Occupation of
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THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION OF CALIFORNIA

Energetic Stockton had already planned the capture of Los Angeles, the capital of California, as the final step in placing the country completely under American control. The seizure of San Diego was a preliminary to this campaign, Fremont's volunteers being expected to cut off Castro's retreat into Lower California or Mexico, and other, wise cooperate with an advance by the main American force from San Pedro to Los Angeles.

On the way to San Pedro in the Congress the Commodore took possession of Santa Barbara on August 4th, leaving Sergeant Watson with 14 marines as a garrison. On the 6th San Pedro was occupied by the remainder of the Congress' marines under Lieutenant Jacob Zeilin. By the 12th Stockton was able to begin his advance on Los Angeles with a well organized battalion of 350 seamen and marines. Fremont marched from San Diego with 120 men in time to join Stockton near Los Angeles and the combined forces took possession of the capital without a fight on August 13th, 1846, General Castro retreating to the interior.

For nearly a month the Commodore was busily occupied in Los Angeles with setting up a government for California. Fremont was appointed military commander of the north, and Gillespie of the south. Although the vast territory was occupied by only tiny garrisons at a few widely separated points, no further resistance of any consequence was looked for from the very sparse native population. It was commonly assumed locally that all organized hostile forces had surrendered permanently or dispersed. The Mexican government announced that California had been lost. Stockton planned an expedition against Acapulco and an advance towards Mexico City as a diversion to assist military operations on the eastern seaboard.

These ill-judged assumptions, however, were soon to be proved woefully in error. The principal armed bodies of Californians had been broken up but not defeated, and opportunity was all the tonic they needed for reorganization and renewal of hostilities. This was particularly true of the Los Angeles vicinity where most of the Spanish population resided. The deceptive quiet and apparent security there led Stockton into the grave error of leaving behind a small holding force of only 59 men under Gillespie, when he decided to go north and prepare for the operation against Acapulco.

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