USA > California > San Bernardino County > Ingersoll's century annals of San Bernadino County, 1769-1904 : prefaced with a brief history of the state of California : supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and portraits of many of its representative people > Part 7
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On the 15th of July, Commodore Stockton, on the Congress, arrived at Monterey from Honolulu and reported to Commodore Sloat for duty. Sloat was an old man, having entered the Navy in 1800; his health was failing and he was anxious to retire from active service. He made Stockton commander- in-chief of all the land forces in California. Stockton on taking command, made Fremont a major and Gillespie a captain. On July 26th, the battalion was loaded on the Cyane which sailed the next day for San Diego. Sloat, after transferring the command of the Pacific squadron to Stockton, sailed on July 29th, on board the Levant for home.
Commodore Stockton, on assuming command, issued a proclamation in which he arraigned the Mexican government for beginning hostilities against the United States. He was very severe on General Castro, whom he called a usurper, and upon the Californians for outrages committed on the American settlers. "Three inoffensive Americans," said he, "residents of the country, have been within a few days brutally murdered; and there are no California officers who will arrest and bring the murderers to justice-although it is well known who they are and where they are." He ignored the brutal mur-
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der of the three Californians, Berryessa and the two de Haro boys, who were shot down in cold blood by Fremont's men while begging for quarter. Ban- croft says of the proclamation: "The paper was made up of falsehood, of irrevelent issues and of bombastic boasting in about equal parts." Commo- dore Sloat read the proclamation at sea and did not approve of it.
Governor Pico and General Castro, on their arrival at Los Angeles im- mediately set to work to organize an army. Every man between fifteen and sixty was summoned for military duty and any Mexican refusing or excusing himself on any pretext was to be treated as a traitor. Those physically un- able to do military duty were required to aid with their property. The response to the call of the leaders was not very enthusiastic; sectional jeal- ousies, quarrels and feuds had destroyed, or at least, paralyzed patriotism. The foreigners, who were mostly Americans, secretly sympathized with the invaders. Money and the munitions of war were scarce. Castro had brought about 100 men with him from the north and Pico had recruited about the same in the south-these constituted the available force to resist Stockton and Fremont. Stockton, with 360 sailors and marines, arrived at San Pedro on August 6th. This force was landed and drilled in military maneuvers on land. Castro sent a message by two commissioners, Flores and de la Guerra. expressing his willingness to enter into negotiations with Stockton. The commodore showed the messengers scant courtesy and dismissed them with an "insulting threat." Castro and Pico finding it impossible to defend the capital with the small force at their command, determined to quit the country. On the night of August 10th, they took their departure : Castro accompanied by his secretary Francisco Arce and eighteen men, going by way of the San Gorgonio Pass and the Colorado river route: Pico, by the way of San Juan Capistrano and Santa Margarita, to Lower California.
Stockton began his march to Los Angeles on August 11th. Two days were spent on the road. On the 13th, Major Fremont, with his battalion of 160 mounted men, met him just outside the town and the combined force entered the capital. The U. S. flag was raised and possession taken of the town. The reception of the Americans was not cordial. Some of the better class of citizens had fled from the city, but these in a few days returned to their homes. Fremont's cavalry scoured the country and brought in a num- ber of the leading men who had held civil or military office; these were paroled.
Stockton, on the 7th, published a proclamation in which he announced himself as commander-in-chief and governor of the territory of California. This was a much milder production than the first : he stated that California belonged to the United States and would be governed by military law until a civil government could be established.
Captain Gillespie was commissioned by Stockton as commandant of the southern department with headquarters at Los Angeles. He was assigned
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a garrison of fifty men taken from Fremont's force. On September 29th, Commander Stockton, with his sailors and marines, returned to their ships at San Pedro and sailed for Monterey. A few days later Fremont, with the remainder of his battalion, began his march northward for Sutter's Fort, where he expected to recruit his force from the immigrants now arriving in the country.
While the combined forces of Stockton and Fremont, numbering about 500 men, had occupied the town, the inhabitants had been quiet and sub- missive. But with a small force left to keep them in subjection, they soon began to manifest their old turbulent and revolutionary disposition. On September 16th, the anniversary of Mexican Independence, a number of young men, under the stimulation of wine, and probably more in a spirit of mischief than with any serious intent, made an attack about midnight on Gillespie's headquarters, which were in the old government house. The garrison drove them off with a volley of musketry, in which three men were killed-so Gillespie reported-but the dead were never found. The next day Gillespie ordered the arrest of a number of leading citizens to be held as hostages. He also vigorously enforced military law. In a very short time he had a full grown Mexican revolution on his hands. Some 300 men, under the leadership of Flores and Serbulo Vareles, besieged his garrison. In the corral of the government house were five or six old cannon that Castro had spiked and abandoned. Gillespie had two of these unspiked and hauled up Fort Hill, where they were mounted. He made cannon balls out of some lead pipe that he found and cartridge covers out of a piece of red flannel captured from a store. The Californians had a brass four-pounder, known as "the Old Woman's Gun," because, on the approach of Stockton's army, an old woman by the name of Rocha had buried the gun in her garden ; it had been used in firing salutes at church festivals, and the old lady declared that the "gringos" should not have the gun of the church.
While besieged on Fort Hill, Gillespie on September 24th, sent a messen- ger, Juan Flaco (lean John) with dispatches to Stockton asking aid. By one of the most wonderful rides in history, this man, John Brown, reached San Francisco where Stockton had gone from Monterey, six hundred miles dis- tance, in five days. Stockton, at once ordered Mervine, commanding the Savannah, to go to the relief of Gillespie. On account of a dense fog, the vessel did not leave San Francisco Bay until October 4th. Gillespie held out bravely for seven days then capitulated, with honorable terms. On Septem- ber 30th, with flags flying, drums beating and his two old cannon mounted on carretas, he began his march to San Pedro. He was not molested by the Californians. He spiked the two old cannon and threw them in the bay, then went on board the Vandalia, a merchant ship lying at anchor in the harbor. but did not leave San Pedro. On October 7th, Mervine entered the harbor. At 6:30 a. m. of the 8th, he landed a force of 290 men, which included Gilles-
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pie's volunteers. A small force of the enemy appeared and Captain Mervine ordered Lieutenant Hitchcock, with a reinforcement of eighty men from the vessel, to attack ; but the enemy retreated and the detachment returned to the ship. Captain Mervine and his men then started for the pueblo. They took no cannon and had no horses. After a fatiguing tramp through tall mustard and clouds of dust, they encamped about 2:30 p. m., at the Domin- guez Rancho. The enemy, under the command of Jose Antonio Carrillo, and numbering about eighty men, appeared on the foothills and some skirmishing at long range took place. During the night, Flores arrived from the pueblo with a reinforcement for the Californians of about sixty men and the "old woman's" gun. They opened fire during the night on Mervine's camp with this cannon, but did no damage. The next morning at six a. m., Mervine's men resumed their march in columns and by platoons. They had not pro- ceeded far before they encountered the enemy with his piece of artillery drawn up by the roadside. The Californians opened fire, and Mervine, fearing a charge from their cavalry, formed his troops in a hollow square with their baggage in the center. A running fight ensued. The Californians firing. then dragging the gun back with riatas, loading, and firing again. Mervine finding he was losing men without injuring the enemy ordered a retreat. The Californians fired a parting shot or two but did not pursue the Americans, as they had exhausted their ammunition. Mervine reached San Pedro that evening and went aboard his vessel. His loss was four killed and six wounded. The dead were buried on the Isla de los Muertes, or Deadman's Island. The Savannah remained in the harbor and the Californians kept a small detachment at Sepulveda's ranch and another at Cerritos to watch the Americans.
On the 25th, Commodore Stockton arrived at San Pedro on the Congress and learned from Mervine the particulars of his defeat. Stockton remained at San Pedro about a week, and although he had a force of about 800 men, did not deem this number a sufficient force to recapture the capital. He greatly overestimated the strength of the enemy. On November Ist, he sailed for San Diego. .
At the time of Flores' attack on Gillespie the American garrisons at San Diego and Santa Barbara were driven out of these towns. The force at San Diego went aboard the Stonington, a whale ship lying in the harbor. Lieutenant Talbot with ten men was stationed at Santa Barbara. When called upon to surrender, this party fell back into the hills and by traveling through the mountains reached the head of the San Joaquin river where they obtained food from the Indians. They traveled down the valley, subsisting on the flesh of wild horses and finally, by way of Pacheco's pass, they crossed over to the coast and joined Fremont's battalion at Monterey.
The departmental assembly, having been called together by Flores, met at Los Angeles, October 26th. The members were all from the south. The
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first business in order was to fill the offices of governor and comandante general left vacant by the flight of Pico and Castro. It was decided to com- bine the two offices in one person. Jose Maria Flores was chosen commander- in-chief and governor-ad-interim. He took the oath of office November Ist. and was really the last Mexican governor of California. Flores and the mem- bers of the assembly made some provisions for continuing the war, but their resources were very limited. Their recent successes over the Americans had somewhat encouraged them and they hoped to be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived from Mexico.
Stockton, on his arrival at San Diego, had set to work to organize an expedition against Los Angeles. The Californians had driven the cattle and horses back into the mountains and the Americans found great difficulty in procuring animals. Frequent forays were made into Lower California and horses, cattle and sheep procured.
The remnant of Fremont's battalion, after taking from it garrisons for San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, had returned to the Sacramento valley in September. Here it was recruited to 160 men. On October 13th, Fremont sailed with his men from San Francisco on the Sterling, a merchant vessel, with orders to operate against the rebels in the south; but between Monterey and Santa Barbara, he met the Vandalia and learned of Mervine's defeat, and of the impossibility of procuring horses in the lower country. The Sterling was put about and the battalion landed at Monterey on Octo- ber 28th. Vigorous efforts were at once made to recruit men and horses. A number of immigrants had arrived from the states. These were induced to enlist on the promise of $25 per month pay. Horses were purchased, or where owners refused to sell, were confiscated. A company of Walla-Walla Indians was enlisted-these were known as the "Forty Thieves." Sutter's "warriors in bronze" (Indians) were also enrolled for service. In the latter part of November, the recruits were collected at San Juan. They numbered about 450 rifle-men and forty artillery men. They represented many nations and many different kinds of arms. They were divided into ten companies. Fremont had been commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel in the regular army and was commander-in-chief of the battalion. The other officers were. Archibald H. Gillespie, major ; P. B. Reading, paymaster ; Henry King, com- missary ; Jack R. Snyder, quartermaster; W. H. Russell, ordinance officer : Theodore Talbot, adjutant ; John J. Myers, sergeant-major.
While Fremont's officers and men were engaged in collecting horses an engagement took place between a detachment numbering about sixty men, under Captains Burroughs and Thompson, and the Californians under Manuel Castro, who had been made commandante of the Californian forces in the north. The Americans had gathered several hundred horses and were taking them to the camp at San Juan. The advance guard, consisting of eight scouts, encountered the Californians near Natividad. The scouts posted them-
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selves in an "encinalito," or grove of little oaks, and a fight ensued. The main body of the Americans coming up, a reckless charge was made. Captain Burroughs and four or five others were killed and five or six were wounded. The Californians lost about the same number. The result was a drawn battle.
The American consul, Thomas O. Larkin, had started for San Francisco and had stopped at Gomez' ranch over night. A squad of Californians, under Lieutenant Chavez, surrounded the house about midnight and made him prisoner ; he was held until the close of the war. The only other engage- ment in the north was the so-called "Battle of Santa Clara," which took place between a force of about 100 Americans under Captains Weber, Marston and Aram, and an equal number of Californians under Francisco Sanchez. The battle was fought at long range with artillery and so far as known, there were no fatalities on either side.
On November 29th, 1846, Fremont's battalion began its march southward to co-operate with Stockton in the subjugation of the rebellious Californians at Los Angeles. And here we shall leave it to pursue its weary way while we review the operations of the Californians and the Americans in the south.
The garrison at San Diego, after it had remained on the Stonington about ten days, stole a march on the Californians by landing at night and recaptur- ing the town and one piece of artillery. A whale boat was sent up to San Pedro with dispatches and an earnest request for reinforcements. It reached San Pedro October 13th. Lieutenant Minor and midshipmen Duvall and Morgan, with thirty-five sailors of Mervine's force and fifteen of Gillespie's volunteers were sent on the whale ship, Magnolia, to reinforce Merritt at San Diego. This force upon arrival set to work to build a fort and mount the cannon taken from the old presidio. Although continually harassed by the Californians, they succeeded in building a fort and mounting six brass nine-pounders.
About the first of November, Commodore Stockton arrived at San Diego. He began fortifications on the hill and built a fort out of casks filled with earth, on which he mounted guns. The whole work was completed in three weeks. Provisions ran short and frequent forays were made into the sur- rounding country for supplies. About December Ist, word reached Stockton that General Kearny was at Warner's pass, about eighty miles from San Diego, with 100 dragoons. Stockton sent a force of fifty men and one piece of artillery, under Captain Gillespie to conduct this force to San Diego. Gillespie joined General Kearny and on their return march the entire force was surprised on the morning of December 6th by about ninety Californians under Captain Andres Pico, near the Indian village of San Pasqual. Pico had been sent into that part of the country to intercept and capture squads of Americans sent out after horses and cattle. The meeting was a surprise on both sides. The Americans foolishly charged the Californians and in doing so, became strung out in a long irregular line. The Californians rallied
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and charged in turn. The Americans lost in killed, Captains Johnston and Moore, Lieutenant Hammond and sixteen dragoons. The Californians es- caped with three men slightly wounded. They captured one piece of artillery. Three of Kearny's wounded died, making the total American death list, twenty-two. Less than one-half of Kearny's force were engaged in the battle.
After the engagement, Kearny took position on a barren hill, covered with rocks. The enemy made no attack but remained in the neighborhood and awaited a favorable opportunity to renew the assault. The night after the attack, Lieutenant Godey, Midshipman Beale and Kit Carson, managed to pass through the pickets of the enemy and eventually-by different routes- reached San Diego with the news of the disaster. On December 9th, detach- ments of sailors and marines, numbering in all about 200, from the Congress and the Portsmouth and under the immediate command of Captain Zielin, began a march to relieve General Kearny. They marched at night and camped in the chapparal by day. On the second night they reached Kearny's camp about 4 a. m. and took him by surprise. Godey, who had been sent ahead to inform Kearny of the relief, had been captured by the Californians. General Kearny had destroyed all of his baggage and camp equipage, saddles, bridles, clothing, etc., preparatory to forcing his way through the enemy's lines. The enemy disappeared on the arrival of reinforcements. General Kearny and the relief expedition reached San Diego after a march of two days.
It is necessary to explain how General Kearny came to be in California with so small a force. In June, 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny, com- mander of the Army of the West, as it was designated, left Fort Leavenworth with a force of regulars and volunteers to take possession of New Mexico. The conquest of that territory was accomplished without a battle. Under orders from the War Department, Kearny began his march to California with a part of his force, in order to co-operate with the naval force already there. Near Socorro, N. M., October 16th, he met Kit Carson with an escort of fifteen men, enroute from Los Angeles to Washington with dispatches from Commodore Stockton, giving a report of the conquest of California. General Kearny selected 120 men from his force, sent the remainder back to Santa Fe, and compelled Carson to turn back and guide him to California. After a toil- some journey across the arid plains of Arizona and the Colorado desert, they reached the Indian village where the engagement took place, destitute of provisions and with men and horses worn out.
Stockton had been actively pushing prepartions for his expedition against Los Angeles. His force numbered 600 men, mostly sailors and marines, but he had been drilling them in military evolutions on land. On the 19th of December this army started on its march for the capital. General Kearny was made second in command. The baggage and artillery was hauled on carretas, but the oxen being ill-fed and unused to long journeys gave out on the way and the marines had to assist in dragging the carts.
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Near San Juan Capistrano, a commission bearing a flag-of-truce met Stockton with proposals from Governor Flores, asking for a conference. Stockton replied that he knew no "Governor Flores", that he-Stockton- was governor of California. "He knew a rebel by the name of Flores, and if the people of California would give him up, he-Stockton-would treat with them." The embassy refused to entertain such terms, saying that they pre- ferred death to surrender under such terms. On January 8th, 1847, Stockton's army encountered the Californians at "El Paso de Bartolo" (Pass of Bartholo- mew) on the San Gabriel river and a battle was fought. The Californians had planted four pieces of artillery on the bluff over the river with the design of preventing the Americans from crossing. In the face of the artillery fire, the Americans crossed the river, dragging with them through the quick- sands, two nine-pounders and four smaller guns. They placed their guns in battery on the river bank and opened fire on the Californians with such telling effect that one of their guns was disabled and the gunners were driven away from the others. The California cavalry made a charge on the rear but were repulsed by Gillespie's riflemen. The Americans charged the Californian center, advancing their artillery in battery. The enemy were driven from the heights but succeeded in taking their artillery with them. The battle lasted about one and a half hours. The Americans lost two killed and eight wounded. The loss of the Californians was about the same. The Ameri- cans encamped on the battlefield while the Californians fell back toward the the city and camped in plain view of their opponents ; but they moved their camp during the night.
Stockton resumed his march on the morning of the 9th, moving in a northwesterly direction across the plains. The Californians had posted them- selves in Cañada de los Alisos (Cañon of Sycamores) near the main road. As the American column appeared they opened fire with their artillery and an artillery duel, at long range, continued for several hours. Finally the Californians, concentrating all their efforts into one grand charge, dashed down upon the American column. A volley from the rifles of Stockton's men checked their advance, and turning, they fled in every direction, leaving a number of their horses dead upon the field. The "Battle of the Plains," as Stockton calls it, was over. The loss on the American side was five wounded : on the other side one man was killed and an unknown number wounded. Stockton's force numbered about 600 men, but not all of them took part in the engagement. The Californians had about 300 men. The small loss on the American side was due in part to the inefficient weapons with which the Cali- fornians were armed and to the poor quality of their home-made gun powder, manufactured at San Gabriel. The small loss of the Californians was due in part to the long range at which most of the fighting was done and in part to the execrable marksmanship of Stockton's sailors and marines. After the battle, Stockton continued his march and crossed the river below the city where he encamped on the right bank.
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On the morning of the roth, as he was about to resume his march, a flag of truce. borne by De Celis and Alvarado, Californians, and Wm. Workman, an Englishman, came into camp. The commissioners offered the peaceful surrender of the city on condition that the Americans should respect the rights of property and protect citizens. The terms were agreed to and Stockton's army marched into the city, moving up the main street to the plaza to the stirring strains of Yankee Doodle and Hail Columbia. The "gringos" as the Americans were nicknamed, met with no hostile demonstrations, but it was very evident that they were not welcome visitors. The better class of the native inhabitants closed their houses and took refuge with friendly foreigners or retired to ranches in the country ; the fellows of the lower class, exhausted their vocabularies of abuse against the "gringos." Flores, after the "Battle of La Mesa," retreated up the Arroyo Seco to the San Pasqual ranch, where he established his camp. Stockton, not aware of the location of the ene- my and fearful of an attack determined to fortify the town. On the 11th, Lieu- tenant Emory, of Kearny's staff, sketched the plan of a fort: on the 12th, the site was selected on what is now Fort Hill, and work was begun and con- tinued on the 15th and 16th.
We left Fremont's battalion on its march down the coast from Monterey. The rains set in early and were heavy ; the roads were almost impassable and the men suffered from the inclemency of the weather and from lack of sup- plies. The horses nearly all died and part of the artillery had to be aband- oned. On January IIth, the battalion reached San Fernando valley, where Fremont received a note from General Kearny informing him of the defeat of the Californians and the capture of the city. The battalion advanced and occupied the mission buildings. Jesus Pico had been arrested near San Luis Obispo, having broken his parole. He was tried by court martial and sentenced to be shot, but Fremont pardoned him and he became in conse- quence a most devoted friend. He now volunteered to find the Californian army and induce them to surrender to Fremont. He found a part of the force encamped at Verdugo and urged Flores, who in response to a message had come from the main camp at San Pasqual, to capitulate to Fremont, claiming that better terms could be secured from the latter than from Stock- ton. A council was held and the Californians decided to appeal to Fremont. but Flores resolved to quit the country and started that same night for Sonora. Before leaving he transferred the command of the army to General Andres Pico.
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