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THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION OF CALIFORNIA

Early in September the Commodore proceeded in the Congress to Monterey and thence to San Francisco to investigate a difficulty at Sutter's Settlement. This turned out to be merely the dissatisfaction of some Indians that Fremont was able to adjust through his personal influence. On September 30th, however, a messenger from Gillespie at Los Angeles brought the startling news of a serious situation that had developed there. The small garrison of Americans had been attacked and besieged by many times their number and urgently needed rescue.

Stockton immediately dispatched the Savannah for San Pedro and on October 15th followed with the Congress and Sterling, in which latter vessel Fremont was embarked with a pan of his north, northern force. Learning from a passing ship that Monterey was also in danger of attack, the Commodore put in there with the Congress landed a detachment of 50 men and then crowded on sail for San Pedro. The revolt of the Californians was under way, and a real conquest of the country, especially in the region of Los Angeles, now became necessary.

Meantime it should be recalled that Sloat had left the Warren (Commander Joseph B. Hull) on the coast of Mexico near Mazatlan, where she conducted a blockade while prepared to forward communications received overland from the east coast. In a dashing affair on September 6th, she "cut-out" the Mexican brig Malek-Adhel which was moored close to the Mazatlan mole. With the Warren's guns pointing at the town, two pulling boats heavy with 60 armed men under Lieutenant William Radford and Lieutenant William B. Renshaw raced for the prospective prize. Two hundred Mexican soldiers deployed on the beach while others dragged a field piece to a nearby hill. But fearing the Warren's broadside, few if any shots were fired. As the fast moving boats approached the brig she was precipitately abandoned by officers and crew. Unresisted, the Americans boarded the little craft and towed her safely beyond the reach of hostile guns. A realistic idea of this interesting though minor episode is given by the sketch (Plate IV).

Built originally for the slave trade, and afterwards armed and used for piracy, she bad been captured in 1840 off the coast of Brazil by the U. S. Schooner-of-War Enterprise. Then being sold as a prize she had found her way into Mexican service, to be again captured by the Americans as related. She was now convened into an armed tender and very usefully employed in our Navy during the remainder of the war.

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