Siege of Los Angeles
Part of the Conquest of California
Mexican–American War

American forces retreating to San Pedro following their defeat in the Siege of Los Angeles
DateSeptember 22–30, 1846
(1 week and 1 day)
Location
Los Angeles, Alta California, Mexico
Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
 United States Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Archibald H. Gillespie Surrendered Serbulo Varela
José María Flores
José Antonio Carrillo
Andrés Pico
Strength
48[a] 150 militia[a]
Casualties and losses
None None

The siege of Los Angeles, sometimes known as the Battle of Los Angeles,[1] was a military response by armed Mexican civilians to the August 1846 occupation of the Pueblo de Los Ángeles by the United States Marines during the Mexican–American War.[2]

Background

Following the Battle of Monterey, the Americans held northern California but General José María Castro and Governor Pío Pico planned resistance in the south around the Los Angeles area.[a]: 172  Commodore Robert F. Stockton arrived at Monterey Bay aboard the Congress on July 15 and took over command from John D. Sloat.[a]: 170  Stockton accepted the Bear Flag revolutionaries, under the command of Major John C. Frémont, as the California Battalion.[a]: 173  Stockton then garrisoned Sonoma, San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, and Sutter's Fort.[a]: 173  Stockton's plan for dealing with Castro was to have Commander Samuel Francis Du Pont carry Fremont's men in the Cyane to San Diego to block any movement southwards, while Stockton would land a force at San Pedro which would move overland against Castro.[a]: 174  Fremont arrived at San Diego on July 29 and reached San Pedro on August 6 aboard the Congress.[a]: 174 

Occupation

Upon holding a council of war, Castro decided to leave California, heading to Sonora with Pico and a few supporters on August 11, while the rest of his force retired to Rancho San Pascual.[a]: 176 

On August 13, 1846, Stockton led his column into town, followed by Fremont's force a half-hour later.[a]: 176  On August 14, the remnants of the Californio army surrendered.[a]: 176 

Resistance

Stockton established a garrison of forty-eight men under Capt. Archibald H. Gillespie and departed in September[a]: 177, 183  His men, however, were undisciplined in an area with pro-Mexican feelings.[a]: 183 

Siege

On September 23, twenty men under the command of Cerbulo Varela exchanged shots with the Americans at Government House, which ignited Los Angeles.[a]: 184  On September 24, 150 Californios, organized under José María Flores, a Mexican Officer who remained in California, at Castro's old camp at La Mesa.[a]: 184  Gillespie's forces were effectively besieged, while Gillespie sent Juan "Flaco" Brown to Commodore Stockton for help.[a]: 184 

Gillespie's men retreated to Fort Hill on September 28, but without water, they surrendered the next day.[a]: 184  Terms called for Gillespie's men to leave Los Angeles, which they did on September 30, 1846, and boarded the American merchant vessel Vandalia.[a]: 184 

Flores quickly cleared the remaining American forces in southern California.[a]: 184 

See also

References

  1. Bauer, K.J. (1974). The Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 0803261071.
  1. ^ "Sketch of the Battle of Los Angeles, Upper California, fought between the Americans and the Mexicans". A Continent Divided: The U.S. - Mexico War. January 9, 1847.
  2. ^ "Mexican-American War Timeline". Legends of America. Retrieved August 31, 2014.

Further reading

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