Occupation of
California

Naval Conquest of
California

Mexican War
in Art

Main
Index

THE NAVAL CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA

General Stephen W. Kearny, U. S. A., now entered upon the scene. He had made an extraordinary march from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and had reached Warner's Pass, nearly fifty miles east of San Diego with about 100 dragoons and 10 officers. Unexpected news that Los Angeles was in enemy hands disclosed the critical nature of his situation, and he sent word of it by an Indian to San Diego. Stockton promptly despatched Gillespie with 26 of his men, together with Lieutenant Beale, U. S. N., and about 10 sailors who met the army detachment on December 5th. So reinforced, Kearny decided to attack a superior number of the enemy that were camped near the Indian village of San Pasqual, close to his route. A vivid portrayal of this lively hand to hand conflict on December 6th is given by the sketch (Plate VI).

Kearny's advance guard launched a determined attack from which the well mounted Californians retreated rapidly. When the vigor of pursuit at top speed had separated the small advance detachment from its main body the Californians suddenly made a stand. The Americans were badly cut up and driven back in desperate, disorder, disorderly fighting. Captain Moore fell, pierced by eight lances. Gillespie was wounded rather badly several times, but managed to cut his way to the rear, rally a few men and discharge a deserted howitzer towards the enemy. The timely arrival of Kearny's main body once more turn, turned the tide and the Californians were persuaded to withdraw from the field, although not really beaten. The invaders had suffered se, severe losses - 19 killed and 15 wounded, the latter including General Kearny.

After resting and burying the dead the advance was resumed until the enemy again appeared, opened a desultory attack and managed to drive off the food supply of cattle. Halting on a hill which was promptly invested by the Californians, having no water and only mule meat for sustenance, Kearny's position was desperate. Lieutenant Beale and Kit Carson with an Indian managed to get through to Stockton who hurriedly sent Lieutenant A. V. F. Gray with 215 sailors and marines to the rescue. A junction was effected with, out mishap and the entire party reached San Diego safely on December 12th, 1846.

Meantime northern California had been left almost wholly unprotected by the indispensable concentration of American forces in the south. As stated Fremont had gone by sea to Monterey for horses in October, and by mid he had begun the long southward march for Los Angeles with a view to aiding Stockton there. In the San Francisco vicinity the Californians began to reorganize in small bands, and one of these captured Lieutenant Washington A. Bartlett, USN, and five bluejackets while they were out buying beef near San Mateo in December.

From San Francisco Captain Montgomery hastily despatched a rescue expedition under Captain Marston, USMC. There were two companies of volunteers, a party of sailors from the ships with a field piece, and a marine detachment including the guard of the Dale -- the ship carrying our artist, Gunner Meyers. The march of nearly sixty miles in the height of the rainy season was very trying. Flooded stream and bogs were all but impassable, and the so called roads not much better.

Near Santa Clara about 120 Californians made a sudden attack while the piece of artillery was badly hogged in mire. After a sharp skirmish as shown in the vivid sketch (Plate VII), the enemy was driven back towards the Santa Cruz Mountains. On the next day Lieutenant Maddox, who had marched with 50 men from Monterey to support Marston, fell in with another hostile group nearby just after Marston had arranged an armistice. In the subsequent parleys the enemy surrendered unconditionally and returned the prisoners.

The unrest in the north, however, would certainly increase to alarming proportions unless American forces could be greatly augmented there, and the possibility of that depended upon the recapture of control of the Los Angeles region, to which task Commodore Stockton now earnestly turned with his characteristic courage, vigor and persistence.

Next Page | Occupation of California | The Mexican War in Art | Return to Main Menu

Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.