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Battle of Monterey

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Coordinates:36°36′23″N121°53′59″W / 36.60639°N 121.89972°W /36.60639; -121.89972

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1846 battle of the Mexican-American War

For the 1842 incident at Monterey, seeCapture of Monterey. For the battle inMexico, seeBattle of Monterrey.

Battle of Monterey

Part ofConquest of California
Mexican–American War

Officers of Commodore Sloat raise the U.S. flag over Monterey

Date	July 7, 1846
Location	Monterey, California
Result	American victory

Belligerents

United States

Mexico

Commanders and leaders

John D. Sloat
Earl Van Dorn

Mariano Silva

Strength

225 sailors and marines^[1]

Unknown

Casualties and losses

None

v t e Conquest of California
Bear Flag Revolt Sonoma Olómpali Monterey Yerba Buena San Diego Santa Barbara Los Angeles Chino Rancho Domínguez Natividad San Pasqual Santa Clara Río San Gabriel La Mesa Treaty of Cahuenga

v t e Battles of the Mexican–American War
Texas Campaign Thornton Affair Fort Texas Palo Alto Resaca de la Palma California Campaign Monterey Los Angeles Chino Dominguez Rancho Natividad San Pasqual Rio San Gabriel La Mesa New Mexico Campaign Santa Fe Tucson El Brazito Cañada 1st Mora Embudo Pass 2nd Mora Pueblo de Taos Red River Canyon Cienega Creek Northern Mexican Theater Monterrey Buena Vista Sacramento River Santa Cruz de Rosales Mexico City Campaign 1st Veracruz Polkos 2nd Veracruz Cerro Gordo Contreras Churubusco Molino del Rey Chapultepec Mexico City Puebla Huamantla Atlixco Matamoros Galaxara Pass Zacualtipan Pacific Coast Campaign Guaymas Mulegé Punta Sombrero 1st La Paz 2nd La Paz 1st San Jose del Cabo 2nd San Jose del Cabo Todos Santos Mosquito Fleet 1st Tuxpan 2nd Tuxpan 3rd Tuxpan 1st Tabasco 2nd Tabasco

Battles of the
Mexican–American War

Texas Campaign

California Campaign

New Mexico Campaign

Northern Mexican Theater

Mexico City Campaign

Pacific Coast Campaign

Mosquito Fleet

TheBattle of Monterey, atMonterey, California, occurred on 7 July 1846, during theMexican–American War. TheUnited States captured the town unopposed.

Prelude

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In February 1845, at theBattle of Providencia, theCalifornio forces had ousted the Mexican-appointed non-Californio governor,Manuel Micheltorena, and most of his forces fromAlta California. The central government in Mexico City cancelled an attempt to reassert authority and grudgingly recognized the regime of the succeeding Californio governor,Pio Pico, who remained nominally in charge in Alta California.^[1]^: 13

The main forces available to the United States in California were the about 400–500 bluejacket sailors andU.S. Marines on board the five ships of the Navy'sPacific Squadron. In November 1845, CommodoreJohn D. Sloat, commander of the Pacific Squadron, then atMazatlán, Mexico, was joined by theUSS Cyane, which carried orders that if Sloat learned "beyond a doubt" that war between the U.S. and Mexico had begun, he was to seize San Francisco Bay and blockade the other California ports.^[2]^: 98

On 17 May 1846, Commodore Sloat received word of the first open hostilities on the Rio Grande. On 26 May, Sloat received word of theBattle of Palo Alto and theBattle of Resaca de la Palma, upon which he sent a coded message toSecretary of the Navy George Bancroft that he was leaving for California.^[1]^: 167 After delaying his departure, Sloat received news on 7 June that an American squadron had blockaded Vera Cruz.^[2]^: 142 Sloat sailed on thefrigate Savannah on 8 June, arriving at Monterey on 1 July.^[1]^{: 168, 170}

They joined the sloopCyane, which had sailed on 19 June and was already there.^[3]^: 205 There were U.S. fears that the British might try to annex California to satisfy British creditors.^[3]^: 180 The BritishPacific Station's ships off California were stronger in number, guns and men.^[4]^: 199

On 5 July, Sloat received a message from Capt.John B. Montgomery of thePortsmouth in San Francisco Bay reporting the events of theBear Flag Revolt in Sonoma and its open support by Brevet Capt.John C. Frémont.^[2]^: 143 On 6 July, believing Frémont to be acting either on orders from Washington or information that war had been declared, Sloat therefore began to carry out his orders. In a message to Montgomery, Sloat relayed his decision to seize Monterey and ordered the commander to take possession of Yerba Buena (modern-day San Francisco), adding, "I am very anxious to know if Captain Frémont will cooperate with us."^[1]^: 170

Battle

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The U.S. Capture of Monterey by Commodore Sloat

Early on 7 July 1846, thefrigate USSSavannah and the twosloops,USSCyane andUSSLevant of the United States Navy, commanded by CommodoreJohn D. Sloat, captured Monterey and raised the flag of the United States.

Capt.William Mervine of theCyane came ashore with a small party from theSavannah at 7:30 a.m., seeking the surrender of the port from the Mexican commandant, Capt. Mariano Silva.^[1]^: 170 Silva replied that he was "not authorized to surrender the place."^[1]^: 170 In fact, Silva was in command of a nonexistent garrison,^[1]^: 170 as it would have had nogunpowder to use in its fewcannons.^[3]^: 205 Californio GeneralJosé Castro had quartered his cavalry forces inland at San Juan Bautista.^[2]^: 24

At 10 a.m., 225 sailors and marines from Sloat's three warships landed and formed before theCustoms House.^[1]^: 170^[5]Purser Rodman M. Price read Sloat's proclamation and posted it in both English and Spanish, declaring that a state of war existed between the U.S. and Mexico and that "henceforth California would be a portion of the United States."^[1]^: 171^[6]

The only shots fired were a 21-gun salute to the new U.S. flag fired by each of the U.S. Navy ships in the harbor.^[4]^: 252 The British ships observed but took no action. A messenger was sent to General Castro at San Juan Bautista requesting his surrender, which he refused.^[2]^: 144

Aftermath

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The U.S. fleet at anchor in Monterey a year after its capture in June 1847.

Sloat still recognized Mexican real estate titles and church lands.^[1]^: 171 He also establishedjustices of the peace when thealcaldes resigned their offices.^[1]^: 171

Captain Montgomery of thePortsmouth received Sloat's message to seize Yerba Buena on 8 July and sent Lt. Joseph W. Revere toSonoma andSutter's Fort to notify Fremont of the capture of Monterey. Montgomery and 70 men landed shortly before 8:00 a.m. on 9 July to curious onlookers and read the pronouncement at the Customs House.^[1]^: 171 He then replaced theBear Flag, which had been raised on 2 July,^[2]^: 138 with the American flag.^[1]^: 171 The American flag was run up with a21-gun salute.^[1]^: 172 Montgomery then sent Purser James H. Watmough to notify Fremont of the occupation of Yerba Buena and Sloat's request for a meeting.^[1]^: 172

Plaque commemorating the battle, located at Monterey Harbor.

CommodoreRobert F. Stockton arrived at Monterey Bay aboard theCongress on 15 July and took over command from the 65-year-old Sloat.^[1]^: 170^[2]^: 151 The Britishship of the lineCollingwood arrived in Monterey on 23 July, andJuno arrived at Yerba Buena on 11 July, but neither ship interfered in the American activities.^[1]^: 172

On 19 July, Frémont's party entered Monterey. Frémont, having been requested, met with Sloat on board theSavannah. When Sloat learned that Frémont had acted on his own authority (thus raising doubt regarding a war declaration), he retired to his cabin.^[2]^{: 149–151} On 23 July, Frémont was appointedmajor in command of theCalifornia Battalion,^[7]^[8] which he had helped form with his 60-man exploratory force and volunteers from theBear Flag Republic.^[1]^: 173 The California Battalion, which varied from 160 to 428 men,^[9]^[4]^: 253 drew regular army wages and were used to garrison and maintain order in the towns that had surrendered.

The Americans held northern California, but General Castro and Governor Pico planned resistance in the south.^[1]^: 172 However, on 11 August, upon learning of the advance of the American army onPueblo de Los Angeles, with about 1,500 residents, the California army of about 100 men, which lacked money and popular support, broke up. Its leaders, Castro and Pico, departed that day for the Mexican department of Sonora. The Mexican government in California had ceased to exist.^[1]^: 176

References

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^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^uBauer, K.J. (1974).The Mexican War, 1846–1848. New York: Macmillan.ISBN 0803261071.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^hWalker, Dale L. (1999).Bear Flag Rising: The Conquest of California, 1846. New York: Macmillan.ISBN 0312866852.
^^a ^b ^cCleland, Robert Glass (1922).A history of California: the American period. The Macmillan Company. Retrieved6 July 2011.
^^a ^b ^cBancroft, Hubert Howe; Nemos, William; Victor, Frances Fuller (1886).History of California. History Co. Retrieved6 July 2011.
^Symonds, Craig L. (2001).The Naval Institute Historical Atlas of the U. S. Navy. Naval Institute Press.
^Harlow, Neil (1982).California Conquered: The Annexation of a Mexican Province 1846–1850. University of California Press. p. 124.ISBN 0-520-06605-7.
^"Compiled Military Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel John Charles Fremont, California Battalion Regiment". National Archives.Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. RetrievedAugust 2, 2019.
^"Bounty Land Application File of Lieutenant Colonel John C. Fremont, Colonel Percifer Smith's Regiment of U.S. Mounted Rifles". National Archives.Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. RetrievedAugust 2, 2019.
^Denton, Sally (2007).Passion and Principle, John and Jessie Fremont, The Couple whose Power, Politics, and Love Shaped Nineteenth-Century America. New York: Bloomsbury. p. 38.ISBN 978-1-59691-019-5.