Elusive Eden: A New History of California, fourth edition

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE BEAR FLAG REVOLT

AMERICAN INTEREST• 1821 California the northernmost province of Mexico--Mexico declared independence 1811--Spain agreed to release colony 1821• Mexican California dominated by Californios• Rancheros dominated colonial economy, society--Hide and tallow trade most important economic

activity--Handful of British, American merchants in San Diego,

Monterey

• Comandante General José Castro worried about American interest in Cal

--stationed Monterey presidio--chief military official of the province--groomed by last Spanish governor of Alta

California, Pablo Vicente de Solá--interim governor mid-1830s--1842, second in power only to Governor Pío

Pico

• Castro worried about Americans in California--U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

mapping possible train route from Missouri to California

--John C. Frémont's second expedition to Cal--Travelling with cannon, sixty soldiers,

mountain men--Entered Cal spring 1846, exploring Central

Valley

• Frémont went to Monterey for supplies--Visited Castro with American consul Thomas O.

Larkin--Castro assumed stopping off en route to

Oregon--Frémont assumed had Castro's permission to

explore Cal

• Frémont, men initially went north --Camped briefly near San José --February 22 1846 turned south again--Returned to Monterey Bay, turned east at

Salinas River --Stopped at Rancho Alisal--home of American William P. Hartnell

• Gen. Castro not happy--Saw threat in large company of armed

Americans w/in 25 miles of Monterey--Didn't want Americans in settled coastal areas--Sent messenger to Frémont ordering out of

area

• Frémont refused--Moved men to Gavilan Mountains --Fortified position overlooking San Juan

Bautista, main road to Monterey--Raised American flag

• Castro saw as provocative--Stationed troops to watch Frémont --Called on Mexican civilians to repel invaders if

necessary --Few responded--Stand off for 3 days

• Worried Thomas O. Larkin as much as Castro--Arrived 1832 for hide and tallow trade--retained American citizenship--built thriving import/export business, store for

settlers--1843 appointed U.S. consult to Mexico--1845 James K. Polk entrusted as secret agent --Larkin spying on British traders, promoting

American annexation among Californios

• March 6, 1846, Larkin reassured Castro American intentions friendly

--Suggested standoff a misunderstanding• March 8 sent message to Frémont explaining

how to deal with Castro• March 10 Frémont, men left Gavilan

mountains, headed north--March 21 camped at American River near

Sutter's Fort--April 24 headed north to Oregon

OVERLAND SETTLERS • American trappers, traders already entering

province --First Jedediah Smith in 1826--Trapping beavers for William Ashley's Rocky

Mountain Fur Company--Most trapped for season then left--Dozen or so settled in Cal

• 1841 first company of American settlers followed overland trail into Cal

--34 in 1841--38 in 1843--53 in 1844--260 in 1845--William B. Ide party 100+--Attracted to inland valleys above San

Francisco, Sacramento--Some bought land, many "squatted"

• Mexico closed borders to Americans--published notices in Midwestern newspapers --must get Mexican passports first• same pattern in American conquest of Texas,

1830s--Americans declared independence October

1835--Armed battles January, February 1836--in 1846, Mexico still refused to accept Texas

independence

• Authorities in Mexico City ordered Castro to keep Americans out of Cal

--Too few soldiers --Too little control over Mexican officials in Cal--Castro, Pío Pico at odds --Pico civilian governor, located in Los Angeles--Castro in charge of customs house, military at

Monterey--Pico demanded funds, Castro refused--Leaders focused on own battles, not American

threat

• March 1846 Castro began organizing northern defenses

--Governor Pico convinced Castro planning overthrow

--Americans heard Castro planning assault on them

--Rumored Mexicans inspiring Indians to attack Americans at Sonoma

• May 1846 Frémont camped at Klamath Lake --May 8 learned Lt. Archibald Gillespie carrying

message from Pres. Polk--Frémont rode back to meet Gillespie --No written record of conversation--Gillespie's later account differed from

Frémont's

• Gillespie said: Mexican gov'n on verge of declaration of war against U.S.

--Standing orders re Cal --U.S. officials would be "pleased" if events in

Cal pushed Mexico into declaration• Frémont heard: provoke war with Mexico--May 10 Frémont turned south --May 30 took up position near Sutter's Fort--Americans flooded into Frémont's camp

• Americans worried about Indian attacks, Mexican reprisals

--Few had proper passports--Many squatting illegally on Spanish, Mexican

land grants• Frémont launched preemptive attacks on

Native villages--Attacked Maidu villages along Sacramento

River

• June 1846 Castro visited Sonoma--Met with Colonel Mariano Vallejo--commander of northern military district--Castro requisitioned horses for Santa Clara

camp• Alarmed "Zeke" Merritt, Robert Semple,

others at Frémont camp --decided to rustle horses--Americans flocked to Frémont camp to

prepare for battle

• June 10 Merritt group caught up with Mexicans, horses at Cosumnes River

--Took hoses to Sutter's Fort --sent Mexicans to Castro with message• William B. Ide, other Americans clustered at

Sutter's Fort--Castro sure to retaliate--Decided to take Sonoma garrison first

• June 11, 1846, Ide, Merritt, 20 men headed to Sonoma

---American settlers joined along way--Group now 34--June 14 rode into garrison just before daylight

• Colonel Vallejo, handful of soldiers present --Vallejo not opposed to American control--Had discharged garrison --Sent Sem Yeto away--Vallejo welcomed Merritt, Semple, interpreter

William Knight--Offered brandy, treated as social call--Semple drafted capitulation statement, Vallejo

signed

• Americans arrested Vallejo, officers --Arrested brother-in-law, Jacob Leese--Taken to Frémont's camp, then to Sutter's Fort

• THE REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA--Next step crucial--Castro certain to send army to take back

garrison--Ide recommended independence

• Designed and produced flag --Painted image of grizzly bear--One red star in corner--Red stripe across bottom--Flag provided name

• Ide composed declaration of independence --Planned "republican" form of government for

new republic--Peaceful neighbors welcome to join--Noted no support from U.S. government--Sent word to U.S. navy at San Francisco

• Fortified garrison against attack--Rode through countryside taking supplies--w/in week 100 Americans at Sonoma garrison• June 17, 1846, Gen. Castro called on

Californios to repel invaders--Assured peaceful Americans they were safe

• Raised 3 companies to march to Sonoma • Osos, Mexicans battled near present-day town

of Novato --Several Americans, Mexicans killed, injured

• June 20 Frémont camped at American River near Sutter's Fort

--Heard reports of battle at Novato--Combined party of American settlers, Frémont's men rode to

Sonoma--Raised Sonoma defenders to 200--Americans happy to see 90 additional men, including

sharpshooters, mountain men, and famous U.S. Army officer

• Disguised Frémont, company of men rode south to San Francisco

--July 2 took captured Yerba Buena --returned to Sonoma to celebrate 4th of July• July 5, Frémont assumed command of revolt--Called meeting of Bears, offered his leadership--U.S. naval officers from Portsmouth attended--Men enrolled under Frémont --Company later called the "California Battalion"

• Left 50 men at Sonoma, 300 headed for Monterey

--By time reached Monterey, moot point--May 13 1846, U.S. declared war against

Mexico over events in Texas--July 2 Commodore John D. Sloat sailed into

Monterey Bay--July 7 raised American flag--End of the independent republic of California

THE END OF MEXICAN CALIFORNIA• Gen. Castro only raised 160 men at Santa

Clara --No match for Americans from Sonoma,

Monterey• Governor Pico raised army in south--Planned to fight Castro--July Castro, Pico combined forces

• Castro, Pico retreated to Los Angeles--August Mexicans at San Diego overwhelmed

by American forces--August 9, Castro, Pico fled to Mexico--Same time John C. Frémont arrived with

California Battalion

THE AFTERMATH• November 1846 William B. Ide returned to his

ranch on Sacramento River --1850-1852 Ide held various offices in Colusi

County• U.S. promoted Frémont military governor of

California--Refusal to accept orders from Stephen Kearney

got him court-martialed

• Fremont eventually pardoned--Elected U.S. Senator--1856, first presidential candidate of new

Republican Party• 1848 José Castro returned to Monterey--Invited by Col. Richard Mason, military

governor of California --Gesture to smooth over relations between

Americans, Californios

• 1850 Pioneers of California organized annual celebrations of Bear Flag Revolt

--Recalled Osos as heroes--Californios "greasers" • Californios saw differently--1874 Rosalía Vallejo de Leese interviewed--called Osos thieves, rapists, "desperados" --refused to send Indian servants to Frémont

camp

• Natives saw differently--Salvador Vallejo reported Frémont’s men

raped Native women in Napa Valley --Isidora Filomena Solano lost her land,

livestock, all but one of her 8 children--Osos took horses, cattle, equipment belonging

to María Higuera Juárez --Wanted more but Juárez stopped them

"Rodeo Riders"Since California cattle ran wild over thousands of acres of rangeland, the rodeo, an annual roundup, was necessary for sorting out ownership and brand-ing. It became a festive occasion in Mexican California. Bancroft Library.

José CastroA lieutenant colonel in the Mexican army, Castro was addressed as “General” by virtue of his position as comandante general of California. Bancroft Library.

John C. FrémontFew persons have provoked more controversy among historians than John C. Frémont. Self-serving and opportunistic, he also played an important role in the conquest of California in 1846–1847 and was easily elected one of the first United States senators from the state. California State Library.

Route of the Bear Flag PartyThe Bear Flag party captured Castro's horses, then took Sonoma, where the Republic of California was established. Mariano G. Vallejo, his brother, and his brother-in-law were sent to Sutter's Fort as prisoners.

Sonoma PlazaAn early painting of Colonel Mariano Vallejo's compound at Sonoma, which the Bear Flag party seized in June 1846. Bancroft Library.

The Bear FlagThe Bear Flag was raised at Sonoma by William B. Ide's men as the flag of the California Republic. Some accounts state that a green turf was painted under the bear, as in the present state flag of California. Bancroft Library.

Two Mountain MenNot all mountain men wore fringed deerskin clothing, but they were an awesome sight when they rode into Sonoma with Frémont. Mountain men and "floaters" like Ezekiel Merritt made up a large portion of the California Battalion in 1846–1847. Bancroft Library.