USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > History of San Diego, 1542-1908 : an account of the rise and progress of the pioneer settlement on the Pacific coast of the United States, Volume I > Part 20
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219
THE FLIGHT OF KEARNY'S MEN
ter arrived a short time before, and the former soon after, he came in. It was now imperative that the relief column should start, at once. The effort to get the artillery ready was there- fore abandoned, and 215 of the sailors and marines who had been drilling on Presidio Hill were started off, with one field- piece, under Lieutenant Andrew F. V. Gray, of the Congress. Lieutenant Jacob Zeilin, also of the Congress, was in charge of the marines. They marched until nearly daylight on the 10th, then camped in a secluded spot, and remained concealed during the day. They succeeded in evading Pico's men and joined Kearny's force at 2 P. M. on the 11th.
After burying their dead on the night of the 6th, the Amer- icans spent a sleepless and uncomfortable night. "Day dawned," says Emory, "on the most tattered and ill-fed detachment of men that ever the United States mustered under her colors." Kearny was able to resume command, and at an early hour gave the order to march. The wounded were placed in six litters made by "the mountain men," Peterson, Londeau, and Perrot, formed of poles placed like the shafts of a wagon and each dragged by a mule, one end of the poles resting on the ground and the men reclining on a bed of willow branches woven between. This was but a crude conveyance and the roughness and stoniness of the ground caused the wounded great suffering, despite the utmost care. The wounded and baggage were placed in the center.
The route taken was toward the San Bernardo rancho, along the hills to the right of the stream. The enemy retired as they advanced, keeping near the bed of the stream, on the opposite side. At Snook's San Bernardo rancho the horses and mules were watered and a few chickens killed for the sick. They also found a number of cattle here and proceeded to drive them along, moving toward the bed of the stream in the hope of find- ing grass. About a mile from the ranch house, near the foot of a detached hill, the Californians suddenly appeared in the rear and a body of thirty or forty of them dashed off to take posses- sion of the hill. Kearny sent Captain Gibson with six or eight volunteers, who drove these horsemen from the hill with a few volleys and without loss. The booty in this skirmish consisted of three spears, abandoned by the foe. The cattle had been lost in this movement, and as it appeared that any attempt at a fur- ther advance would bring on a fight and might cause the loss of the wounded and the baggage, it was determined to halt for the night. The men were now dismounted with the intention of performing the rest of the journey on foot. An insufficient sup- ply of water was secured by digging and the fattest of the mules was killed for meat. The enemy took up a position across the creek and threw out pickets and the siege began.
220
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
Early the next morning ( December 8th) a ranger came in with a flag of truce, bringing some sugar, tea, and a change of cloth- ing for Captain Gillespie, sent by his servant from San Diego. He also brought from Pico a proposal for the exchange of pris- oners. Godey, Burgess, and their companion had been captured by the Californians. Pico treated these prisoners well and inquired for the welfare of the wounded, particularly for Captain Gillespie, whom he knew. He had four prisoners, Godey, Bur- gess, their unnamed companion, and the man captured with the howitzer. Kearny had only Vejar and the wounded Lara. Emory's simple and straightforward account reads as follows :
In the morning a flag of truce was sent into our camp, in- forming us that Andres Pico, the commander of the Mexican forces, had just captured four Americans, and wished to ex- change them for a like number of Californians. We had but one to exchange (this was Pablo Véjar), and with this fellow I was sent to meet Andrés Pico, whom I found to be a gentle- manly looking and rather handsome man. The conversation was short, for I saw the man he wished to exchange was Bur- gess, one of those sent on the morning of the 6th to San Diego, and we were very anxious to know the result of his mission. Taking rather a contemptuous leave of his late captors, he in- formed us of the safe arrival of himself and Godey at San Diego. He also stated that when captured, his party, consist- ing of himself and two others, on their return from San Diego, had previously "cached" their letters under a tree, which he pointed out; but on subsequent examination, we found the let- ters had been abstracted.
The remaining prisoners were sent to Los Angeles by Pico. The letters buried by Godey and his comrades to keep them from falling into the enemy's hands, having been found and seized, Kearny failed to receive them; and Burgess, ignorant of their contents, gave the general to understand that help was refused. The situation now seemed more desperate than ever. The wounded were in no condition to move, and starvation was drawing near. It was therefore determined to send another party to San Diego with despatches, in the hope of having Stockton understand the true situation, and of prevailing upon him to come to their relief. Lieutenant Beale volunteered for this service, and Carson and the Indian alcalde Panto were also sent. The command settled down to await the result of this mission, though not hopeful of its outcome, and determined to out their way through as soon as the wounded were in condi- tion to move. In the meantime, the baggage was burned, as it was thought there was no longer any hope of getting through with it.
The dispatch-bearers began their hazardons journey at night, creeping past the sentinels inch by inch, so elose they could
RUINS OF FORT STOCKTON ON THE HILL ABOVE OLD TOWN
222
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
hear them whisper and smell the smoke of their cigaritos. At one time Beale thought all was over. Pressing Carson's thigh to get his attention, and putting his mouth upon his ear, he whispered: "We are gone; let us jump and fight it out." Carson said: "No; I have been in worse places before and Providenee saved me." His religious reliance encouraged the sinking hopes of Beale, and they got through. After passing the sentinels they took different routes, and, as we have seen, all arrived. The Indian, being acquainted with the country, arrived first and in best condition ; but Beale and Carson suf- fered terribly from the rocks, thorns, and fatigue.
This night, December 8-9th, was one of the hardest the little company had spent. Emory tells one of the ineidents with touching simplicity :
Don Antonio Robideaux, a thin man of 55 years, slept next to me. The loss of blood from his wounds, added to the coldness of the night, 28 degrees Fahrenheit, made me think he would never see daylight, but I was mistaken. He woke me to ask if I did not smell coffee, and expressed the belief that a cup of that beverage would save his life, and that nothing else would. Not knowing there had been any coffee in camp for many days, I supposed that a dream had carried him back to the cafés of St. Louis and New Orleans, and it was with some surprise that I found my cook heating a cup of coffee over a small fire made of wild sage. One of the most agreeable little offices performed in my life, and I believe in the cook's, to whom the coffee be- longed, was to pour this precious draft into the waning body of our friend Robideaux. His warmth returned and with it hopes of life.
In gratitude he gave me the half of a cake made of brown flour, almost black with dirt, and which had, for greater se- curity been hidden in the clothes of his Mexican servant, a mnan who scorned ablutions. I ate more than half without inspec- tion, when, on breaking off a piece, the bodies of several of the most loathsome insects were exposed to my view. My hunger, however, overcame my fastidiousness, and the morceau did not appear particularly disgusting.
The annals of the following day (December 9th) are pathet- ically brief. Dr. Griffin's diary says: "In eamp; nothing going on; the enemy parading the hills on the other side of the valley. We are redneed to mule meat." Sergeant Cox died in the night, and was buried on the hill in a deep grave and covered with stones. He was a young man and married a pretty wife just before leaving Fort Leavenworth.
On the 10th, while the horses and mules were grazing near by, the Californians tried to stampede them by driving up a band of wild horses and mules, some with dry, hides attached to their tails. This movement was seen, and by active work, a stampede prevented. One of the enemy's mules was shot, and, proving fat. was butchered and eaten and proved, in the lan-
223
GENERALSHIP AT SAN PASQUAL
guage of Dr. Griffin, "a godsend." The wounded were now improving, and Dr. Griffin reported that most of them could ride. General Kearny therefore determined to move the next day. About two o'clock the next morning. however, when everything was quiet in camp, one of the sentries reported that he heard voices speaking in English. This was shortly followed by the tramp of feet, and soon Lieutenant Gray and his men were welcomed into camp with joy. They busied themselves until day in distributing food and caring for the wants of their comrades. The jack-tars were delighted with. the adventure and only sorry they had no opportunity to fight. When the sun rose the enemy had disappeared, leaving the cattle behind. At ten o'clock, camp was broken and the march commenced, in close order. At night they arrived at Alvarado's Penasquitos rancho, where they camped and made free with the turkeys, chickens, goats, and wine. A good night's rest followed, and on the morning of the 12th they set out gaily for San Diego, which they reached about 4 P. M. and received a warm welcome from the troops and inhabitants.
The wounded men were distributed among the private fam- ilies in San Diego, taken in charge by Dr. R. F. Maxwell, sur- geon of the Cyane, and very tenderly nursed back to health. All but two recovered: Streeter, who was cut in sixteen places, and Kennedy, who died December 21st. Wm. Heath Davis, who visited the invalids, says that they all had the utmost hor- ror of the Californians. He spoke particularly of one young man who lapsed into delirium during his visit and called out in terror, thinking the Californians were upon him.
How shall Kearny's encounter with Pico be characterized ? Kearny himself ealled it a "victory," and thought it might "assist in forming the wreath of our national glory." Looking back to it over a period of sixty years. it is impossible to regard it otherwise than as a defeat, even though it is true that the Americans finally reached San Diego, which was their objective, with the major portion of their forces. The performance of a commander must be judged by the use he makes of his oppor- tunities, and it is difficult to imagine how General Kearny conld have made worse use of the opportunity which he had, after the union of his forces with the first relief party, under Gillespie, to overwhelm the Mexican commander and end the war in Cal- ifornia at San Pasqual.
Had he chosen to avoid a fight he might have found excuse for such a course in the fact that his men and horses were utterly worn out by a long and ardnous journey across the des- erts. and that the way was open, as shown by Gillespie's mareh. There are times when the avoidance of battle is good general- ship. Beale advised this course and there were surely some-
224
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
arguments in its favor, yet it seems elear that most command- ers in General Kearny's situation would have chosen the oppor- tunity to strike a decisive blow at the enemy and thus crown the long adventure of the Army of the West with a victory of lasting importance.
Choosing the latter course, Kearny should have planned and fought his battle in thorough, soldierly fashion, instead of neg- leeting every precaution and exposing his followers to every danger. On the night before the battle he had a good knowledge of the situation and numbers of the enemy, and knew that his own presence had been discovered through the detection of his scouts. He knew Pico had separated himself from his horses, and he had the benefit of the suggestion that it would be well to capture the animals, then make a night attack on the Mex- ican camp. Failing to adopt this plan, it was obviously his duty to prepare his forces for battle in the morning by having them recharge their water-soaked guns, form in a compact col- umn, and advance in such a manner that they could be readily disposed to advantage and so meet the situation as it should develop. Think of sending men into battle with guns that could not be fired, mounted upon horses that could scareely he ridden, and scattered along over a distance of half a mile in helter- skelter fashion! That is what General Kearny did. The result was inevitable-nearly every one of his men actually engaged was horribly slaughtered or grievously wounded, and his own life was saved only by the magnanimity of a gallant young foeman. He was able to inflict almost no damage in return for this fierce assault. and there is a strong probability that he would have been utterly annihilated, or compelled to surrender before reach- ing San Diego, except for the timely arrival of a second and powerful relief party from Commodore Stockton with ample ammunition and provisions.
The only possible explanation of Kearny's ineapacity was that he underestimated the strength and ability of his chivalrous opponent. This fault is very serious in a soldier under any circumstances; in Kearny's case, with the information supplied by Stockton, by a deserter from Pico's camp who came with Gillespie, and by his own scouts, it was utterly inexeusable. All the glory of the battle of San Pasqual belongs to General Andrés Pico and his Mexican rangers. They made a hard and skillful fight with nothing but lances and swords against a more numerous enemy armed with muskets and howitzers. and with- drew in good order prepared to renew the attack at any favor- able moment. The issue was finally determined by the arrival of reinforcements, not by the skill of the American commander. If Kearny be judged by the use he made of his opportunity, he met inglorious defeat at San Pasqual. It is hard for a soldier
225
END OF THE WAR
to confess his mistakes, and Kearny made no attempt to do so. In his official report, he suppressed material facts and tried to regain the lost battle on paper. Doubtless he suffered some injustice at the hands of his rivals for supreme authority in California, but the undisputed facts of the case leave no room to doubt his failure.
The war ended, so far as California was concerned, with the · battle of San Gabriel, near Los Angeles. January 9, 1847, and
GEN. ANDRES PICO
The gallant Mexican commander at the battle of San Pasqual
the treaty signed four days later by John C. Fremont for the United States, and Andrés Pico. for Mexico. From that day henceforth San Diego was undisputed American soil.
The 29th day of July, 1906, the sixtieth anniversary of the first raising of the American flag, was observed by the people of San Diego with fitting ceremonies. Fully four thousand people assembled on the plaza at Old Town and gave earnest attention to the proceedings. In the procession were included the Mexican War Veterans, the Loyal Legion, Confederate Vet-
226
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
erans, Sons of the Revolution, the Grand Army of the Republic, Spanish War Veterans, a battalion of the U. S. Coast Artil- lery, Company B Seventh Infantry National Guard of Califor- nia, Masonie and other fraternal societies, and publie officials.
Mayor John L. Sehon, chairman of the committee on arrange- ments, acted as master of ceremonies. After the invocation, a - large new flag, donated by the sons of George Lyons, was raised
GEN. STEPHEN W. KEARNY In command of the American forces at San Pasqual
on the flagpole already standing on the old plaza, by Major Charles G. Woodward, U. S. A. Following this, a large gran- ite boulder, designed to mark the spot where the first flag was raised sixty years before, and bearing a suitable inscription, was unveiled by Miss Frémont, daughter of John C. Frémont, assisted by Mayor Sehon, U. S. Grant Jr., Major Edwin A. Sherman, president of the Mexican War Veterans, Colonel E. T. Blackmer, Captain Joseph D. Dexter, and others. A salute was fired, and the oration of the day was delivered by William
227
SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY
E. Smythe. Another feature of the day was the planting of a large date palm by Dr. T. C. Stockton and a committee of citizens, to commemorate the work of Commodore Stockton at San Diego. Hon. W. W. Bowers made appropriate remarks at this ceremony.
CHAPTER IX PUBLIC AFFAIRS AFTER THE WAR
S
OON after the formal ending of the war in California the famous Mormon Battalion reached San Diego by way of Warner's. They camped for a few days at the old mission, and the journal of their colonel supplies the following description of the his- torie spot as it appeared on January 29, 1847 :
The building being dilapidated, and in use by some dirty In- dians, I camped the battalion on the flat below. There are around us extensive gardens and vineyards, wells and cisterns, more or less fallen into decay and disorder; but also olive and picturesque date trees, flourishing and ornamental. There is no fuel for miles around, and the dependence for water is some rather distant pools in the sandy San Diego, which runs (some- times) down to the ocean.
The Mormons remained but a short time at first, but were reorganized at Los Angeles and a company of 78 returned to Fort Stockton, where it served as a garrison for a period of six months. They were under the command of Captain Jesse D. Hunter, whose wife presented him with a son having the dis- tinction of being the first child whose parents were both Amer- icans, to be born in Old San Diego. The boy was named Diego IIunter and lived for several years in San Diego. He died, sev- eral years ago, at San Luis Rey, where his father was Indian agent.
The Mormons, then as now objeets of unusual interest, appear to have performed their duties successfully while in San Diego. These duties were not ardnous-merely those of a garrison in time of peace-and they had time to ply their trades, burning bricks, digging wells, making log-pumps, and doing other things really more useful than soldiering. One of their number, Henry G. Boyle, relates in his diary: "I think I whitewashed all San Diego. We did their blacksmithing, put up a bakery, made and repaired carts, and, in fine, did all we could to benefit ourselves as well as the citizens. We never had any trouble with Cali- fornians or Indians, nor they with us."
One thing they did which the present historian regrets, as those of the future are likely to. Quartered in an old build-
229
FIRST AMERICAN VOTERS
ing in which public documents were stored, they used some of these documents for fuel and thereby destroyed the records of the past.
Upon the departure of the Mormons, they were succeeded by Company I of the famous Stephenson Regiment. This com- pany was raised at Bath, New York, and its officers were: captain, William E. Shannon; lieutenants, Palmer B. Hewlett, Henry Magee, and William HI. Smith; sergeants, Joshua S. Vincent, Joseph B. Logan, and JJoseph Evans. The company was mustered out here on September 25, 1848, and this was the end of the military occupation of San Diego.
Jose Ramon Argüello, who was appointed sub-prefect April 3rd and took office on the 12th, 1846, was the last Mexican pre- fect. The last Mexican jueces de paz, or alcaldes, were José Antonio Estudillo and Juan M. Osuna. In August, Miguel de Pedrorena took Estudillo's place, the latter being absent. On September 15th, at the election ordered by Stockton, Henry D. Fitch and Joaquin Ortega were elected alcaldes, the first under American rule. At the custom house, Henry D. Fitch was in charge but resigned in April; Pedro C. Carrillo was acting as collector when the Americans came and was reap- pointed by Stockton upon taking the oath.
Pedrorena was appointed collector on June 24, 1847, but as military orders required the commanding officer in each port to serve in that capacity, Lieutenant Robert Clift, of the Mormon company, filled the place.
The constitutional convention met at Monterey in Septem- ber, 1849, Miguel de Pedrorena and Henry Hill representing San Diego. The legislature met the following winter and launched the great American State of California. San Diego was the first county created under the act of February 2, 1850, and San Diego and Los Angeles made up the first judicial dis- trict. The first legislature also provided for a custom house at San Diego. Two voting precinets were established under a law providing for the first elections in the new state, one at Old Town, the other at La Playa-and the official record of the elec- tion held here April 1. 1850, reads as follows :
FIRST PRECINCT-VOTES FOR OFFICERS.
.
The undersigned judges and clerks of election held in the first precinct of the county of San Diego, State of California, on the first day of April, 1850, do hereby certify, that at said election there were eighty-eight votes polled, and that the following state- ment presents an abstract of all the votes cast at said election for the officers designated in the third section of an act entitled "An Act to provide for holding the first County Election," and that the accompanying Poll List gives the names of all persons so voting.
230
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
San Diego, April 2, 1850.
ENOS WALL,
Judges. JOHN CONGER,
P. H. HOOFF, C. H. FITZGERALD, Clerks.
For Clerk of the Supreme Court-No Candidate.
For District Attorney-William C. Ferrell, 79; Miles K. Cren- shaw, 4.
For County Judge-John Hays, 80; William C. Ferrell, 1.
For County Clerk-Richard Rust, 82.
For County Attorney-Thos. W. Sutherland, 71; Wm. C. Ferrell, 4. For County Surveyor-Henry Clayton, 85.
For Sheriff-Agostin Haraszthy, 45; Philip Crosthwaite, 42.
For Recorder-Henry Matsell, 50; A. Jay Smith, 34.
For Assessor-José Antonio Estudillo, 81.
For Coroner-John Brown, 45.
For Treasurer- Juan Bandini.
FIRST PRECINCT-POLL LIST.
Poll list of an election held for county officers at San Diego, California, April 1, 1850 (1st precinct) :
1. Thos. W. Sutherland. 45. Robert Peterson.
2. John Snook. 46. A. Jay Smith.
3. Andrus Ybarra. 47. F. M. Holley.
4. Don Juan Bandini. 48. Joseph Whitehead.
5. Juan Machado. 49. John Peters.
6. José T. Moreno. 50. Albert B. Smith.
7. Philip Crosthwaite.
51. Charles C. Varney.
8. Henry C. Matsell.
52. Augustus Ring.
9. L. G. Ingalls.
10. David A. Williams.
54. Francisco Maria Alvarado.
11. Charles Morris.
12. William Tongue.
13. Ramon Rodriguez.
14. John Post.
15. Andrew Cotton.
16. James Murphy.
17. Luther Gilbert.
18. Agostin Haraszthy.
19. William Leamy
20. John Semple.
64. Francisco Lopez.
65. Tomás Lopez.
66. José Moreno.
67. John B. Reid.
68. José Briones.
69. Juan Diego Osuna.
70. John Hays.
27. Ernest Schaeffer.
71. P. H. Hooff.
72. Enos Wall.
73. George Gaskill.
74. José Escajadillo.
31. George Viard.
32. W. A. Slaughter.
76. Peter Faur.
33. B. Bangs.
55. E. G. Brown.
56. William Curly.
57. John C. Stewart.
58. James Tryong.
59. Darius Gardiner.
60. Adolph Savin.
61. Antonio Moreno.
62. Lorento Amador.
63. José Leña Lopez.
21. Daniel Con.
22. John A. Follmer.
23. Benjamin F. McCready.
24. William Power.
25. Peter Gribbin.
26. James Campbell.
28. Edward H. Fitzgerald.
29. W. F. Tilghman.
30. George F. Evans.
75. Francisco Rodriguez.
77. John Woodfir.
53. Leandro Osuna.
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FIRST STATE ELECTION
34. Philip Garcia.
78. Raphael Machado.
35. David Ferguson.
79. Abel Watkinson.
36. Thomas W. Sweeney.
80. Santiago E. Argüello.
37. Henry Hiller.
S1. José Antonio Aguirre.
38. John B. Pearson.
82. Santiago Argüello.
39. David Shepley.
S3. C. P. Noell.
40. John Conger.
84. Joseph P. Israel.
41. William White.
85. William H. Moon.
42. Henry Adams,
86. Lewis R. Colgate.
43. Thomas Patrickson.
87. José María Argüello.
44. Frederic Hutchins.
88. Salvador Aguzer.
We the undersigned, Clerks of Election held in the first pre- cinet of the county of San Diego, State of California, on the first day of April, 1850, do hereby certify that the foregoing Poll' List gives the names of all persons voting at said election.
C. H. FITZGERALD,
Clerks.
San Diego, April 2, 1850.
SECOND PRECINCT-VOTES FOR OFFICERS.
List of votes polled at the Playa, Precinct No. 2, San Diego, April 1, 1850, pursuant to an Act of the Legislature passed March 2, 1850.
(Here follows the tally list, which is omitted, the aggregate vote for each candidate being given in the annexed certificate.)
We the undersigned, Judges of said Election, do hereby certi- fy that Wm. C. Ferrell had 68 votes for District Attorney; that John Hays had 68 votes for County Judge; that Agostin Haraszthy had 62 votes for Sheriff; that Philip Crosthwaite had 5 votes for Sheriff; that Henry C. Matsell had 53 votes for Recorder; that A. Jay Smith had 14 votes for Recorder; that Thos. W. Sutherland had 66 votes for County Attorney; that Richard Rust had 64 votes for County Clerk; that José Antonio Estudillo had 62 votes for Assessor; that Juan Ban- dini had 63 votes for County Treasurer; that John Brown had 65 votes for Coroner; that Albert B. Gray had 56 votes for County Surveyor; that Henry Clayton had 12 votes for County Surveyor; and that Festus G. Patton had one vote for County Clerk.
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