El Dorado County History

Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County California with Illustrations 
and Biographical Sketches of its Prominentmen and Pioneers. 
Oakland 1883. Paolo Sioli, Publisher. Compiled by P. Sioli.

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper, Oct 2009.

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CHAPTER IX. 

AMERICAN CONQUEST. MEXICAN WAR. THE END. 
Skirmish near San Juan � Death of Captains Burroughs and Foster � The Report as 
Given by The Californian � The California Battalion on the March to Santa Barbara � 
Stockton Approaching Los Angeles � Flores Offering Negotiations � The Battle on 
San Gabriel River, January -8, 1847� Stockton's Second Day Decisive � Fremont's 
Approach � The Capitulation� Francisco Sanchez Revolt� Capture of an Officer of 
the U. S. M. Corps� The Company Sent in His Pursuit � Attack Upon Sanchez Under 
the Walls of the Santa Clara Mission � Sanchez Surrenders. 

Before we can follow the battalion on the march towards Los Angeles, we have to refer to a little 
rencentre that took place about ten miles south of the mission of San Juan, on the Monterey road, 
on October 1 6th, between the advance guard, under Captain Burroughs and a troop of Californians, 
numbering one hundred and thirty. The following is an extract from the description of Consul Thomas 
O. Larkin, who was a prisoner and witnessed the affair : 

"The Californians, after having, on the night of the 15th, taken up Consul Larkin, who, on his travel from 
Monterey to Yerba Buena was stopping at the house of Don Joaquin Gomez, demanded him to write to 
the captain of the volunteers at San Juan to entice some twenty of them to him under the pretense of 
protecting some distressed families on the river; but Larkin refused positively, not yielding to fright or 
threatening. They moved a little further on the next morning, taking their prisoner with them, and always 
keeping watch of the mission as well as of the road to Monterey, afraid of being attacked by Fremont from 
that side. There, in the afternoon they encountered eight or ten Americans, all but two or three of them 
on the approach of the Californians retreated to an oak-covered ground close by, and the rest returned to 
Gomez' house to alarm their companions, and for more than an hour one hundred and thirty Californians 
surrounded six or eight American men, not daring to make an attack on them, but requested first, 
and finally commanded Larkin again to go and bring his countrymen out, whereupon the latter offered to 
go and call them out, under the condition that they were allowed to return to San Juan or Monterey with 
their arms ; which, of course, was refused. While still engaged in calculations how to advance against 
the few men, fifty more Americans came down on them, and an action of about twenty-five or thirty 
minutes ensued, ending in a complete flight of the Californians; but either the entering darkness or the 
loss of the leader of the Americans embarrassed the latter to make no better use of their victory in pursu- 
ing the enemy, but allowed him to gather his forces about a mile distant from their own standpoint. The 
loss on the American side was considerably heavy. Captain Burroughs, of St. Louis, Missouri, Captain 
Foster, and two others were killed, with two or three more wounded." 

The Californian, of November 21st, 1846, published at Monterey, says m addition to the former, that "Bur- 
roughs and Foster were killed at the first onset. The Americans fired and then charged on the enemy with 
their empty rifles, and ran them off. However, they still kept rallying and firing now and then a musket at 
the Americans, until about eleven o'clock at night, when one of the Walla- Walla Indians offered his ser- 
vices to come into Monterey and give Colonel Fremont notice of what was passing. Soon after he started lie 
was pursued by a party of the enemy. The foremost in pursuit drove a lance at the Indian, who, trying 10 
parry it, received the lance through his hand ; he immediately with the other hand seized his tomahawk and 
struck his opponent a blow which split his head from the crown to the mouth. By this time the others had 
come up, and with the most extraordinary dexterity and bravery the Indian vanquished two more, and 
the rest ran away. He rode on towards this town as far as his horse was able to carry him, and then he left 
his horse and saddle and came in on foot. He arrived about 8 o'clock, Tuesday morning, November 17th." 

Fremont responded to the call, and marched at once, to bring assistance to the American volunteers 
at San Juan, but failing to meet the enemy, he put up his camp at the mission to await the coming of 
reinforcements. The California battalion that started, from San Juan November 30th, on the march to Los 
Angeles, made only slow progress on account of the heavy rains that season; the men suffered consid- 
erably by crossing the mountains and the streams running with quick-sand, reaching Santa Barbara, on 
December 27th; the loss on horses had been so severe that hardly sufficient remained to get the whole 
command mounted. The most exhausting feat of the whole march had been the descent on Christmas night 
from the Santa Inez mountain range to Santa Barbara in a very heavy storm, and men as well as horses 
needed a rest before the march for Los Angeles could be resumed, which took place on the third of January, 
1847; approaching that town from the north about the same time with Commodore Stockton on his way from 
San Diego. 

On Stockton's approach he met several messengers, sent by Flores, with propositions to enter into negotia- 
tions, but Stockton in short declared to them that he disliked the idea of opening any kind of communica- 
tions or negotiations other than those of his guns, and that Flores and his companions who had forfeited 
their paroles should look out, because if any one of them, were taken prisoner, they would be shot 
most unceremoniously and without any negotiations ; and, continuing his march, he arrived on the evening 
of January 7th, on the south bank of San Gabriel river. The enemy having taken position on the opposite 
side of the river, was discovered there the next morning. 

Stockton formed his command in a hollow square, putting the baggage, cattle, etc., in the center, and 
moved on towards the ford of the river� strict orders having been given not to fire a single gun until the 
river had been crossed. The water in the river was only three or four feet deep, but it was running with 
quicksand, and General Kearney, commanding the advance, sent word to Stockton that he could not cross 
with the artillery; the latter, in response, without a moment's delay, rushed to the front, laying hands to the 
rope himself, and under his advice the guns were soon landed on the opposite side. Here the line of battle 
was immediately formed again, and the artillery opened fire on the enemy's artillery, which occupied a position 
about fifty or sixty yards from the river on an elevation^ some forty feet above ; but the old sailors, 
trained by the commodore himself, soon silenced the enemy's guns and made the men in charge of them 
run. Observing this, General Kearney immediately started to bring the deserted guns in, but the Californians 
rallied, and returning, carried their guns off before he had time to reach them. A violent cavalry attack 
was then made upon Stockton's left wing, which was repulsed, but the enemy right away reformed his line, 
and brought his artillery into action again. Stockton sent new orders to his artillery and repulsing another 
charge broke the enemy's lines by means of his well aimed artillery, thereafter an attempt was made to capture 
the stores, baggage, etc., and stampede the cattle on the south side of the river, which was cut short by 
Captain Gillespie, who threw the detachment back in wild confusion, which was communicated to the balance of 
the enemy's troops and caused their retreat; they left the field to the Americans, taking their dead and 
wounded with them ; their loss has never become known. The loss on the victorious side was but trifling, 
two men only having been killed and nine wounded. 

The following 4ay Stockton took up his march in the direction of Los Angeles, and after proceeding 
about six miles he met the enemy again, who had formed in position upon the mesa land of the plains. 
Stockton made his forces ready, taking the same position of the hollow square like the previous day, and 
awaited the result. He did not need to wait long � the Californians anxious to make up for the loss of the 
day before made some heroic charges with the intention to break through the square; but we better cite 
a passage from the " Annals of San Francisco," giving a description of the same : 

"It is said by those who witnessed it, to have been a brilliant spectacle. Gaily caparisoned, with flying 
banners, mounted on fleet and splendid horses, they bounded on, spurring at the top of their speed on to 
the small but compact square into which the American force was compressed. The very earth appeared to 
tremble beneath their thundering hoofs, and nothing seemed to be capable of resisting such cavalry. But, 
inspired with the cool courage and dauntless heroism of their leader, his men patiently awaited the result. 


The signal was at length given, and a deadly fire directed according to orders, at lior.ses, was poured into 
the ranks of the advancing foe, which emptied many saddles and threw them into complete confusion. Re- 
treating a few hundred yards, they again formed, and despatching a part of their force to the rear, they at- 
tacked simultaneously three sides of the square. Orders were renewed to reserve fire until the enemy's 
near approach, and with the same decisive result, their ranks breaking and retreating in disorder. A third 
time having rallied, they returned to the charge, but once more their ranks were thinned by the deadly 
aim of the assailed; and despairing of their ability to cope with men so cool, unflinching and resolute, 
confused and discomfited, the scattered and fled in every direction." 

In the meantime Fremont, who had hurried as much as possible to reach the scene of action in time, 
came near enough to open regular communications with the headquarters. On January 9th he had received a 
dispatch from Commodore Stockton, bearing the date of January 5th (three days before battle had 
commenced), advising him to avoid a collision with the enemy until he was within striking distance, showing 
that Stockton did not expect to meet the enemy so soon. On the 11th, while the battalion was on the 
march, just entering the head of Couenga plains, news reached Fremont of the battles on the 8th and 
9th, and the occupation of Los Angeles, where Major Gillespie again had raised the American flag, which he 
had been forced to lower about three months before. He also received a letter from General Kearney with 
the same message. The battalion put up their camp at the mission of San Fernando that night, and the 
next day Don Jose de Jesus Pico, in company with two officers of the Californian army entered the camp 
with the pronounced desire to treat for peace. The preliminary negotiations were entered into, and the 
terms had been partly arranged, when they separated about noon. After noon the march was again resumed 
and the battalion pushed forward to a point about twelve miles out of town, where, at the foot of the 
Couenga plains, the next halt was made. Here the peace commissioners from Fremont met Wth those 
from the hostile force, and the terms of capitulation ratified and signed by the members of both parties. 
In the following we give a copy of the 

		ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION 

Made and entered into at the ranch of Couenga, this 13th day of January, 1847, between P. B. Reading, 
Major; Louis McLane, Jr., commanding Third Artillery; William H. Russell, Ordinance Officer, com- 
missioners appointed by J. C. Fremont, Colonel U. S. Army and Military Commander of California, and 
Jose Antonio Corillo, Commandante Squadron ; Augustin Olivera, Deputado, Commissioners appointed 
by Don Andreas Pico, Commander-in-chief of the California force under the Mexican flag. 

	Article 1. The commissioners on the part of the Californians agree that their entire force shall, 
on presentation of themselves to Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, deliver up their artillery and public arms, 
and that they shall return peaceably to their homes and conform to the laws and regulations of the United 
States, and not again take up arms during the war between the United States and Mexico, but will assist 
and aid in placing the country in a state of peace and tranquility. 

	Article 2. The commissioners on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont agree and bind themselves, on 
the fulfillment of the first article by the Californians, that they shall be guaranteed protection of 
life and property, whether on parole or otherwise. 

	Article 3. That until a treaty of peace be made and signed between the United States of North America and 
the Republic of Mexico, no Californian or other Mexican citizen shall be bound to take the oath of allegiance. 

	Article 4. That any Californian or citizen of Mexico desiring, is permitted by capitulation to leave 
the country without let or hinderance. 

	Article 5. That in virtue of the aforesaid articles, equal rights and privileges are vouchsafed to 
every citizen of California as are enjoyed by the citizens of the United States of North America. 

	Article 6. All officers, citizens, foreigners, or others, shall receive the protection guaranteed by the 
second article. 

	Article 7. This capitulation is intended to be no bar in effecting such arrangements as may in future be 
in justice required by both parties. 

		Additional Article. 
Cuidid de Los Angeles, January 16, 1847. 
That the paroles of all officers, citizens and others of the United States, and of naturalized citizens of 
Mexico, are by the foregoing capitulation cancelled, and every condition of said paroles from and after 
this date are of no further force and effect, and all prisoners of both parties are hereby released. 

	P. B. Reading, Major California Battalion. 
	Louis McLane, Commanding Artillery. 
	Wm. H. Russell, Ordinance Officer. 
	Jose Antonio Carillo, Comd't of Squadron. 
	Augustin Olivera, Deputado. 
		Approved. 	J. C. Fremont. 
				Lieut. Col. U. S. Army and Mil. Comd't of Cal. 

				Andreas Pico, 
				Comd't. of Squdr'n and Chief of the Nat'l Forces of Cal. 


On the next morning, the 14th, before the battalion started on their march into Los Angeles, the little 
brass howitzer taken from Kearney in the rencontre at San Pasqual, and the only piece that had been lost, 
was brought in and delivered over to Fremont, who carried it along on his entering Los Angeles. Thus 
was the insurrection ended, and peace with Mexico was made soon after, securing California as a part of 
the United States, and never since has its peace and tranquility been disturbed. 

There is, however, another part of this rebellion that ran nearly parallel to the one before related, and known 
as the "Flores Insurrection;" and however short lived and unimportant it has been concerning the 
result, it -has made a record in history, and we have to refer to it: 

After Captain C. M. Weber, with the company he had recruited at San Jose, of which James Williams was lieu- 
tenant, had departed, there were only ten men left in San Jose and Santa Clara to protect the families of those 
who had joined the army, and when he had joined his company to the California battalion under Fremont's 
command, on December 1st, at Gilroy, he saw the unsafeness of the country around there, and becoming 
satisfied that the lives of those who had to stay at home were in great danger, he felt it his duty to 
look after their safety and protect their homes. So he and Williams returned to San Jose, and immediately 
commenced to solicit recruits for another company. John M. Murphy took up Weber's idea and lent his 
assistance to the enterprise, and soon thirty-three men had enlisted � some from Yerba Buena. Just at this 
state of affairs Francisco Sanches, who thought the Americans far enough away, and their homes unprotected, 
had raised a revolt and one of his first acts was the capture of Lieut. Washington A. Bartlett in the 
outskirts of San Francisco. Weber was well acquainted with Bartlett, and he at once tendered the services of 
his company of mounted men, including his son, to Captain Montgomery to aid in his rescue. Montgomery accepted 
the offer and fitted out a company, under Captain Ward Marston, to go in pursuit of Sanches. On December 29th, 
the same day that Stocktond started from San Diego, this expedition, one hundred and one strong, marched for that 
purpose from Yerba Buena. For those who have an interest, we give the names of the officers of this company : 

	Ward Marston, U. S. M. corps. Captain, commanding. 
	J. Duval, Assistant-Surgeon, acted as Aid-de-Camp. 
	John Pray, Interpreter. 
	---Tansil, Lieutenant, in command of 34 sailors. 
	William F. D. Tough, Master; John M. Kell, Midshipman, commanding one field piece and 10 men. 
	C. M. Weber, Captain; John M. Murphy, First Lieutenant ; John F. Reed, Second Lieutenant ; 
commanding San Jose volunteers, 33 men. 
	William M. Smith, Captain ; John Rose, First Lieutenant; Julius Martin, Second Lieutenant; 
commanding Yerba Buena Volunteers, 12 men. 

Total, 101 men. 

On January 2d, 1847, Sanches stood before the mission of Santa Clara, where some thirty immigrant 
families were left under the protection of about fifteen men ; his force embraced about one hundred men, 
with one piece of artillery, and his camp-fires had been seen all night and had kept awake the poor souls 
with sorrow and fear. The morning did not bring them any hope; on the contrary, a heavy fog was covering 
up the country and obscuring the view, so that they were not allowed to see the danger approaching, 
when, suddenly, the sound of rifle-shots were heard, giving the impression that Sanches was already coming ; 
fearing the worst, when suddenly more and heavier shooting convinced the sentinel in the belfry of the 
church that something else was going on, and communicating his opinion to the listeners down below, 
he called down : " It's volleys of musketry ; they are firing by platoons ; it's Weber coming to our rescue." 
And so it was. The company under Marston's command had met the enemy and made an attack, which, 
after some resistance, ended in the enemy's retreat. The affair had lasted an hour, and the loss was about 
proportionate. The California Star, of February 6th, 1847, speaks of two men wounded � one a marine, 
the other a volunteer of Captain Weber's company. The expedition was reinforced next day, January 3d, 
by Captain William A. T. Maddox, with forty-nine mounted Monterey volunteers, and a few days later by 
fifteen men under Lieut. Grayson. With these forces surrounding him, Sanches was brought to the under- 
standing that he had to surrender, and on the eighth a treaty was concluded by which he surrendered his whole 
force, Lieut. Bartlett and the other prisoners, together with all his arms, ammunition and accoutrements, and 
in return he as well as his men were allowed to go peaceably to their homes. 

	*A paper published by Samuel Branan, and edited by E. P. Jones of Yerba Buena.