San Diego County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter VI Battle Of San Pasqual 1922
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Book Title: City Of San Diego And San Diego County

CHAPTER VI
BATTLE OF SAN PASQUAL

    The battle of San Pasqual was not an important engagement in a military way
and certainly was not of importance because of numbers involved, but it deserves
a place in American history because it signalizes in a manner the seizure of
Alta California from the Californians, or Mexicans. Examination of the available
records and accounts, too, does not provide any great reason to heap laurels
upon the American commander on this occasion; to the contrary the verdict would
seem to be that, although he won a technical victory because the leader of the
Californians fled with his troops at the end, it was a costly victory, decidedly
not one to try to repeat. To San Diego, however, the battle, so-called, has a
special significance because it was the only real battle ever fought in this
county. As this volume is being prepared steps have been taken to mark the
battle field with a memorial, for which the state of California will contribute
a fund.

    The battle was fought in the little San Pasqual valley, in the Northern part
of San Diego County, not very far from Escondido. To this valley, in 1920, came
Owen C. Coy, Ph. D., director of the California Historical Survey Commission, to
whom had been delegated the task of preparing a narrative of the events
connected with the engagment, with special reference to its location and to
determine a way in which the state could suitably mark the site. He came in
connection with a gift received by the state from William G. Henshaw and Ed.
Fletcher of an acre of ground supposed to be the site of the battle and accepted
by California in 1919, in an act which contained a recommendation that the site
be marked in a fit manner. Dr. Coy collected a wealth of material concerning the
fight, and from his able report, printed in 1921, the writer has drawn extensively.

    The American commander at the battle of San Pasqual was Gen. Stephen Watts
Kearny, for whom Camp Kearny, training ground near San Diego of thousands of
young Americans in 1917 and 1918 for service in the Great war, was named. When
the Mexican war began, General Kearny, then a colonel in rank, was made
brigadier-general and placed in command of an expedition composed of volunteers
from various Southwestern States and called the "army of the west," although, as
a matter of fact, it is said that it never contained more than about 400 men.
The leader on the Mexican side was Captain Andres Pico, under orders of General
Flores, commandante of the Californians.

    In July Commodore John D. Sloat had raised the American flag at Monterey and
during the few months immediately following the supremacy of the United States
troops on California soil was generally recognized, except by rather small and
rather scattered bands of native Californians. Pico led one of those bands,
which was hovering at the time not far from San Diego, and to the north of the
city. In its preparations for the war with Mexico the Government had arranged a
plan whereby General Kearny should push overland with his force, take possession
of New Mexico, and then to go ahead with sufficient force to California, there
to co-operate with the United States naval forces in occupation of the coast.
Large discretion in all matters was left to General Kearny, the letter of
instructions from William L. Marcy, Secretary of War, laying emphasis on this
point, one made doubtless with full realization that General Kearny and his men
would have to traverse a country about which, of course, comparatively little
was then known at Washington. In it wild sections and desert areas abounded and
in it at any time the American soldiers might be confronted by hostile forces.
Through such a country, however, these American troops were trained to go for
fighting business, and it appears also that they were as brave a band as ever
started out on a mission of the kind.

    In obedience to his orders Kearny left Leavenworth late in June, occupied
Santa Fe and, it is recorded, finished his occupation of New-Mexico in August.
Then, having received his commission as brigadier-general, he prepared for his
journey overland to the Pacific coast and left Santa Fe with his little "army"
on September 25. Of this journey, as Doctor Coy has written, interesting
accounts are given in the diaries of two aides, Lieut.-Col. W. H. Emory and
Capt. Abraham R. Johnston. The essential facts of the march to what is now San
Diego County are given in General Kearny's official letter of December 12, from
"headquarters. Army of the West, San Diego, Upper California," to Brig.-Gen. R.
Jones, adjutant-general. Although dated the 13th, the letter, it will be
noticed, contains no mention of the battle which then had occurred. It says:

    "As I have previously reported to you I left Santa Fe for this country on
the 25th of September, with 300 of the First Dragoons under Major Sumner. We
crossed to the bank of the Del Norte at Albuquerque (65 miles below Santa Fe)
continuing down on that bank till the 6th of October when we met Mr. Kit Carson,
with a party of 16 men, on his way to Washington City with a mail and papers, an
express from Commodore Stockton and Lieutenent-Colonel Fremont, reporting that
the Californians were already in possession of the Americans under their
command; that the American flag was flying from every important position in the
territory, and that the country was forever free from Mexican control; the war
ended, and peace and harmony established among the people. In consequence of
this information, I directed that 200 dragoons under Major Sumner should remain
in New Mexico and that the other 100, under Captain Moore, should accompany me
to the south, on the right bank of the Del Norte, to the distance of about 230
miles below Santa Fe, when, leaving that river on the 15th October, in about the
33d degree of latitude, we marched westward for the Copper mines, which we
reached on the 18th, and on the 20th reached the river Gila, proceeding down the
Gila, crossing and re-crossing it as often as obstructions in our front rendered
it necessary; on the 11th November reached the Pimos village, about 80 miles
from the settlements in Sonora. We crossed the Colorado about 10 miles below the
mouth of the Gila, and marching near it about 30 miles farther, turned off and
crossed the desert- a distance of about sixty miles-without water or grass. On
the 2d December we reached Warner's rancho (Agua Caliente), the frontier
settlement in California, on the route leading to Sonora. On the 4th we marched
to Mr. Stokes' rancho (San Isabella); and on the 5th were met by a small party
of volunteers, under Captain Gillespie, sent out from San Diego by Commodore
Stockton, to give us what information they possessed of the enemy, 600 or 700 of
whom are now said to be in arms, and in the field throughout the territory,
determined upon opposing the Americans, and resisting their authority in the
country. Encamped that night near another rancho (San Maria) of Mr. Stokes,
about forty miles from San Diego."

     (Editor's note: Modern and accepted spelling of places mentioned in this
report makes "San Isabella" Santa Ysabel and "San Maria" Santa Maria.)

    It was on this very night that the nearness of the hostile Californians was
disclosed, as told in Lieutenant Emory's journal, which says:

    "We arrived at the rancheria after dark, where we heard that enemy was in
force nine miles distant, and, not finding any grass about the rancheria, we
pushed on and encamped in a Canyon, two miles below.

    "A party under Lieutenant Hammond was sent out to reconnoitre the enemy
reported to be near at hand. By some accident, the party was discovered, and the
enemy placed on the 'qui vive'. We were now on the main road to San Diego; all
the 'by-ways' being in our rear, and it was therefore deemed necessary to attack
the enemy and force a passage. About 2 o'clock a. m. the call to horse was
sounded."

    Captain Johnston's journal, under December 4, tells of hearing about the
enemy's nearness, which makes the absence of any such mention in General
Kearny's report the more noticeable.

    While in camp at Warner's General Kearny had sent by Captain Edward Stokes a
letter to Commodore Stockton, saying in part:

    "If you can send a party to open communication with us, on the route to this
place, and to inform us of the state of affairs in California, I wish you would
do so, and as quickly as possible.

    "The fear of this letter falling into Mexican hands prevents me from writing
more.

    "Your express by Mr. Carson was met on the Del Norte, and your mail must
have reached Washington at least ten days since. You might use the bearer, Mr.
Stokes, to conduct your party to this place."

    Commodore Stockton had already planned to send out a party of men under
Captain Gillespie to try to surprise the Californians under Pico, and he seems
to have concluded, on the receipt of Kearny's letter, that it would be well to
join with Kearny in order to increase the chances of overwhelming the enemy. At
any rate, he acted promptly, as shown by the reply he sent to Kearny:

                          "Headquarters, San Diego, Dec. 3, 1846,
                                  half past six o'clock p. m.

    "Sir: I have this moment received your note of yesterday, by Mr. Stokes, and
have ordered Captain Gillespie, with a detachment of mounted riflemen and a
field piece, to your camp without delay.

    Captain Gillespie is well informed in relation to the present state of
things in California, and will give you all needful information. I need not,
therefore, detain him by saying anything on the subject. I will merely state
that I have this evening received information, by two deserters from the rebel
camp, of the arrival of an additional force in this neighborhood of one hundred
men, which in addition to the force previously here, makes their number about
one hundred and fifty.

    "I send with Captain Gillespie, as a guide, one of the deserters, that you
make inquiries of him, and, if you see fit, endeavor to surprise them.

                          "Faithfully, your obedient servant,
                                   "Robert F. Stockton,
   "Commander-in-chief and Governor of the Territory of California."

    As the letter has said, the expedition under Captain Gillespie left that
evening. The captain had with him Captain Samuel Gibson, with a company of
twenty-five volunteers, and ten carbineers from Stockton's flagship, the
Congress, under Edward Fitzgerald Beale, acting lieutenant, of whom more will be
told later, and Midshipman James M. Duncan. It is recorded that this party took
all of the horses in San Diego and a brass piece of the four-pounder variety.
Lariats were attached to drag it over the rough, hard way. It was not until the
second day, indeed, that the Gillespie party met Kearny's force, the juncture
being made at Ballena, between the Santa Ysabel and Santa Maria ranches. That
fact had considerable effect on the Americans. Winter rains in the mountain
sections of San Diego County are by no means conducive to comfort, even in the
days of enclosed automobiles, and it is easy to picture the effect of the
weather on Kearny's command, with men and mounts sore and tired from their long
trip from New Mexico.

    Smythe records the fact that when a council of war was held, after the
forces joined, Lieutenant Beale spoke against an immediate engagement,
suggesting instead, an attempt to surprise the Californians and capture their
horses. Kearny, however, was for action on the line of "surprise" suggested in
Commodore Stockton's letter, by Gillespie, to General Kearny. So, while the main
force went into camp for a miserable night, Kearny sent out a small party to
reconnoitre.

    That party at length reached the little Indian village at San Pasqual. There
was the camp of Captain Pico, commander of the Californians. Dr. Coy says that
this party had come south from Los Angeles originally to try to cut off a force
which was supposed to have left San Diego for Santa Ysabel, but, not finding
that force, had remained near San Diego, making headquarters at San Luis Rey and
Santa Margarita. On the night of December 5, he had gone into camp at San
Pasqual. Doctor Coy believes that by this time he had learned of the departure
of the Gillespie party from San Diego and had directed his own course to try to
cut that party off. At any rate, it appears that Kearny's reconnoitering party
was detected by the Californians and hastily withdrew, returning as fast as
possible to General Kearny's camp. Kearny, on hearing of the presence of the
Californians at San Pasqual, decided to break camp and march upon the enemy.
This description of the order of march is given by Smythe in his chapter on the
battle:

    "First rode an advance guard of twelve men, on the best horses, under Capt.
Abraham R. Johnston. After them came General Kearny with Lieutenants William H.
Emory and William H. Warner, of the engineers, and four or five of their men.
Then Capt. Benjamin D. Moore and Lieutenant Hammond, with about fifty mounted
dragoons. Next Captains Gillespie and Gibson, with twenty volunteers. Then
Lieut. John W. Davidson, in charge of the artillery, with a few dragoons. The
balance of the force, some fifty or sixty men, brought up the rear under Major
Swords."

    The Americans first saw the Californians from the top of a small hill or
rise above the little village of San Pasqual, when the enemy's camp-fires were
still burning. Pico's men were ready for action and when the order to charge was
given and Captain Johnston's men rushed down the slope, the Californians were
drawn up in order. So well mounted were Johnston and his men, in comparison with
the rest of Kearny's force, or at least with those immediately behind, that they
soon were far in advance. The Californians apparently saw this, realized their
advantage and stood fast. As the Americans came near, the Californians fired a
volley and then waited with their lances set.

    Captain Johnston fell dead at the first volley, a bullet having struck his
head, and several others were wounded. That, however, was only the beginning,
for Pico's men were expert with their lances and they began to use them with
deadly effect, the fighting soon resolving itself into a furious hand-to-hand
conflict in which the American advance had serious trouble. Soon, however, the
rest of Kearny's force reached the scene of conflict, and the Californians fled
down the valley, pursued by the Americans. Antonio M. Osio, a California writer,
says, in his "Historia de California," that Pico was merely feigning flight to
draw the Americans out. At any rate, the evidence available indicates that he
was not lacking in generalship: for, when he and his men had gone, about half a
mile, they wheeled and waited to receive the oncoming Americans, again spread
apart by reason of the differences in their mounts-some horses, some mules, and,
doubtless, all worn out. The second engagement, like the first, was brief and
hard fought, and the Americans again got the worst of the encounter. Captain
Moore was killed while fighting Pico himself, two of Pico's men rushing with
their lances when Moore, having broken his sword, tried to use his pistol.
Captain Gillespie was wounded and, it is recorded, was saved from Moore's fate
only by shamming death as he lay on the ground, having been thrown from his
horse. Gen. Kearny himself was wounded twice at this time. It is said that the
Californian who inflicted the wounds spared his life and that while at San Diego
in later and peaceful days Gen. Kearny had his former adversary brought before
him to receive appreciation for his brave and soldierly conduct. Such, it seems,
was the chivalrous spirit of the times-something closely resembling that
ascribed to the knights of long ago. Another such instance is that of Pico's
conduct; he is said to have watched his men carefully to see that none attacked
a foe when unhorsed and helpless.

    The Californians retreated again as soon as Kearny's full force arrived, but
in their retreat took one of the howitzers which the Americans had brought with
them. The mules which drew the gun became unmanageable and raced with the
howitzer to the enemy, who seized both opportunity and cannon.

    Kearny's force then went back to camp and "took stock." The report compiled
was not cheering. He had lost about 20 killed and 15 wounded; his official
report, made later, set the number of American dead at 19, as follows:

    Killed: Captains Johnston and Moore; Lieutenant Hammond; Sergeants Moore and
Whitness; Corporals West and Ramsdale; privates Ashmead, Campbell, Dunlop,
Dalton, Lucky, Repsoll, Gholston, Fiel, and Gregory, of the dragoons, and Booker
of the volunteers; farrier Johnson; and Menard of the engineers.

    Among the wounded was Lieut. Beale, the navy officer.

    None of Pico's men seems to have been killed. Two of his force were taken
prisoner. Several, at least, were wounded, but probably not more than ten or
fifteen. Two days after the fight Gen. Kearny offered in a chivalrous way to
send to Pico's camp Dr. John S. Griffin, surgeon of the American force, to care
for Pico's wounded; but this offer, says Smythe in an account of the affair, was
declined, the Californian's leader declaring, in a spirit of bravado, that he
had no wounded. Incidentally, Dr. Griffin remained for some time in San Diego
when Kearny's men at last reached safety, and cared not only for the wounded of
the American forces but for people of the town who needed medical assistance.

    Lieut. Emory of the engineers wrote thus in his journal concerning the
Americans' plight:

    "Our provisions were exhausted, our horses dead, our mules on their last
legs and our men, now reduced to one-third of their number, were ragged, worn
out by fatigue and emaciated."

    Kearny at first gave orders that the dead should be packed on mules and
carried to San Diego, but it was soon found that there were not enough mules of
service to carry both dead and wounded, so the dead-18 at that time-were buried,
while "a myriad of coyotes" howled about the little band.

    Then the Americans tried to get sadly needed rest, but the night was cold,
the ground damp, hard and rocky. "Sleep was impossible," Emory wrote.

    Meanwhile Capt. H. S. Turner, who had assumed command because of Gen.
Kearny's condition, had sent Lieutenant Godey and two or three men to Commodore
Stockton with this letter:

         Headquarters, Camp near San Pasqual, December 6, 1846. 
Commodore R. F. Stockton, U. S. Navy, San Diego.

    Sir: I have the honor to report to you that at early dawn this morning
General Kearny, with a detachment of the United States Dragoons and Captain
Gillespie's Company of mounted riflemen, had an engagement with a very
considerable Mexican force near this camp.

    We have about eighteen killed and fourteen or fifteen wounded, several so
severely that it may be impracticable to move them for several days. I have to
suggest to you the propriety of dispatching, without delay, a considerable force
to meet us on the road to San Diego via the Soledad and San Bernardo, or some
other means of transporting our wounded to San Diego. We are without provisions,
and in our present situation find it impracticable to obtain cattle from the
ranches in the vicinity.

    General Kearny is among the wounded, but it is hoped not dangerously:
Captains Moore and Johnston, First Dragoons, killed: Lieutenant Hammond, First
Dragoons, dangerously wounded.

    I am, sir, very respectfully.
                         Your obedient servant,
                               H. S. TURNER,
                    Captain, U. S. A., Commanding.

    What Godey did and what Commodore Stockton did in reply to the letter will
be told later.

    Early on the morning of December 7, Kearny, who was not badly wounded,
resumed command and started his battered forces toward San Diego, the
Californians harassing them at every opportunity. They reached the San Bernardo
ranch, however, and there got a few chickens, which were cooked for the wounded.
But no grass was found for the horses and mules, so the Americans, seizing some
cattle which they found there, went on toward the San Bernardo river bed. The
Californians then swept in and captured the cattle which the Americans had just
taken. The Californians also threatened Kearny's men to such a degree that Emory
says the Americans were "convinced that if we attempted any further progress
with the ambulances we must lose our sick and our packs." So camp was made in as
good a position as possible, the decision being to await reinforcements from
Stockton. It appeared to the Americans that the number of Californians was
increasing rapidly. Not knowing, of course, what Godey's fate had been, Kearny
decided to try to send another appeal to Stockton. For this hazardous task three
volunteers were selected. One was Lieutenant Beale, the navy officer, who, it
will be remembered, had been wounded. Another was the redoubtable Kit Carson,
made famous later in volumes of facts and fiction. The third was an Indian,
Panto, no less brave than the others, even though one name must suffice for him,
in this narrative. It was what Senator Benton later described as "a forlorn
hope." Yet these Americans-one a navy officer, living to the highest degree, up
to the traditions of his branch of the service, the second a noted scout, and
the third a humble Indian, doubtless trained in the arts of warfare of that
time-all went at the job like heroes. It was not a great battle, as has been
said before, and it was not vastly important in a military way, but this
incident of the whole affair raised it above the common-place and left in the
swiftly moving scenes of American history a picture of real inspiration. They
started with almost no food, though keenly hungry. They had to get through a
cordon of well trained, acute foes who seemed to know every dimple of the
landscape. Their journey was to be no short one and through cruelly rough and
rock territory of which only the Indian knew much. Yet they went, and gladly,
and won their way to the end. They were men-Americans all.

    Off the three went in the darkness, creeping to the hostile line of
sentinels, squirming so close that they could smell the smoke of the cigarettes
smoked by the hardy and no less brave Californians. The navy officer, Beale, it
is related, at one time thought that secrecy no longer could win and that they
must run and try to dash through. So he pressed Kit Carson with his hand and
whispered his advice. The noted scout, however, whispered back to be patient,
proclaimed his confidence in Providence, which, he said, had served him in
tighter places, and convinced his companion that they would get through. And the
three separated and went to San Diego by different paths. Pick three different
paths "across lots" to San Diego from that spot today, with the advantage of
good roads and with friendly lights shining for miles from a hospitable city.
Imagine three men beating their way in even with all these advantages and place
alongside your mental picture that of these three men. Then you will begin to
realize what they did. For the seventy-five years that have gone by have not
smoothed out greatly that vast roughness; the great earth gashes are just as
deep as those canyons of 1846; the scrubby undergrowth is just as likely to
scratch and tear; while roads have been made and bridges built and sign posts
put up every few miles or so, the way "across lots" is still hard. And the
coyotes still yelp dismally.

    The message went through. Godey got through. Beale got through. Carson got
through. The Indian Panto got through.

    Godey, it seems, gave verbal report, on December 7, having buried his letter
from Kearny when capture seemed imminent. Beale was nearly dead when he arrived
on December 9, and after telling his story went into a delirium. The Indian
Panto had got to San Diego only a short time before Beale. Carson was the last
of the three to arrive. From them all, doubtless, the story was gleaned and
patched together. And Commodore Stockton did all he could. Let us eliminate
details and controversies regarding delay and tempting social affairs which some
say caused delay in relief for Kearny. Stockton sent 215 sailors and marines who
had been drilling on Presidio Hill. They took one field piece. Lieutenant Andrew
F. V. Gray of the Congress was in command. Lieut. Jacob Zeilin was in command of
the marines. It will be noticed that in those days as now, the marines were "on
the job."

    Go back for a moment to Kearny's men. They were eating mule meat, killing
their own mules as needed, and glad to eat that meat. They were besieged, yet by
a gallant foe who proposed and effected exchange of prisoners. They captured a
fat mule from Pico, shot him, cooked him and ate him. Sergeant Cox, wounded,
died and was buried. He had married a pretty girl at Leavenworth, as all the
command knew, and they felt the loss not only for themselves but for the girl
left behind. There was little to cheer them all. Yet the wounded, on whom Doctor
Griffin, the surgeon, worked long and hard, improved rapidly. And General
Kearny, doubtless studying the situation every minute, decided on the night of
December 10 that he could move his force the next day. Doctor Griffin, in fact,
reported that the wounded could stand the attempt. So they lay down for another
night. Let Lieutenant Emory's diary tell the next incident:

    "We were all reposing quietly, but not sleeping, waiting for the break of
day, when we were to go down and give the enemy another defeat. One of the men,
in the part of the camp assigned to my defense, reported that he heard a man
speaking in English. In a few minutes we heard the tramp of a column, followed
by the hail of the sentinel. It was a detachment of 100 tars and eighty marines
under Lieutenant Gray, sent to meet us by Commodore Stockton, from whom we
learned that Lieutenant Beale, Carson and the Indian had arrived safely in San
Diego. The detachment left San Diego on the night of the 9th, cached themselves
during the day of the 10th and joined us on the night of that day. These gallant
fellows busied themselves till day distributing their provisions and clothes to
our naked and hungry people."

    The arrival of the relief force, ably directed, ended the "battle". The
Californians retreated to the north. Kearny's command and the sailors and
marines marched unmolested into San Diego. They arrived on December 12. Picture
the welcome for yourself.

    This practically ended the Mexican war as far as San Diego was concerned.
The official end came about a month later, to be exact, Jan. 13, 1847, when the
treaty of peace was signed by John C. Fremont and Andres Pico, four days after
the battle of San Gabriel.

    There have been many arguments concerning Kearny's judgment. Some historians
have been caustic on adverse criticism. Some have been lenient. A fair verdict
seems to be this: he did his best, perhaps being obliged to depend on advice
which did not turn out to be right.

    The brightest spot of it all, at any rate, was the accomplishment of the
navy men-especially Lieutenant Beale-of Kit Carson and the Indian Panto.

    Doctor Coy's report says that Lieutenant Emory's "exceedingly valuable" map,
made later, was remarkably good, although lacking a scale of miles, and that it
contained "only one serious defect," failure to place accurately the San
Bernardo River. Still, the topography is, as Doctor Coy says, "somewhat
deceiving toc one who has not had opportunity to examine it carefully," as
Doctor Coy did. Doctor Coy concludes thus:

    "Based upon the exceedingly valuable map of Emory and the information
contained in the numerous other contemporary accounts, there can be but little
doubt that the sites of the three engagements can be located with all the
accuracy required in cavalry battles such as these were, and that the land
accepted by the State of California as a gift from William G. Henshaw and Col.
Ed. Fletcher under the provisions of the statutes of 1919, chapter 272, is the
true site of the battle of Dec. 6, 1846."

    "Many methods have been suggested as suitable means of marking this battle
site. Probably the best is that prepared by Col. Ed. Fletcher, one of the donors
of the site, who recommends the construction of a community house built of adobe
and tile, with a suitable boulder marked and placed in a good location in front
of the building, with a tablet calling attention to the event commemorated. An
inscription either upon the boulder or on the walls of the home itself should
give the names of those killed and wounded. Action of this character on the part
of the state would not only mark the spot but also encourage the local people to
care for the surrounding landmarks. Assurance has been given that, should the
state see fit to make a small appropriation toward a suitable memorial, the
remainder would be raised within the county."

    According to records at Fort Rosecrans, sixteen non-commissioned officers
and privates who were killed in the battle of San Pasqual were buried in a
trench at the military cemetery on Point Loma. The San Diego Union of July 18,
1906, tells of the discovery of the old records and continues:

    "It appears that the bodies were temporarily buried on the battlefield and
they were afterwards taken up and buried at Old Town, in a plot of ground
donated for that purpose by J. A. Sutherland. From there the bodies were taken
to Fort Rosecrans military cemetery to the final resting place."

    General Kearny was born in Newark, N. J., August 30, 1794. At the outbreak
of the War of 1812 he was in Columbia University and left to go into the
service. He was promoted for bravery and remained in the army after the war
ended. For his services in the Mexican WTar he received the brevet of
major-general December 6, 1846, and was made Governor of California, holding
that place until the next June. Then he was sent to Mexico and was made military
and civil governor of Vera Cruz. He died at St. Louis, October 31, 1848, of an
illness which had begun in Mexico. He published a "Manual of the Exercise and
Maneuvers of the U. S. Dragoons" in 1837, and "Laws for the Government of the
Territory of New Mexico," in 1846.

    Stockton, like Kearny, was from New Jersey. Also, like Kearny, he was a
student when the War of 1812 began. Stockton was at Princeton, his birthplace,
and entered the service as a midshipman in 1811, while still enrolled at
Princeton. The next year he went to the famous old frigate President and made
several cruises in that ship. Later he commanded 300 sailors in the defense of
Baltimore against the British army, was commended for his work and was promoted
to lieutenant in 1814. The next year he sailed with Decatur and took part in the
war on Algerian pirates. It is recorded that he fought several duels on the
Mediterranean station with British officers and distinguished himself on one
occasion by a bold escape after he had wounded his adversary. Stockton was
commander of the gunboat Princeton when one of its large guns burst and killed
the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Navy and several others, including
President Tyler's father-in-law, in 1844, but a naval court of inquiry promptly
exonerated him; and soon after that disaster he sailed in command of the
Princeton to bear annexation resolutions to the government of Texas. In October,
1846, he was sent to the Pacific to command the Pacific squadron and relieved
Commander Sloat at Monterey. In July, 1846, he assumed command of all American
forces on the Pacific coast and, after organizing his forces, sent Fremont in
the Cyane to San Diego. Meanwhile he marched with a navy brigade upon Los
Angeles, occupying that place, August 13. Trouble with the Indians in the north
compelled him to leave, with the result that the Mexicans in the south took Los
Angeles and San Diego back. Stockton came south, his forces took San Diego back,
and later, having brought all his forces in the south together, Stockton
defeated the Mexicans and took all of California. Kearny and Stockton had a
dispute as to authority, but Stockton's course was upheld. In 1847 he returned
home overland, receiving many honors. For him the town of Stockton in the state
was named. Fort Stockton Boulevard in San Diego was also named to mark his stay
here. Stockton died at Princeton, N. J., October 7, 1866.

    There has been considerable argument over the respective merits of Stockton
and Kearny. In this Stockton seems to have decidedly the better of it. An
interesting contemporary comment on the question was made by William Heath
Davis, who wrote that he regarded Stockton as "the real conqueror of California"
and attached high value to Stockton's ability, foresight and judgment. He
contrasted these attributes with the qualities shown by Kearny in his fight at
San Pasqual and expressed with considerable force his opinion that the "striking
contrast," as he put it, was all in favor of Stockton.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY

THE BIRTHPLACE OF CALIFORNIA
BY
CLARENCE ALAN McGREW
SAN DIEGO

Assisted by a Board of Advisory and Contributing Editors

WITH SELECTED BIOGRAPHY OF ACTORS AND WITNESSES IN THE PERIOD OF THE CITY AND
COUNTY'S GREATEST GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT

VOLUME I
ILLUSTRATED

THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 
1922

Copyright 1922 
The American Historical Society


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