History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 5

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118

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"The children, when caught young, are most easily domesticated, and manifest a great aptitude to learn whatever is taught them; when taken into Spanish families, and treated with kindness, in a few months they learn the language and habits of their masters. When they come to ma- turity they show no disposition to return to the savage state. The mind of the wild Indian, of whatever age, appears to be a tabula rasa, on which no impressions, except those of a mere animal nature, have been made, and ready to receive any impress whatever. I remember a remark of yours some years ago, that 'Indians were only grown-up children.' Here we have a real race of infants. In many recent instances when a family of white people have taken a farm in the vicinity of an Indian village, in a short time they would have the whole tribe for willing serfs. They sub- mit to flagellation with more humility than the negroes. Nothing more is necessary for their complete subjugation but kindness in the beginning, and a little well-timed severity when deserved. It is common for the white man to ask the Indian, when the latter has committed any fault, how many lashes he thinks he deserves. The Indian, with a simplicity and humility almost inconceivable, replies ten or twenty, according to his opin- ion of the magnitude of the offense. The white man then orders another Indian to inflict the punishment, which is received without the least sign of resentment or discontent. This I have myself witnessed or I could hardly have believed it.

"I fear the unexpected length of this desultory epistle will be tedious to you, but I hope it will serve at least to diversify your correspondence. If I can afford you any information, or be serviceable to you in any way, I beg you to command me. Any communication to me can be sent through the American Minister at Mexico, or the Commanding Officer of the Squadron of the Pacific, directed to the care of T. O. Larkin, Esq., Amer- ican Consul at Monterey. I am, sir, very respectfully,

"Your obedient servant,

"Hon. Lewis Cass." "John Marsh.

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THE AMERICAN CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA

The Mexican War marked the beginning by the United States of terri- torial expansion by conquest.

After the adoption of liberal colonization laws by the Mexican gov- ernment in 1824, there set in a steady drift of Americans to California. At first they came by sea, but after the opening of the overland route in 1841, they came in great numbers by land. It was a settled conviction in the minds of these adventurous nomads that the manifest destiny of Cali- fornia was to become a part of the United States, and they were only too willing to aid destiny when an opportunity offered. The opportunity came and it found them ready for it.

Capt. John C. Fremont, an engineer and explorer in the service of the United States, appeared at Monterey in January, 1846, and applied to General Castro, the military comandante, for permission to buy sup- plies for his party of sixty-two men, who were encamped in the San Joa- quin Valley, in what is now Kern County. Permission was given him. There seems to have been a tacit agreement between Castro and Fremont that the exploring party should not enter the settlements, but early in March the whole force was encamped in the Salinas Valley.

Castro regarded the marching of a body of armed men through the country as an act of hostility, and ordered them out of the country. In- stead of leaving, Fremont intrenched himself on an eminence known as Gabilan Peak, raised the Stars and Stripes over his barricade, and defied Castro. Castro maneuvered his troops on the plain below, but did not attack Fremont. After two days' waiting Fremont abandoned his posi- tion and began his march northward. On May 9, when near the Oregon line, he was overtaken by Lieutenant Gillespie, of the United States navy, with a dispatch from the President. Gillespie had left the United States in November, 1845, and, disguised, had crossed Mexico from Vera Cruz to Mazatlan, and from there had reached Monterey. The exact nature of the dispatches to Fremont is not known, but presumably they related to the impending war between Mexico and the United States, and the neces- sity for a prompt seizure of the country to prevent it from falling into the hands of England. Fremont returned to the Sacramento, where he encamped.

THE BEAR FLAG REPUBLIC

On the 14th of June, 1846, a body of American settlers from the Napa and Sacramento valleys, thirty-three in number, of which Ide, Sem- ple, Grigsby and Merritt seem to have been the leaders, after a night's march, took possession of the old castillo or fort at Sonoma, with its rusty muskets and unused cannon, and made Gen. M. G. Vallejo, Lieut .- Colonel Prudon, Capt. Salvador Vallejo and Jacob P. Leese, a brother-in-law of the Vallejos, prisoners. There seem to have been no privates at the cas- tillo, all officers. Exactly what was the object of the American settlers in taking General Vallejo prisoner is not evident. General Vallejo was

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one of the few eminent Californians who favored the annexation of Cali- fornia to the United States. He is said to have made a speech favoring such a movement in the junta at Monterey a few months before. Castro regarded him with suspicion. The prisoners were sent under an armed escort to Fremont's camp. William B. Ide was elected captain of the revolutionists who remained at Sonoma, to "hold the fort." He issued a pronunciamiento in which he declared California a free and independent government, under the name of the California Republic. A nation must have a flag of its own, so one was improvised. It was made of a piece of cotton cloth, or manta, a yard wide and five feet long. Strips of red flannel torn from the shirt of one of the men were stitched on the bottom of the flag for stripes. With a blacking brush, or, as another authority says, the end of a chewed stick for a brush, and red paint, William L. Todd painted the figure of a grizzly bear passant on the field of the flag. The natives called Todd's bear "cochino," a pig; it resembled that animal more than a bear. A five-pointed star in the left upper corner, painted with the same coloring matter, and the words "California Republic" printed on it in ink, completed the famous Bear Flag.

UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES

The California Republic was ushered into existence June 14, 1846, attained the acme of its power July 4, when Ide and his fellow patriots burnt a quantity of powder in salutes, and fired off oratorical pyrotechnics in honor of the new republic. It utterly collapsed on the 9th day of July, after an existence of twenty-five days, when news reached Sonoma that Commodore Sloat had raised the stars and stripes at Monterey and taken possession of California in the name of the United States. Lieutenant Revere arrived at Sonoma on the 9th, and he it was who lowered the Bear Flag from the Mexican flagstaff, where it had floated through the brief existence of the California Republic, and raised in its place the banner of the United States.

Commodore Sloat, who had anchored in Monterey Bay July 2, 1846, was for a brief time undecided whether to take possession of the country. He had no official information that war had been declared between the United States and Mexico; but, acting on the supposition that Captain Fremont had received definite instructions, on the 7th of July he raised the flag and took possession of the custom-house and government build- ings at Monterey. Captain Montgomery, on the 9th, raised it at San Francisco, and on the same day the Bear Flag gave place to the stars and stripes at Sonoma.

General Castro was holding Santa Clara and San José when he re- ceived Commodore Sloat's proclamation informing him that the commo- dore had taken possession of Monterey. Castro, after reading the procla- mation, which was written in Spanish, formed his men in line and, address- ing them, said: "Monterey is taken by the Americans. What can I do with a handful of men against the United States? I am going to Mexico.

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All of you who wish to follow me, 'About face!' All that wish to remain can go to their homes." A very small part of his force followed him.

Commodore 'Sloat was superseded by Commodore Stockton, who set about organizing an expedition to subjugate the part of the territory which still remained loyal to Mexico. Fremont's exploring party, re- cruited to a battalion of 120 men, had marched to Monterey, and from there was sent by vessel to San Diego to procure horses and prepare to act as cavalry.

While these stirring events were transpiring in the north, Pio Pico had entered upon the duties of the governorship with a desire to bring peace and harmony to the distracted country. He appointed Juan Bandini, one of the ablest statesmen of the south, his secretary. After Bandini re- signed, he chose J. M. Covarrubias ; and later José M. Moreno filled the office efficiently.

The principal offices of the territory had been divided equally between the politicians of the north and the south. While Los Angeles became the capital, and the departmental assembly met there, the military headquar- ters, the archives and the treasury remained at Monterey. But, notwith- standing this division of the spoils of office, the old feud between the arri- benos and the abajenos would not down, and soon the old-time quarrel was on with all its bitterness. Castro, as military comandante, ignored the governor, and Alvarado was regarded by the surenos as an emissary of Castro's. The departmental assembly met at Los Angeles, in March, 1846. Pico presided, and in his opening message set forth the unfortunate condition of affairs in the department. Education was neglected; justice was not administered; the missions were so burdened by debt that but few of them could be rented; the army was disorganized, and the treasury was empty.

On the 16th of June, Pico left Los Angeles for Monterey with a mili- tary force of a hundred men. The object of the expedition was to oppose, and, if possible, to depose Castro. To enlist the sympathy and more ready adhesion of the foreign element of Los Angeles, Pico issued the following circular. (A copy, probably the only one in existence, was do- nated some years since to the Historical Society of Southern California.) [Seal of] "Gobierno del Dep. de Californias.

"Circular .- As, owing to the unfortunate condition of things that now prevails in this department in consequence of the war into which the United States has provoked the Mexican nation, some ill feeling might spring up between the citizens of the two countries, out of which unfortu- nate occurrences might grow, and as this government desires to remove every cause of friction, it has seen fit, in the use of its power, to issue the present circular.

"The Government of the department of California declares in the most solemn manner that all the citizens of the United States that have come lawfully into its territory, relying upon the honest administration of the laws and the observance of the prevailing treaties, shall not be mo-

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lested in the least, and their lives and property shall remain in perfect safety under the protection of the Mexican laws and authorities legally constituted.

"Therefore, in the name of the supreme government of the nation, and by virtue of the authority vested upon me, I enjoin upon all the in- habitants of California to observe towards the citizens of the United States that have lawfully come among us, the kindest and most cordial conduct, and to abstain from all acts of violence against their persons or property ; provided they remain neutral, as heretofore, and take no part in the in- vasion effected by the armies of their nation.

"The authorities of the various municipalities and corporations will be held strictly responsible for the faithful fulfilment of this order, and shall, as soon as possible, take the necessary measures to bring it to the knowl- edge of the people. God and Liberty. Pio Pico.

"José Matias Moreno, Secretary pro tem.

"Angeles, July 27, 1846."

When we consider the conditions existing in California at the time this circular was issued, its sentiments reflect great credit on Pico for his humanity and forbearance. A little over a month before, a party of Americans seized General Vallejo and several other prominent Califor- nians in their homes and incarcerated them in prison at Sutter's Fort. Nor was this outrage mitigated when the stars and stripes were raised. The perpetrators of the outrage were not punished. These native Califor- nians were kept in prison nearly two months without any charge against them. Besides, Governor Pico and the leading Californians very well knew that the Americans whose lives and property this proclamation was designed to protect would not remain neutral when their countrymen in- vaded the territory. Pio Pico deserved better treatment from the Amer- icans than he received. He was robbed of his landed possessions by un- scrupulous land sharks, and his character was defamed by irresponsible historical scribblers.

Pico and Castro left Los Angeles on the night of August 10, for Mexico, Castro going by the Colorado River route to Sonora. Pico, after being concealed for a time by his brother-in-law, Juan Foster, at the Santa Margarita and narrowly escaping capture by Fremont's men, finally reached Lower California and later on crossed the Gulf to Sonora.

Stockton began his march on Los Angeles August 11. He took with him a battery of four guns, mounted on carretas, each gun drawn by four oxen. He had with him a good brass band.

Major Fremont, who had been sent to San Diego with his battalion of 170 men, had, after considerable skirmishing among the ranchos, secured enough horses to move, and on the 8th of August had begun his march to join Stockton. He took with him 120 men, leaving about fifty to garrison San Diego.

Stockton consumed three days on the march. Fremont's troops joined him just south of the city, and at 4 p. m. of the 13th the combined

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force, numbering nearly 500 men, entered the town without opposition ; "our entry," says Major Fremont, "having more the effect of a parade of home guards than of an enemy taking possession of a conquered town."

Squads of Fremont's battalion were sent out to scour the country and bring in any of the California officers or leading men whom they could find. These, when found, were paroled.

On the 17th of August, Stockton issued a second proclamation, in which he signed himself commander-in-chief and governor of the territory of California. It was milder in tone and more dignified than the first. He informed the people that their country now belonged to the United States. For the present it would be governed by martial law. They were invited to elect their local officers if those now in office refused to serve under the new order.

Four days after the capture of Los Angeles, the Warren, Captain Hull, commander, anchored at San Pedro. She brought official notice of the declaration of war between the United States and Mexico. Then for the first time Stockton learned that there had been an official declaration of war between the two countries. United States officers had waged war and had taken possession of California upon the strength of a rumor that hostilities existed between the countries.

The conquest, if conquest it can be called, was accomplished without the loss of a life, if we except the two Americans, Fowler and Cowie, of the Bear Flag party, who were brutally murdered by a band of Califor- nians under Padillo, and the equally brutal shooting of Berryessa and the two de Haro boys by the Americans at San Rafael. These three men were shot as spies, but there was no proof that they were such, and they were not tried. These murders occurred before Commander Sloat raised the stars and stripes at Monterey.

On the 15th of August, 1846, just thirty-seven days after the raising of the stars and stripes at Monterey, the first newspaper ever published in California made its appearance. It was published at Monterey by Semple and Colton and named The Californian. Rev. Walter Colton was a chaplain in the United States navy and came to California on the Con- gress with Commodore Stockton. He was made alcalde of Monterey and built, by the labor of the chain gang, and from contributions and fines, the first schoolhouse in California, named for him Colton Hall. Colton thus describes the other member of the firm, Dr. Robert Semple: "My partner is an emigrant from Kentucky, who stands six feet eight in his stockings. He is in a buckskin dress, a foxskin cap; is true with his rifle, ready with his pen and quick at the type case." Semple came to California in 1845, with the Hastings party, and was one of the leaders in the Bear Flag revolution. The type and press used were brought to California by Augustin V. Zamorano in 1834, and by him sold to the territorial govern- ment, and had been used for printing bandos and pronunciamentos. The only paper the publishers of The Californian could procure was that used in the manufacture of cigarettes, which came in sheets a little larger than 3

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foolscap. The font of type was short of w's, so two v's were substituted for that letter, and when these ran out two u's were used. The paper was moved to San Francisco in 1848, and later on consolidated with The Cali- fornia Star.

The capitulation of Gen. Andres Pico at Cahuenga put an end to the war in California. The instructions from the secretary of war were to pursue a policy of conciliation towards the Californians, with the ultimate design of transforming them into American citizens. Colonel Fremont was left in command at Los Angeles.

MEXICAN LAWS AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS

Upon the departure of General Kearny, May 31, 1847, Col. Richard B. Mason became governor and commander-in-chief of the United States forces in California by order of the President. Stockton, Kearny and Fremont had taken their departure, the dissensions that had existed since the conquest of the territory among the conquerors ceased, and peace reigned. Mexican laws were administered for the most part by military officers. The municipal authorities were encouraged to continue in power and perform their governmental functions, but they were indifferent and sometimes rebelled. Under Mexican rule there was to trial by jury. The alcalde acted as judge and in criminal cases a council of war settled the fate of the criminal. The Rev. Walter Colton, while acting as alcalde of Monterey, in 1846-1847, impaneled the first jury ever summoned in Cali- fornia. "The plaintiff and defendant," he writes, "are among the prin- cipal citizens of the country. The case was one involving property on the one side and integrity of character on the other. Its merits had been pretty widely discussed, and had called forth an unusual interest. One- third of the jury were Mexicans, one-third Californians and the other third Americans. This mixture may have the better answered the ends of justice, but I was apprehensive at one time it would embarrass the pro- ceedings; for the plaintiff spoke English, the defendant in French; the jury, save the Americans, Spanish, and the witnesses, all the languages known in California. By the tact of Mr. Hartnell, who acted as inter- preter, and the absence of young lawyers, we got along very well."

The process of Americanizing the people was no easy undertaking. The population of the country and its laws were in a chaotic condition. It was an arduous task that Colonel Mason and the military commanders at the various pueblos had to perform, that of evolving order out of the chaos that had been brought about by the change in nations. The native population neither understood the language nor the customs of their new rulers, and the newcomers among the Americans had very little toleration for the slow-going Mexican ways and methods they found prevailing. To keep peace between the factions required more tact than knowledge of law, military or civil, in the commanders.

PEACE ESTABLISHED

The treaty of peace between the United States and Mexico was signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, a hamlet a few miles from the City of Mexico,

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February 2, 1848; ratifications were exchanged at Queretaro, May 30 following, and a proclamation that peace had been established between the two countries was published July 4, 1848. Under this treaty the United States assumed the payment of the claims of American citizens against Mexico, and paid, in addition, $15,000,000 to Mexico for Texas, New Mexico and Alta California. Out of what was the Mexican terri- tory of Alta California there has been carved all of California, all of Ne- vada, Utah and Arizona and part of Colorado and Wyoming. The terri- tory acquired by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was nearly equal to the aggregated area of the thirteen original states at the time of the Revolu- tionary War.

The news of the treaty of peace reached California August 6, 1848. On the 7th Governor Mason issued a proclamation announcing the ratifi- cation of the treaty. He announced that all residents of California who wished to become citizens of the United States were absolved from their allegiance to Mexico. Those who desired to retain their Mexican citizen- ship could do so, provided they signified such intention within one year from May 30, 1848.

The war was over; and the treaty of peace had made all who so elected, native or foreign born, American citizens. Strict military rule was relaxed and the people henceforth were to be self-governing. Ameri- cans and Californians were one people and were to enjoy the same rights and be subject to the same penalties. The war ended, the troops were no longer needed, and orders were issued to muster out the volunteers. These all belonged to Stevenson's New York regiment. The last company of the Mormon battalion had been discharged in April. The New York volunteers were scattered all along the coast from Sonoma to Cape San Lucas, doing garrison duty. They were collected at different points and mustered out. Although those stationed in Alta California had done no fighting, they had performed arduous service in keeping peace in the con- quered territory. Most of them remained in California after their dis- charge and rendered a good account of themselves as citizens.

GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!

Sebastian Viscaino, from the bay of Monterey, writing to the King of Spain 300 years ago, says of the Indians of California: "They are well acquainted with gold and silver, and said that these were found in the in- terior." Viscaino was endeavoring to make a good impression on the mind of the king in regard to his discoveries. The traditions of the ex- istence of gold in California before any was discovered are legion. Most of these have been evolved since gold was actually found. Col. J. J. Warner, a pioneer of 1831, in his "Historical Sketch of Los Angeles County," briefly and very effectually disposes of these rumored discoveries. He says : "While statements respecting the existence of gold in the earth of California and its procurement therefrom have been made and pub- lished as historical facts, carrying back the date of the knowledge of the auriferous character of this State as far as the time of the visit of Sir

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Francis Drake to this coast, there is no evidence to be found in the written or oral history of the missions, in the acts and correspondence of the civil or military officers, or in the unwritten and traditional history of Upper California that the existence of gold, either with ores or in its virgin state, was ever suspected by any inhabitants of California previous to 1841; and, furthermore, there is conclusive testimony that the first known grain of native gold dust was found upon or near the San Francisco ranch, about forty-five miles northwesterly from Los Angeles City, in the month of June, 1841. This discovery consisted of grain gold fields (known as placer mines), and the auriferous fields discovered in that year embraced the greater part of the country drained by the Santa Clara River from a point some fifteen or twenty miles from its mouth to its source, and east- erly beyond Mount San Bernardino."

The story of the discovery as told by Warner and by Don Abel Stearns agrees in the main facts, though differing materially in the date. Stearns says gold was first discovered by Francisco Lopez, a native of California, in the month of March, 1842, at a place called San Francis- quito, about thirty-five miles northwest from Los Angeles. The circum- stances of the discovery by Lopez, as related by himself, are as follows : "Lopez, with a companion, was out in search of some stray horses, and about midday they stopped under some trees and tied their horses out to feed. They were resting under the shade, when Lopez, with his sheath- knife, dug up some wild onions, and in the dirt discovered a piece of gold, and, searching further, found some more. He brought these to town, and showed them to his friends, who at once declared there must be a placer of gold. This news being circulated, numbers of the citizens went to the place, and commenced prospecting in the neighborhood, and found it to be a fact that there was a placer of gold."

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History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 5

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1118

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118