CHAPTER X.

Insurrection of the Californians-Proclamation of General Flores.-Defeat and surrender of Talbot and Gillespie.-Captain Mervine defeated, with the crew of the Savannah.-Com. Stockton defeats the Californians at San Diego.-Defeat of General Kearny at San Pasqual.-The official relations of Com. Stockton and Gen. Kearny.-Movement against Los Angeles.-Battles of the Rio San Gabriel, and the Plains of the Mesa.--Fremont negotiates with General Flores and Andreas Pico. -Fremont appointed Governor, and subsequently tried by Court Martial.-Arrival of Commodore Shubrick, and the confirmation of General Kearny as Governor.-Mexican Governors of California-Foreign Consuls in the Territory.

No sooner had Stockton left Los Angeles for the north, than the Mexican chiefs, indignant and chafed with the knowledge of the smallness of the force before which they had fled so ingloriously, sought to retrieve their tarnished houor. Gen. Flores secretly rallied the fragments of his scattered troops, and suddenly, on the 23d of September, invested Los Angeles with a force overwhelmingly superior to that of the garrison. Capt. Gillespie, who was in command, was obliged to capitulate on the 30th, and was allowed to retire to Monterey. Lieut. Talbot, who had charge of Santa Barbara, was also compelled to evacuate that place, but without surrendering his arms. Intelligence of these successes, greatly exaggerated, was soon spread over the whole country, and almost the entire Mexican population of the southern portion of California rose in arms, to drive the invaders from their soil. Flores, who was chiefly instrumental in fomenting the insurrecrection, issued the following proclamation :

"Mexican Army, Section of Operations, Angeles, October 1st, 1846.

"FELLOW-CITIZENS:-It is a month and a half that, by lamentable fatality, fruit of the cowardice and inability of the first authorities of the department, we behold ourselves subjugated and oppressed by an insignificant force of adventurers of the United States of America, and placing us in a worse condition than that of slaves.

"They are dictating to us despotic and arbitrary laws, and loading us with

contributions and onerous burdens, which have for an object the ruin of our industry and agriculture, and to force us to abandon our property, to be possessed and divided among themselves.

"And shall we be capable to allow ourselves to be subjugated, and to accept, by our silence, the weighty chains of slavery? Shall we permit to be lost the soil inherited from our fathers, which cost them so much blood and so many sacrifices? Shall we make our families victims of the most barbarous slavery? Shall we wait to see our wives violated—our innocent children punished by the American whips-our property sacked-our temples profaned -and, lastly, to drag through an existence full of insult and shame? No! a thousand times no! Countrymen, first death!

"Who of you does not feel his heart beat with violence; who does not feel his blood boil, to contemplate our situation; and who will be the Mexican who will not feel indignant, and who will not rise to take up arms to destroy our oppressors? We believe there is not one so vile and cowardly. With such a motive the majority of the inhabitants of the districts, justly indignant against our tyrants, raise the cry of war, with arms in their hands, and of one accord swear to sustain the following articles :

"1st. We, the inhabitants of the department of California, as members of the great Mexican nation, declare that it is, and has been, our wish to belong to her alone, free and independent.

"2d. Consequently the authorities intended and named by the invading forces of the United States are held null and void.

"3d. All the North Americans, being enemies of Mexico, we swear not to lay down our arms till they are expelled from the Mexican territory.

"4th. All Mexican citizens, from the age of fifteen to sixty, who do not take up arms to forward the present plan, are declared traitors, and under pain of death.

"5th. Every Mexican or foreigner who may directly or indirectly aid the enemies of Mexico will be punished in the same manner.

"6th. The property of the North Americans in the department, who may directly or indirectly have taken part with, or aided the enemies, shall be confiscated and used for the expenses of the war; and their persons shall be taken to the interior of the republic.

"7th. All those who may oppose the present plan will be punished with

arms.

"8th. All the inhabitants of Santa Barbara, and the district of the north, will be invited immediately to adhere to the present plan.

"Camp in Angeles, September 24th, 1846.” [Signed by more than 300 persons.]

"José MA. FLORES.

This proclamation, thus numerously signed, indicated a spirit of the most decisive hostility, and a consciousness of strength, which, considering the small force of the American commander

in-chief, was calculated to alarm him, with the insufficiency of his means to cope with an enemy so superior in numbers. It was now apparent that the work of conquest would have to be repeated, and the most prompt and energetic measures were adopted for that purpose. Stockton proceeded at once to San Francisco, and despatched the frigate Savannah for San Pedro, to reinforce the American garrison at that place. Fremont, then at Sacramento, was ordered to San Francisco, with what force could be collected, and about the 12th of October sailed, with one hundred and sixty volunteers, for Santa Barbara, where he was directed to procure horses, and subsequently to move simultaneously with Stockton upon the enemy at Los Angeles. The Savannah did not arrive at San Pedro till after the defeat and surrender of Talbot and Gillespie. Her crew, however, about three hundred and twenty, though poorly armed, were landed, and under Captain Mervine, attacked a large body of mounted Californians about twelve miles from San Pedro. After a severe engagement, they were repulsed, and retreated with the loss of five killed and six wounded. Several subsequent skirmishes took place, but with no material results.

As soon as Com. Stockton had completed his arrangements for the security of the north, he proceeded in the frigate Congress to the seat of war. Upon his arrival at San Pedro, about the 23d of October, he landed his crew in the face of the enemy, who were in force to the number of eight hundred men. They seemed, however, indisposed for an encounter, and retired into the interior. And in order to give time to Fremont to mount his men and co-operate in the contemplated campaign, as well as on account of the greater security of the anchorage and protection from the storms which prevailed at this season on the coast, and from the impossibility of procuring animals either for food or transportation, (the enemy having driven them all into the interior,) Stockton re-embarked his men and sailed for San Diego. In attempting to enter that harbor, the Congress grounded after crossing the bar, and in such a way that it was necessary to support her with spars. While thus engaged, the Californians attacked the town; but in despite of the necessity of employing a part of his force about the frigate, the commodore landed with