Siege of Los Angeles

Siege of Los Angeles
Part of the Mexican–American War
San Pedro Bay, 1900.
Date September 22–30, 1846 Location Los Angeles, Alta California, Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Robert F. Stockton John C. Fremont Archibald H. Gillespie	Jose Maria Castro José María Flores José Antonio Carrillo Andrés Pico
Strength
48	150 militia
Casualties and losses
0	0

The Siege of Los Angeles was a military response by armed Californios to the occupation, which had begun August 13, 1846, by the United States Marines of the Pueblo de Los Angeles during the Mexican–American War.

Background

Following the Battle of Monterey, the Americans held northern California but General Jose Maria Castro and Governor Pio Pico planned resistance in the south around the Los Angeles area. Commodore Robert F. Stockton arrived at Monterey Bay aboard the Congress on July 15 and took over command from John D. Sloat. Stockton accepted the Bear Flag revolutionaries, under the command of Major John C. Frémont, as the California Battalion. Stockton then garrisoned Sonoma, San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, and Sutter's Fort. 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. Fremont arrived at San Diego on July 29 and reached San Pedro on August 6 aboard the Congress.

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.

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

Resistance

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

Siege

On September 23, twenty men under the command of Cerbulo Varela exchanged shots with the Americans at Government House, which ignited Los Angeles. 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. Gillespie's forces were effectively besieged, while Gillespie sent Juan "Flaco" Brown to Commodore Stockton for help.

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

Flores quickly cleared remaining American forces in southern California.

See also

• Pueblo de Los Angeles
• List of conflicts in the United States
• Battles of the Mexican–American War
• Captain John Strother Griffin (1816–1898), physician during the battle

Further reading

• California History, Bancroft - http://www.1st-hand-history.org/Hhb/HHBindex.htm