USA > California > The conquest of California and New Mexico, by the forces of the United States, in the years 1846 & 1847 > Part 16
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The route lay onwards through a wild country of occasional ferti- lity and sterility -- mountains, and valleys, and cañons-crossing and recrossing the Gila-the San Francisco passed, as also the San Pedro, &c .- meeting frequently parties of Apache Indians, but unable to bring them to an interview at camp in any number, &c., until the 10th of November, and here the " notes" are given in detail :
" November 10 .- Marched about eight o'clock ; and after march- ing six miles, still passing plains which had once been occupied, we saw to our left the "Casa de Montezuma." I rode to it, and found the remains of the walls of four buildings ; and the piles of
187
THE CASA DE MONTEZUMA.
earth showing where many others had been. One of the build- ings was still quite complete, as a ruin ; the others had all crum- bled, but a few pieces of low broken wall. The large casa was fifty feet by forty, and had been four stories high; but the floors and roof had long since been burnt out. The charred ends of the cedar joist were still in the wall. I examined them, and found that they had not been cut with a steel instrument. The joists were round sticks, about four feet in diameter. There were four en- trances-north, south, east, and west-the doors about four feet by two; the rooms as below, and had the same arrangement on each story. There was no sign of a fire-place in the building. The lower story was filled with rubbish, and above it was open to the sky. The walls were four feet thick at the bottom, and had a curved inclination inwards to the top. The house was built of a sort of white earth and pebbles, probably containing lime, which abounded on the ground adjacent. The walls had been smoothed outside, and plastered inside ; and the surface still remained firm, although it was evident they had been exposed to great heat from the fire. Some of the rooms did not open to all the rest, but had a hole, a foot in diameter, to look through ; in other places were smaller holes. About two hundred yards from this building was a mound, in a circle a hundred yards around the mound. The centre was a hollow, twenty-five yards in diameter, with two vamps or slopes going down to its bottom. It was probably a well, now partly filled up. A similar one was seen near Mount Dallas. A few yards further, in the same direction, northward, was a ter- race, one hundred yards by seventy, about five feet high. Upon this was a pyramid, about eight feet high, twenty-five yards square at top. From this, sitting on my horse, I could overlook the vast plain lying north-east and west, on the left bank of the Gila. The ground in view was about fifteen miles-all of which, it would seem, had been irrigated by the waters of the Gila. I picked up a broken crystal of quartz in one of these piles. Leaving the casa, I turned towards the Pimos, and travelling at random over the plain, (now covered with mosquit,) the piles of earth and pot- tery showed for hours in every direction. I also found the remains
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THE PIMOS INDIANS.
of a sicia, which followed the range of houses for miles. It had been very large. When I got to camp, I found them on good grass, and in communication with the Pimos, who came out with a frank welcome. Their answer to Carson, when he went up and asked for provisions, was, 'Bread is to eat, not to sell-take what you want.' The general asked a Pimo who made the house I had seen. ' It is the Casa de Montezuma,' said he. 'It was built by the son of the most beautiful woman who once. dwelled in yon mountain. She was fair, and all the handsome men came to court her, but in vain. When they came, they paid tribute, and out of this small store she fed all people in times of famine, and it did not diminish. At last, as she lay asleep, a drop of rain fell upon her navel, and she became pregnant, and brought forth a boy, who was the builder of all these houses.' He seemed unwilling to talk about them ; but said there were plenty more of them to the north, south, west, &c. He said when he first knew this casa, it was in better preser- vation ; but that it had been burnt too long ago for any of them to remember. I showed him the hieroglyphic, but he did not under- stand it. Some other Piros and Cocomaricopas arrived, and mes- sengers were sent to their village to buy water-melons and provi- sions, which soon came, although it was several miles. They wanted white beads for what they had to sell, and knew the value of money. Seeing us eating, the interpreter told the general he had tasted the liquor of Sonora and New Mexico, and would like to taste a sample of that of the United States. The dog had a liquorish tooth, and when given a drink of French brandy, pro- nounced it better than any he had ever seen or tasted. The Mari- copa messenger came to ask the general what his business was, and where he was going ? He said his people were at peace with all the world, except some of their neighbours, the Apaches, and they did not desire any more enemies. He was of course told to say to his chief that our object was merely to pass peaceably · through their country ; that we had heard a great deal of the Pimos, and knew them to be a good people ; we were all struck with their unassumed ease and confidence in approaching our camp -not like the Apaches, who bayed at us like their kindred wolves,
189
CROSSING A DESERT.
until the smell of tobacco and other (to them) agreeable things gave them assurance enough to approach us. The Pimos and Coco- maricopas live alongside of each other, but are a distinct people, speaking different languages ; the latter once lived near the mouth of the Gila. The Pimos have long lived at their present abode, and are known to all the trappers as a virtuous and industrious people. They and the Maricopas number over two thousand souls. At the river I saw a cinder, which might have been from the smelt- ing of some ore."
After a short rest here, they prepared to cross the Tesotal, a desert of forty miles, without water or grass. The animals were brought up to a well dug by the dragoons, and given as much water as they would drink, some of them swilling enormously, as if in anticipation of privation. This desert passed, their progress lay along the table-land until they gradually got into the bottom of the Gila again, at the point of Big Horn Mountain, on the 15th of November. Here their supply of beef gave out, and they were reduced to beans, corn, and the flesh of their horses.
Capt. Johnston's own words, as the interest of the narrative quickens, are resorted to.
(At the Pimos village, Gen. Kearny had heard a rumour of a force being raised in Sonora to interrupt him; and by Lieut. Emory's capture of the mail, on the 22d, further particulars were obtained.)
" November 22 .- Marched at the usual hour, and continued down the Gila. On the left bank, the first eight or nine miles, the road was rough; passed through a cañon. The cañon was wide; but we had to clamber along the edge of the hills. In many places the road was insecure, from its being a long declivity. After leaving this cañon, we found ourselves in a bottom, which lay to the west, and which proved to be the delta between the Gila and Colorado. We marched about twenty-one miles, and found ourselves near the junction of those rivers. We discovered the greatest abundance of recent signs of horses, and began to think, in truth, that Gen. Castro may have returned from Sonora with a large mounted force, to regain possession of California.
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GEN. CASTRO'S HORSES.
The signs proved to be very fresh, and indicated that, to whomso- ever they belonged, they were not more than half a day off. The speculations, of course, were various, and all the knowledge of sign-studying put in practice. Carson went down the river, and discovered fresh signs of fires of half-a-dozen messes, with no mi- litary regularity, and a trail coming from the crossing half a mile wide, indicating a great number of loose animals. No trail could be discovered leading away from this place. The signs of very few men could be seen. A woman's track was found, a dead colt, colt tracks, and, finally, straggling men were seen. Fires were discovered in the bottom, up the Gila ; and Lieut. Emory went with twenty men to reconnoitre them, and found the camp of a party of Spaniards from California, with 400 or 500 animals, going to Sonora. He brought some of them to camp, and, as usual, they lied so much that we could get very little out of them. One of them told us, in confidence, that we would find 800 men in arms at the Pueblo, opposed to the Americans ; and that a party was at San Diego, friendly to the United States, of 200; and that three ships of war, he heard, were at San Diego, and advised us to be on our guard as we advanced. One of the others said the Mexicans were quiet at the Pueblo, and that the Americans had quiet possession of all the country. They were dismissed for the night, and the general determined not to lose so good a chance to get fresh animals. Camp on dry grass in the sand-hills.
" November 23 .- The Mexicans came to camp on poor animals, and said they had no very good ones. They evidently are dis- posed to be shy and uncommunicative. One of them, who re- ported in confidence about the 800 men at Angeles, tells us that they had killed several Americans at the Puebla. They say the Jornada is fifty miles without water ; that they were lost upon it, and found water half way, by accident. One of them was caught by Lieut. Emory with a bundle of letters, some of which were to Gen. Castro-one giving an account of the rising of the Mexicans, and placing one Flores at their head at the Pueblo de los Angeles. Another letter to a different person, was to the effect that eighty Mexican cavalry had chased 400 Americans at the ravines between
191
JUNCTION OF THE GILA AND COLORADO.
the Puebla and San Pedro, and had driven them back, and had captured a cannon called the Teazer. Their letters being opened, were re-sealed by Capt. Turner, and all returned to the man, who was discharged with them. These fellows tell various stories about the ownership of the horses. They acknowledge that a part of them belong to Gen. Castro. We are encamped one and a half miles south of the junction of the Gila and Colorado. These two rivers join together, and run through a stone hill, through which they have broken a passage, although there are bottom lands on either side of the hill, by which they may once have flowed. The place is remarkable ; and, being the junction of two important rivers, (both of which are to a certain degree navigable -this point being also a point in the route from Sonora to Califor- nia,) may one day fill a large space in the world's history. The Colorado disappears from here in a vast bottom. The last we can see of its cotton-woods is in the south-west, beyond which lies a low range of mountains-whether on the right or left bank, is not plain-probably on the right bank. Toiling about through the sand-hills, in thick boots, one is convinced that, to perform a jour- ney on foot in this country, a moccasin with a thick but elastic sole is far preferable to the boot. . The condition of our animals is sad enough to take the Jornada. Poor animals that have come with us from the United States will lay their bones on the desert. Some of the few horses we brought through, are not able to go on. An animal. fat and well rested in New Mexico could have come well enough."
By the 28th, they had with great suffering passed the Jornada, or desert, of about ninety miles. Many of the animals they were obliged to leave to perish there.
The horses of which Capt. Johnston gives details, afterwards were found to have been sent by the Californians, under a small escort, thus far on their way for the benefit of Mexican reinforce- ments to be raised in Sonora. When taken, they had scarce re- covered from crossing the Jornada, and returning over the same, made the capture almost useless.
On the 30th, the men killed a horse for food. On inspection,
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192
HORSES GIVE UP.
they were found all wellnigh naked-some of them barefoot and much weatherbeaten, but no signs of quailing in their swarthy sun-burnt faces.
The narrative of the four next days we give in the words of Capt. Johnston.
" December 1 .- The first day of winter; we left camp at the usual hour, and found the air cold and chilly. The mountain peaks on the coast-range are covered with snow slightly. The whole of yesterday these peaks were covered with clouds, which. drifted off in loose masses over the desert. This morning most of the clouds had disappeared, and a strong wind blew from the west. Our route for the day was devious, through narrow passes, with- out any great elevation-a bad road for our little howitzers, and impassable, without work for wagons. We marched eighteen miles, and encamped at the Vegas San Felipe, near the deserted Indian village ; the rocks were mostly of mica-slate and granite. The water of the Vegas is apparently fresh, but the adjacent swamp is salt, and the grass bad for animals, especially at this season-the grass, the long, salty grass of the Del Norte, and the soda grass.
" December 2 .- Marched at the usual hour. Our animals hav- ing spent a bad night, from the cold and bad grass, the few remain- ing horses, except one, gave out to-day, having been purged by the grass, and very much weakened. Our route was now over a rolling country. About six miles we met some Mexicans escaping out of the country, with women and children; we allowed them to pass free. They informed us of the existence of war still in this country, so that we count now upon meeting the enemy. It appears that there are no armed forces opposed to each other in the field ; but that, generally, parties of California rancheros can be found in every quarter. We will probably have a long time with an unseen enemy, with no pitched battles. Arrived at War- ner's ranch, very unexpectedly to them. This point is about sixty miles from San Diego, and perhaps eighty from the Pueblo. It is occupied by an American from Connecticut, who settled in this country and became naturalized, married, &c. He is now on the
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WARNER'S SETTLEMENT.
main route leading to Sonora, and of course is very much exposed to both parties. He is now said to be a prisoner in the hands of the Americans. Our approach to California improves to-day, and we came part of the day under the shade of fine live-oak trees, and, on the mountain-tops, clumps of lofty pines. As we came to Warner's, we got upon the western slope of mountains ; and here nature had made pretty successful efforts to clothe her nakedness ; the shrubs and trees almost hid the rocks of the mountains, and the hills had grass in abundance, but still nothing like the luxu- riant growth of the prairies of Missouri, but doubtless a most en- chanting sight when it is green, to one who has just crossed the desert. We found Warner's a place which would be considered a poor location in the United States, with a hot and a cold spring on his place-a good place for stock, but bad for grain, one would think. We are told wheat yields thirty-fold. The labour is per- formed by California Indians, who are stimulated to work by $3 per month and repeated floggings. We encamped a quarter of a mile west of the warm spring. Having heard of a herd of mules fifteen miles hence, belonging to Flores, the insurgent chief, Lieut. Davidson, with twenty-five men, was despatched, with Carson and Saunders, to see if we could get a remount ; they started at dark. A Mr. Stokes, an Englishman, who lives fifteen miles hence, came to camp, and gave us information that Com. Stockton was at Diego, with the larger part of his naval force ; that he had to remain neutral. A letter was sent to Com. Stockton ; and it was deter- mined to remain at this point until morning, and determine whe- ther to march upon San Diego or the Pueblo, or to halt on the Sonora outlet, until it was known what was to be done with the American prisoners said to be in the hands of the rancheros. We hear that the Californians are very savage, killing any one of their people whom they suspect of treachery, and forcing those who are unwilling to join them. We were struck with the fact, that a furious wind blew in our faces as we approached the coast-range ; but, after crossing it. we found all calm, and were told that there had been no wind.
R
13
194
STOKES'S RANCHOS.
"December 3. Lieut. Davidson and Carson returned about noon, with a large gang of tame and wild animals, most of which are said to belong to Flores, the Californian general. After them, came a party of French, English, and a Chilian, claiming their riding animals, as they were going out of the country, which the General gave them. Many of the animals from the herd were put into service, and arrangements made to secure the balance by driving them into some safe place in the mountain. Lay by for the rest of the day ; did not have time to examine the agua caliente, but it is said to be remarkable.
"December 4. Marched at 9, and took the route for San Diego to communicate with the naval forces, and to establish our depôt, not knowing yet in what state we would find the country. ª Marched 15 miles in a rain, cold and disagreeable, and encamped at Santa Isabella, a former ranch of the San Diego mission, now, by hook or crook, in the possession of an Englishman named Stokes. Here hospitality was held out to us. Stokes having gone to San Diego, we ate heartily of stewed and roast mutton and tortillas. We heard of a party of Californians of 80 men encamped a distance from this; but the informant varied from 16 to 30 miles in his account, rendering it too uncertain to make a dash on them in a dark, stormy night, so we slept till morning."
Here end the " rough notes" of a gallant soldier. His profes- sion called upon him to offer up his life at any moment the ser- vice of his country required it. Here he dropped the pen he had used with such ability, to draw his sword in combat-from whence he never returned to cheer his sorrowing companions-in-arms, in whose memory he ever lives, as he will in that of his country ; to use the language of Gen. Kearny-" a loss to his commander, to his regiment, and, more than all, to his country."
The rapid summary of the route given in Gen. Kearny's offi- cial despatches supplies the latitude of several. places, and other omissions above, while conciseness and importance affords no excuse for its omission ; the narrative is therefore continued in the language of the "official" despatches.
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GEN. KEARNY'S REPORT.
HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF THE WEST, 1
San Diego, Upper California, Dec. 12, 1846. 4
SIR : . As I have previously reported to you, I left Santa Fé (New Mexico) for this country on the 25th September, with 300 of the First Dragoons, under Major Sumner. We crossed to the bank of the Del Norte at Albuquerque, (65 miles below Santa Fé,) continuing down on that bank till the 6th October, when we met Mr. Kit Carson, with a party of 16 men, on his way to Washington city, with a mail and papers, an express from Com, Stockton and Lieut. Col. Fremont, reporting that the Californias were already in possession of the Americans under their com- mand ; that the American flag was flying from every important position in the territory, and that the country was for ever free from Mexican control; the war ended, and peace and harmony established among the people. In consequence of this informa- tion, I directed that 200 dragoons, under Major Sumner, should remain in New Mexico, and that the other 100, with two mountain howitzers, under Capt. Moore, should accompany me as a guard to Upper California, With this guard, we continued our march to the south, on the right bank of the Del Norte, to the distance of about 230 miles below Santa Fé, when, leaving that river on the 15th October, in about the 33d deg. of latitude, we marched westward for the Copper mines, which we reached on the 18th, and on the 20th reached the river Gila, proceeded down the Gila, crossing and recrossing it as often as obstructions in our front rendered necessary ; on the 11th November reached the Pimos village, about 80 miles from the settlements in Sonora. These Indians we found honest, and living comfortably, having made a good crop this year; and we remained with them two days, to rest our men, recruit our animals, and obtain provisions. On the 22d November, reached the mouth of the Gila, in latitude about 32 degrees-our whole march on this river having been nearly 500 miles, and, with but very little exception, between the 32d and 33d parallels of latitude.
This river, (the Gila,) more particularly the northern side, is bounded nearly the whole distance by a range of lofty mountains ;
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196
GEN. KEARNY'S REPORT.
and if a tolerable wagon road to its mouth from the Del Norte is ever discovered, it must be on the south side. The country is destitute of timber, producing but few cotton-wood and musquit trees ; and though the soil on the bottom lands is generally good, yet we found but very little grass or vegetation, in consequence of the dryness of the climate and the little rain which falls here. The Pimos Indians, who make good crops of wheat, corn, vege- tables, &c., irrigate the land by water from the Gila, as did the Aztecs, (the former inhabitants of the country,) the remains of whose sequias, or little canals, were seen by us, as well as the position of many of their dwellings, and a large quantity of broken pottery and earthenware used by them.
We crossed the Colorado about 10. miles below the mouth of the Gila, and marching near it about 30, miles further, turned off and crossed the desert-a distance of about 60 miles-without water or grass.
On the 2d December, reached Warner's rancho, (Agua Cali- ente,) the frontier settlement in California, on the route leading to Sonora. On the 4th we marched to Mr. Stokes's, rancho, (San Isa- bella,) and on the 5th, were met by a small party of volunteers, under Capt. Gillespie, sent out from San Diego, by Com. Stockton, to give us what information they possessed of the enemy, 600 or 700 of whom are now said to be in arms and in the field through- out the territory, determined upon opposing the Americans and resisting their authority in the country. Encamped that night near another rancho (San Maria) of Mr. Stokes, about 40 miles from San Diego.
The journals and maps, kept and ·prepared by Capt. Johnston, (my aid-de-camp,) and those by Lieut. Emory, Topographical Engineers, which will accompany or follow this report, will render any thing further from me, on this subject, unnecessary.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. W. KEARNY, Brigadier-general, U. S. A.
Brigadier-general.R. JONES,
Adjutant-general, U. S. A.
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REFERENCES.
A.AMERICANS advancing. B .- Camp after battle.
C .- MEXICAN forces returning on the 7th, from direction a, in which they had previously retired from their third posi- tion along c c.
D .- Mexican column detached to attack the Americans while the rest of their force (E) ascended the hill, but the Ame- ricans repulsed the column D, ascended the hill at gorge F, and defeated the Mexicans on the top, who retired to position F, whence they finally retired in direction b.
H .- Mexican third position. K .- Mexican first position.
M .- American army when attacked on the 7th. N .- American dead here buried.
O .- Mexican second position and second attack on him, after which he retired to a third position, lower. P .- Road which the Americans took to San Bernardo. Q .- Snook's rancho.
R .- Battle of the hill-the Americans victorions, and Mexicans retreating to G, whence they finally retired in direction b.
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1
SKETCH OF THE ACTIONS FOUGHT AT SAN PASQUAL,
Upper California, between the AMERICANS and MEXICANS, Dec. 6th and 7th, 1846. Drawn by J. C. Bruff, Washington City, from a rude sketch, taken on the field, by Lieutenant W. H. EMORY, U. S. T. E.
197
R 2
P
RIO SAN BERNARDO.
....
199
BATTLE OF SAN PASQUAL.
HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF THE WEST,
San Diego, Upper California, Dec. 13, 1846.
SIR: In my communication to you of yesterday's date, I brought the reports of the movements of my guard up to the morning of the 5th instant, in camp near a rancho of Mr. Stokes, (Santa Maria,) about 40 miles from San Diego.
Having learned from Capt. Gillespie, of the volunteers, that there was an armed party of Californians, with a number of extra horses at San Pasqual, three leagues distant, on a road lead- ing to this place, I sent Lieut. Hammond, First Dragoons, with a few men to make a reconnoissance of them. He returned at two in the morning of the 6th instant, reporting that he had found the party in the place mentioned, and that he had been seen, though not pursued by them. I then determined that I would march for and attack them by break of day. Arrangements were accord- ingly made for the purpose. My aid-de-camp, Capt. Johnston, dragoons, was assigned to the command of the advanced guard of twelve dragoons, mounted on the best horses we had ; then followed about fifty dragoons under Captain Moore, mounted, with but few exceptions, on the tired mules they had ridden from Santa Fé, (New Mexico, 1050 miles ;) then about twenty volunteers of Captain Gibson's company under his command, and that of Capt. Gillespie ; then followed our. two mountain howitzers, with dra- goons to manage them, and under the charge of Lieut. Davidson, of the 1st regiment. The remainder of the dragoons, volunteers, and citizens, employed by the officers of the staff, &c., were placed under the command of Major Swords, (quartermaster,) with orders to follow on our trail with the baggage, and to see to its safety.
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