When Commodore Stockton arrived at Monterey Bay on July 14, 1846 from Honolulu, the Stars and Stripes were already flying over the Monterey Bay Customs House, the capital of Alta California.
Commodore John Sloat, who had been in charge of the Pacific Naval Squadron, sent 250 men ashore a week earlier after getting limited intelligence of US hostilities against Mexico.
Stockton’s earlier instigations in Galveston had come to fruition. Zachary Taylor, leading the US Army and the Texas Volunteers had been attacked in the disputed territory between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. “American bloodshed on American soil” led to a declaration of war in May 1846, and Taylor routed the Mexican Army and pushed south from Texas into Mexican territory.
With the news, Sloat ordered his captains to other ports and took Yerba Buena (San Francisco), Sonoma, Sutter’s Fort and San Jose. They faced no resistance. The 66-year-old Sloat was ill and seemed content with fulfilling his orders. He issued a decree assuring the Californians that their property would be protected by the United States, and he made plans to pass command of the Pacific Fleet to Stockton. Stockton worried that without ground forces, the USA would not be able to hold the forts.
The next day, the 80-gun HMS Collingswood sailed into Monterey Bay. The British had been carefully watching the situation, given the strategic importance of the area. Admiral George Seymour aboard the Collingswood had no idea that the Treaty of Oregon had resolved the longstanding Northwest Territory at the 49th Parallel between the US and Britain.
Given the threat of the British, the Mexican army, and the Californios (independence-minded locals), Stockton suggested taking men ashore to clear the land of enemy forces. He also commandeered Maj. John C. Frémont, a famous explorer on his third government-sponsored topographical survey.
Frémont, along with his band of Delaware Indians, former trappers and mountain explorers supported an uprising in Sonoma, the Bear Flag Revolt, capturing the Mexican governor and holding him at Fort Sutter, before meeting Sloat at Monterey.
Mexico had limited troops in the region north of the population center of Los Angeles. Much of the interior north was controlled by Native Americans.
In 1835, the government had secularized the 21 missions that constituted the bulk of the population centers. The Franciscan Friars were removed, except at Santa Barbara and most rancheros were sold off. This concentrated the population and power around Los Angeles, and its citizens had little loyalty to Mexico City. Their governor, Pio Pico ran a local mission and was installed a year earlier after ousting the Mexican Governor.
Stockton moved south and drilled the 350 sailors he could afford to leave his ships as infantrymen. It was the first time they had practiced land battle. They learned formations on the outskirts of the city. The Mexican troops, scouting the Americans, overestimated their numbers and fled south into Sonora. Los Angeles fell to Stockton on August 13 without a shot.
Gov. Pio Pico and Gen Flores were released on parole with their word they would cease hostilities. Stockton left Maj. Gillespie in charge of a small contingent and sailed back up the coast to San Francisco.
The ships under Stockton’s command captured thirteen Mexican vessels and the forts and towns from San Diego to San Francisco were under his control. Stockton had intentions to head to Acapulco and attempt to march east to meet the American forces fighting toward Mexico City.
Satisfied, the Commodore gave Kit Carson, perhaps the most famous of Frémont’s men, the task of taking his message of conquest to the Secretary of the Navy. The letter noted Stockton was acting Commander-in-Chief. Alta California had been secured for the United States. As military governor, Robert declared martial law until civil authority could be restored. He planned to install Frémont as civil governor. He challenged Carson to make the journey in a record 60 days.
When Carson crossed into New Mexico after almost 1,000 miles and within two days ride of Taos and his wife, they ran into Steven Kearny leading the US Army of the West.
Stephen Kearny 1849 engraving
The general, already famous for protecting wagon trains on the Oregon Trail had marched out of Leavenworth Kentucky with 1,700 Dragoons and had easily captured New Mexico. Accompanied by 300 of his men, Kearney, shocked to learn California had fallen, wanted Kit Carson to abandon his race to DC, and give Stockton’s message to others.
The general forced Carson to miss the visit to his wife and lead his men through the desert back to Los Angeles. Kearny had orders to take California and if he did, install himself as governor. Unfortunately, Stockton had already done so. Kearny sent 220 men back to Santa Fe, assuming there was nothing to fight over, and proceeded through the desert.
While Stockton was in San Francisco, Californios led by Mexican Gov. Pico and General Flores came back to chase Gillespie’s small contingent from Los Angeles. Gillespie had upset the Angelinos almost immediately with a heavy hand, and frivolous arrests. The setback would keep Stockton from leaving for Acapulco.
Stockton sailed to San Diego and ordered Frémont to Santa Barbara with his force of mostly volunteers. He was determined to take Los Angeles back.
Frémont, took horses from a local ranch owner Bernarda Ruiz de Rodriguez. She marched into his hotel and discussed with him the terms that would get the Califonios to lay down their weapons and become Americans. They included getting her commandeered horses back.
Needing still more horses for his men to challenge the horse-savvy vaqueros, Frémont went north toward Monterey to try and secure enough mounts. Stockton waited impatiently for his support.
General Kearny got word to Stockton of his march through the desert. The Commodore sent Gillespie with a regiment out to meet the remaining 80 dragoons.
Kearny, learning that Los Angeles was still being contested readied his men for a fight. He led a poorly conceived charge against a force of Californio cavalry only to have the superior horsemen double back against Kearny’s forces who were largely on untrained mules. Lasooed by one rider, the Americans were pulled to the ground and lanced by the next vaquero.
Lanced in the groin, with many of his men killed, and Gillespie seriously injured, Kearny was pinned down outside San Pasqual and sent Kit Carson and two other men to walk over 100 miles to let Stockton know they needed rescuing. Carson walked barefoot through the desert to avoid detection and met Stockton at 3AM outside of San Diego.
Stockton had Kearny saved and welcomed him to the fight. Kearny, with more current orders from the War Department, wanted control but reluctantly ceded command to a stubborn Stockton.
On the 8th of January, 1847, their combined troops met the Californios at the San Gabriel River near Whittier. Forming a hollow square with the bags, cattle, and wagons in the center, Stockton ran the cannons and Kearny moved the troops. When the vaqueros charged, the guns took them out. Flores' men charged again from another angle and the guns scattered the cavalry.
Pico and Flores were near north Hollywood and wanted to surrender. They knew that since they had broken their word to Stockton, he may have killed them.
Bernarda Ruiz de Rodriguez of Santa Barbara 1877 photo
Bernarda Ruiz de Rodriguez got word to them that Frémont might offer a “generous peace”. Her terms were memorialized in a treaty that would be respected until the US conquered Mexico City in early 1848.
Stockton passed on his command in March after Commodore Shubrick and then Commodore Biddle arrived to continue naval action south of San Diego. Stockton planned his return to the East overland.
He left Frémont as governor, but orders from General Scott arrived in February assigning Kearny governor. Frémont delayed and his men did not want to join the regular army.
After Stockton was on the trail, Kearny had Frémont arrested and marched to Washington DC for a sensational court martial. Frémont was charged with mutiny, insubordination, and other charges for his loyalty to Stockton and for dismissing the Army General’s instructions.
John Frémont, explorer, leader, Governor and US Senator
The case was viewed as a travesty when the legend Frémont was convicted, and Kearny seemed petty and vindictive. A request for leniency by members of the panel to President Polk allowed Frémont to avoid punishment. He became Senator from the new state of California in 1849 and ran for President in 1856 for the new Republican party. Kearny was placed as military governor in Mexico but died of disease in 1848.
In less than three years, Stockton had secured Texas, and now the California territory which included present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. It was second only to the Louisiana Purchase in landmass, and arguably much more valuable territory.
When Stockton’s message reached the east, the Monmouth Democrat noted in 1846, “Commodore Stockton is well known to possess the highest requisites of a distinguished officer, equal to any emergency, and capable of the most brilliant exploit In his conquest of the Californias, the whole country will applaud his energy, decision, and promptness in the great work he has so nobly accomplished.”
Next: The Hero Comes Home