Mission San Juan Bautista,
December 2, 1815
José Dolores Pico’s Diary, 1815
Copy of a diary, November 3-December 3, 1815, signed by Pico at Mission San Juan Bautista, as a report to Governor Pablo Vicente de Sola, of an expedition, including Fr. Jaime Escude and soldiers, in search of runaway Indians. Starting from Mission San Juan Bautista, the expedition proceeded eastward to the valley of the San Joaquin, joined the expedition led by Sergeant Juan de Ortega, and returned with them.
Diary written by Sergeant José Dolores Pico by order of Governor Don Pablo Vicente de Sola from the 3rd day of November, 1815.
3rd day [of November]. I left the Presidio [of Monterey] and went as far as the Royal Treasury, where all the troops under my command were mobilized. This day there were no events worth recording.
4th day. On this day I inspected the troops, the ammunition, and the weapons, and at about five o’clock in the afternoon continued my march toward the place called Ansaimas [Paraje de los Ansaimas].[7] Near seven o’clock in the evening I arrived with one soldier at Mission San Juan, where I met Reverend Father Fray Jaime Escude. After reviewing the troops who were to go with me from the mission, we started on our way, the Father being with us, at quarter past twelve at night. At about one o’clock in the morning we met the rest of the troops at the Arroyo of San Benito. All well.
5th day. We continued our march to the place mentioned [Ansaimas], where we met citizens Cornelio Lucas Altimirano, Manuel Pinto, and Quintin Ortega, all with weapons and horses. Here I remained the rest of the day waiting for the equipage of the Father, which had not yet arrived.
6th day. We left this place at about five o’clock in the morning, taking an easterly direction, and at about seven o’clock in the evening we arrived at the place called San Luis Gonzaga, which is situated at the foot of the Sierra on the border of the Tulare Valley. Here we passed the night without incident.
7th day. In the morning I again inspected the troops and the munitions and at about nine o’clock in the evening we started out, going toward the east. At twelve o’clock midnight we reached the Tulares at the arroyo called San José.[8] Here we passed the remainder of the night up to the hour of attacking the village of the Cheneches.[9]
8th day. At three o’clock in the morning we left this place and fell upon the said village at four o’clock. Sixty-six souls were captured, between Christians and heathen, women and men. I released four men and twelve old women, who were crippled. The majority of the people escaped because this village is in a bad location. Here were found seven live horses and five recently dead. The Father baptized an infant girl on the point of death, to whom he gave the name Severa. These heathen told me that at a distance of four leagues up the River San Joaquin from this village there was another village called Nopchenches, which had many horses, and at which were to be found the Christian fugitives Justo, Damian, Severo, and Pedro Pablo. I sent Corporal Juarez with fourteen men to arrest the said Christians and heathen, and bring back the horses which they said were to be found there.