Battle of San Pasqual The Battle of San Pasqual , also spelled San Pascual , was a military encounter that occurred during the Mexican - American War in what is now the San Pasqual Valley community of the city of San Diego , California . On December 6 and December 7 , 1846 , General Stephen W . Kearny ' s US Army column , along with a smaller force of Marines , engaged a small contingent of Californio s and their Presidial Lancers , led by Capt . Leonardo Cota ; eventually joined by Major Andrés Pico . After US reinforcements arrived , Kearny ' s troops were able to reach San Diego . Background . General Kearny had orders to assume command of U . S . forces in California , but before entering Alta California from Santa Fe , Kearny sent back 200 of his 300 mounted dragoon s after hearing from messenger Kit Carson that all of California had already been captured by Commodore Robert F . Stockton and his 400 combined sailors and Marines , and John C . Frémont and his approximate 400 man California Battalion . After a grueling 850 - mile ( 1 , 370 km ) march across the Sonora Desert , Kearny and his mostly mule - mounted men finally reached California in a greatly weakened condition . There they met up with Captain Archibald Gillespie of the U . S . Marines . Captain Gillespie in the preceding weeks had recently been driven out of Los Angeles , and now marched from San Diego with a message from Stockton , accompanied by a detachment of mounted riflemen , a native San Diegan , and Navy Lieutenant Beale who commanded a small howitzer commonly known as the " Sutter cannon " . The total American forces amounted to about 179 . Prelude . Captain Archibald Gillespie ' s message from Stockton informed Kearny of the presence at San Pasqual of a force of about 100 Californio Lancers mounted on fresh horses led by Captain Leonardo Cota . The Americans did not expect the Californios to be formidable adversaries , but Kearny still wanted to capitalize on a surprise attack if at all possible and capture the Californios ' horse herd . He also wanted more exact information about the enemy force in preparation for an attack the following morning . Lieutenant Thomas C . Hammond , together with a Californio , the 21 year old Rafael Machado and son of Don José Manuel Machado the grantee of the El Rosarito Ranch , and a detachment of six dragoon s ( light cavalry ) — one report says three dragoons and still another eleven — were ordered to scout Pico ' s position , which was located in a small Indian village in San Pasqual Valley . While Rafael sneaked into the camp to gain intelligence - Hammond became impatient and mistakenly rode too close to the camp and the sound of the horses ' hooves in mud alerted Rafael ' s sister ' s brother - in - law and his future father - in - law Captain Jose Alipas who had arrived with a small force with Captain Leonardo Cota , and José María Ibarra the Californio standing guard . While Rafael quickly ran back to Hammond ' s scouting party , Alipas sounded the alarm but was dismissed by General Pico until a US Army blanket and Dragoon coat was discovered on the edge of camp by Pablo Véjar . The element of surprise was lost and the dragoons were chased by the Californios to the top of the adjacent ridge top with screams of ' Viva California ! ' . At midnight Kearny ordered an immediate advance . It had rained that night . Men , muskets , pistols and equipment were wet and cold , but the troops after over six months without any action were eager to engage the Californios . Early in the morning of December 6 , 1846 , the column proceeded by twos across the ridge between Santa Maria ( present day Ramona , California ) and San Pasqual . During the descent , while it was still dark and with a low lying fog , Kearny ' s force became strung out , and were caught in a disadvantageous position by General Pico ' s swift advance . Battle . Accounts differ as to what command was given and by whom ; however , Captain Abraham R . Johnston is thought to have prematurely initiated action . According to Sides , Kearny ordered " Trot ! " which Johnston at the front of the column misunderstood and repeated as " Charge ! " . Kearny ' s force at that time was three quarters of a mile ( 1 . 2 km ) from Pico ' s encampment . About forty of the best mounted officers and men got far ahead of the main body of the force . The mules pulling Kearny ' s howitzers bolted , taking one of the guns with them . Pico ' s force was already mounted and easily managed to remain ahead of the pursuing Americans on their weary mules . Their fresh horses and superior horsemanship made it easy for them to manoeuvre as they wished , and they led the advance group of Americans even farther away from their main force . The Americans did not know the terrain and the Californios did . A second separation developed until about twenty - eight Americans including Kearny were in the forefront of the charge . Damp powder reduced the effectiveness of the American carbines and pistols , and they were soon reduced to relying on their sabers alone . The Californios were armed with a mixture of firearms , sabers , and long lances and " reatas " ( braided rawhide lariat ) which they used with great effect . As the leading element of the American attack drew close to a Kumeyaay village , the Californios wheeled back and fired their few firearms . One of their first shots killed Captain Johnston , but the Americans continued on and returned fire . The Californios retreated , and the Americans pursued . Captain Benjamin D . Moore ordered a second charge . This increased the distance between the American elements and further reduced the size of the leading element . When the Californios reversed , they were able to confront Captain Moore and his forces alone . He was quickly surrounded and killed . Other Americans caught up with the action , but their weapons misfired and many of them were wounded or killed by Californios using lances . Some were pulled from their horses by the Californios ' lariats and then lanced . Mounted on mules , the Americans were particularly vulnerable because of the mules ' noted reluctance to wheel . The better mounted Californios easily outflanked the Americans and picked them off with the long lances . The two howitzers the U . S . troops brought to the scene were not unlimbered in time to take part in the action . Both Captain Gillespie and General Kearny were seriously wounded in the battle , and several of the other officers were killed or wounded . Captain Henry Turner temporarily took command and organized a defensive position , which permitted the rest of the command to catch up with the battered lead . Dr John S . Griffin , Kearny ' s surgeon , reported that the Americans had lost 17 killed and 18 wounded out of the 50 officers and men who engaged the enemy . They buried the dead in a mass grave and the bloodied and badly cutup survivors were treated and nursed by their Californio guide ' s sister Juanita Machado Alipas Wrightington . Pico ' s forces suffered fewer casualties ; some accounts state 2 killed and 12 wounded , whereas American witnesses claim a half dozen fatalities . The next day , December 7 , 1846 , Kearny and his battered column continued its march towards San Diego . Californio lancers established a blocking position near what is now known as " Mule Hill " . General Kearny ordered Lieutenant William H . Emory and a squad of dragoons to engage and drive off the menacing lancers . The dragoons easily forced the lancers away now having dry powder in their carbines while inflicting five dead before among the fleeing Californios . That evening Kearny again established a strong defensive perimeter and then sent Kit Carson , Edward Beale and a young Indian guide for reinforcements from the American fleet anchored in San Diego Bay . Under the cover of darkness , Carson and his team reached the American fleet . The US forces traveled to San Diego and united with the American fleet there . Together they were able to " drive " Californio forces ( who had previously abandoned the skirmish ) out of San Diego . Aftermath . General Kearny ' s official report states : “ On the morning of the 7th , having made ambulances for our wounded . . . we proceeded on our march , when the enemy showed himself , occupying the hills in our front , which they left as we approached , till reaching San Bernardo a party of them took possession of a hill near to it and maintained their position until attacked by our advance , who quickly drove them from it , killing and wounding five of their number with no loss on our part . ” ( Cooke , 259 ) Kearny sent dispatches carried by Lieutenant Beale and Kit Carson requesting urgent reinforcements to Commodore Stockton , who was headquartered at San Diego , 28 miles ( 45 km ) to the south - southwest . Stockton quickly dispatched a unit of over 200 sailors and Marines , whose arrival caused the Californios to disperse . Kearny had already determined the night before ( December 9 ) to continue the march the next morning , when the new forces arrived and then escorted Kearny ' s battered troops to San Diego , where they arrived December 12 . Some time after the battle , General Kearny wrote that the US had achieved victory since the Californios had " fled the field " , but , his was not a highly shared view . Officers of the United States Navy viewed the battle as a defeat of the U . S . Army , while the Californios saw the engagement as a victory . To this day , who won is disputed . During the late 19th and early 20th century , historians debated which force won or lost the battle . Clearly , Kearny retained the battle area , the ability to operate and maneuver , and also the initiative , though his losses were higher . The victor of the battle is still debated . The battle is also unique in that it is one of the few military battles in the United States that involved elements of the Army , Navy , Marines , and civilian volunteers , all in the same skirmish .