National Republican., 1888-05-27
CALIFORNIA HISTORY.
Interesting Facts Related in u Speech
by Renr Admiral AImy.

interesting taCts helhteu III " specCh
by Rear Admiral AImy.
At the meeting of the National Society OF
California Pioneers at Marshall Hall, on the
Potomac river, May 10, Admiral Almy
made the following speech, in which will be
found some facts In connection with the
manner In which California came into the
possession of the United States not gcner-
ally known:
Mr.. President and members Of the Ma
tional Society Of California PiOnecrs NJ
the reunion Of the California pioneers year
ago II struck me that sufficient notice was
not taken Of the person and his services
who was called in those days the master
spirit In the conquest of Calitornia-Com-
modoro Robert +. stockton, Of the navy.
The public documents OF that period in-
form us that IN January, 1916, Col. John {.
Fremont, of the United States Topographic
cal engineers, arrived at Monterey, Cal, on
an exploring expedition, and he might well
be called the first and foremost of the Cali
fonia pioneers At this time the Mexican
Gen. Castro was military cOmmandant OF
Monterey.
ON the 23d of July, 1916, at Monterey,
Commodore Sloat, after hOisting the Ameri-
can flag, relinquishcd aud Commodore
| Stockton assumed command of the Pacific
squadron, issued his proclamation assuming
| the command I'm. chief, civil and military,
and placing the country under martial law.
ON the lst Of August Commodore Stock
| ton sailed for Santa Barbara. After leaving
| n garrison at this place he proceeded to san
| Pedro which is about thirty miles distant
from Los Angeles, and where he landed 800
sailors and marines From there he marched
| with his forces on to Los Angeles, then
commanded and occupied by Gen, Castro
with a force treble that of tho invaders.
On the 18th of August Los Angeles capitu.
lated, and Commodore Stockton took pos.
session Of the capital Of California. In Sep
tenlber he formed civil government anu
appointed Col. Fremont governor.
| General Castro sent u message TO Com
modore stockton, 'that II he marched upon
the town he would find 1t the grave of his
men,
"Then', said the COMMODORE, tcll
your general to have the bells ready totoll
In the morning at eight o'clock, as i shall
be there at that time"
General Kearney, of the L. ). Army
was attacked Dec. q, 1916, near San Pas
quail l and worsted, having is killed and
II wounded. A detachment under Lieut.
A. T. V. Gray, of the Navy, from the U. s
| frigate Congress, of 2l5 men, was then i'm
medately sent by Commodore Stockton u
the relief of General Kearney. They fount
him beseged on the hill OF San Bcrnado
without water, provisions,or horses ana nv
| men worn out with fatigue. Upon thu
approach of Lieutenant Gray, the encm,
withdrew and the general and his dragoon
were escorted to San Diego.
, A few months after the McXicans, with
vastly superior force, attacked Los Angelo
e. and recaptured 1t. Commodore Stockton
was at San Francisco at this time, and i'm
medately set sail for San Diego, Il distanc
of $50 miles. An expedition was immcdi
atcly planned, consisting of $50 sailors am
, marines and Gen. Keamey's sixty di:
mounted dragons, to recapturc Los Angelo:
They started about the 1st of January, 1877
C The battles of San Gabriel and the Mes
J.. were fought on the sth and 9th of January
lSi7. ON the 10th Commodore Stockto
entered Los Angeles at the head OF h
s forces and again took possession of It,. TIL
i same American flag which Maj. Gillesp
|, had been compelled to strike the commt
II dorc ordered to be again raised. This d
cided the fate Of California. 1t broke eilectl
II ally the spirit of resistance to American AZ
s. th0rity.
d II has always been considered that Con
q modore Stockton was the conqucror OF Gal
fornia, aud he was spoken of as such
the official documents of the day. The Sc
&c retary of War, in his annual report OF tn
o period, thus speaks of the events in Ca
Y, fornia:
=, Commodore Stockton took possession of {
:, whole country as Il conquest OF tine uhit
,s States, and appointed Col. Fremont goyernt
n under the law of nations, to assume the fun
& tions of that Office when the commod0
lie | returned to his squadron.
st The Secretary of the Navy, in his "nmu
% report, says:
i, At the commencement of the war wit No
=, | leo the United States had no military force
u California, and the conquest OF that count
lit was, from necessity, therefore ueNolNeu
le clusiyely upon the navy.
ie In another official communication he sa.
In the Pacific, our squadron, with mea
m not fitted for inland operations, acting Ind
,r | pendently, and in cooperation with q SIN
y portion of our gallant army, effected the ct
u quest of California. In supplying the
k, executing an inland campaign with the ere
IS of his ships, Commodore stockton displa,
en- | the highest military resources ana the greal
~ energy. Since his memorable march from
On | Diego to Los Angeles a distance of 15O mi
oV and the sth and 9th of January, 1877, q
OF country has been tranquil, our possession
Die | disputed, and its inhabitants have hailed
he | cession of California to the United states
of | grateful satisfaction.
'as A printing press was procured, and C'
ITS modore Stockton, from his own purse,
vided the means for establishing ne
on paper, which he gave in charge OF the y
he Walter Cotton, chaplain Of the Uni
as States frigate Congress.
Some little time after Mr.. Cotton wrot,
IN, the commodore, saying "To you, sir, c
to fornia is indebted for her first printing p
and for her first school house,
ow Thus, gentlemen, California pioneers,
Ing have a record of the highly important
or vices performed by an. energetic, patrl
to naval hero, who contributed so mucl
ere give us California.
Gentlemen, California pioneers, prol
'ng that you I'LL, and that we drink to the m
in ory of Commodore Robert f. Stock
the standing and in silence.
vas
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