Santa Barbara County CA Archives History - Books .....Part II History Of Santa Barbara 1920
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 3, 2006, 5:24 am

Book Title: Santa Barbara And Montecito Past And Present

PART II

History of The Santa Barbara Mission - Spanish Supremacy - Mexican Occupation
-American Acquisition - Early Days in Santa Barbara.

AT THE time of founding the Mission, large tracts of land were acquired, which
were necessary to support the Mission settlement. Some of this land was divided
into ranches to be used for herding stock, and for growing various crops. In
addition to wheat, barley, corn, peas, beans, etc., grapes and other fruits and
vegetables were raised, all under the supervision of the padres.

   By the end of 1787, one year from the founding, one hundred and eighty-five
Indians had been gathered at the Mission. The natives had at first looked upon
the padres with bewildered gaze, but their doubts soon subsided as they found
the missionaries so kindly, and sometimes they came with gifts for the workers.
These attentions were reciprocated on the part of the padres by presents of
sweetmeats, toys and calico. Thus they gradually became friendly, and when the
padres asked them to assist in the work they were doing, the natives consented
and were rewarded with more gifts.

   Little by little more restraint was imposed on them; they were not allowed to
leave the Mission, except for occasional visits, limited to six weeks a year for
each one, and were duly instructed, not only in the religious tenets of the
Church, but in civilized methods of labor and the use of tools. The trades
taught them were those of mason, carpenter, blacksmith, farmer, miller,
shoemaker, tailor, and last but not least, the art of cooking. The making of
adobe bricks was also taught them, and later, how to make roof tiles. The girls
and women learned to spin yarn, weave cloth, and make clothing. They proved
quite adept in acquiring these mechanical arts and before the Mission had been
founded ten years, natives skilled in every ordinary line of industry were to be
found there; such was the patience of the padres. The comforts of civilized
life, the abundant and regular food, soon reconciled the Indians to the
restraint of being confined to a certain settlement, and by preference, they
came to dwell with the missionaries.

   At first they were placed in houses built for the purpose near the Mission.
These dwellings were arranged in regular order facing roadways, and when a road
had a certain number of inhabitants the padres instituted a sort of local
government for them, and a mayor, or alcalde, was appointed to have jurisdiction
over his respective road. Rules were adopted for sanitation, order, and
discipline. It was the policy of the padres to settle the natives finally on a
parcel of land; this was held out as a reward to the faithful and industrious.
Farming implements and stock were provided by which these allotments might be
cultivated, and the native become a self supporting farmer.

   That the Indian might not be defrauded by white traders doing business with
him, the padres selected certain conscientious persons who alone were authorized
to have dealings with them. There is no doubt that the system organized by the
padres for dealing with the Indians not only demonstrated their disinterested
labor, but their philanthropic spirit and warm religious faith and zeal.
  The Indians were divided into squads of laborers. At sunrise the Angelus was
rung, and mass held in the church, after which came the morning meal and the
work of the day began. From eleven until two o'clock there was a recess or
siesta, during which the principal meal of the day was served. In the evening,
an hour before sunset, the Angelus was again rung, and the Indians then had
supper and attended evening devotions, after which they were left to their own
diversions, consisting of games and dancing.

   The relation of the padres to the Indians was paternal; they labored to
develop the moral instinct and taste for labor, and succeeded in teaching them
the main principles of religion in a manner adapted to their comprehension. They
encouraged faithful work in the fields by distributing gifts among the laborers
when the season of gathering crops was ended, and in teaching the Indians
obedience, persuasion rather than coercion was generally used, which resulted in
their condition being much superior to that usual with a subject race.

   The original Mission edifice proving too small for the worshippers, it was
enlarged in 1788 to 15 by 90 feet; also other buildings were erected, including
a large granary. By the end of that year, four hundred and twenty-five Indians
were receiving instruction, and thereafter such was the rate of progress that
the church again proved too small, and in 1792 a still larger and more
substantial adobe structure was commenced, 125 by 25 feet, with a sacristy 15 by
27 feet. This church had a brick portico, was well plastered on its exterior and
interior walls, and roofed with red tiles. It was finished the following year,
at which time the Indians under the care of the padres had increased to five
hundred and forty-nine.

   In this year also occurred the death of Padre Paterna, who had assisted Padre
Lasuen in founding the Mission, and who had been appointed its first priest.

   The growth of the settlement continued without any check, new houses,
granaries and shops being erected from time to time, until at the end of the
century (1800) there were fifty-one dwellings, and the native population had
increased to eight hundred and sixty-four. There were thirty-one houses built in
1801, the same number in 1802, and a tannery. In the latter year, the Mission
possessed 2100 head of cattle, 9082 sheep, 642 horses, and 58 mules. The crops
for that year amounted to 2876 centals (one hundred pounds) of wheat, 40 centals
of barley, 40 centals of corn, and 10 centals of garbanzo (chick peas).

   In 1806, the reservoir northeast of the Mission was constructed, and the
following year a dam was built across Mission Creek, about a mile and a half
above the Mission. The aqueduct was constructed of stone and mortar, following
the contour of the canyon walls, and was a most admirable piece of work; it
delivered the water to the mill reservoir, and from there it passed into the
mill by a gate, from whence, after performing its work of grinding the grain, it
passed into the large reservoir. Consequently, no water was wasted in the
development of the power necessary to grind the wheat and the corn.

   In 1808 the stone fountain in the Mission yard was built, and in 1812
improvements were commenced on the church building, which were never completed,
as on December 21st and 22nd occurred the severest earthquake shocks that this
valley ever experienced; these so injured the walls of the church that it was
considered wiser to build a new church than attempt the repair of the old one in
its shattered condition. The taking down of the old church and the erection of
other buildings occupied the years 1813 and 1814. and the new church was
commenced in 1815.

   This time the church was built of sandstone; its walls are nearly six feet
through, and to guard against any future earthquake, heavy stone buttresses were
constructed at each corner and at intervals along the sides. Its length is 165
feet, width 42 feet, and height outside 30 feet. It was dedicated on September
10th, 1820, and is the most substantially built Mission in California, which
together with the constant labor of the padres, accounts for its splendid state
of preservation at the present day, when most of the other Missions are but
shadows of what they formerly were.

   In a niche over the west door stands a statue of Saint Barbara, sculptured
out of the native sandstone. At each angle and at the apex of the door are
statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, their almost obliterated features showing
the ravages of time.

   The double towers, an outstanding feature of this Mission, are thirty feet
high, and are a solid mass of stone and cement twenty feet square. A narrow
winding stone stairway leads through the left tower to the belfry, where, as in
olden times, the bells call the devout to worship.

   The architecture is of the same general type as that adopted by the
Franciscans for all the more important Missions, and has become a style in
itself. It is a composite of Roman, Byzantine, Moorish and Spanish, modified by
the limitations of its adapters in having to rely on the unskilled efforts of
the Indians. Of late years the "Mission style" has become a generic name in
structural designs for all kinds of buildings, from palatial mansions to railway
depots.

   Adjoining the church on the southwest is a large stone structure 36x240 feet,
two stories high. The facade is supported by eighteen arches of Roman design,
under which is a paved corridor upon which the cloisters open.

  In an angle at the back of the dwelling formed by its junction with the
church, is a beautiful garden, dedicated to the private use of the members of
the Franciscan Order, and from which women are rigidly excluded; only one or two
exceptions, in the case of prominent personages, have been made to this rule. A
view of this garden may, however, be secured from the church tower.

   The east garden is part of the old burying ground, and here lie the remains
of more than 4,000 Indians. In it are also strong concrete vaults, in which are
buried the Franciscans who have died at the Mission. Near the center of the
cemetery is a large Crucifix, embowered in a niche of cypress trees, and there
are also many rare plants and trees, as well as roses, geraniums, and other
flowers.

   The interior of the church at once arrests the visitor's attention. The
length of the nave, exclusive of the choir, is 138 feet, and the breadth, inside
measurement, thirty feet. On the ceiling are some very interesting cedar wood
carvings and designs of original Indian work, Thor's Thunder Bird, or Winged
Lightning, occurring many times.

   Besides the High Altar, which is 12 feet wide and 15 feet high, there are two
chapels and two side altars. The two former, which are near the entrance, are in
small oratories built in the solid walls, which are here twelve feet thick. The
one on the right is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, and over it is a very
large and ancient painting representing Hell. The chapel opposite is dedicated
to St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order, and over this is another very
old painting representing Purgatory. On the right side, next to the chapel of
Our Lady of Sorrows, is an altar dedicated to St. Anthony, and beyond that one
to Our Lady of Guadalupe, over which is a fine oil painting. The altar on the
left side is dedicated to St. Joseph. The fourteen Stations of the Cross are
very old oil paintings brought from Spain in 1793, and the four large oil
paintings on the walls were also brought at the same time. The first, on the
right, represents the Assumption, and that opposite the Crucifixion. The picture
on the right, inside the sanctuary rail, represents Our Lady of the Scapula,
while that on the left is a copy of "The Last Judgment," the original of which
hangs in the Escurial at Madrid, Spain. On the right side of the altar is an oil
painting of "The Descent from the Cross," and on the left a life-size picture of
Jesus. Over the altar is a statue of St. Barbara, while at the back of the altar
are statues of the Virgin and St. Joseph.

   The library, which is situated in the cloisters adjoining the church, with
windows opening upon the arched corridor, contains a valuable collection of old
books sent from different Missions when they were abandoned, among which are
some remarkably fine Spanish manuscripts, containing various records. There are
also a set of surveyors instruments and a telescope, both gifts from the Emperor
Maxmilian to Padre Romo, Superior of the Mission from 1872 to 1884.

   In the curio room, which adjoins the library, in a glass case, are three
large volumes of parchment containing the principal offices of the church as
recited by the Missionaries; these volumes represent years of labor, the
lettering which is large and richly ornamented, being all traced by hand. Also
in this room are preserved the Maniple, Stole, and Burse belonging to Padre
Junipero Serra, and many other relics, including statues, vases ,and two
chandeliers made by the Indians, a writing set belonging to the first Bishop of
California, one of the first Stein-way pianos ever seen in California, a brass
bound walnut writing desk, and chests containing many robes and vestments, made
of the richest materials. There is also a case containing several volumes of
ancient music sung by the Indians, the notes being in different colors, an idea
originating with one of the Padres, after he had tried many other ways of
teaching the Indians to sing.

   The Mission continued to prosper, and grow in wealth and influence, and in
1821 the records show that 4288 Indians had been baptized, and there were 947
settled families of Indians and 483 families of whites. Of stock there were
27,432 head of different kinds, and 14,000 trees had been planted.

   In 1821 Mexico became independent, and California was proclaimed a Mexican
dependency. It at once became involved in the many pronunciamentos and
rebellions that characterized Mexican history down to the time of the occupation
of California by the Americans in 1846.

   Hardly had the Mission been completed than the work of persecution began. In
1822 the Mexican Government, jealous of the power held by the Franciscans,
passed their first law aimed at their destruction, and from this time on, with
short intervals of comparative prosperity, they declined in authority and as
producers of wealth. Their Indians were set free, villages depopulated, revenues
confiscated, and the Mission land parcelled out among Mexicans.

   Early in 1824, a revolt occurred among the Indians, due to discontent and the
complaint that they had to work to feed the soldiers, nothing being paid them
for their labor, aggravated by many petty acts of injustice and cruelty on the
part of the latter, which might have proved formidable had a strong leader been
in command. The prime cause of the outbreak was the punishment of a neophyte by
order of Corporal Cota at Santa Ynez. A conspiracy was formed among the Indians
for revenge, and broke out on Saturday afternoon, February 21st in an attack on
the Mission, which was repulsed, although considerable damage was done to the
buildings. On the same afternoon, the fugitives from Santa Ynez joined the
rebels at Purisima and attacked the Mission there, which after keeping the
Indians at bay all night, was obliged, owing to lack of ammunition, to surrender
in the morning. Four soldiers who had arrived at the Mission on their way to Los
Angeles, and being unaware of the revolt, were killed.

   Word was sent early on Sunday morning by the Santa Ynez rebels to the Indians
of Santa Barbara that they should arm themselves, which they did, and formed in
front of the Mission. Padre Ripoll, upon finding the crowd of excited Indians
all armed with bows and arrows, parleyed with them, and tried to dissuade them
from committing any overt act. They listened respectfully, but still appeared
uneasy owing to the presence of three soldiers armed with muskets; seeing this,
Padre Ripoll invited the crowd to go with him to the guard house, and there
handed to the soldiers an order from Comandante de la Guerra instructing them to
withdraw to the Presidio. As they were marching off, one of the Indians
exclaimed "Let them leave their weapons behind," and some of the neophytes tried
to snatch the guns from the soldiers, two of the three who resisted being
slightly wounded by a cutlass.

   Padre Ripoll accompanied the soldiers to the Presidio, but Comandante de la
Guerra went with a body of troops to punish the Indians at the Mission; they
were received with a volley from firearms and a shower of arrows, and after a
skirmish lasting for three hours, the soldiers were ordered to retire. It is
related by a local descendent of one of those present that de la Guerra retired
from his attack on the Indians due to one of their number through force of habit
having ascended to the belfry in the Mission tower and rung the bell for the
noonday meal; the Comandante then retired to the Presidio for dinner, which must
have been particularly good, since he forgot that a fight was on until advised
by one of his soldiers that the Indians had retired to the mountains, taking
with them all the clothes they could carry from the sacked warehouses of the
Mission. He then sent ten soldiers there, and on the following Tuesday another
squad of soldiers arrived, both parties committing some very cruel murders on
the few aged Indians who had not been able to get away, in addition to breaking
open and sacking the Indian houses, and also taking from the storehouse at the
Mission anything that pleased their fancy.

   In the meantime the fugitives from Santa Barbara, with a few from other
Missions, retreated to the Tulares, and eighty men were sent to bring them back.
Several skirmishes took place during April, but eventually the soldiers returned
to Santa Barbara.

   Another expedition was then organized against the rebels, and this, composed
of sixty-three soldiers and a field piece, set out from Santa Barbara on June
2nd, a detachment of fifty men with a cannon also starting from Monterey at the
same time, the two parties uniting six days later on the plain of the Tulares.
Padre Ripoll had been requested to go with the expedition, but declined as he
did not wish the Indians to see him with the soldiers, but was eventually
persuaded to do so.

   The Indians who were encamped at San Emgidio, now expressed themselves as
willing to return, but were afraid to give up their weapons lest they be
punished; the padres and the commander, however, assured them that all would be
forgotten, and they at length accompanied the soldiers back to Santa Barbara,
where by the end of June, all was again quiet and peaceful.

   A few of the Indians had separated themselves from the main body and fled to
the mountains to join a chief called Valerio (for whom one of the streets in
Santa Barbara is named) and formed a band of outlaws who sallied forth from time
to time to avenge themselves on their persecutors. Some remarkable caves in the
vicinity of the San Marcos Pass are accredited by tradition as having been the
resort of this famous chief and his men, and certain rough paintings found there
are believed to have been the work of those resolute and independent mountaineers.

   Padre Ripoll left Santa Barbara in 1827 at the close of the ten years for
which he had volunteered, as he felt he could no longer remain to witness the
outrages being perpetrated on the Christian Indians.

   Despite the many protests and efforts of the Franciscan padres to prove that
the Indians were not fit subjects for secularization, the first law in this
connection passed the Mexican Congress on August 17, 1833, and other measures
soon followed. Of the ten California Missions secularized in 1834, Santa Barbara
was one. The Californians themselves, however, were the prime instigators of the
ruin of the Missions, as they appear to have compelled Governor Figueroa, then a
very sick man, to put into effect the decrees of August 9th and Nov. 4th 1834,
notwithstanding the fact that the Mexican Government had expressly forbidden this.

   Also the Mexican leaders and politicians looked with envious eyes on the rich
California missions; to secure this wealth they had recourse to the subterfuge
of inciting the Indians to rebellion, and then holding the padres responsible.
In this way they were eventually able to secure the passing of the
above-mentioned decrees, which practically turned the Mission properties over to
the tender mercies of greedy government officials. In the majority of cases,
everything of value was taken, and the lands and stock distributed among the
Indians, to subsequently be taken from them when a suitable opportunity
presented itself, the gentle training of the padres rendering the Indians quite
unfit to trade or barter with the wily officials, who soon defrauded them of the
property turned over to them.

   Owing to the fortunate circumstance that the Franciscan Superior in Mexico
City had sent to Santa Barbara some priests who were natives of Mexico and not
Spanish, this Mission suffered less than the others, for it was not sold, and
remained in the hands of the Franciscans, who never allowed the light upon the
altar to go out. The Mission lost many of its secular possessions and some of
its buildings fell into decay, yet the church and cloisters were preserved, and
other Missions, which were sacked, books and records burned and valuable old
manuscripts used for gun wadding, sent what treasures they could save to Santa
Barbara for safe keeping.

   From 1786, the date of founding, to 1834, when secularization took place, the
Santa Barbara Mission records show that there were 5,679 baptisms, 1,534
marriages, 4,046 deaths. In 1803 was recorded the largestpopulation, namely,
1792. The largest number of stock of all kinds was 16,090 in 1809.

   An inventory of the Mission made in March 1834, by the newly appointed
Commissionado, showed: credits $14,953; buildings $22,936; furniture, tools,
goods in storehouse, vineyards, orchards, corrals and animals $19,690; church
$16,000; sacristy, $1,500; church vestments $4,576; library $152; ranchos
$30,961; with a debt to be deducted of $1,000.

   In 1839, Pope Gregory XVI elevated California to the dignity of a bishopric,
and appointed Padre Francisco Diego Garcia, a Mexican Franciscan, to the See.

   Upon his arrival in 1842, Bishop Garcia made Santa Barbara the headquarters
of his Episcopal See. Like the majority of governments, that of Mexico failed to
keep its promises to the Bishop for the betterment of the Mission and his
diocese, and after some years of useless protest, his grief and mortification of
spirit wore him out, and he died in 1846, being laid to rest near the epistle
side of the main altar.

   In 1843 an effort was made to restore the Mission system in Santa Barbara; it
was, however, too late, as the conditions under which the Mission system could
exist had been completely changed, and could not be restored. Debt covered
nearly all the Mission properties, and their incomes were not sufficient to
maintain public worship and care for the Indians, who, generally, were in a very
sad condition.

   In 1844, according to Padre Duran's report, he kept at Santa Barbara barely
300 Indians, and these with the greatest difficulty. Mr. Hartnell, the official
visitor of Missions, reported that the Missions were almost entirely in ruins,
and could never be brought back to their former state.

   Under a proclamation dated October 28, 1845, regarding the sale of nine
Missions and the leasing of the others, including Santa Barbara, the property of
the latter was leased to Nicholas A. Den and Daniel Hill for an annual rental of
$1,200, the lease covering all the buildings of the Mission excepting the church
and cloisters, and this small sum was all that was available to support the
Bishop, Padres, and such of the Indians as were left. The inventoried valuation
was $20,843, and it comprised over 3,000 head of stock, the San Jose vineyard
north of Goleta (what is now known as the "Sisters Ranch"), the San Marcos Ranch
in the Santa Ynez Valley, and all the store houses, their contents, the shops,
vineyards, orchards, and the tannery in the vicinity of the Mission.

   In 1846, Colonel John C. Fremont came over the mountains by way of the San
Marcos Pass, while the Mexican defenders of Santa Barbara waited in vain to meet
him at the Gaviota Pass. The city was taken without a fight, and thus passed
into the hands of the Americans. From this time the Mission has been free from
any of the annoyances and persecutions which characterized the Mexican rule, but
its great estates were gone and only a tithe of its once wide possessions remains.

  After the death of Bishop Diego, Padre Gonzales Rubio became administrator of
the whole diocese of California, and in 1850 surrendered control of same to the
Right Reverend J. S. Alemany, who made him Vicar-General of the Diocese. During
this administration, in 1853, an effort was made to establish a Franciscan
college for the education of young men for the priesthood in California, and
Bishop Alemany recommended Santa Barbara for that purpose. At a meeting of the
Franciscan Order held June 7, 1853, the Mission was selected as the place for
the establishment of an Apostolic college, and Padre Jimeno of the College of
San Fernando was selected as the first President. He did not consider the
buildings at the Mission suitable for the purpose, so with the approval of the
Bishop he purchased a site in the City of Santa Barbara, and commenced the
erection of an edifice at the corner of State and Figueroa Streets; this was
completed and dedicated on July 23rd, 1854, under the title of the Apostolic
College of the Blessed Virgin of the Seven Sorrows.

   Bishop Alemany's successor was the Right Rev. Thaddeus Amat, who upon his
arrival preferred to have his diocesan residence in the city rather than at the
Mission. After some negotiations, a transfer was made whereby the Mission
buildings, church, orchards, vineyards and other property, passed to the
perpetual use of the Franciscan padres, while the church and residence in the
city became the property of the diocese.

Affairs at the Mission ran on with varying interest until Padre Jose M. Romo,
having received letters patent as Guardian, arrived in January, 1872. He found
the college in need of novices and later made a trip to Mexico in the hope of
being able to secure some candidates there to help him carry on the work in
Santa Barbara. He was unable to do so and returned quite discouraged. His
experience now convinced him that the College at Santa Barbara was too isolated
from other houses of the Order, and not sufficiently strong of itself to make
any satisfactory progress. To remedy this, he wrote to the General of the Order
setting forth the circumstances, and requesting him to have the Mission and
College annexed to some eastern province from which it might receive aid and
members. In response, a delegate named Padre Ferdinand Bergmeyer was sent by the
General, and upon his report being made, a decree was issued changing the
College from its independent state annexing it to the Province of the Sacred of
Jesus, with Provincial headquarters at Louis. This decree was signed at Rome May
5th, 1885. The Mission was then placed in the care of a Commissary who
represented the Provincial at St. Louis, and who, in connection with the Council
at the Mission decided all minor matters that arose.

   On December 4th, 1886, the centennial of the foundation of the Mission was
celebrated. The citizens of Santa Barbara took a whole-souled interest in the
event, and a considerable sum of money was raised for the proper observance of
this important anniversary. There was sufficient left over after the celebration
to make some very necessary repairs to the front of the church and arches of the
church dwelling.

   The connection with the Provincial House at St. Louis proved very beneficial
to the Mission. New enthusiasm was infused into the work of the padres, old
buildings restored, and new ones erected; this union, however, was dissolved
about 1915, and Santa Barbara Mission is now the mother-house of the Franciscan
Province of Santa Barbara of the Pacific Coast, comprising the states of
California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington.

   Although, perhaps unfortunately, much of the influence of the mission system
on the life of California has passed away, yet the padres must be given all
credit for what they accomplished in their own day. The Crusaders of old had an
easy task compared to these paladins of the Cross, who came practically alone
into an unknown country, and introduced there what ha; developed into modern
civilization; they ruled a very large native population with the help of only a
very small body of soldiers; they built up an agricultural system which for many
years was the only source of food supply for the people of Spanish California,
and last but not least, they formed the nucleus of communities which lived their
lives in serene contentment.

   It was no uncommon occurrence for the Mission to purchase an entire cargo of
goods from American traders, and such were their known resources, and the
uniform punctuality and honesty of the padres, that these cargoes were
frequently delivered to them with no other security than their verbal promise to
pay. Indeed, these Franciscan padres, who entered this country clad in their
brown habits with sandals on their feet and the cross in their hands, were men
whose equals in power, courage, and moral intrepidity, it would be difficult to
find in these days.

   In the heydey of their power, one might have looked from the Mission tower
and beheld a landscape covered with flocks and herds grazing on the hills and in
the valleys within his range of vision; orchards laden with fruits, vineyards
purple with grapes, fields yellow with ripening grain, and villages active with
all the pursuits of a widely varied industry would have lain at his feet. Mills,
wherein the grain was converted into meal and flour, tanyards where hundreds of
hides were made into leather, hand looms that wove the wool of thousands of
sheep into blankets and cloth, buildings in which were manufactured pottery of
several kinds, would have spoken of the thrift and good management of the
padres. Fountains would have sparkled in the sunshine, the limpid waters
supplying them flowing through aqueducts of stone from the mountains, coursing
its way to the statue of a bear, through whose open mouth it gurgled with never
failing plenty into a reservoir of solid masonry six feet wide and seventy feet
long. The cellars were filled with good wine, the granaries bursting with corn,
and the gardens carpeted with flowers.

   How is the scene changed! Hill and valley are as beautiful as ever, with the
sweep of the great ocean at their feet as steady and as strong. Cattle still
graze on the foot-hills and the harvests still respond to the appeal of the
laborers who sow and gather them; grapes and oranges ripen in the sun, and
flowers bloom in ever-increasing profusion, but the glory of the Franciscan has
departed, and others reap what he has sown. The Spaniard has been succeeded by
the Mexican, the Mexican supplanted by the American, and the Indian has vanished
altogether from this coast. In the valley, where the devout were gathered by the
bells in the old towers of the Mission to a common worship in its chapel, now
rise the spires of many another church.

   For a comprehensive account of the Mission period of Californian history, the
student is recommended to peruse the four interesting volumes compiled by Padre
Zephyrin Englehardt, of the Franciscan Order.

Spanish Supremacy-1796-1832

   California under the regime of the Spaniards dates from the arrival of Gaspar
de Portola, who afterwards became its first Governor, in 1769. Owing to lack of
supplies of all kinds, and especially foodstuffs, possession of the country was
almost given up on several occasions, in fact, their straits were such that the
soldiers had to depend on the Indians for food, trading their few ragged
garments in exchange. The land and climate were well suited to agricultural
wealth, but the richest land cannot be developed without men, animals, or
machinery to do the work, since the province lacked everything from a plough or
a smith's forge to a piece of cloth or a nail; everything of this nature had to
be imported from New Spain (Mexico) by way of San Blas. One of the best
narratives of this time is an account published by Portola at Madrid on Sept.
4th, 1773. It would appear that until after they had passed the last Mission in
Baja California, the expedition experienced no hardships worthy of mention, and
although Portola took nearly all the supplies in possession of the Mission, yet
he lacked sufficient to reach San Diego, and had to resort to hunting and
fishing, and his party had to go without water for several days. Upon arrival at
San Diego, they learned of the horrors of the voyage of the other half of the
expedition who came by sea.

   A meeting was held, when it was decided to send back the San Antonio to San
Blas for supplies and men, leaving the San Carlos and the sick at San Diego,
while Portola marched in search of Monterey. He took with him the small number
of "skeletons" whom the scurvy, thirst, and hunger had spared, and who were
sufficiently strong for the march. In his narrative, Portola remarked that the
country was composed of rocks, underbrush, and rugged mountains covered with
snow; moreover, he and his men did not know where they were, and their food
sup-plies had given out. They almost felt certain that they had reached
Monterey, and yet, such was their hunger, that they resolved to return to San
Diego, eating on their way, twelve of the mules. To use Portola's quaint phrase,
literally translated, they arrived "smelling of mules."

   The San Antonio, which had sailed for San Blas in July 1769, did not return
to San Diego until late in March, 1770, most of its crew having perished from
scurvy, but despite this fact, Portola and his men derived great benefit from
the cargo of maize, flour, and rice, which they ate with avidity, as a change
from the geese and fish upon which they had had to subsist for over two months.

   It is said that Portola was about to abandon Alta California but was
prevailed upon by Padre Junipero Serra to delay his departure with the result
that the San Antonio was sighted the very day before Portola planned to leave.
There is no doubt Portola was not enthusiastic over the new country especially
after his  forced mule diet, without the aid of salt or other condiment, so it
is probably correct that it was Padre Serra's obstinacy in refusing to leave
which saved the California settlements in their first hour of need. Again
Portola led a force by land, and finally succeeded in erecting establishments at
Monterey after which, in March, 1770 he returned to Mexico.

   Gaspar de Portola was succeeded by Felipe de Barri as Governor of the
Californias, who resided at the quaint town of Loreto, on the Gulf of
California, which was the capital of both provinces, and had the distinction of
being the only Governor who never visited Alta California while under his
control. The actual management of affairs in this province was in the hands of
Pedro Fages, and between this autocratic soldier and Padre Serra there was
continued friction, which resulted in a temporary triumph for the padre in 1774,
when Fages was removed and the command of the upper province placed in the hands
of Rivera y Moncada, who remained in power from May 25, 1774, to Feb. 1775.

   The latter was also a soldier, but much more diplomatic and less aggressive
than his predecessor, and succeeded in getting along very well with the
Father-President by letting him have his own way.

   In August, 1775, the King of Spain ordered that the capital of Baja and Alta
California should be removed from Loreto to Monterey, and that the Governor
should reside there, the Lieutenant-governor residing at Loreto.

   Felipe de Neve, who succeeded Rivera y Moncada,-who had been sent south to
assume the lieutenant-governorship at Loreto-was the first Governor to reside at
the new capital. He presided over the destinies of the province with marked
success until July 12th, 1782. During his governorship, a new arrangement went
into ; effect by which the northwest provinces, including Alta and Baja
California, were joined in a district under a comandante-general, which resulted
in a great deal of local independence for the governor of the upper province. He
was well qualified to carry this responsibility, being naturally of a judicial
mind, and constantly planning measures for the betterment of the people under
his charge.

   He found the representatives of the church, the army, and the civil authority
all striving for the mastery, and by promulgating a codified plan for settling
vexatious questions, he managed to bring a semblance of order into what had
hitherto been a state of chaos.

   During Felipe de Neve's administration, he had a passage-at-arms with the
indomitable Padre Serra, on the subject of the right to administer confirmation
to the Indian neophytes. According to law, this power was limited to bishops,
but Padre Serra felt that it was very unlikely any bishop would visit California
to administer the rite of confirmation to the thousands desiring it, and
therefore he should be granted the power. His persistence succeeded in securing
the grant through the intervention of the Franciscan College of San Fernando in
Mexico City, which he had visited in 1773, and he proceeded to administer
confirmation to large numbers of Indians. Upon the Governor hearing of this, he
issued an order suspending all confirmations, and reported the matter to the
comandante-general, who, knowing of the authority granted to Padre Serra,
ordered the latter to show his papers to de Neve, and settle the matter. This,
however, it was impossible to do, as the papers had been sent to the College of
San Fernando, and the whole matter fizzled out, Governor de Neve being appointed
in 1782 to the position of comandante-general of the northwestern provinces,
which position he only occupied for a few months, before his death.

   Now comes on the scene again the archenemy of Padre Serra, Pedro Fages, who
was appointed Governor July 12, 1782.

   Fages was of little intellectual capacity, though a conscientions and
well-meaning soldier, and the padres found it a fairly easy matter to do what
they wanted, regardless of his wishes. This fact is well set forth by the
circumstances attending the founding of the Channel missions, San Buenaventura,
Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez. Governor de Neve had not opposed the founding of
the first-named, but he did not wish to have two more Missions in that
neighborhood as well, and therefore refused to sanction them unless the system
was so modified as to permit of only a few Indians living at each Mission at a
time, and these only for short periods. This arrangement, however, the padres
did not approve of, and much to Governor de Neve's satisfaction, refused to
build the Missions under these conditions, but Pedro Fages had not been in
office long before the three Channel missions were built, and flourishing under
exactly the same conditions as the older ones.

   When Fages resigned in 1791, Jose Antonio Romeu succeeded him, but the latter
only lived to serve one year, during which time he was too ill to take an active
part in affairs.

   Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga then took charge of California as acting Governor
until 1794, when the new Governor, Diego de Borica came on the scene.

  This Governor is the first man reported to have shown enthusiasm over the
Golden State, he having written to a friend that "one could live better here
than in any court in Europe"; it may have been, however, that he had a more
optimistic disposition than his predecessors, and was one of those people who
could have been comfortable anywhere. In addition to being very popular and
influential he was a good worker, and very like Governor de Neve in his dealings
with the padres, although he did nothing to stop the development of the
Missions. On the contrary, the work, which had proceeded slowly under the two
previous administrations, now took fresh life, and Padre Lasuen, who was now
Father-President, with the help of the Governor, established five new Missions
within two years.

   Governor Borica resigned in 1800, and was succeeded by Jose Joaquin de
Arrillaga, who had previously acted as temporary Governor. During his
administration, which lasted fourteen years, Alta California was made a separate
province, under a decree dated August 29, 1804.

  When Arrillaga was in power, great good feeling existed between the civil and
religious authorities, this being due in a large measure to the Governor
realizing the fact that the Missions were "cornering" the food supply, and that
ere long the whole province would be dependent on them. Some time before the end
of his rule, supplies and money had ceased to come up from Mexico, and the
presidios and settlements were face to face with starvation. As, however, the
Missions were flourishing, and had an ample supply of wheat and other food, and
large numbers of cattle, the Governor took the only course open to him, and
forced the Missions to turn over their surplus, paying them with drafts on the
Spanish government. The padres, of course, objected strenuously at first, but
finally came to see it was the only thing to do, and at the time of the downfall
of the Spaniards, they held worthless paper to the tune of many thousands of
dollars.

   After the death of Governor Arrillaga, in 1814, and until the arrival of
Pablo Vicente de Sola, and tenth and last Spanish Governor of California, in
1815, Comandante Jose Dario Arguella of Santa Barbara, was acting Governor.

   The inauguration of the last of the Spanish Governors of California at
Monterey in 1816, is well worth recording.

   The ceremonies opened with a military display in the plaza, and next came a
reception in the casa real. Twenty beautiful senoritas, representatives of the
famous Californian families, Estudillo, Estrada, Vallejo, and others, kissed the
Governor's hand, and received in return boxes of Mexican sweetmeats. Then
followed a banquet, the tables decked with roses, and laden with all kinds of
fruit, cordials and wines. After an open-air feast for the populace, a bull
versus bear fight was organized on the grand scale.

   Two days later, Sola and his suite, a glittering company of cuirassed
cavaliers and lovely ladies, set forth for San Carlos Mission. They were passing
through a wood, when suddenly there appeared a band of monks attended by Indian
acolytes, followed by padres from all California, bearing upon a platform an
effigy of Christ, and accompanied by many hundred Indians. Sola and his officers
dismounted, kissed the feet of the Christ, and amid the perfume of incense from
censers swung by the acolytes, entered the Mission, where they listened to a
sermon by Padre Amoros. A sham battle by the Indians ended the festivities.

   Governor de Sola had been an officer in the Spanish army, and was unfitted in
a large degree for the difficult task he had to perform, in solving the problems
facing the civil administration.

   It was not until March, 1822 that Governor de Sola heard of the new Empire in
Mexico under Iturbide; he at once called a meeting of his officers and the
Father-President of the Franciscans, to help decide whether they should give
their allegience to the new order. They all decided in favor of the new regime,
and took oath to that effect, the flag of Spain being lowered at the Presidios
throughout California, and that of the Mexican empire raised in its stead,
without any disorder. Fifty three years had passed since Gaspar de Portola had
raised the blood red and yellow flag of Spain, and it fell, as it was raised,
without bloodshed or strife.

Mexican Occupation-1822-1847

   The most notable event arising from the Mexican occupation of California was
the removal of the ban on trading, which caused a great expansion of commerce
and the organization into towns of the military Presidios.
   The decay of the Mission system commenced during the Governorship of Luis
Antonio Arguello in 1825, with the acceptance of the new constitution which was
modelled after that of the United States, and made California a territory of the
new Republic of Mexico. The padres, however, managed to put off the evil day
when they must be deprived of their secular power, and to enjoy the fruits of
their labors for nearly ten years after the establishment of the republic;
although actual secularization did not come until later, the towns had long
succeeded the missions as the dominating factor in the life of the territory.

   Conditions existing in these infant cities were anything but happy; the
advent of republicanism causing much unrest, disorder, and even open rebellion.
Supplies and pay for the army, which had dwindled during the last few years of
Spanish rule, altogether ceased under the republic. Upon the troops stationed in
California fell the full burden of the change in government, and they were
almost reduced to a state of beggary.

   Mexico at this period had the bad habit of sending her surplus criminals to
California, which provoked much antagonism on the part of the inhabitants, and
caused never ending trouble to the authorities. Much bitter feeling began to
arise against the Mexican Government by the native Californians, and this
feeling grew steadily, and really paved the way for the easy acquisition of the
country by the United States in 1847.

   A number of opera bouffe revolutions and powder play battles, in which
casualties hardly ever occurred (excepting a stray horse or mule), took place at
this period, but nothing really stirring happened, the happy and indolent life
of the majority of the Spanish-Californians being the opposite of war and its
attendant horrors.

   Mention of Santa Barbara as the favorite resort of all the Governors of
California is frequently made, and had her claims to become the capital of the
state been adequately represented in March, 1840, when Pio Pico was advocating
Los Angeles for that honor against Monterey, she would doubtless have been
successful, and the politicians would have been able to attend to the business
of the state the year round. It would have meant government under ideal climatic
conditions, and would have made our law-givers progressive, patriotic, and
unselfish representatives of the people. Who knows but that some day in the
future, Santa Barbara will come into her own, and reign as the Capital City of
the State of California?

   Santa Barbara was a great favorite with Jose Figueroa, who was the sixth
Governor of California. His death at San Juan Bautista on September 29th, 1835
was the occasion of impressive funeral rites at Santa Barbara, where he was laid
to rest in a vault at the Mission.

   Following Figueroa's death, Alvarado, a native son of Monterey, organized a
revolution, and advanced on Santa Barbara with one hundred men. The garrison
only mustering thirty ill-armed men, the mayor called the town council together,
and on the advice of Comandante de la Guerra and Padre Duran, accepted him as
Governor. Alvarado was noted for being longheaded; he knew that if Santa Barbara
accepted him, the rest of the State would fall in line, which it did. As a
recompense, he convened the first Californian Congress to meet at Santa Barbara
on April 11th, 1837. There were present besides himself, Jose Antonio de la
Guerra y Noriega, Antonio Buelna, Manuel Jimeno Casarin, Jose Ramon Estrada and
Francisco Xavier Alvarado. The Congress readily approved of all that had been
done, and for the purpose of carrying out the spirit of the arrangement made
with Los Angeles, it decreed that the Governor should prepare and transmit to
the supreme government at Mexico a petition for the reestablishment of the
federal system and the recognition of California as a sovereign federal state,
free to administer its own internal concerns.

   Governor Alvarado had the Mexican habit of writing proclamations and
pronounciamentos, but the most remarkable of these was one issued at Santa
Barbara on July 9th. It is rare to find among these Californian or Mexican
proclamations anything worth preserving; only here and there, as a general rule,
can a few words, or sometimes a paragraph, be found of sufficient interest to
transcribe, and then chiefly on account of its extravagance. Alvarado's paper,
however, besides its value as a historical document, was remarkable as the work
of a native Californian, only twenty-eight years of age, who had substantially
educated himself in secret. Referring to himself as citizen Juan B. Alvarado,
Governor of the Department of Alta California, and addressing all its
inhabitants as fellow-citizens, he said:-

   "Compatriots! Liberty, peace and union are the triune intelligence by which
our destiny is to be governed. Our arms have given us the first; a wise congress
will secure to us the second, and upon ourselves alone depends the third. But
without union there can be no permanent liberty or peace. Let us, therefore,
preserve indissoluble this union-the sacred ark in which lies enshrined our
political redemption. War only against the tyrant! Peace among ourselves!

   "The solidity of a building consists in the union of its parts. A single
stone displaced from one of its arches causes the columns to "topple and
precipates into ruin a fabric, which, if the materials composing it remained
united, might mark the age of time. Such is the effect of disunion upon a
physical edifice. It is in no respect different in its ruinous effect upon the
moral edifice of society.

   "The territory of Alta California is immense in extent. Its coasts are bathed
by the great ocean, which, by placing it in communication with the nations of
the world, give encouragement to our industry and commerce-the fountains of
wealth and abundance. The benignity of our climate, the fertility of our soil,
and, I may be permitted to add, your suavity of manners and excellence of
character, are all so many privileges with which the Omnipotent, in the
distribution of his gifts, has preferred it. What country can enumerate so many
conjoined advantages as ours? Let us see that it occupies as distinguished a
place in history as it occupies upon the map.

  "The constitutional laws of the year '36 guarantees the inviolability of our
rights, and even "extend them beyond our moderate desires. The august chamber of
the nation's representatives is ready to listen to any legislative proposition
we may present to it calculated to promote our well-being and prosperity. Our
votes may avail in favor of the deserving citizen whom we may deem worthy to
fill the supreme national magistracy. And what more can you wish? The same laws
assure us that we will not again become the spoil of the despotism and ambition
of another tyrant like Don Mariano Chico. The Department of Alta California can
henceforth be governed only by a son of its soil or one of its own citizens.

   "Yes, my friends, the enthusiasm and joy caused in you by the promising
outlook is entirely just. I myself feel the same emotions of pleasure. There is
no need any longer to do yourselves the violence of restraining your rejoicing.
Let it have scope and join with me in exclaiming: Long live the nation! Long
live the constitution of the year '36! Long live the congress which sanctioned
it! Long live liberty! Long live union!"

   A brief resume of the various Governors and other public officers who were
identified with California, will serve to illustrate the feeble hold which
Mexico had upon the political affections of so remote and neglected a dependency.

   Pablo Vicente de Sola was the last Californian Governor under the Spanish
flag, and the first under the Mexican. In 1823 he was ordered to Mexico, and
Luis Antonio Arguello was named Governor with all the powers of his predecessor,
and remained so until the arrival of Jose Maria de Echeandia in November, 1825.
Echeandia had command until the arrival of Manuel Victoria, in 1831. Victoria
continued in power until December of that year, when the Californians under
Portilla revolted against his rule, and after a battle which resulted in one
killed and one wounded, the latter being Victoria himself, he, believing that
discretion was the better part of valor, gave up and departed for Mexico.

   At that time Pio Pico was the senior member of the Territorial Department and
by law became Governor pro tempore.

   Echeandia, meanwhile, had remained among his friends at San Diego, probably
expecting some speedy change in political affairs, and with the departure of
Victoria assumed the military command. Both he and Pico continued in office
until the arrival of Jose Figueroa in 1833. He was the most progressive of all
the Mexican Governors, and died in 1835, presumably from overwork. During his
last illness, he delivered the civil command to Jose Castro, and the military to
Nicholas Guiterrez. These remained in office until the arrival of Mariano Chico
on May 3rd, 1836; in August of the same year the latter was sent away by the
Territorial Department, and previous to his departure left the military and
civil command with Guiterrez.

   On the 6th of November, 1836, the Californians, assisted by some foreigners
under Captain Graham, an American, and Captain Coppinger, an Englishman,
revolted against Guiterrez, and the latter was forced to leave the country with
ail his officers except those who had taken part in favor of the natives and
wished to remain.

   Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo played an important part in this revolution, and
became commander of the forces, while his nephew, Juan Bautista Alvarado, was
made civil governor, which positions they held until the arrival of Manuel
Micheltorena in 1842.

   Early in 1845, Micheltorena was sent away by the Californians, after forming
a sort of treaty with them (he being desirous to proceed to Mexico), leaving
Jose Castro with the military command. Pio Pico, who was again the senior member
of the Territorial Department, then became Governor. These two continued in
power, as military and civil heads respectively, until August 10th, 1846.
From October 31st, 1846, to January 11th, 1847, Jose Maria Flores was Governor,
and directed the military operations against the Americans between San Pedro and
Los Angeles. He was succeeded on January 11th, 1847, by Andres Pico, brother of
Pio Pico, who had the distinction of being Commander of the Californian forces
in the field, and Governor of California for two days; on January 13th 1847, he
terminated his career as Governor, and signed the treaty of peace with Colonel
John C. Fremont.

   In 1843, Thomas O. Larkin was appointed the first, and became incidentally
the last, American Consul in California. He also held various other official
appointments under the United States Government up till 1848, when California
was admitted to the Union, becoming an American State, with all its privileges.

American Acquisition

   Although historians differ regarding the respective merits of General Stephen
W. Kearny, Commodore Robert F. Stockton, and Lieutenant Colonel John C. Fremont,
relative to the conquest or acquisition of California by America, looking at it
from an impartial standpoint, it must be conceded that this became an
accomplished fact due in a great measure to the true American dash and
persistency of the "Pathfinder," by which title Lieutenant Colonel Fremont is
almost universally remembered.

   He first became known in connection with scientific and exploring expeditions
to the Rocky Mountains in 1842, and another to Oregon and California in 1843 and
1844, being made Captain in the United States Topographical Engineers in 1844
for his services, and later Lieutenant Colonel.

   Fremont had the good fortune, as a young man, to win the hand of Jessie, a
talented daughter of Thomas H. Benton, United States senator from Missouri. The
latter opposed his daughter's choice, but the young couple were very much in
love, and finally they eloped and were married. Fremont thus became the husband
of a bright woman and the son-in-law of one of the most able and influential
statesmen of his day; and it may have been partly to these connections and the
influences they exerted on his behalf that he owed his rise to the prominent
positions he afterwards occupied.

   Senator Benton had always taken a great interest in California, and had many
schemes in his mind for its acquisition. With far-sighted intelligence, he saw
that the time was coming when the country would somehow be Americanized, and
then there would be a great future in the new State for an enterprising man who
knew how to take advantage of circumstances. His son-in-law was such a man,
young and active, with plenty of assurance and endurance, and besides, a man of
much scientific and general knowledge. There were, of course, defects in his
character, among which was a lack of caution, but nevertheless, he was the right
kind of man for California; he knew the country well, having already been
engaged in explorations of it. The reports of his expeditions, which were very
ably written, were published by the United States Government, and under the
skillful management of Benton, Fremont acquired an almost world-wide reputation.

   Lieut Colonel Fremont, in 1846, had been engaged in topographical survey work
in the Sacramento Valley, when a party of adventurous settlers, chiefly
Americans, revolted against Mexico and raised the standard of the "Bear Flag"
Republic at Sonoma, near San Francisco.

   Overtures were made to Fremont to join forces with them, and although not
openly supporting the revolt, he diplomatically kept in touch with them.

   On the fourteenth of June, 1846, at Sonoma, while Fremont and his men were
encamped near the Buttes, the "Bear Flag" Republic of California came into
being, William B. Ide appointing himself Commander, and issuing a bombastic
proclamation. June 25th saw the arrival of Fremont at Sonoma, and although a
commissioned officer of the United States Army, the revolutionary body on July
4th, named Fremont its Commander, its late Commander Ide becoming a full
private. The "Bear Flag" revolutionaries and Fremont's scouts were now formed
into a force called the "California Battalion" of about two hundred and fifty
strong.

   Fremont and two hundred men marched to Sutter's fort to begin a campaign
against General Castro; after many slight skirmishes in the vicinity of San
Francisco bay, in which Kit Carson, one of Fremont's scouts, distinguished
himself by shooting down three Spanish Californians in retaliation for the
killing of two of the revolutionaries, he spiked ten cannon in the old Presidio
of San Francisco, took the Comandante of the fort prisoner, and made his way to
New Helvetia.

   On his arrival, having received word that Commodore Sloat had hoisted the
American flag and taken possession of Monterey on July 7th, 1846, Fremont
promptly followed suit at New Helvetia, and at the same time severed his
connection with the "Bear Flag" Republic of California. Reaching Monterey,
Commodore Stockton, who succeeded Sloat on July 23rd, accepted a tender of
services from Fremont and his men, and appointed him Major of the newly formed
"California Battalion of Mounted Riflemen," which included scouts and "Bear
Flag" revolutionaries. This command embarked for San Diego, and Stockton sailed
for San Pedro, where he landed his forces. General Castro and Governor Pio Pico
made a show of defence, but on the approach of Fremont and Stockton, who had
joined forces, fled, and on August 13, Los Angeles was occupied.

   Learning a few days afterwards that war had actually broken out between the
United States and Mexico, Stockton immediately declared California to be United
States territory, and settled matters by placing the whole country under martial
law and appointed Fremont its military governor.

   The picturesque appearance of Fremont's irregular cavalry has been frequently
commented on, and its visit to Santa Barbara when Fremont was on his way North
to enroll recruits, is still remembered by one or two of the few remaining
Barbarenos of that time. They state that Fremont's force was composed of fierce
looking frontier trappers dressed in buckskin, many of them Indians, armed with
rifles, bowie knives and revolvers, and mounted on wild looking horses. They
encamped three blocks west of State on Carrillo Street, and Fremont made his
headquarters at the corner of State and East Carrillo St., his officers staying
at the St. Charles Hotel.

   After a brief sojourn, Fremont went north to obtain recruits, and was
successful in enlisting some Walla Walla Indians and Canadian trappers as
American soldiers at twenty-five dollars a month; he then proceeded to San
Francisco where he met Commodore Stockton.

  At the end of September, word reached Stockton that the Spanish Californians
were in revolt, and that Lieut. Gillespie, who had been left in charge at Los
Angeles, had capitulated, having been guaranteed against molestation while he
withdrew with his men to San Pedro and embarked on the merchant ship Vandalia.
His evacuation was followed by that of the small garrison at San Diego. Also, on
September 25th, Lieutenant Talbot, who with ten men had been left in charge at
Santa Barbara, had been called upon to surrender, but although surrounded by a
large body of horsemen, he refused, and during the night escaped to the
mountains. The Californians tried to smoke out the little party by setting fire
to the brush, but fortunately they had taken refuge in a canyon, and after a few
days, a friendly Indian guided them to the San Joaquin Valley. From there they
made their way to Monterey, arriving in a half-starved condition, having
traveled over five hundred miles.

   By this time, all Southern California was up in arms against the invaders,
under the leadership of Jose Maria Flores, who directed the military operations
when Captain Mervine, of the U. S. S. Savannah landed at San Pedro on October
6th. With a force of three hundred and fifty marines he started out to
re-capture Los Angeles, expecting to obtain mounts for his men on the way. The
Californians, however, had denuded the country of horses, although they
themselves were well mounted.

   The Californians were two hundred strong, tnd had one small cannon, which was
trained on the road which the Americans had to traverse. As soon as they came
within range the gun was fired and then quickly hauled out of reach, to be again
fired when the Americans appeared. The elusive tactics of the Californians made
the bravery of the marines-who advanced again and again - of no avail, and
Captain Mervine ordered his men to retire, which they did, carrying with them
the dead and wounded.

   Stockton, on hearing this news, sent Fremont with his men by land to Los
Angeles, and he himself embarked for San Pedro, arriving there on October 23rd.
After endeavoring to obtain horses for his men, without success, and not wishing
to repeat Mervine's experience, he re-embarked, and sailed for San Diego, to
await Fremont, who had stopped at Monterey for recruits.

   A force of over eight hundred men, the largest body of troops seen in
California up to that time, was gathered early in November at San Diego in
preparation for a move on Los Angeles.

   During the progress of these events, early in December, General Stephen W.
Kearny had entered California from New Mexico over the Colorado River. He had
left Santa Fe in command of over three hundred men with orders to proceed to
California, and hold the territory for the United States. On his way to the
coast he met Kit Carson, the famous scout, bearing despatches from Stockton, and
learned from him that California was already in American possession; Carson also
told him that the native Californians were all cowards, and would not fight. On
the strength of this General Kearny sent back to Santa Fe all but one hundred
and twenty of his men.

   Unfortunately, Carson had left Los Angeles on his mission to Washington
before the actual revolt in the south had commenced, and knew mothing of the
disturbances which had broken out there. General Kearny went forward with his
weakened force into the midst of a situation for which he was unprepared, and
was soon brought to a realization of his mistake.

   Captain Andres Pico had been sent by General Flores to harass Stockton at San
Diego, and to keep horses and supplies from the Americans. On the night of
December 5th he encamped with his small body of horsemen at the Indian pueblo of
San Pasqual, in the immediate neighborhood of Kearny's troops, without being
aware of their close proximity, and the American general determined to advance
and drive back what he thought was a band of raiders. His command, and more
especially his animals, were almost exhausted from their trip across the desert,
and in no condition to fight; many of his men were even mounted on mules, but
Kearny was convinced that a demonstration would be sufficient to defeat the
Californians.

   The following morning, December 6th, Kearny with his dragoons, and
Gillespie's men, one hundred and sixty in all, with three guns, prepared to
attack the Californians. It is related that Acting-Lieutenant Beale of
Gillespie's party endeavored to prevent this, on account of the bad condition of
the men and horses, but Kearny paid no attention to him.

   As the first fifteen Americans reached the hilltop overlooking Pico's
encampment, Kearny, with the confidence born of ignorance, ordered a charge,
expecting to see the enemy flee. They certainly did so, but first killed Captain
Johnston, who was commanding the advance guard. The Americans, flushed with what
they thought was success, galloped in reckless pursuit, but soon their weakened
condition began to tell, and the Californians easily outdistanced them.

   Suddenly, the apparently defeated Californians turned on their pursuers, and
as the straggling line of Americans came within reach, the long lances did
deadly work. The firearms carried by the Americans had been discharged in the
first attack, and they had not thought it necessary to reload; sabres and guns
without ammunition in the hands of tired and poorly mounted soldiers were no
match for long sharp lances in the hands of the finest horsemen in the world,
and although the Americans, coming up in numbers, finally drove off the enemy,
eighteen of their men were killed and nineteen more seriously wounded, while the
Californians lost about a dozen wounded. The Americans camped on the field, and
could perhaps claim the day, but it was an empty victory.

  The morning after the battle, Kearny decided to march his weary troops towards
San Diego, but he had not advanced far before he was surrounded by a large body
of Californians, who kept him cooped up for several days. Kit Carson and
Lieutenant Beale managed to get through the enemy's lines to Commodore Stockton
at San Diego, and advised him of the predicament of General Kearny. A relief
force was at once despatched, the Californians retreating on the approach of the
reinforcements, and Kearny's command resumed its march to San Diego, arriving
there on December 12th in a pitiable condition.

   Leaving San Diego on December 29th, Stockton with six hundred men advanced to
recapture Los Angeles. After a skirmish with the enemy at San Gabriel on January
8th, 1847, he engaged in an artillery duel with Flores' men on the outskirts of
the city, and although the Californian cavalry charged repeatedly, they were
finally routed, and Los Angeles entered the following day.

   In the meantime, Fremont had recruited some four hundred and twenty men of
all nationalities, including some reformed Californian horse thieves (it would
seem that reform societies were busy even in those days) and with them left
Monterey on November 17th to aid in the re-conquest of Southern California.

   After several skirmishes of no special interest, San Luis Obispo was
captured, and ex-Comandante Jesus Pico taken prisoner at a ranch near by, and
sentenced to death; however, upon the intercession of his wife and fourteen
children, Fremont pardoned him, much to the disgust of his scouts.

   Without any further incident, Santa Barbara was again entered, no opposition
being offered, as most of the young men had gone to Los Angeles. Fremont gave
his men a week's rest here, and it is related that during his stay a plot was
hatched to kidnap him at a dance given to the officers under his command, but
Comandante de la Guerra hearing of this he forbade it, doubtless fearing
reprisals on the part of Fremont's men in the event of its success.

   Continuing his march from Santa Barbara, January 3rd, 1847, Fremont slowly
advanced, and exchanged shots with a party of Californians at Ventura, without
any casualties, arriving at San Fernando January 8th, the day before Stockton,
who had advanced from San Diego encountering but slight opposition, entered Los
Angeles, where the Stars and Stripes was hoisted, never to be lowered again.

   While in camp at San Fernando, Fremont made preparations for a treaty of
peace with the Californians, due to the efforts of Jesus Pico who had been
sentenced to death and pardoned by Fremont; Pico visited the camp of the
Californians in the hills and repaid his pardon by inducing its leaders to
accept Fremont's terms.

   On the 13th of January, 1847, at a point near the Cahuenga Pass, a treaty was
drawn up for the restoration of peace, and settling the future rights of the
Californians. This bore the signatures of Comandante Andres Pico for the
Californians and Colonel John C. Fremont for the United States; Governor Flores,
and Commodore Stockton as the United States Commander-in-Chief assented, and the
treaty was an accomplished fact.

   Commodore Stockton, in pursuance of instructions which he had communicated to
the Government in September (1846), now appointed Col. Fremont governor of the
territory, and Wm. H. Russell, secretary. It is painful to relate that
unfortunate disputes arose as to the right of Fremont to the high dignity of
governor. General Kearny produced a commission appointing himself to the office.
   His pretensions, however were opposed by both Stockton and Fremont, who
contended that a new train of circumstances had arisen since the produced
commission had been granted. The instructions to General Kearny from the war
department, ("should he conquer the country"), Commodore Stockton considered as
anticipated by himself; and of course the resulting action prescribed by those
instructions contingently, ("to form a civil government,") as devolving on
himself, the real conqueror of the territory. In these views of Stockton, the
Government entirely acquiesced,- so far as respected the approval in mass of his
whole conduct,-the secretary of the navy specially thanking him for anticipating
the wishes of the Government. It is not a little singular, that although the
validity of Stockton's acts was thus sanctioned, yet Colonel Fremont, for
obedience to his orders, was tried by court martial, and convicted of
disobedience to the orders of General Kearny. His sentence was suspension from
the service; but the President, in consideration of his many services and
mitigating circumstances, was pleased to remit the punishment, and ordered him
to be restored to his former rank. Fremont, however, being of the opinion that
he had done no wrong, refused to accept this clemency, and accordingly resigned
his commission, and retired from the American military service. Whatever may
have been the merits of this case, it is certain that Fremont showed himself a
true hero, in his efforts to overthrow the Mexican power in California, and is
deserving of the gratitude of American settlers in that territory. As an
adventurous, persevering and talented explorer, who laid open practicable and
easy paths to a great country that had long been closed against the boldest
pioneers, he deserves the approbation of the civilized world.

   "The Pathfinder" again engaged in exploration work, and once more visited
California in 1849, where he was enthusiastically received. Such was his
popularity that he was elected U. S. Senator for California in 1850, and in 1856
received the nomination for President by the new Republican Party.

   At the outbreak of the Civil War he was appointed Major General of
Volunteers, May 14th, 1861, resigning his command on June 4th. 1864.

   He was appointed Governor of Arizona in 1878, and was placed on the Army
retired list as Major General early in 1890, by special Act of Congress, dying
shortly afterwards, July 13th, 1890.

   Whatever his detractors may say, the fact remains that John C. Fremont freely
contributed his services in adding to the domain of the United States, and he
will always live in the memory of young America as "The Pathfinder," a sobriquet
he earned by his explorations and activities on behalf of his country.

   The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in the beginning of 1848, confirmed the
possession of California to the United States, and ended its history as a
Spanish community. The Spanish Californians might have continued to form the
larger part of the population, like the French in Louisiana, had not the
discovery of gold in the Sacramento brought an overwhelming flood of
treasure-seekers from every land under the sun, until today, very few of the old
school are left.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

SANTA BARBARA AND MONTECITO
PAST AND PRESENT
By
JOHN R. SOUTHWORTH F. R. G. S.
(1920)



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/santabarbara/history/1920/santabar/partiihi456nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 73.5 Kb