USA > California > History of California, Volume XXII > Part 39
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18 Larkin saw an officer who crept up to get a view shot, and carried off by one of his companions. This was probably Cantna, the standard-bearer, and Alvarado nanies Mariano Soberancs as the man who distinguished himself by carrying off the wounded man on his horse, thus saving him from the toma- hawks and scalping-knives of the Indians. Alvarado's informant, Juan de Mata Boronda-whose version is also given in Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., v. 166-70-and some other natives state that the Americans drew the Califor- nians into an ambush at the grove; but this seems unfounded, except by the fact that the Californians were surprised at finding the grove occupied by a foe.
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to besiege the few remaining scouts; Rico's rear guard was moved up; and the Californian army, about 65 strong, was drawn up on the plain to the right or east of the grove, to meet the enemy.14
When Thompson arrived with reinforcements from San Juan, after the scouts had been sent out but be- fore the encinalito fight began,15 there arose a discus- sion as to what should be done. Thompson and many of the men in both companies favored an advance to attack the Californians; but Burroughs with much reason hesitated to incur the needless risk of engag- ing in a conflict which might result in a loss of his horses and the failure of all Fremont's plans. The controversy became heated as time passed on, and taunts of cowardice were flung at the captain by the irresponsible volunteers, Thompson, a reckless fire- eater, becoming extremely violent in his remarks.16 If any further incentive was needed, it came presently in reports from the Walla Walla scouts of what was going on at Natividad.17 Detaching fourteen men to guard the horses in Gomez's corrals, and committing
14 Swascy makes the grove fight a part of the general engagement, stating that the scouts entered the woods to the right as the Americans advanced, hoth fights going on together; but this seems to have no support. A writer in the Sta Cruz Times, Aug. 27, 1870, tells us that the grove siege lasted 4 hours before the main body appeared; but this is doubtless an error, unless we include all the time spent by the scouts at the grove before the enemy appeared.
15 Some imply the contrary, and some even state that the fight began be- fore a demand for aid was sent to S. Juan at all; but this seems very unlikely. ' K.' says Thompson arrived at 9 A. M., and before noon the line was drawn up on the edge of the plain, though the advance did not begin till 3 P. M. This may be accurate, and it is possible that the scouts were posted in the grove; but that the fight had begun or was kuown to be raging at the time of his arrival I cannot believe. 'E. C. K.' has it that the message reached S. Juan at 10 A. M., and the force arrived at the rancho an hour later, which is more probable. Lancey says it was 5 P. M. when the scouts left the main body for Natividad, but this may be a misprint.
16 Red-haired, sorrel-top, hell-roaring Thompson are some of the names by which he was known.
17 Bennett says that Foster's Walla Wallas broke through the Californian lines and brought the news of Foster's death and Hayes' wounds, B. being the interpreter of the message for Thompson. All this seems to me extremely improbable, especially as Bennett is clearly wrong in several other particulars. These Walla Wallas were probably those who left Foster before the fight be- gan, but possibly men who had been sent out to see what had become of Foster's company, and saw the fight from a distance. This theory agrees with the Sta Cruz Times account.
369
FIGHT AT NATIVIDAD.
to their care a field-piece found at the last moment to be unserviceable for the fight, Burroughs gave the order to advance, and the little army of about fifty men began their march, perhaps half an hour or more after the encinalito fight had begun.
The Californians were superior in numbers and were skilful horsemen; but their weapons were a miscella- neous collection of improvised lances, reatas, ineffective escopetas, and pistols, with powder for only a few dis- charges of the fire-arms. The Americans were, most of them, but indifferent riders; but they were well armed with rifles and had plenty of ammunition. Coming in sight of the enemy, Burroughs' men advanced rap- idly over the plain. Castro's men fired their muskets at long range, doing no harm. The Americans, halt- ing, discharged their rifles, and at once charged upon the foe at full speed, with wild shouts, in a manner more creditable to their valor than to their discipline, each man for himself, with Captain Burroughs in ad- vance on his gray charger 'Sacramento.' The charge was a blunder like that committed at San Pascual a little later, and with similar results. The Californians feigned flight, in accordance with their usual tactics;18 but presently turned to attack their pursuers, as they came at full speed over the plain in disorder and armed with empty rifles. At the same time apparently the 20 or 30 men at the grove rushed up to attack the Amer- icans on the rear or flank.19 Some writers describe what followed as a desperate hand-to-hand fight, last- ing from ten to twenty minutes; but this is shown by the results to be an exaggeration. In such a conflict a large number of Americans must have fallen. But
18 Indeed, 30 or 40 of them ran away in good earnest, according to Larkin, who was still a spectator. These were probably men who were serving against their will. During the fight, Lorenzo Soto, in his wrath at seeing a relative fall, rushed upon Larkin to kill (or scare ?) him, but L. saved himself by backing his horse behind others! L. was, however, compelled to change ani- mals successively until he was reduced to a '$1 horse and $2 saddle.'
19 Henry Marshall, Statement, MS., 2-3, was wounded by a lance in this part of the fight, which he describes more fully than any other, being fol- lowed by Lancey. 'E. C. K.' also mentions this movement, stating that 2 Americans were killed and one wounded.
HIST. CAL., VOL. V. 24
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NATIVIDAD AND SANTA CLARA.
I suppose that only the foremost pursuers, and a few of Castro's men, came actually to close quarters for a very brief period. The brave Burroughs, however, leading the charge, fell dead, pierced by a pistol- bullet; 20 two or three others were killed; and several were wounded. Very soon, however, the Americans fell back into a more compact body; some of those in the rear, who had either reserved their fire at first or had time to reload, fired upon the advancing foe, killing and wounding several; and Castro's men again fled.21 The Californians remained in sight until night- fall, and may have indulged in some charges and evo- lutions at a safe distance; but there was no more fighting, and at last the enemy disappeared in the distance. Larkin describes the fight as having lasted some twenty or thirty minutes, and says the Califor- nians disappeared in successive detachments. The Californians say that the Americans finally dis- mounted and took refuge among the trees, which is not unlikely; and that they retreated because they had no possible chance of success against the rifles, especially as they had no more powder. Captain Thompson withdrew his force to Gomez's rancho to bury his dead, care for the wounded, and make prep- arations for defence, since a renewal of the attack
20'E. C. K.' says: 'He fell headlong from his horse, his unloaded rifle iu hand, shot down by a swarthy New Mexican, in the act of turning upon him.' 'K.' says the dashing 'hidalgo rode up abreast, and flourishing a flag in one hand, with the other sent his hullet through our leader's body.' Chris- tian Chauncey, an eye-witness, tells us that Burroughs was shot by 'Three- fingered Jack,' who wished to get his horse and saddle, though the horse es- caped. S. F. Alta, Aug. 8, 1853. Lancey identifies the 'swarthy New Mexi- can' with 'Three-fingered Jack,' as Bernardiuo Garcia, the murderer of Cowie and Fowler at Sta Rosa in July. According to Sta Cruz Times, Torre was the man who killed Burroughs; Alvarado says it was Juan de Mata Boronda; and Swasey, who gives one of the best accounts of the battle, is positive that it was Manuel Castro himself. Clearly it is not known who fired the shot. Swasey notes that B. had in his pocket a packet of letters for men at Mon- terey, the corner of each being cut off and blood-marked by the ball.
"1 It is said that Burroughs had at first ordered every alternate man to tire; but in the excitement little attention was paid to the order. Thompson, however, induced some of his men to reserve their fire, and was thus able at last to repulse the enemy. Wm M. Boggs, in Napa Register, May 4, 1872, following Gregson-see also Gregson's Statement, MS., 4-5-says that the arrival of Weber with reenforcements put an end to the fight; but this is only a confused reference to Thompson's arrival at an earlier hour.
371
KILLED AND WOUNDED.
was feared. Tom Hill, with perhaps another Indian named McIntosh, was sent to Monterey with a mes- sage for Frémont, and is said to have had a fight on the way, in which he was wounded. 22
The Americans lost at Natividad four or five men killed, including Burroughs, Foster, Ames, and Thorne; 23 and five or six wounded, including Hayes, Hill, Marshall, William McGlone, and James Cash. At least, these are the losses reported; but it is possi- ble that they were more numerous, though the Cali- fornians doubtless exaggerate in their narratives. 24 Foster was buried at the foot of the tree where he fell; the others were interred at Gomez's rancho, and a salute fired over their graves. The Californian loss was perhaps about the same as that of the Ameri- cans, though really little is known about it beyond the wounding of Chavez and Cantua at the grove. That so few were killed on the American side is accounted for by the short duration of the fight at close quarters; but that the rifles did so little execution, especially at
22 The Delaware's arrival is noted (incorrectly as on the morning of the 16th) in Colton's Three Years, 96-7; also his fight on the way, in which he met 3 Californians, killing one with his rifle, another with his tomahawk, while the third fled. Swasey implies that Hill's wound was received in the fight before he started for Monterey, from the fragments of a bullet. Lancey has it that he got a lance through the hand from the Indian he tomahawked on the way. 'E. C. K.' says Charles McIntosh and an Indian were sent to Monterey. See also Californian, Nov. 21, 1846, for adventures of the Walla Walla messengers.
23 ' Billy the Cooper' is mentioned by several anthorities as having been killed. His real name was not known; but he was possibly the man called Thorne by ' E. C. K.' and others.
24 ' Pioneer ' (John A. Swan), in reminiscences called out by 'K.'s' article, Savage, Doc., MS., iii. 20 et seq., was personally acquainted with the killed and wounded, and many others who took part in the fight, and he thinks the loss was heavier than reported. 4 killed and 5 wounded is ' E. C. K.'s'state- ment. Larkin says 4 killed and 2 or 3 wounded, perhaps not including the grove fight; and again he says there were 10 or 12 killed and wounded on each side. Gomez states that 4 dead and 9 wounded were brought to the rancho, 6 more dead found and buried at the grove, and 3 bodies found later by the people of Natividad. Jose Ant. Alviso, Campaña de Natividad, MS., son of the owner of the rancho, who claims to have first informed Castro of the presence of the Americans at S. Juan, says 4 Amer. were killed and 4 wounded. Rico says that in the main fight he saw 8 or 9 Amer. killed, and heard of more, besides those killed at the grove. In a report of the time, Castro claimed to have killed 21 of the enemy. Fernandez, Doc., MS., 53. Pico says the Amer. lost 2 officers and several soldiers killed. Flores in Dec. reported that 11 Amer. had been killed.
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NATIVIDAD AND SANTA CLARA.
the grove, where the enemy came near enough to rid- dle Foster's body with musket-balls, is remarkable; and, indeed, it is not unlikely that the loss may have been greater than represented. From a dozen to twenty was the estimate of the Americans, who of course had no means of knowing the truth.25 The dead were probably buried at Alisal rancho. Lieu- tenant Chavez was cared for secretly at some of the ranchos, and finally came to Monterey in January, where for a long time he eluded the vigilance of offi- cials, largely by the aid of prominent ladies. 26 The Californians after leaving Natividad dispersed for the most part as they advanced southward. Rico with a small party hastened with Larkin to the capital, where Castro also made his appearance later with 25 or 30 of his army. Though the Americans were the attacking party, and were content to remain on the defensive after the fight, yet the result was practically a victory for them, since the Californians were forced to abandon their projects of seizing the horses and harassing the battalion by a guerrilla warfare.27
Fremont and his men left Monterey November 17th as soon as the news arrived from Los Verjeles. He
" Alviso says the Cal. lost 4 wounded. Rico says he lost 4 killed and 4 wounded, besides several killed before at the grove. Loss about same as the Amer. according to Alvarado. Vallejo gives the loss as 3 killed and 4 wounded; including Vicente Soto and Bautista Garcia. 3 killed and 5 wounded according to Castro's report. Mrs Ord says 2 killed. Inocente Gar- cía, Hechos, MS., 97-8, says his son Bautista was wounded; also heard from a fugitive at S. Luis that a cholo and a cook from S. Luis and several from Monterey had been killed. Pico says several of his own men were killed and wounded. Nidever, Life, MS., 129-30, says an Italian cutthroat named An- tonio was killed on the Cal. side. Larkin says 3 Californians were killed, besides José García from S. America; and 7 wounded. Gomez says the Walla Wallas scalped 4 Californians.
26 Many stories are told of Chavez's adventures in trying to avoid arrest. Once he was concealed in bed between two women, which prompts Rev. Wal- ter Colton, Three Years, 145, to wickedly quote a verse from Don Juan. See also Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 152-4; Gomez, Lo Que Sabe, MS., 93-6. Lancey, Cruise, 151, tells us Chavez was taken on board the guard-ship at Monterey and had his wounds dressed.
27 Besides the references already given on the Natividad affair, see Honolulu Friend, iv. 190; Martin's Narr., MS., 35; Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 479-80; La- rios, Vida, MS., 23-4; Amador, Mem., MS., 170-2; Upham's Life Frémont, 242-5; Taylor's Eldorado, i. 194; and many of the county histories.
373
MARCH OF THE BATTALION.
made some expeditions in different directions in search of such parties of the enemy as might still be lurking in the district; but found no Californians, and in four or five days united his forces at San Juan, where he remained till the end of November. Some parties of recruits joined the force there, and one from the Sac- ramento did not arrive until the army had started southward. At San Juan the organization of the bat- talion, as already described, was completed; and on the 29th the army started on its march to cooperate with Stockton against Flores. The march was for the most part uneventful, and requires no extended description. Bryant's diary is in print, and is supple- mented by many other narratives more or less com- plete.28 The rains of an extremely wet season had begun, and progress was consequently slow and diffi- cult along the muddy way. The old grass was spoiled by the rain, and the new was not sufficient to keep the horses in strength. Many of the animals had to be abandoned on the way, and still more could barely carry their saddles without the riders, so that a large part of the march was performed by the men on foot. Luggage was carried by pack-mules. Beef was almost the only article of food, cattle being driven along with the army and killed at each halt as required. Many of the men were ill, but only one death occurred. The route was up the San Benito, over the hills to the Salinas, up that valley and past San Miguel to San Luis, where they arrived the 14th of December.
There is no reason to doubt that Frémont and his officers exerted themselves to prevent disorders and outrages on the march, and with a high degree of
28 Bryant's What I Saw, 365-91; itinerary of dates and distances in Grigs- by's Papers, MS., 9-12; weather record in Fremont's Geog. Mem., 41-2. Other narratives will be mentioned in later notes on special points; but the follow- ing may be named as not requiring further mention, though some of them are accurate enongh: S. F. Star, Jan. 9, 1847, copied in other papers; S. F. Alta, Dec. 18, 1852; Martin's Narr., MS., 36-8; Lancey's Cruise, 156-65; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., 200-3: Upham's Life Frémont, 242-9; Dicc. Univ., viii. 160; Cutts' Conq., 160-2; Honolulu Friend, iv. 190; Yolo Co. Hist., 20; and several other local histories.
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NATIVIDAD AND SANTA CLARA.
success, considering the unfavorable circumstances. There was some complaint and insubordination among the men and subaltern officers, requiring a court-mar- tial for the trial of certain offenders on December 7th.20 The trail of Castro's retreating force was crossed; and on the 8th two Californians were arrest- ed, as were several later. An Indian servant of Jesus Pico was taken on the 12th, and next day shot as a spy after trial. The evidence against him has never been made public, but the act was doubtless an un- justifiable compliance with a bitter popular feeling in the army. On the same day the rancho of Ojitos was plundered, its buildings being burned by a scouting party. 30 At San Luis Obispo it was thought there might be an armed force, and the place was accordingly surrounded and taken by a sudden assault on the 14th in the rainy darkness of night; but only women, chil- dren, and non-combatants were found.31
The house of Pico, the former commandant, was
29 Bryant, 371. Swasey, Cal. 1845-6, MS., 21, mentions James Savage as one of the worst malecontents, and says that several officers were reduced to the ranks, there being also several desertions. Swasey, p. 24-5, notes that on one occasion shots were heard in advance, and the men were found engaged in a battle with grizzly bears, of which 26 were killed. Boggs, in Napa Rey- ister, May 4, 1872, notes a mirage by which a madroño tree was made to ap- pear a large force of the enemy. Also in Id., June 1, 1872, is described a practical joke in which the bugler, Butler, was made to blow his morning blast and rouse the camp, mistaking the moon for the sun.
30 Pico, Acont., MS., 70, says the Indian, named Santa María, had been sent out by him to watch the Americans. It is generally stated that papers were found on his person, perhaps communications to the enemy. N. José Pio- neer, Jan. 27, 1877. Paso Robles is mentioned by several as the place where he was arrested. Swasey says the shooting of the Indian was opposed by many of the officers, but it was deemed unsafe to disregard the feelings of the undisciplined men. Janssens, Vida, MS., 197, says that Frémont farther south mentioned the different outrages as the acts of detached parties, whom he could not coutrol. Serrano says Los Ojitos was burned because the owner had two sons in the Californian army; also that the bell-ringer of San Luis was threatened with death for having rung the vesper bells, and soon died of fright. Gonzalez, Mem., MS., 42-3, denounces these acts as cowardly, and notes that an American tried to mount a wild colt and was killed, probably an error.
$1 Swasey, Cal. '45-6, MIS., 21-2, graphically describes the amusing scenes of this night assault, including Capt. Sears' valiant charge over adobe walls into a sheep corral. He also notes that many were made ill by eating rav- enously of the pumpkins and frijoles found at San Luis. There have been re- ports that the inhabitants were surprised at a ball, but this seems to have no foundation in fact. See Bryant, 374; Janssens, Vida, MS., 193; Pico, Acont., MS., 71; Lancey's Cruise, 160.
375
JESUS PICO'S TRIAL.
searched with special zeal, but was found to be occu- pied by Henry J. Dally, from whom it was learned that the owner was probably at Wilson's rancho; and a party was despatched at once to arrest him, under Dally's guidance. They returned next day with their prisoner, and on the 16th he was tried by court-mar- tial. Pico had not only broken his parole in taking up arms for Flores, but he had been prominent in the movement, had forced many Californians into the ranks, and had taken part with them in the campaign of Natividad. These facts were made known to Fré- mont through certain communications that had been delivered to him by Petronilo Rios a few days before, and which were produced at the trial. The sentence was that Don Jesus, familiarly known as Totoi Pico, must be shot, a fate that he technically deserved. But his wife, accompanied by her fourteen children and many women of San Luis, came to throw herself at the American leader's feet, begging for her hus- band's life. Frémont could not resist her tearful plead- ings, to which were joined the solicitations of his offi- cers and of some of his men whom Pico had befriended
in former years. He granted a pardon, and though it provoked much temporary dissatisfaction among his rude followers, the act gained for him the life-long gratitude and devotion of Don Jesus, who accompa- nied the battalion to the south, rendering every as- sistance in his power. Several others were arrested, but released in the region of San Luis, including Joa- quin Estrada, Inocente García, and Mariano Bonilla, the latter being left as alcalde to preserve order at the ex-mission. 32
82 Pico, Acontecimientos, MS., 67-73. He says the documents had been intrusted by him to Reed, owner of S. Miguel rancho, who had sent them to Capt. Villavicencio by Rios, who was taken by Fremont. Dally, Narrative, MS., 27-41, gives complete details of the affair. Both Dally and Breck had been arrested by the Californians during the military preparations, but re- leased on parole. It appears from his statements and from other evidence that some of the Californians on returning from Natividad were very bitter, and swore they would kill all foreigners, who were advised by the officers to keep in close retirement until the danger was past. Some were arrested for protection. Streeter, Recoll., MS., 67-75, also gives many details of the
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NATIVIDAD AND SANTA CLARA.
Leaving San Luis on the 17th, the battalion con- tinued its march southward without incidents requir- ing notice,33 and on the 24th climbed the lofty Cuesta de Santa Inés by a difficult pass not far from that of the modern stage route. The afternoon of Christmas was spent in descending the southern slope of the mountain, an operation rendered difficult and even perilous by the rain which fell in torrents all the afternoon and night with a continuous gale of wind. Horses to the number of a hundred or more fell over the precipices or were drowned in the mountain tor- rents; the cannon and other luggage were left scat- tered along the way; the men slid rather than marched down the slippery rocks, waded the gullies, and at dark, storm-drenched and half-frozen, lay down to rest near the foot of the mountain without pro- tection from the pouring rain, some not arriving till late at night. Next day the guns and some other effects were brought down to camp; and on the 27th the battalion went on to Santa Barbara. No enemy appeared to resist their advance; a few foreigners came out to meet them; but the town was wellnigh deserted. Here Frémont remained a week in camp before proceeding southward, whither we shall accom- pany him later. 34
troubles of foreigners in those days. Inocente García went to Sta Bárbara with Pico and Fremont. In his Hechos, MS., 92-100, he gives many partic- ulars. Martin, Narr., MS., 36-7, one of Dally's and Pico's captors, has also something to say on the subject. Swasey, Cal. '45-6, gives an eloquent account of the pardon scene; as also does Talbot in Cutts' Conq., 160-1. See also Bigelow's Mem., 145-7; Davis' Glimpses, MS., 378-9; Lancey's Cruise, 117, 161. Dec. 16th, Bonilla's appointment as alcalde of S. Luis. Bonilla, Doc., MS., 20. It is hard to say what Frémont, Court-martial, 378, means by the statement that he captured Pico 'with 35 others, among them the wounded captain who had commanded at La Natividad'!
33 Janssens, Tida, MS., 193-5, who was living near Sta Ines at the time, gives some unimportant details of the passage of Frémont's army.
3+ Davis, Glimpses, MS., 337-60, 374-6; Dittmann, Narrative, MS., 39-41; Streeter, Recoll., MS., 75-81; and Nidever, Life, MS., 127-9, give some details about Fremont's arrival and stay at Sta Bárbara. The last-named takes particular pleasure in recounting his services in aiding in the search of houses belonging to prominent citizens like Guerra. See also, on the march of the battalion and passage of the mountains, Gregson's Statement, MS., 5- 6; McChristian's Narr., MS., 5-S; Bennett's Pioneer of '43; Bidwell's Cal., MS., 201-4; Sta Cruz Sentinel, March 21, 1868.
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