapers-pur- porting to have been derived from Sloat's own lips, containing the following: A courier arrived from Mexico, bringing despatches to Seymour but none to Sloat. Seymour after the arrival of the courier was 'all in all' with the lead- ing Mexicans, while they looked daggers at Sloat. The commodore watched the movements of the admiral. The line-of-battle ship hove short on her anchors and made ready for a voyage. The two little American vessels did the same. The Collingwood weighed anchor, and with clouds of canvas, etc.

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History of California, Volume XXII, Part 22

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