History That Doesn't Suck - 34: Mexican-American War (Part 2): The Pathfinder, the Bear Flag Revolt, y Los Californios

Episode Date: March 4, 2019

“Who the devil is Governor of California?’” This is the story of covert ops, secret orders, fake identities, rebellion, and conquest; this is the story of California’s annexation. John C. “the Pathfinder” Frémont is out on another surveying expedition. But something’s off ... why’s he making trouble with the Californio government? And why is an undercover messenger traveling from DC to Oregon Country to deliver an unwritten, memorized message directly from the President to this simple cartographer? And as John “surveys,” rumors are flying that Britain, France, and the United States all want to annex California. Can Mexico retain it? What about the will of California’s indigenous peoples, or its Spanish-speaking inhabitants, los Californios, who aren’t sure if they still want to be a part of Mexico, but also don’t want to be conquered? Meanwhile, American settlers, called “Los Osos” (the Bears), are revolting and battles are raging as the Mexican-American war comes to the Pacific coast! Looks like it’ll be nothing short of a full-on melee for control of the future Golden State. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kick off an exciting football season with BetMGM, an official sportsbook partner of the National Football League. Yard after yard, down after down, the sportsbook born in Vegas gives you the chance to take action to the end zone and celebrate every highlight reel play. And as an official sportsbook partner of the NFL, BetMGM is the best place to fuel your football fandom on every game day. With a variety of exciting features, BetMGM offers you plenty of seamless ways to jump straight onto the gridiron and to embrace peak sports action. Ready for another season of gridiron glory? What are you waiting for? Get off the bench, into the huddle, and head for the end zone all season long.

Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. Must be 19 years of age or older. Ontario only. Please gamble responsibly. Gambling problem? For free assistance, call the Conax Ontario helpline at 1-866-531-2600.

BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. What did it take to survive an ancient siege? Why was the cult of Dionysus behind so many slave revolts in ancient Rome? What's the tragic history and mythology behind Japan's most haunted ancient forest? We're Jen and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl. Join us to explore ancient history and mythology from a fun, sometimes tipsy, perspective.

Find us at ancienthistoryfangirl.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and as in the classroom, my goal here is to make rigorously researched history come to life as your storyteller. Each episode is the result of laborious research with no agenda other than making the past come to life as you learn. If you'd like to help support this work, receive ad-free episodes, bonus content, and other exclusive perks, I invite you to join the HTDS membership program. Sign up for a 7-day free trial today at htdspodcast.com slash membership,

or click the link in the episode notes. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. Now let's see, where did I leave off last time? Ah, right, the sun's setting, General William Worth has 2,000 men sneaking along Monterey's west side, ascending its foothills when... But as bad as that sounds, the 400 or so Texas Rangers whom William sends to engage the Mexican defenders are soon off the hook. With dust giving way to a stormy night, Mexican forces decide not to pursue this any further. William and his army may camp on the wet mountain without the luxuries of tents,

bedding, or even much food. Nor do William's men dare light any fires. Being within firing range of Mexican artillery, it'd be suicide. September 20th, 1846 is, as our favorite Lieutenant Napoleon Dana will later put it, quote, the most cheerless, comfortless, unhappy night I ever spent. Close quote. I doubt William's men slept well that night at all, but regardless, they're up and advancing at dawn. As they march, Mexican artillery on Independencia Hill opens fire. But it's once the Americans come within reach of the Saltillo Road that Mexican defenses really fire up. You might remember from the end of last week's episode that if Mexican forces lose control of this road, they'll also lose their supply line and become trapped in the city. They can't have that. So it's not surprising that some 2,000 Mexican lancers now charge the Americans. Shots fly from both sides, but Williams' infantry enjoy significant protection as they hide and shoot from behind boulders, trees, and walls.

Next, U.S. artillery join the fray, forcing the Mexican Lancers to take flight. This September 21st morning clash is over within 15 minutes. Estimates vary, but between 32 and 100 Mexican Lancers, including Colonel Juan Najera, are dead. The town is ours, William writes in a letter back to Zach, a.k.a. Old Rough and Ready. Okay, no, far from it, but his point still stands. Mexican General Empudia's army is now trapped. And William's advance only continues. As the day wears on, William sends a few hundred men across a shallow point in the Santa Catarina River that runs along Monterrey's south side. They then attack Mexican fortifications on Federacion Hill.

The hill's defenders unload on the Americans, but can't seem to hit a thing and are compelled to abandon some fortifications as the Americans swarm onto the hilltop. This has a domino effect. The boys in blue now use a left-behind Mexican nine-pounder piece to force all remaining Mexican defenders from Federacion. Damn! Two victories in a day!

I'm sure the Americans are far happier tonight, even if they do have to camp in the rain once again. The next day, September 22nd, William's forces continue to press their advantage as they force defenders on Independencia Hill to flee. They now hoist the stars and stripes over these two hills on the western side of Monterey. The sight terrifies the city's 15,000 inhabitants and exhilarate General Zach Taylor. Oh right, Zach. Let's not forget old rough and ready. Much of the success William's men are seeing are owed to Zach's forces who are racking up far higher casualties as they keep Mexican General Empudia too busy on the city's eastern side to deal with William on the western side. Back on the east side of the city, the fighting quickly

moves from attacking outer forts to street combat. Mexican defenders fire from roofs at the Americans on the narrow streets below. Casualties run into the hundreds, but the bloody and deadly strategy works. Because on September 23rd, William's men on the western side of Monterey descend into the city itself. Yes, General Ampudia now has a two-front battle. Still worse for his defense, Williams' men include Texas Rangers who have experience with urban warfare. Rather than go through the streets

like their counterparts on the other side of Monterey, they avoid exposure in the streets by breaking and cutting down doors, then blowing out the walls of adjoining houses before moving on the roofs to meet Mexican defenders on an even playing field. As the day goes on, Americans on both sides start to employ these methods, squeezing Monterey's defenders into the city's central square. By this point, General Ampudia is worried. The cathedral is now serving as an ammo magazine. Can you imagine what will happen to this city and its inhabitants if an American shell hits it? Further, the prevailing ethic of

the day doesn't forbid invading armies from raping and pillaging a conquered city. Can he really trust the Americans won't follow suit? To the disappointment of some, Ampudia reaches out to old Zack to negotiate a surrender, and in turn, old rough-and-ready disappoints others by accepting the offer. The two generals are pragmatists who see the value in preserving the lives of their men, and frankly, they just aren't callous monsters. Ampudia is permitted to leave the city, and frankly, they just aren't callous monsters. Empudia is permitted to leave the city, and Zack, thinking he's accomplished all President James Polk would want for the sake of leverage, allows for an eight-week ceasefire. Old Zack's men, which include young Jefferson Davis,

who will later become president of the Confederate States of America, and young George Meade, who will later lead Union troops to victory at Gettysburg, now get some rest. But we won't be getting any rest today. It's time to hear about the Mexican-American War's impact on, or rather creation of, my home state of California. Today, we'll see Mexico's Alta California turn into the short-lived California Republic with the bear flag revolt. Then, the territory will become American turf at the expense of the local Californios. I love America, but I have to tell you this is a sadder chapter in which we don't live up to our ideals.

It's a story of controversy, political intrigue, drama, and spiteful rivalries as Americans, Californios, and spiteful rivalries as Americans, Californios, and Mexicans collide. We'll see some familiar faces like the ambitious, controversial explorer John C. Fremont and meet some new ones. In particular, I look forward to introducing you to Mariano Vallejo. So let's leave old Zach with his army in Monterrey, Mexico, and go north to St. Louis, Missouri. We'll get to know John Fremonty, Mexico, and go north to St. Louis, Missouri. We'll get to know John Fremont better, then head west with him from St. Louis to California. But since his expedition starts in 1845, we'll also have to go back a year. You know the drill.

Rewind. Ah, John C. Fremont. We brushed up against him on the Oregon and California trails, but we need to really get to know him to appreciate what's going on today. So let's do that now. Born in Georgia in 1813, this handsome, dark-featured explorer has serious baggage from childhood. See, John's mom, Ann, was less interested in the senior citizen, Revolutionary War officer veteran to whom she was married off at 17 years old, and more into her sexy, age-appropriate French-Canadian tutor,

who shows up and is all, bonjour madame, quel plaisir. But while we might understand Anne's situation, this made John an illegitimate child. Add to that his father dying while John's just a kid and having to watch his single mother go it alone in the 19th century South. And yeah, no wonder John grows up to become a man who will prove his worth, damn the rules, or anyone or anything that dares to stand in his way. In fact, we see that in his marriage to Jesse Benton. She's only the daughter of the powerful U.S. Senator Thomas Benton, whom you might remember from his youthful brawl with Andrew Jackson in the opening of episode 26. Anyhow, the powerful

Missouri legislator wasn't keen on this illegitimate half-foreign upstart courting his daughter. So what did they do? They eloped. Suck on that, Senator. But to be fair, the enmity didn't stick. John's smart and capable, and Tom wasn't about to let his new son-in-law's potential go untapped. So he strongly suggested to then-President John Tyler that the young man should lead the 1842 and 43-44 expeditions to explore Oregon Country and California that we touched on back in episode 30. They're both a success. With his brilliant wife Jessie helping his pros, John's reports become bestsellers, making Mr. Fremont, now dubbed the Pathfinder, an A-list celebrity explorer. Looks like the scrappy, insecure 30-something southerner is ascendant. So now it's 1845. And as we know from past episodes,

mullet-wearing but fun-hating James Polk is our new U.S. president. Remember, he's an expansionist, a manifest destiny God wants America to expand believer. During his one term, James will negotiate the 49th parallel with Britain over Oregon country, and he'll eagerly welcome Texas into the union. James, aka Young Hickory, will, within the following year, attempt to pressure slash bully Mexico into acknowledging a Rio Grande border and selling additional territory, which will lead us into the Mexican-American War, appropriately nicknamed Mr. Polk's War. And it's under this president, John Pathfinder Fremont, undertakes a third expedition out west. Huh, wonder what this administration might want him to do. And I say that half in jest, half in seriousness,

because when James meets with John Fremont in May 1845, both men stay vague in what they write afterward. Same goes for members of the president's cabinet and John's expansionist father-in-law, Senator Tom Benton. In all the meetings setting up this expedition, no one records significant details. Ever. When they die, that knowledge dies with them, leaving future generations to speculate on what was said. Did the U.S. government give John unwritten orders to foment rebellion in Mexico's Alta California? Did it just ask him to keep an eye on things? His official orders do

not call for military action, but it's beyond question that John's meant to do more than survey some rivers. But we'll never know for sure. I know, it sucks, but sometimes that's how history goes. So the famous pathfinder wishes his beloved wife, Jessie, a heartfelt goodbye and sets off almost at once for St. Louis, possibly, likely, with covert orders of some sort. He arrives in the edge of the United States town and has literally hundreds of men desperately plying the celebrity explorer to bring them on his expedition. Given that John's already taken guys from past expeditions, like John's main man, Kit Carson, the competition is fierce. I'm talking reality TV show fierce, like The Bachelor or Dance Moms. In the end, the Pathfinder selects a diverse crew of frontiersmen, including French Canadians

and nine Delaware Indians, 62 in total, traveling via Bent's Fort, the Great Salt Lake, and the Ruby Mountains, you know, places we heard about as the pioneers came west in episodes 30 through 32. They make their way to Sutter's Fort. It's going to take John's expedition until December to get there, so while they trek, let me fill you in on what's going on in Alta California. As we've seen since episode 29, Mexico's government has struggled to really hit its stride since independence in 1821. Leadership is constantly turning over in a seemingly endless internal tug of war between Federalists and Centralists. Add to that its heavy financial problems, and Mexico City really doesn't

have the ability to govern its farthest regions. This means places like Nuevo Mexico and Alta California are mostly left to fend for themselves, and as they do so, trade with America increases. Soon, their economies are oriented more towards the United States than the rest of Mexico. So already developing their own culture, living a semi-independent from Mexico life, and frustrated by the same issues leading Yucatan and, of course, Texas to call for independence, some of the maybe 10,000 to 15,000 Mexicans in Alta California, known as Californios, are contemplating breaking off from Mexico and going it alone. Juan Batista Alvarado even declared California independent back in 1836. That said, let me be perfectly clear. Very few Californios want to be annexed by another country like Britain, France, or the United States. If Californios are going to leave Mexico, and that's not set in stone, Most want California to become an independent, sovereign nation. Period. But with rumors circulating that Britain, France, and especially

the United States are all salivating at the thought of gobbling up California from vulnerable Mexico, some Californians are nervous that conquest is coming. And thanks to the California Trail, there are now some 800 Americans living here. Can they be trusted as tensions are rising between Mexico and the U.S.? Well, Jose Castro and Juan Alvarado, yeah, the guy who went all revolutionary in 1836, certainly don't think so. They overthrow Alta California governor Manuel Michetorena for being too soft on Americans, set up a new government, and gladly try to enforce Mexico City's order to identify Americans living in California without permission from the Mexican government. So this is the situation on the ground as John C. Fremont arrives in California. On December 10th, 1845, he and a small detachment of his 60

men make it to one of our old haunts from episode 31, Sutter's Fort. It takes a few weeks, but the Pathfinder and his men get fresh supplies and are soon on their way to Alta California's capital of Monterey, which, to be clear, is not the Monterey, Mexico that old Zach overtook at the opening of this episode. Got it? Good. Now, despite the souring of Mexican-U.S. relations, things go fairly well in this beautiful coastal city. John first meets with a fellow and important American, Thomas Larkin. Originally from Massachusetts, Thomas is a successful businessman who doubles as America's

sole diplomat or consul in Alta, California. And what did the bearded, buckskin-dressed southerner and the dressed-to-the-nines New Englander discuss? God knows, because like so much of John Fremont's expedition, this discussion is a mostly unrecorded mystery. But I can tell you, Thomas takes John to see Mexican leaders, including one of the guys who just overthrew the government for being too soft on Americans, Comandante Jose Castro. Their conversation goes well enough. As we know, Jose is no fan of Americans, but John tells him he's not here in a military capacity.

He's just surveying and making maps. Well, okay then. Jose lets John and his men stay in California, but they must camp inland and keep their distance from Mexico's coastal settlements. Great. John agrees. There's only one problem. John's line. Come February, John's camping within proximity of San Francisco Bay, about 15 or so miles out from the San Jose mission. He then moves his camp right to the edge of Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, one California rancher reports that John's men stole some of his horses and when confronted, refused to return them. Still another Californian reports three of John's men drunkenly attempted to rape his daughter. Understandably, Condante Jose Castro

is pissed. He sends a letter to the Pathfinder, letting him know his American expedition team is no longer welcome in California. But Mr. I-Play-By-No-man's-rules Fremont won't have it. He and his 60 or so men head to a hill near Monterey and start building a fort. If we are unjustly attacked, we will fight to extremity and refuse quarter, trusting our country to avenge our death, John writes to U.S. Consul Thomas Larkin down in the city below. Jose puts together a force that outnumbers John's three to one, but thankfully no fighting happens. On March 9th, the Pathfinder abandons his defensive position and makes his way back to Sutter's Fort, resupplies, and heads toward Oregon country. Okay, what the hell was that, John? What was going through your head?

None of these actions make sense if you're just drawing maps. So is the rule-breaking, insecure explorer just an impulsive, thoughtless provocateur? Or does he have unwritten orders to make trouble in Alta California? We don't officially know. But having kicked the hornet's nest, John leaves Mexican soil altogether by heading north to Oregon country. Meanwhile, Jose Castro meets with other California leaders,

like the government overthrowing Juan Alvarado, Governor Pio Pico, and the sophisticated, brilliant Colonel Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. On April 17th, the California government decides all naturalized foreigners, that is primarily Americans, can no longer work or own land in the state. And of

course, that decision riles up American settlers. Good grief. Hornets nest indeed. Let's fast forward to May 9th. John meets a messenger at Southern Oregon Country's Klamath Lake. The messenger, Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie, who we are totally calling Archie, left Washington, D.C. with letters and messages for John last November. This is great. It's been almost a year since John left. He needs to know what's going on. Archie, who's fluent in Spanish and has spent weeks in Mexico posing as a whiskey salesman, relates to John the full-on rage in Mexico over Texas joining

the Union. See, you and I know from the last episode that shots have been fired on the Rio Grande, but Archie doesn't, so he can only tell John that war looks very probable. Beyond his own observed intel, he also gives John letters. One from his loving wife, Jessie. Another from his senator father-in-law, which falsely warns of Britain's goal to steal California from America. Yeah, America. That's somewhat telling, isn't it?

There's a letter from Secretary of State James Buchanan and the crowning gem, a message from the president himself which isn't written down. Damn this secretive administration that's smart enough not to leave a paper trail. Archie memorized the message before leaving D.C. and recites it to him, meaning that we can only speculate on what he told John. And speculate I will. Look, presidents don't send unwritten messages with professional spies to simple cartographers. And though John's an impulsive, rule-breaking type, he's too smart to have picked that fight with Jose Castro for no reason. So it seems fair to conclude that President Polk sent John to lay the groundwork for taking California if negotiations with Mexico fail. That might explain John's troublemaking and why he returns to California after this meeting. Perhaps Archie's intel has

convinced him it's time to complete the mission. But before we head south, we have a battle and a slaughter. While camping that night, John's men are attacked in their sleep by Klamath Indians. Some are woken up by the sound of an axe hacking through sleeping French-Canadian Basile La Jeunesse's skull. The fighting starts and ends quickly with three of John's men, hacked in the face Basil, a Delaware named Crane,

and Denny, who's of mixed descent, dying. The next morning, these explorers aren't willing to let this go. They want revenge. Kit Carson and 10 others search out a Klamath village and lay waste to it. To quote Kit, I wished to do them as much damage as I could, so I directed their houses be set on fire.

It was a beautiful sight. Close quote. Beyond destroying the village, they kill 14 people. Archie's quite emotional afterward. By heaven, this is rough work. I'll take care to let them know in Washington about it, he says to John Fremont. Heaven don't come in for much about here just now. And as for Washington, it'll be long enough before we see it again.

Time enough to forget about this, the Pathfinder replies. And this isn't the last of it. The group will massacre more Klamath villages before leaving Oregon country. Kit later describes their carnage, saying, quote, The number killed I cannot say. It was perfect butchery. Close quote. I wish I could call this death and destruction an abnormality, but sadly, such cavalier regard for Indian life remains common as America continues to spread west. Want to learn how you can make smarter decisions with your money? Well, I've got the podcast for you.

I'm Sean Piles, and I host NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. On our show, we help listeners like you make the most of your finances. I sit down with NerdWallet's team of nerds, personal finance experts in credit cards, banking, investing, and more. We answer your real-world money questions and break down the latest personal finance news. The Nerds will give you the clarity you need by cutting through the clutter and misinformation in today's world of personal finance. We don't promote get-rich-quick schemes or hype unrealistic side hustles. Instead, we offer practical knowledge that you can apply in your everyday life. You'll learn about strategies to help you build your wealth,

invest wisely, shop for financial products, and plan for major life events. And you'll walk away with the confidence you need to ensure that your money is always working as hard as you are. So turn to the nerds to answer your real-world money questions and get insights that can help you make the smartest financial decisions for your life. Listen to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Ever wondered what it's like to be in the room with top Al-Qaeda terrorists plotting their next move? Do you want to know how the history of Islamic fundamentalist thought informs the way the world works today? Well then, dear listener, Conflicted is the podcast for you. I trace the epic battles between Muslims and the West.

What are the Houthis' objectives in the Red Sea? It's a lesson to the rest of the Muslim world and the Arab world. Do not trust the Islamists. Hosted by me, Thomas Small, an author and filmmaker, and my good friend, Ayman Deen, an ex-Al-Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy, Conflicted tells stories of the Islamic past and present to help you make sense of the world today. And now Conflicted Season 5 is being cooked up, coming to you very soon.

And in the meantime, you can sign up to our Conflicted community to give you bonus episodes and access to our community hub on Discord. Subscribe to Conflicted wherever you get your podcasts. Soon back in California, John and his crew set up camp along some small hills, or buttes, which are roughly 60 miles north of Sutter's Fort. Feistier American settlers now turn to the Pathfinder for leadership. Word is the Californios might kick them out and are even arming Indians to help in the endeavor. Like a man who, oh, I don't know, receives secret memorized messages from the president delivered all the way across the continent, John stays in the shadows but likely encourages these settlers and frontiersmen, calling themselves Los Osos, or the bears, as a reference to the mighty grizzlies that inhabit the region, to take action. And they do. On June 10th, over a dozen bears intercept a small

Mexican squadron moving 170 horses. Using the element of surprise, the bears subdue them and, apart from leaving a horse for each man, take the whole herd back to John Fremont's camp. Again, how much of this did John direct behind the scenes? We'll never know. But that's nothing compared to the events of June 14, 1846. Early that morning, just over 30 bears strut up to Colonel Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo's home in Sonoma and pound on the front door. I can only imagine what's going through the colonel's mind as he looks at this motley crew of well-armed, poorly to half-dressed bears. But Mariano keeps his cool. In fact, he invites their leaders, which include the less-than-savory Ezekiel Merritt and the more virtuous, tall-and-lanky Kentuckian Robert Simple, to come inside. The handful of rough Americans in

buckskins with flakes of hardened tobacco juice in their beards are conspicuously out of place in Mariano's art-adorned mansion. They awkwardly await Mariano's American brother-in-law, Jacob Lise, who will translate. Upon his arrival, they sit down with the sophisticated, wealthy, cultured, military-dressed Mariano, who now generously shares his alcohol with his aggressors and asks, quote, to what happy circumstance shall I attribute the visit of so many exalted personages. Close quote. Wow, facing off against a group of 30 plus armed guys and he's cracking jokes. Jokes that this non-intellectual crowd don't even get. The bear leaders respond to Mariano

that they are declaring California a republic, independent from Mexico, and as such need to place him under arrest. Now check this out. Mariano responds that if that's the case, he's with them. Same team. Surprised? Like I said, Mariano's no simpleton. He plays chess, not checkers, and in his mind, Mexico is a weight dragging down California. The cosmopolitan Californios has also seen American settlers, like his own brother-in-law, marry into Californio families. A peaceful, multi-ethnic California

isn't beyond the pale in his mind, and if a more powerful nation is going to annex his homeland, he seems to think the United States a better option than France or Britain. So maybe he's just trying to talk his way out of a bad situation. We'll never know for sure, but it's possible Mariano genuinely favors California joining the union. But it doesn't matter. While Mariano agrees to surrender the town of Sonoma and the bear leaders agree not to arrest Mariano, the ruffians outside won't have it. I mean, a peaceful negotiation, no prisoner, and not a shot fired? Despite the high, falutin' talk of liberty, many of the bears came looking for a fight.

And plunder! So if that's not happening, well maybe they'll just sack Mariano's gorgeous house instead. This is where William Eyde intercedes. He addresses his would-be looter fellow bears, calling on them in somewhat biblical terms to maintain their honor. Choose ye this day what you will be. We are robbers or we must be conquerors, he energetically exclaims. Now, if you're scratching your head over the difference between robbers and conquerors, well, I'm with you, but to these guys, being a conqueror is honorable and distinguishable from a base robber.

This little speech actually helps. They will still take Mariano and two of his officers as prisoners, but Williams calmed, or at least shamed, the rabble out of sacking the mansion or the town. I mean, they'll take military supplies and lock up other leaders, but civilians and private property are safe for now. And you know, I can't help wondering what might have happened if they had included Mariano, this influential, bright California leader, rather than arresting him. It wouldn't have legitimized things in the eyes of Mexico, but it might have helped with the semi-autonomous Californios. As it is, when the bears raised their hastily made California Republic flag in Sonoma that same day, Antonio Maria Osio describes the bears as having

simply, quote, decided to camouflage the flag of stars and stripes with a temporary flag, which depicted a brown bear on a white field, close quote. Damn. So this isn't the Lexington Green of 1776. It isn't even Gonzales, Texas of 1835. The bear flag revolt, as it will be known, was best described by William in his impromptu speech. They're conquerors. By the way, future Californians won't think about the bears often, but their crude banner will form the basis for the state flag right into the 21st century. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The bears will continue to overlook and mistreat Mariano. Ten of them take the capable and influential California to Sutter's fort and lock him up.

Mariano hopes that John Fremont will be his salvation, but instead, the explorer reprimands Sutter for letting Mariano walk outside his cell. Now stuck all day in a sweltering, mosquito-infested room, he contracts malaria. When he's released on August 1st, he returns home to his wife and children, nothing but skin and bones, and finds thousands of his cattle slaughtered, hundreds of horses stolen, and squatters on his land. Clearly, his friendship and hospitality

have been rejected by the Bears. But the California Republic is short-lived. Sure, William Ide sent out a Bear Flag Manifo back on June 15th, and more Americans joined the bear's ranks, but nothing says we don't really mean to be an independent republic quite like throwing a big bash to celebrate American independence on the 4th of July. They even have a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The real kicker, though, is that John Fremont moves to form a California battalion to fight in the name of the United States. And I'll remind you, they still have no official word of war, though it and the real U.S. Army are on their way. In fact, just days before the

Bears' 4th of July bash, the 60-gun USS Savannah quietly sailed into Monterey Harbor. Its commander, Commodore John Sloat, has orders to take the Alta California capital of Monterey and then occupy and hold all of the Mexican province as soon as he hears that there's a war on. Instead, the overly cautious, nervous 65-year-old sits in the harbor. Sure, he wants to avoid an embarrassing Tack Jones situation, as you heard about in episode 31, but this is getting ridiculous. He's known about the hostilities between Mexico and the U.S. for weeks. Yet, now in California with orders in hand, he continues to wait around. Finally, on July 6th, U.S. Consul Thomas Larkin comes aboard the Savannah and helps the dithering Commodore come up with a plan to take Monterey. They draft a perhaps unintentionally but nonetheless

condescending letter inviting Condante Castro to head up the welcoming committee for the invading Americans. It reads, quote, I beg your excellency to feel assured that although I come in arms with a powerful force, I come as the best friend of California, and I invite your excellency to meet me at Monterey, that I may satisfy you and the people of that fact. Without giving Jose Castro time to refuse their hubris-laden offer, Commodore Sloat goes ashore to raise old glory on July 7, 1846. He would have respectfully lowered the Mexican flag, but the ambivalent Temexico Californios haven't bothered to fly that in months and can't even find a spare Mexican flag in their fort's storage closet.

Or junk drawer. I mean, come on, we all have one, right? After the shorter-than-expected flag ceremony, well-connected consul Thomas quickly sends a message to John the Pathfinder Fremont to come to Monterey and join the action. On July 15th, when aging Commodore Sloat's replacement, Commodore Robert Stockton, sails into the bay, there's plenty of action to be had. This eager for glory, energetic naval officer, known as Fighting Bob to his friends, has every intention of conquering California. All of it. In early July, Fighting Bob puts his plan to take the small but important Southern California city of Los Angeles into play.

To put it bluntly, he says, quote, this country has been trifled with long enough. Close quote. All right then, don't beat around the bush, Fightin' Bob. The Commodore gets a ship to take the Pathfinder and his 250 men down to San Diego. On July 25, 1846, the newly promoted, now major, John Fremont and his California battalion sail south along the Pacific coast, arriving at San Diego three days later. The leaders of San Diego, and by leaders I of course mean the wealthy, welcome John and other Americans and help them gather horses and supplies to march on LA. But like the case with Mariano, this situation begs the question, if San Diego's Californios are so eager to help the Americans,

why doesn't John see if they can sort out a diplomatic arrangement with Los Angeles' Californios? Feels like a missed opportunity, especially since he asks the San Diego leaders to use their influence with their friends and neighbors, quote, to obtain quiet possession of the territory. But missed opportunity or not, John's play works. The Pathfinder quickly begins marching the 120 miles to LA. Along the way, he joins up with fighting Bob's force of 350 men about 20 miles south of the City of Angels. The two military commanders anticipate meeting significant resistance, but that's not the case at all. The now a general, Jose Castro, might have defended LA, but lacking support from Mexico City, he gives up and heads south to Sonora. On September 13, 1846, the Americans march into the defenseless city with flags waving and their brass band playing loudly. John says the entry is, quote,

like a parade of home guards rather than an enemy taking possession of a conquered town, close quote. Assuming he's accurate, it again seems like the bent-on military glory Americans are letting opportunity to make a deal with the somewhat pro-American Californios go to waste. And overnight, Fighting Bob sets up an American government in LA, declaring himself temporary governor of California. But he wants to go conquer more Mexican territory for the US, so he quickly promises his new right-hand man, John Fremont, quote, I will meet you in San Francisco and place you as governor of California, close quote. Now, before handing over the governor's reins to the Pathfinder, Bob appoints recently promoted

captain Archie Gillespie as alcalde in Los Angeles. And Archie is very much alone in this new position. Bob's sailing up to Monterey, John's going to Sacramento, and Kit Carson's heading east to Santa Fe to deliver news of American victories. Sadly, the inexperienced American alcalde, if that's even a thing, quickly oversteps by imposing several style-cramping rules, including a curfew, and completely destroys any goodwill with the welcoming Californios. The more heavy-handed that drunk-with-power Archie is, the more frustrated the Californios become. They don't want American despots any more than they want Mexican ones. Soon, two Mexican military leaders, General Andres Pico, brother of former governor Pio Pico, and Captain Jose Maria Flores, raised troops in the countryside to overthrow the

despised Archie and his American troops. On September 23, 1846, the now 300-strong band of independent Californios lay siege to the American garrison. Archie fends them off for a couple of days, but with fewer than 50 guys in the fort, he's hopelessly outnumbered. Archie and the gang realize they can't wait for backup and surrender to the Californios. He and his men march to the nearby port of San Pedro and hop aboard an American ship anchored in the bay. Riding the high of victory, Flores and Pico's men keep fighting and within weeks, they gain control of San Diego as well. But when the energetic Commodore fighting Bob hears news of the loss of Los Angeles and San Diego, he's pissed. He sails down the coast, hooks up with Archie's

forces, and together they move to retake the cities. The motivated and well-organized Californios put up a great fight, and the Commodore realizes he's going to need more men if he wants any chance of retaking San Diego and LA. He asks John Fremont to come join the fight, but independent John isn't really in team player mode. He refuses. By the skin of his teeth, fighting Bob and Archie barely managed to regain a foothold in San Diego. But help is on the way. There's an American army on the road to California right now, and this force has enough manpower to turn the tide in favor of U.S. forces here on the Pacific coast. We don't want to miss any of the action they've seen, so let's go back a few months to get to know their leader and follow their mission. You know how we do that. Rewind.

Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity to become the most powerful and significant figure in modern history. Over 200 years after his death, people are still debating his legacy. He was a man of contradictions, a tyrant and a reformer, a liberator and an oppressor, a revolutionary and a reactionary. His biography reads like a novel, and his influence is almost beyond measure. I'm Everett Rumage, host of the Age of Napoleon podcast, and every month I delve into the turbulent life and times of one of the greatest characters in history, and explore the world that shaped him in all its glory and tragedy. It's a story of great battles and campaigns, political intrigue, and massive social and

economic change, but it's also a story about people, populated with remarkable characters. I hope you'll join me as I examine this fascinating era of history. Find The Age of Napoleon wherever you get your podcasts. MinuteEarth podcast. Every episode of the show dives deep into a science question you might not even know you had, but once you hear the answer, you'll want to share it with everyone you know. Why do rivers curve? Why did the T-Rex have such tiny arms? And why do so many more kids need glasses now than they used to? Spoiler alert, it isn't screen time. Our team of scientists digs into the research and breaks it down into a short, entertaining explanation, jam-packed with science facts and terrible puns. Subscribe to MinuteEarth wherever you like to listen. On May 14, 1846, the day after Congress declared war on Mexico,

chomping at the bit, President James Polk sends new orders to Colonel Stephen Watts Kearney, stationed at Fort Leavensworth, Kansas. In the official correspondence, the commander-in-chief orders Stephen and his men to march down the Santa Fe Trail and capture the Nuevo Mexico provincial capital, Santa Fe. After that, Stephen should keep heading west across uncharted terrain to California and wrest that province from Mexican control. No sweat, right? Well, since they'll be marching across the future U.S. states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California, I think there's going to be a little bit of sweating.

But career Army man Stephen is up to the task. The tall, blue-eyed Columbia College graduate is known as the father of cavalry and has been the commander of the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army for the last 10 years. One newspaper reporter describes 52-year-old Stephen as, quote, the cool, brave, and energetic soldier, close quote. The reporter isn't exaggerating. The capable colonel whips into shape an army of nearly 2,000 men, and on June 26, 1846, the newly minted Army of the West heads southwest from Fort Leavensworth down the Santa Fe Trail. When they reach Santa Fe nearly two months later, Stephen finds that the Mexican

comandante has hightailed it out of town. In the absence of a Mexican governor, General Stephen wastes no time setting up American control. After arriving on August 18, 1846, the forceful and commanding American makes a canned speech, officially annexing the province of Nuevo Mexico into the U.S. He declares, quote, I have come amongst you by the orders of my government to take possession of your country and extend over it the laws of the United States. Close quote. Then Stephen puts scared Catholic Mexicans fierce to rest, proclaiming the American army to be, quote,

Well, the Mexicans might not buy the pie crust promises of this gringo, but they aren't about to cross him. Charming and well-spoken Stephen turns cold at the end of his speech by threatening that, quote, He who promises to be quiet but is found in arms against me, I will hang. Close quote. And with that threat ringing in their ears, Mexican citizens in Santa Fe and the surrounding settlements submit to American rule without a shot fired. In the long-held tradition of American military men,

Stevens' guys spend the night celebrating their easy victory by drinking. A lot. Exhausted from the march, Captain Philip Cook complains that, The tavern and saloons were overrun by the hungry and thirsty volunteers, and at last I had to drive them all out. After midnight, I lay down on my cloak in the main hall of the palace, and there, with my saddle for a pillow, slept soundly. Close quote. So far, this whole conquering new territory for the land-hungry United States gig has been pretty

easy. Stephen spends a few weeks appointing a new governor and dividing his forces for the next part of his orders, taking over California. But the general can't march his entire army to the Pacific Ocean. Instead, he'll handpick a small group of his best regulars and leave part of his men to defend Santa Fe. But the majority of them march south to meet up with American forces already fighting near Chihuahua, Mexico. We'll definitely catch up with the Santa Fe defenders and the southbound fighters in the next episode, but today we are heading west with Stephen's California-bound, quote, party of exploration, close quote. The general starts the thousand mile journey from Santa Fe through the Gila River Valley to California on September 25th, 1846. Only a few weeks into their journey, Stephen's crew

runs into explorer extraordinaire Kit Carson. As we heard earlier, he's heading east with messages for President Polk about the awesome accomplishments of the Americans in California. Kit fills Stephen in on the Bear Flag Revolt and the victories at San Diego and Los Angeles. Seems like Kit may have left LA just a minute too soon, right? But he doesn't know that. Even though it seems like Stephen's task to conquer Alta California has been done for him, he still plans to follow through with the president's orders. And the pragmatic leader realizes how helpful the indomitable Kitt could be in that endeavor. He asks the explorer to give his east coast bound

letters to someone else and act as guide for Stephen's forces. Always up for an adventure, Kit complies. About a month later, on November 22nd, several Stephen's scouts capture a party of Mexican civilians. The Mexicans have very different news about California than Kit did last month. Ah, here we go. Now Stephen's going to get the whole picture of what's really going down in California. The captured men report that Californians have thrown off American control in Los Angeles, while the U.S. Navy has managed to retake San Diego. The determined general doesn't get flustered by this alarming news. He has orders to follow. His men speed up their journey to San Diego to help the American forces hemmed in there.

Once his men are 70 miles out from San Diego, Stephen sends a message to Fighting Bob Stockton. He receives it on December 1st. In response, the Commodore sends Captain Archie with 40 guys to reinforce Stephen's 100. But before you think self-serving Bob is finally being generous, let me be clear. The Commodore knows that California leader Andres Pico and a small army of Lancers are sitting between Stephen and San Diego. Fighting Bob just wants to make sure his much-needed backup actually makes it to him. Sure enough, after a

few days of marching with his barely bolstered force, Stephen runs into Pico's men in the fog-covered valley of San Pascual before dawn on December 6th. Only moonlight shines on the Californio forces awaiting them in the valley, but Stephen gives the order to charge anyway. The charge unravels quickly. With mounts in various states of exhaustion from their trek across the desert, the dragoons get scattered. Stephen, trying to keep his forces together, calls to the faster galloping soldiers, trot! Instead, his too-far-ahead-to-hear-well aide, Captain Abraham Johnston, orders a charge. Oh heavens, I did not mean that! The frustrated Stephen yells at Abraham. But the damage is done.

The California Lancers decimate the confused American front lines. The American soldiers are forced to fight with swords when they realize their gunpowder has become wet in the rain and fog. But amazingly, after only a few hours of confused fighting, Pico's men leave the field to Stephen's decimated forces, taking one of the two American howitzers with them. Though bleeding from several deep lance wounds, including one in his butt cheek,

Stephen helps his men gather the dead. Of the less than 50 Americans who actually fought in the short battle, 22 are killed and 16 wounded. Desperate for backup, Stephen sends two parties of men to sneak past the Californios and get more reinforcements from San Diego. While the first group is caught by vigilant Californios, the second, Kit Carson-led group, makes it across 30 or so miles of rocky desert to ask Bob for aid. The naval commander sends 200 men back across the cacti-covered land to rescue Stephen. With their help, Stephen's exhausted, injured men march the last 30 miles of their thousand-mile journey to San Diego and join up with Fighting Bob's forces. And while resting from their arduous cross-desert track, Brigadier General Stephen Kearney and Commodore Robert Stockton size up one another. The two

powerful men come to an uneasy agreement. General Stephen will command the land forces under the overall leadership of Commodore Bob. Yeah, it's awkward. And that comes out when they decide to head north to retake Los Angeles, since both the general and the Commodore take credit for the idea to, as Stephen puts it, quote, fight a battle upon which the fate of California may for a long time depend. Close quote. No matter who actually had the idea to reconquer LA, the 563 Marines, sailors, infantry, dragoons, artillerymen, and officers head north on December 29, 1846. They march in a hollow square formation with supplies in the middle of the square, surrounded by infantry at the sides and artillery at the

corners. Basically, this classic British military strategy is the easiest and strongest formation that Stephen can teach the sailors turned soldiers in his ranks. And the naval men learn quickly. Captain William Emery reports that the, quote, close discipline aboard ship made a very good infantry soldier, close quote. Even though they are well disciplined, they usually confined to a ship sea-legged sailors probably wish they could drive up the modern-day 5 freeway for the 100-mile march. Just kidding, traffic is so bad on the 5, walking's faster. Anyway, the Americans march 10 miles a day.

They arrive at the San Gabriel River, about 17 miles south of LA, on January 8, 1847. All along their journey, American scouts have spotted Californios, but they have marched in peace. The river crossing brings an end to that. William Emery somewhat dryly says, quote, it became quite apparent the enemy intended to dispute our passage, close quote. That's an understatement. Nearly 500 Californios, armed with lances and several cannons and led by Mexican General Jose Maria Flores, wait atop the bluffs on the north side of the Pacific-bound, west-flowing, shallow river. Stephen pauses to remind his men that this is the anniversary of the War of 1812, Battle of New Orleans, and they should fight with honor and bravery, as those men did.

No doubt trying to channel the spirit of the hero, Andrew Jackson himself, Stephen orders the first hundred men to cross the 300-foot-wide river in the late afternoon. Immediately, the determined defenders of Los Angeles unleash hell on them. California grape-shotting shells descend on the Americans' front lines, sending river water cascading over the troops. Miraculously, none of the Americans are hit as they cross the cannon

churned water. Once across, the Americans lay cover fire up the bluffs and use their own artillery to take out Flores' threatening cannons. William reports, quote, Our people, very brisk in firing, made the fire of the enemy wild and uncertain. Close quote. This allows the rest of the American army and their supply wagons to cross the river without incident. Stephen orders his men to take cover at the base of the bluffs occupied by the Los Angeles defending force. Even though Flores sends his cavalry charging at the American rear lines,

the sailors prove ready for the task of a land fight. They hold their formation in the face of the fearless Lancers and empty saddle after saddle with their deadly aim. After repulsing a few more of Flores' attacks, Commodore Fighting Bob orders his men to take the hill. The Americans shout, New Orleans! New Orleans! as they run up the steep slope. But when they get to the top, William reports, quote, great was our surprise to find it abandoned, close quote. Having run out of way to stop the American assault, Flores orders his men to retreat. The Americans have crossed the river and taken the bluffs in less than an hour and a half. And while Flores does fire cannons at the Americans on their march into LA the next day, this doesn't stop the victorious

force from retaking the city. Stephen and Bob allow the run out of town Archie to regain some pride and raise old glory in the city's plaza on January 10th, 1847. All that's left to do now is hammer out a treaty. This is where the shadowy pathfinder John Fremont comes back in. Yeah, he couldn't be bothered to help down in San Diego, and he didn't show up in time to join the fight at the Rio San Gabriel, but he's happy to write up a treaty after the fact and take all the credit. John marches his men down to an abandoned farm north of Los Angeles known as Campo de Cahuenga, near modern-day North Hollywood. From there, he ignores the nearby American base and sends a message straight to California leader Andres Pico. Outranked Major Fremont, with absolutely zero authority,

offers to negotiate a surrender with Pico. The Californio accepts, believing that he can get a better deal from John than from the career military hard-nosed Fighting Bob or Steven. And he's right. After only a few days of negotiations, the two sides finalized the, and I can't stress this enough, unauthorized Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847. It gives Californios U.S. citizenship without requiring an oath of allegiance, pardons Pico and others from their parole violations, a crime for which the Commodore would have hung them,

and allows Mexican soldiers to return to Mexico unharmed after turning over their weapons. Though outranked by Robert and Stephen, John signs the treaty with far more generous terms than his superiors would ever have allowed and heads into LA to give the American commanders the great news of his accomplishment. But Stephen, who has orders direct from the commander-in-chief in Washington DC, is not impressed. He's supposed to be the

military and civil leader in Concord, California, and now he has to go along with a treaty he didn't make. John's high-handed actions just put the general in a tight spot. But now he has to go along with a treaty he didn't make. John's high-handed actions just put the general in a tight spot. But when he looks to Bob for backup, the Commodore pulls the rug out from under him. Fighting Bob claims that because he and John conquered California before Stephen even showed up, which is kind of debatable, Stephen's Washington. orders are null and void. Ego-driven Fighting Bob now appoints John as governor. What? Unfortunately, despite having orders to be governor of California from the president himself, there's not much that Stephen can do.

He's outgunned by the Commodore sailors and the Pathfinders California battalion. But help is on the way. First, Colonel Philip Cook marches into San Diego with the 500-man Mormon Battalion on January 29, 1847. This force is made up of Mormon men who send their military wages home to help pay the costs of their westward trekking families and friends you heard about in episode 32. Then Colonel Richard Mason sails to California with more information and official orders for Stephen. With Richard's orders and the Mormon battalion's support, Stephen finally has enough backing to assert his rightful office as governor of California. But having moved from explorer to soldier and now to governor, John doesn't want to

give up his new position. He sets up base in LA and refuses to obey orders sent from rightful governor Stephen in Monterey. And this creates a little bit of confusion. Young Lieutenant William Tecumseh Sherman wryly states, quote, among the younger officers, the query was very natural. Who the devil is the governor of California? Close quote. Good question, William. According to President Polk, it's General Stephen Kearney. On March 28th, 1847, over two months into this mess, John travels to Monterey. After meeting with Stephen, the strong-willed, independently-minded explorer finally submits to General Kearney's authority. But frankly, for career military man Stephen, it's a day late and a dollar short.

After settling the governor argument and leaving California securely in Colonel Richard Mason's hands, General Kearney drags John back east with him on June 1st, 1847. When Stephen arrives at Fort Leavensworth on August 22nd, he immediately charges his nemesis, John Fremont, with mutiny, disobedience of orders, assumption of powers, and insubordination. Damn, talk about throwing the book at someone. The trial starts in Washington, D.C. on November 2nd. It lasts for three months, and John is convicted on all accounts. Used to being a natural hero and golden boy of sorts, John's crushed. Further, he likely feels betrayed.

Even though President Polk dismisses the charge of mutiny, he lets the others stand. And if John was the covert operative we all think he was, well, to him, this feels like a knife in the back. The disgraced, humiliated, and frankly offended Pathfinder resigns his post. But the person who suffers the most from the stress and emotional exhaustion of the ordeal is John's wife, Jessie. She's pregnant during the entire trial and gives birth to a sickly son shortly after it ends. Baby boy Benton Fremont is born on July 24, 1848. He only lives a few months. John and Jesse say goodbye to their second child and first son on October 6. The heartbroken young mother has to bury her baby in St. Louis as she and her young family travel west to start

new life in California. By pure coincidence, now remorseful and deathly ill General Stephen Kearney is also in St. Louis this fall. He desperately wants to apologize to Jesse for the strain and trauma that he inflicted on her through the harrowing trial nearly a year ago. The dying man sends his doctor to bring Jesse to his house so he can beg forgiveness in person. She refuses the request, simply stating, quote, there was a little grave between us that I could not cross, close quote. Stephen dies without being able to make things right as the Fremonts continue west to settle in American-controlled California. The Mexican-American War is far from over, but the fight for California

is settled. From the perspective of Manifest Destiny supporting Americans, they've accomplished the will of heaven by significantly expanding the United States across the North American continent. For Mexicans, California makes yet another significant territory ripped away by its northern neighbor. Of course, it's the people who actually live there that lose the most. Indigenous peoples who suffered under Spain's mission system will continue to suffer under American rule. In fact, the state will even pay bounties for dead Indians. I don't know how else to say this. It's literally open season on them, and the indigenous population of California is going to plummet. And of course, talk about America's blown opportunity with semi-autonomous,

distinct Californios. Many were ready to reject Mexican rule. But instead of trying to leverage that sentiment, John Fremont and other American leaders generally spurn diplomatic opportunities, as we saw with Mariano Vallejo. In fact, our friend Mariano will spend the rest of his life trying to assimilate into his new country. But it will come to naught. He'll donate land to the state, help prepare the state's constitution, serve as a California state senator, all while his family will intermarry with Anglos. And the city of Vallejo, or Vallejo, California, will be named after him, just as Benicia, California, will be named for his wife.

But legal battles to maintain control of his land, supposedly protected by treaties, will reduce him from the 65,000 acre don he was to relative poverty. It's a raw deal for this founding father of California. So in closing, let me say to Mariano Vallejo, Señor, lo siento. Perdón por lo que pasó, pero gracias por lo que hiciste por California. History That Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Researching and writing, Thank you. of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit historythatdoesntsuck.com. Join me in two weeks where I'd like to tell us keep going. And a special thanks to our members whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Donna Marie Jeffcoat, Ellen Stewart, Bernie Lowe, George Sherwood, Gurwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Janie McCreary, Jeff Marks, Jennifer Moods, Jennifer Magnolia, Jeremy Wells, Jessica Poppock, Joe Dovis, John Frugal-Dougal, John Boovey, John Keller,

John Oliveros, John Radlavich, John Schaefer, John Sheff, Jordan Corbett, Joshua Steiner, Justin M. Spriggs, Justin May, Kristen Pratt, Karen Bartholomew, Cassie Conecco, Kim R., Kyle Decker, Lawrence Neubauer, Linda Cunningham, Mark Ellis, Matthew Mitchell, Matthew Simmons, Melanie Jan, Nick Seconder, Nick Caffrell, Noah Hoff, Owen Sedlak, Paul Goringer, Randy Guffrey, Reese Humphreys-Wadsworth, Rick Brown, Sarah Trawick, Samuel Lagasa, Sharon Theisen, Sean Baines, Steve Williams, Creepy Girl, Tisha Black, and Zach Jackson.