The War with Mexico, Volume 1 (of 2)

by Justin Harvey Smith

[9.] Mexican rule to the end of 1845. [13]Forbes, nos. 1, Oct. 19, 1843; 2, Jan. 26, 1846. Boston Advertiser, Sept. 26, 1842. Nat. Intelligencer, May 11, 1844. London Times, Aug. 6; Oct. 6; Nov. 11, 1845; Mar. 13, 1846. Revue de Paris, Jan., 1849. [77]Almonte, nos. 84, P., July 16; 153, P., Dec. 12, 1844. [13]Barron, May 5, 1837; Feb. 18, 1845. [13]Id. to Seymour, Jan. 28, 1845. [13]Pakenham, nos. 13, 1837; 66, 1840; 91, 1841; 2, 1842. [13]Doyle, no. 79, 1843. [13]Bankhead, nos. 108, 1844; 31, 52, 113, 1845; 73, 1846. Paredes, address on opening Cong., June 6, 1846 (Diario). Mobile Commercial Register, June 13, 1843. Diario, Mar. 27; June 3; Aug. 21, 1845. Wash. Globe, May 29; Oct. 21, 1845. Amigo del Pueblo, Aug. 14, 1845. St. Louis New Era, Aug. 20, 1845. Memphis Eagle, Oct. 1; Nov. 5, 1845. [52]Black, Sept. 2, 1845. Britannia, May 15, 1847. [52]Virmond to Jones, Feb. 4, 1837. [52]Larkin, nos. 9, Aug. 18; 11, Oct. 30; 12, Dec. 9, 1844; 16, Jan. 1; 1, Mar. 22; 2, Mar. 22; 20, Mar. 24; 25, July 10; 26, Sept. 29, 1845. [247]Stearns to Larkin, May 14, 1846. [52]Parrott, Aug. 26, 1845. [12]Blake to Seymour, July 5, 1846. [12]Seymour, June 13. Otero, Cuestión Social, 117. Giménez, Memorias, 90. México á través, iv, 404. [52]Burroughs to Ellis, Jan. 10, 1837. [77]Castillo, no. 119, 1835. (Simpson) Amer. Hist. Rev., xiv, pp. 88–9. Memoria de ... Relaciones, Mar., 1845. Royce, Calif., 202. Memoria de ... Guerra, Jan., 1844; Mar., 1845. Mateos, Hist. Parl., v, 98. Bandini, Calif., 138. [13]Jones to Pakenham, Nov. 30, 1841. Löwenstern, Le Mexique, 84. [13]Diaz to Barron, Sept. 29, 1845. London Chronicle, Aug. 13, 1845. [47]Wood to Bancroft, June 4, 1846. St. Louis Reveille (weekly), May 18, 1846. [77]Arrangóiz, Jan. 9; Sept. 17, 1842; nos. 64, res., 1844; 70, res., 76, res., 101, res., 1845. Gordon, Aberdeen, 183. Forbes, Calif., 146–52. Bulletin de la Soc. de Géog., no. 77, p. 186. Castañares, Documentos. Colton, Three Years, 20, 22, 32. Argonaut, Feb. 2, 1878 (Sutter’s diary). Sherman Letters, 43–4. [13]Forbes to Barron, Aug. 9; Sept. 5, 1844; Jan. 27; Mar. 10, 1845. Ho. 70; 30, 1, pp. 7–8, 42. [75]P. Pico, July 1, 1845; Feb. 13, 1846. [75]Covarrubias, Apr. 5, 1846. [75]Sánchez, Apr. 2, 1846. [75]Calif. Commission, Aug. 10, 1846. Reforma, Feb. 10, 1846. [122]Bidwell, Calif., 119, 123. [3]Alvarado, Calif., v, 129. Revue des Deux Mondes, Dec. 15, 1845, p. 1037. Richman, Calif., 273–9. [334]Torres, Peripecias, 49. Blackmar, Span. Instits., 10–12. Walpole, Four Years, ii, 205. N. Y. Journ. Commerce, Dec. 30, 1846. [11]Cyprey to Guizot, no. 58, 1841. Wilkes, Narrative, v, 171. [13]Aberdeen to Bankhead, no. 53, 1844. Sen. 7; 30, 1. [52]Larkin, Calif, prior to 1846 (Cons. letters, Monterey, i, 1). Dana, Two Years, 90–1, 200. (Prussia) [52]Everett, no. 284, confid., Mar. 28, 1845. And from [76] the following. To gov. Calif., Apr. 1, 1845; May 9, 1846. Téllez, Mar. 23, 1846. Alvarez, Mar. 17, 1846. Guerra, circular, Apr. 1, 1845. Comte. gen. Iguala, Mar. 13, 1846. Mora y Villamil, Nov. 15, 1845. Bustamante, Nov. 13, 1845. J. Castro, memo., undated. Id., Oct. 6, 1845. Castañares, Jan. 27, 1846. Estado, Monterey, June 15, 1845. Castro and Alvarado, May 30, 1845. Sutter to Mex. commr., Nov. 19, 1845. Castañeda to P. Pico, Feb. 10, 1846. Carrera, Apr. 8, 1846.

[10.] Interest of the American people in California. [13]Pakenham, no. 63, 1841. N. Orl. Commercial Bulletin, Feb. 19, 1840; May 21; Oct. 12, 1841. London Times, June 18, 1841; Aug. 1, 1845. N. Y. Journ. Commerce, Oct. 9, 1841; Feb. 23, 1842. St. Louis Reveille, Sept. 17, 1845. Wash. Globe, Feb. 27; Aug. 23; Oct. 21; Nov. 4, 1845. Nashville Union, Mar. 13, 1845. Memphis Eagle, May 2; Nov. 5, 1845. N. Orl. Picayune, Apr. 21, 1842; Apr. 5, 1844; Nov. 25, 1845; Mar. 31, 1846. [13]Bankhead, no. 113, 1845. Savannah Republican, Apr. 25, 1845. N. Orl. Courier, Feb. 17, 1840; Apr. 26; July 10, 1845. American Review, Jan., 1846, 82–99. Diario, Nov. 3, 1845. Charleston Courier, July 11, 1845. Journal des Débats, June 1, 1846. Richmond Enquirer, Sept. 12, 1845. Balt. Clipper, Mar. 2, 1840. N. Y. Herald, Feb. 22, 1845. (Regulations) [52]Larkin, no. 8, June 24, 1844. Charleston Mercury, Feb. 24, 1845. N. Orl. Bee, Apr. 19, 1842. Phila. North American, Nov. 1, 1845. N. Y. Tribune, Apr. 5, 1845. Forbes, Calif., 147–8. Dana, Two Years, 200. Southwestern Hist. Qtrly., xviii, nos. 1–3 (R. G. Cleland). (Whalers) Hunt’s Merchants’ Mag., Jan., 1845. Cong. Globe, 29, 1, p. 197 (Allen); app., Hunter, Jan. 10, 1846. Sen. 33; 30, 1, p. 98. [77]Almonte, no. 84, P., July 16, 1844. [77]Arrangóiz, 71, res., May 12, 1845.

[11.] Views and policy of U. S. government. Ho. 42; 25, 1, p. 18 (Forsyth, Aug. 6, 1835). [52]Ellis, Sept. 24, 1836. [108]Hooper to Bancroft, June 25, 1846. [52]Slidell, no. 3, Dec. 17, 1845. [13]Pakenham, nos. 43, 1833; 63, 91, 1841. [13]Forbes, no. 2, Jan. 26, 1846. London Times, June 18, 1841; Aug. 6; Sept. 9; Oct. 6; Nov. 19, 1845; Apr. 11, 1846. [77]Mex. commrs., Feb. 16, 1842. [52]Larkin to Stearns et al., Apr. 17, 1846. Journal des Débats, July 10, 1843; Jan. 12; June 1, 1846. México á través, iv, 399. Wash. Globe, Feb. 27, 1845. [52]Everett, no. 284, confid., Mar. 28, 1845. [52]Shannon, Jan. 9, 1845. Gilmer in U. S. Ho. Repres., Jan. 28, 1843. N. Y. Courier and Enquirer, Nov. 17, 1845. [77]Almonte, no. 4, res., Jan. 10, 1843; 84, P., July 16, 1844. [52]Thompson, nos. 1, Apr. 29; 4 July 30, 1842. [56]W. S. Parrott, May 13; Sept. 2, 1845. Constitutionnel, Oct. 13, 1844; Mar. 29, 1845; July 9, 1846. National, Sept. 4, 1845. [52]Wickliffe to Buchanan, private, [June] 3, 1845. N. Y. Journ. Commerce, Feb. 23, 1842. Harvey, Webster, 203–4. [52]Buchanan to Slidell, no. 1, Nov. 10, 1845. Adams, Mems., xi, 346, 355. Curtis, Webster, ii, 250. Forbes to Barron, Mar. 10, 1845. Nat. Intelligencer, Apr. 19. Buchanan to Larkin, Oct. 17, 1845. Charleston Mercury, July 12, 1845. Charleston Courier, Nov. 12, 1845. Forbes, Calif., 149. Mofras, Exploration, i, 517. Smith, Annex. of Texas, 109. Polk, Diary, Oct. 24, 1845. St. Louis Reveille, Apr. 29, 1846. Bustamante, Nuevo Bernal, i, 45. [247]Hastings to Larkin, Mar. 3, 1846. [247]Allerton to Larkin, Mar. 4, 1846. [247]Sutter to Larkin, Oct. 3, 1845. [1]Allen in U. S. Sen., Aug. 6, 1846. Revue des Deux Mondes, Dec. 15, 1845, pp. 1037, 1043. Vallejo, Documentos. Van Tyne, Letters of Webster, 269. Texas Review, Jan., 1917, p. 217 (Barker). Schafer, Pac. Slope, 229. Reeves, Amer. Diplomacy, 280–1. [52]Flower to Van Buren, Feb. 8, 1840. [52]Kelley to Webster, Jan. 2, 1842. Kelsey, Consulate, 7, 35, etc. [52]Larkin, nos. 8, June 24; 9, Aug. 18, 1844; Mar. 22; 25, July 10; 26, Sept. 29; 29, Dec. 31, 1845; 37, Mar. 9; 42, Apr. 17; 44, June 1, 1846. Webster, Writings, xviii, 203–4. N. Orl. Picayune, Nov. 25, 1845. Jameson, Calhoun Corres., 978. [351]Thompson to Webster, Jan. 30, 1843. Monitor Repub., Apr. 16, 1846. Royce, Calif., 38–9. [122]Bidwell, Calif., 138. Richardson, Messages, iv, 398, 539–40. Richmond Enquirer, Sept. 12, 1845. [77]Arrangóiz, no. 41, res., Feb. 28, 1845. [13]Crampton to Palmerston, no. 63, 1848. London Chronicle, Aug. 13, 1845. Democratic Review, July, 1845, p. 9. [48]Bancroft to Sloat, Mar. 21, secret and confid., Oct. 17, 1845. Southwestern Hist. Qtrly., xviii, nos. 1–3 (R. G. Cleland). Meade, Letters, i, 65.

[12.] For the facts merely alluded to here see pp. 127–8, 130–4. (Virtually forbid) chap. iv, [note 24]. Polk’s announcement that he should endeavor to obtain California (Schouler, United States, iv, 498) is sufficiently explained by his attempts to purchase it. When he determined to lay our grievances before Congress, it is not certain that he expected war to result. He seems to have felt that a determined stand on our part might bring Mexico to terms. And his promptly taking advantage of the rights conferred by the state of war to occupy the territory and bar out foreign interference counts for nothing as proof that he brought on the war for the alleged purpose. See e.g. Von Holst, U. S., iii, 266.

[13.] Bancroft’s history of California, which at times is rather free in its conclusions, denies that such a meeting was held (Pacific States, xvii, 61–2). His principal reasons are lack of corroborative evidence, the silence of Larkin, and the inconsistencies in the accounts of it. But (1) we have corroborative evidence from several persons; (2) Larkin may not have wished to mention a confidential talk held under his own roof—especially as it accomplished nothing; and (3) inconsistencies are found in the accounts of many events. On the other hand some accounts of the meeting have no doubt been exaggerated and embellished.

[14.] Bancroft (Pacific States, xvii, 200) says there is no evidence that Gillespie had official relations with Sloat; but Sloat’s [47]report, February 25, 1846, said that in accordance with “the verbal orders he delivered me,” Gillespie was immediately sent forward.

[15.] Although no formal meeting took place at Santa Barbara, Capt. Blake, of the British warship Juno, who went there, was appealed to for protection on the ground that Mexico and England were allied nations ([12]Seymour to Admiralty, Aug. 27, 1846). Some proposed, should England refuse it, to address France. About this time an Irish priest named McNamara arrived in a British vessel with a grand scheme of colonization, and obtained an immense grant of land. The scheme was much talked about, but signified nothing. The grant was illegally made. Mexico, though she treated McNamara pleasantly did not endorse the plan, and in all probability would not have confirmed such a grant, had California remained under her jurisdiction, for she was extremely suspicious of England, and could see that 10,000 British colonists would be a dangerous element. Indeed, McNamara was suspected at Mexico of acting in the interest of England. A few of the documents bearing on this subject are: Ramírez, Méx., 246; Ho. 17; 31, 1 (Halleck, Cuevas, Castillo y Lanzas); Bancroft, Pac. States, xvii, 215–23; Sen. Report 75; 30, 1 (testimony of Frémont and others; the McNamara papers); Royce, California, 166; [52]Larkin, no. 56, Aug. 22, 1846; [335]McNamara, proposition, May 17, 1845.

[16.] Politics in California, Jan.-June, 1846. [13]Jones to Pakenham, Nov. 30, 1841. [108]Hooper to Bancroft, June 25, 1846. [13]Forbes, no. 2, Jan. 26, 1846. Boston Advertiser, May 27, 1843. [13]Forbes to Barron, Sept. 5, 1844; Jan. 27; Mar. 10, 1845. [13]To Barron, Dec. 31, 1844. Diario, Aug. 21, 1845. [52]J. Castro to P. Pico, June 8, 1846. [12]Blake to Seymour, July 5, 1846. [52]Larkin to Stearns et al., Apr. 17, 1846. [13]To Bankhead, no. 53, 1844. [47]Sloat to Bancroft, Feb. 25, 1846. [47]Wood to Bancroft, June 4, 1846. [12]Seymour to admty., Aug. 27, 1846. Colton, Three Years, 429. [247]Stearns to Larkin, May 14, 1846. [13]Forbes to Calif. govt., Jan. 28, 1846. [13]Seymour to Bankhead, June 13, 1846. [13]Pico to Forbes, June 29, 1846. [13]Barron, Aug. 12, 1846. [52]Military junta, Monterey, Apr. 11, 1846. [52]Larkin to Gillespie, Apr. 23, 1846. [52]Larkin, circular (in Spanish). Sherman Letters, 43. [13]J. A. to A. Forbes, July 9, 1846. Sen. 18; 31, 1, p. 574 (Stevenson). [75]P. Pico to Relaciones, Feb. 13, 1846. [75]Covarrubias to Relaciones, Apr. 5, 1846. [75]Sánchez to Relac., Apr. 2, 1846. Bancroft, Pacific States, xvii, 41–75, 215–22. [247]Allerton to Larkin, Mar. 4, 1846. [247]Larkin to Bennett, May 26, 1846; to Stearns, May 24, 1846. [247]Stearns to Larkin, June 12, 1846. Revere, Tour, 24. Buchanan to Larkin, Oct. 17, 1845. [122]Bidwell, Calif., 138, 147, 151. Alvarado, Calif., v, 129–43, 222, 241. [126]Botello, Anales, 133, 136. Phelps, Fore and Aft, 284. Amer. Hist. Rev., xiv, 88–9. Richman, Calif., 316, 474. Ramírez, México, 246. Lancey, Cruise. [343]Vallejo, Documentos. [334]Torres, Peripecias, 48–9. Walpole, Four Years, ii, 208. Ho. 17; 31, 1, p. 121. Hall, S. José 143. Sen. 33; 30, 1, p. 377. McGroarty, Calif., 190–1. Sen. Report, 75; 30, 1, pp. 12, 16 (Frémont), 19, 31, 33 (Gillespie), 37 (Hensley), 44 (Minor), 46 (Childs). Sherman, Sloat, 56, xv. [263]Mervine to Sloat, July 1, 1846. Swasey, Early Days, 57, 81. Cong. Globe, 30, 1, pp. 604–7 (Benton). Willey, Transition Period, 19. Kelsey, Consulate, 45, 51. Royce, Calif., 36, 166. [123]Bidwell, statement. [52]Larkin, Calif. prior to 1846 (Consular letters, Monterey, i, 1). [52]Id>., nos. 4, Apr. 16; 9, Aug. 18, 1844; 20, Mar. 24; 26, Sept. 29, 1845; 39, Apr. 2; 42, Apr. 17; 44, June 1; 48, June 18; 54, July 20; 56, Aug. 22, 1846; 63, Jan. 14, 1847. [13]Crampton to Palmerston, nos. 35, 63, 1848. [76]P. Pico to Relac., June 29, 1846. [76]Id., proclams., May [13]; June 23, 1846. [76]Vallejo, Nov. 24, 1845. [76]Pico, May 25, 1846. [76]J. Castro, Mar. 5; Apr. 1, 2; May 30, 1846. [76]Castro and Alvarado, May 30, 1845.

XVII. THE CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA

[1.] Frémont’s clash with Castro. [13]Forbes to Barron, Jan. 26. Sen. 1; 29, 2, pp. 50–1. Benton, View, ii, 580, 688. [67]Abert to Frémont, Feb. 12, 1845. [13]Pakenham, no. 130, 1846. [13]Forbes to Calif. govt., Feb. 28. [62]Adj. gen. to Benton, Nov. 2, 1847. [75]J. Castro to P. Pico, Jan. 30, 1846. [75]Frémont to J. Castro, Jan. 29. [247]Larkin’s memoranda and correspondence with Frémont and others on the subject. [52]Id., nos. 36, 38, Mar. 5, 27; 41, Apr. 17, 1846; 63, Jan. 14, 1847. [3]Alvarado, Hist. de Calif., 239. Phelps, Fore and Aft, 279. Bancroft, Pac. States, xvii, 4–23. Frémont, Mems., i, 454–70. Id., Geog. Memoir. Niles, Nov. 21, 1846, pp. 188–9. Diario, Apr. 24. Sen. 33; 30, 1, pp. 372–4 (Frémont here states that he was given permission to explore south of the Colorado, and was on his way to do so when stopped by Castro. This permission does not appear in the documents of March, 1846. It may have been given very incidentally, and this may have been the cause of the trouble). Bandini, Calif., 139. Sen. Report 75; 30, 1, pp. 12, 16. Richman, Calif., 308. Tuthill, Calif., 163. Sherman, Sloat, xv. Cong. Globe, 30, 1, pp. 604–5. Kelsey, Consulate, 96. [76]Castro, Mar. 6; Apr. 1. [76]Larkin to alcalde, Mar. 10. Journ. Mil. Serv. Instit., xxxi, 711.