A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) (713 pages)

38 HISTORY OF NURTHERN CALIFORNIA. humane treatment toward General Vallejo and his companions in their possession as prisoners. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant. (Signed) Joun B. MonrcoMeny, Commander. To Lieutenant John 8.;Missroon, United States Ship Portsmouth. Report of Lieutenant Missroon on his return from Sonoma, with accompanying documents B. Unitep States Sore PortsMovurTH, San Francisco, June 17, 1846, Srr:—In pursuance of your order of the 16th instant, to proeeed to Sonoma and endeavor by all proper means in my power to secure to the female and unoffending portion of the population of that district some degree of security for their persons and property during the occupancy of the place by certain insurgents, chiefly foreigners, . have the honor to report, in obedience to that order, that I left the ship on the day of receiving your instructions, and reached the town about sunset, where I found about twenty-five men under arms,and having six or seven pieces of artillery with several hundred stand of arms. The whole party is only thirty-five. I waited upon the commanding officer, Wm. B. Ide, and received from him both verbal and written assurances of his intention to maintain order and to respect both the persons and property of all persons residing within the limits of his command. He also handed me a copy of a proclamation which he had issued on the day after his occupation of the town, and which I herewith present to you, marked “A,” in which you will observe that these promises of protection are set forth in explicit terms, and which I would remark to you, seemed to me to have fully assured the inhabitants of their safety, although Sonoma is evidently under martial law. By this proclamation you will also observe that California is declared to be an independent republic. The insurgent party has hoisted a flag with a white field, with a border or stripe of red on its lower part, and having a star and bear upon it. I informed the commanding officer of the state of terror into which his movement upon Sonoma had thrown the inhabitants in and about the Yerba Buena, as directed by my instructions. I then waited upon the Alcalde of the place, informed "him through my interpreter that my visit was entirely of a peaceful character, and that it had been induced by the message which my commander had received from the late Mexican commander, General Vallejo, now a prisoner in the hands of the insurgents, asking his (my commander’s) interference for the protection of females and unoffending inhabitants; that assurances of respect and protection were freely given me by the commanding officer of the party under arms, and that . explicity made it known to him, for the information of the surrounding country, that my commander disclaimed any and all interference in the matter other than what was dicta‘ed by motives of humanity. After these interviews I then called upon the family of General Vallejo and moderated their distress, by the assurance of safety for the General, which I had received, and informing them that the prisoners were held as hostages Having completed the object for which I went to Sonoma, left the place yesterday with the thanks of both parties, about meridian, and reached the ship about sunset. Before taking my departure I deemed it best to reassure the Alcalde, in order to prevent any necessity for future explanation, which is so apt to grow out off business transacted with Mexicans, especially through an interpreter. I therefore addressed the letter marked “BY” appending to it the written pledge, or a copy of the pledge, which [ had obtained from the commander of the foreigners in possession of the place, and which I here‘with hand you a copy of. It only remains, sir, for me to add that, so far as I could judge and observe, the utmost harmony and good order prevail in the camp, and that 1 have every reason to believe that the pledges «.f kind treatment toward all who may fall into their hands will be faithfully observed. Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. S. Mrssroon, First Lieutenant United States ship Portsmouth. To Commander Jno. B. Montgomery, commanding United States ship Portsmouth, Bay of San Francisco. Document B, accompanying the foregoing report. Sonoma, June 17, 1846. Srr:—As you were informed yesterday, through my interpreter, my visit to this place is of a strictly mediatorial character, and was induced by the application of General Vallejo through his messenger, Sefor Rosa, to Captain Montgomery, requesting of him to adopt meas. ures for the protection of the females and peaceable inhabitants of Sonoma. I have the pleasure to assure you of the intention of the foreigners now in arms and occupying Sonoma, to respect the persons of all individuals and their property, who do not take up arms against them, and I leave with you acopy of the pledge which the commander of the party bas voluntarily given to me, with a view to the pacification of all alarm. Respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. 8S. Missroon, Lieutenant United States Navy. TO THE ALCALDE OF SONOMA. I pledge myself that I will use my utmost exertion to restrain and prevent the men in arms under my command, all of whom present acknowledge my authority and approve the measure of forbearance and humanity, from perpetrating any violence, or in any manner molesting the peaceable inhabitants, in person or property, of California, while we continue in arms for the liberty of California. (Signed) Ws. B. Ipg, Commander. Witness to the above signature, Signed), J.S Mrissroon, ieutenant United States Navy, and Executive Otticer of the United States Ship Portsmouth. Sonoma, June 17, 1846, The revolutionists were now master of the situation, having control of nine cannons and about two hundred muskets. While William B. Ide, then the leader of the Bear Flag party, may have been a man of some eccentricity of character, he seems to have been a man of considerable culture, and there is little rooin for doubt that he shaped and controlled, to a large degree, the conduct of those under him. It was no sinecnre pusition, this of Commander Ide. It is true, the prisoners sent to Sacramento were taken charge of by General Fremont, under the saving clause that he had nothing to do with their arrest; and it is also true that Coinmander

38 HISTORY OF NURTHERN CALIFORNIA. humane treatment toward General Vallejo and his companions in their possession as prisoners. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant. (Signed) Joun B. MonrcoMeny, Commander. To Lieutenant John 8.;Missroon, United States Ship Portsmouth. Report of Lieutenant Missroon on his return from Sonoma, with accompanying documents B. Unitep States Sore PortsMovurTH, San Francisco, June 17, 1846, Srr:—In pursuance of your order of the 16th instant, to proeeed to Sonoma and endeavor by all proper means in my power to secure to the female and unoffending portion of the population of that district some degree of security for their persons and property during the occupancy of the place by certain insurgents, chiefly foreigners, . have the honor to report, in obedience to that order, that I left the ship on the day of receiving your instructions, and reached the town about sunset, where I found about twenty-five men under arms,and having six or seven pieces of artillery with several hundred stand of arms. The whole party is only thirty-five. I waited upon the commanding officer, Wm. B. Ide, and received from him both verbal and written assurances of his intention to maintain order and to respect both the persons and property of all persons residing within the limits of his command. He also handed me a copy of a proclamation which he had issued on the day after his occupation of the town, and which I herewith present to you, marked “A,” in which you will observe that these promises of protection are set forth in explicit terms, and which I would remark to you, seemed to me to have fully assured the inhabitants of their safety, although Sonoma is evidently under martial law. By this proclamation you will also observe that California is declared to be an independent republic. The insurgent party has hoisted a flag with a white field, with a border or stripe of red on its lower part, and having a star and bear upon it. I informed the commanding officer of the state of terror into which his movement upon Sonoma had thrown the inhabitants in and about the Yerba Buena, as directed by my instructions. I then waited upon the Alcalde of the place, informed "him through my interpreter that my visit was entirely of a peaceful character, and that it had been induced by the message which my commander had received from the late Mexican commander, General Vallejo, now a prisoner in the hands of the insurgents, asking his (my commander’s) interference for the protection of females and unoffending inhabitants; that assurances of respect and protection were freely given me by the commanding officer of the party under arms, and that . explicity made it known to him, for the information of the surrounding country, that my commander disclaimed any and all interference in the matter other than what was dicta‘ed by motives of humanity. After these interviews I then called upon the family of General Vallejo and moderated their distress, by the assurance of safety for the General, which I had received, and informing them that the prisoners were held as hostages Having completed the object for which I went to Sonoma, left the place yesterday with the thanks of both parties, about meridian, and reached the ship about sunset. Before taking my departure I deemed it best to reassure the Alcalde, in order to prevent any necessity for future explanation, which is so apt to grow out off business transacted with Mexicans, especially through

an interpreter. I therefore addressed the letter marked “BY” appending to it the written pledge, or a copy of the pledge, which [ had obtained from the commander of the foreigners in possession of the place, and which I here‘with hand you a copy of. It only remains, sir, for me to add that, so far as I could judge and observe, the utmost harmony and good order prevail in the camp, and that 1 have every reason to believe that the pledges «.f kind treatment toward all who may fall into their hands will be faithfully observed. Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. S. Mrssroon, First Lieutenant United States ship Portsmouth. To Commander Jno. B. Montgomery, commanding United States ship Portsmouth, Bay of San Francisco. Document B, accompanying the foregoing report. Sonoma, June 17, 1846. Srr:—As you were informed yesterday, through my interpreter, my visit to this place is of a strictly mediatorial character, and was induced by the application of General Vallejo through his messenger, Sefor Rosa, to Captain Montgomery, requesting of him to adopt meas. ures for the protection of the females and peaceable inhabitants of Sonoma. I have the pleasure to assure you of the intention of the foreigners now in arms and occupying Sonoma, to respect the persons of all individuals and their property, who do not take up arms against them, and I leave with you acopy of the pledge which the commander of the party bas voluntarily given to me, with a view to the pacification of all alarm. Respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. 8S. Missroon, Lieutenant United States Navy. TO THE ALCALDE OF SONOMA. I pledge myself that I will use my utmost exertion to restrain and prevent the men in arms under my command, all of whom present acknowledge my authority and approve the measure of forbearance and humanity, from perpetrating any violence, or in any manner molesting the peaceable inhabitants, in person or property, of California, while we continue in arms for the liberty of California. (Signed) Ws. B. Ipg, Commander. Witness to the above signature, Signed), J.S Mrissroon, ieutenant United States Navy, and Executive Otticer of the United States Ship Portsmouth. Sonoma, June 17, 1846, The revolutionists were now master of the situation, having control of nine cannons and about two hundred muskets. While William B. Ide, then the leader of the Bear Flag party, may have been a man of some eccentricity of character, he seems to have been a man of considerable culture, and there is little rooin for doubt that he shaped and controlled, to a large degree, the conduct of those under him. It was no sinecnre pusition, this of Commander Ide. It is true, the prisoners sent to Sacramento were taken charge of by General Fremont, under the saving clause that he had nothing to do with their arrest; and it is also true that Coinmander