The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-09-26
Ole Gintes, Mem BLOOMFIELD, 11a.
A Historical Sketch.

TWENTY-FIVE years ago Friday
Il (July ~ Commodore Sloat raised
the American flag over Monterey, then
the capital of California, under Mexican
rule, and proclaimed the Province
portion of the United States. He arriv-
ed at Monterey from Mazatlau five days
before, with the frigate Savannah and
five other vessels, under instructions
from Secretary of the Navy Bancroft
(now Minister to Berlin,) to watch the
drift of events, and, in case of a breach
of peace, to employ his feet for hostile
purposes. The real object of Sloat's ex-
pedition was to prevent California from
falling into the hands of the English, in
case of war with Mexico. War actually
broke out in May, 1916, two months
before Sloat reached Monterey; but
while he suspected this, he did not know
it, though he had probably heard of Ere
monts Bear flag insurrection at Sonoma
He was decided in his course, however,
by observing that British fleet Of ten
vessels on this coast were watching Amer
lean movements, and nursing some de-
sign in opposition to them. When Sloat
left Mazatlen on the Savannah, the Brit
sh flagship, the Collingswood, carrying
Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, left
San Bias and the two vessels had a race for
Monterey. The Savannah was the fastest
sailor and reached that port first, where
Sloat learned that the English had nearly
perfected plot to put California under
British protection, as security, or equiv
alent for the Mexican debt to British
subjects, the transfer to be followed by
a scheme of colonization in the San Joa-
quin valley and around the bays of Mon
terey and San Francisco Sloat did not
know that instructions were then on the
way to him, directing him to seize and
hold Mazatan, Monterey, and San Fran
cisco, and take all measures in his power
to secure the conquest Of the country
but he knew this was within the plans
of the government and saw that unless
he acted at once, the British would su-
percede him and California be lost to the
United States So, on the 18th of July,
1916, he sent force Of 250 men ashore
to hoist the stars and stripes and make
proclamation as above The act was not
only not opposed, but was hailed with
cheers by the people, who we're generally
anxious to separate from Mexico, and had
been plotting more than once to act for
themselves. On the Sth of July, in com
pliance with message from Sloat, Com
mander Montgomery, Of the United States
sloop of war Portsmouth, raised the
American flag at San Francisco, on the
plaza which has ever since born the
name Of his vessel, and took possession of
the then pretty village of Yerba Buena,
in the name Of his country. On the 10th
of July, Montgomery sent the national
flag to Sonoma, where it was gladly ac-
cepted by the Fremont revolutionists in
lieu of their rude bear flag. These acts,
followed by various land operations at
later day. insured the acquisition of Cali
fornia by the United States, which was
completed by formal treaty at the end
of the war with Mexico The feelings
of Admiral Seymour, when he tardily
reached Monterey and saw the American
flag flying over the town, may be imagin-
ed. 1t is pretty certain that if Sloat had
not got ahead of him the British flag
would have been hoisted instead, and
California might either not have been an
American State to-day, or else have be-
come so only after war with Great Britain.