Sloat at Mazatlan at the end of that month, and he had immediately dispatched the ship Portsmouth to Monterey, with general instructions to protect American interests in California.

"The information brought by Mr. Gillespie to Captain Montgomery, in relation to my position, induced that officer immediately to proceed to Yerba Buena, whence he had dispatched his launch to me. I immediately wrote to him, by return of the boat, describing to him fully my position and intentions, in order that he might not, by supposing me to be acting under orders from my government, unwittingly commit himself in offering me other than such assistance as his instructions would authorize him naturally to offer an officer charged with an important public duty; or in fine, to any citizen of the United States.

"Information having reached me from the commanding officer at Sonoma, that his post was threatened with an attack by a force under General Castro, I raised camp on the American fork on the afternoon of the 23d, and accompanied by Mr. Gillespie, at two in the morning of the 25th, reached Sonoma with ninety mounted riflemen, having marched eighty miles. Our people still held the place, only one division of Castro's force, a squadron of cavalry numbering seventy men, and commanded by Joaquin de la Torre (one of his best officers), having succeeded in crossing the straits [San Francisco Bay]. This force had attacked an advance party of twenty Americans, and was defeated with the loss of two killed and two or three wounded. The Americans lost none. This was an unexpected check to the Californians, who had announced their intention to defeat our people without firing a gun; to beat out their brains with their 'tapaderos,' and destroy them 'con cuchillos puros.' They were led to use this expression from the circumstance that a few days previous they had captured two of our men (an express), and after wounding, had bound them to trees, and cut them to pieces while alive, with an exaggeration of cruelty which no Indian

would be capable of. In a few days de la Torre was driven from the country, having barely succeeded in effecting his escape across the straits. The guns (six large and handsome pieces) were spiked at the fort on the south side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay, and the communication with the opposite side entirely cut off, the boats and launches being either destroyed or in our possession. Three of Castro's party having landed on the Sonoma side in advance, were killed near the beach; and beyond this there was no loss on either side. In all these proceedings, Mr. Gillespie has acted with me.

"We reached Sonoma again on the evening of July 4th, and in the morning I called the people together, and spoke to them in relation to the position of the country, advising a course of operations which was unanimously adopted. California was declared independent, the country put under martial law, the force organized and officers elected. A pledge, binding themselves to support these measures, and to obey their officers, was signed by those present. The whole was placed under my direction. Several officers from the Portsmouth [were] present at this meeting. Leaving Captain Grigsby with fifty men in command of Sonoma, I left that place on the 6th, and reached my encampment on the American fork in three days. Before we arrived at that place, General Castro had evacuated Santa Clara, which he had been engaged in fortifying, and with a force of about four hundred men, and two pieces of artillery, commenced his retreat from St. Johns, a fortified post, having eight pieces of artillery, principally brass. On the evening of the [10th] we were electrified by the arrival of an express from Captain Montgomery, with information that Commodore Sloat had hoisted the flag of the United States at Monterey, and taken possession of the country. Captain Montgomery had hoisted the flag at Yerba Buena, and sent one to Sonoma to be hoisted at that place. One also was sent to the officer commanding at New Helvetia, requesting that it might be hoisted at his post.

"Independence and the flag of the United States are synonymous terms to the foreigners here (the northern, which is the stronger part, particularly), and accordingly I directed the flag to be hoisted with a salute the next morning [July 11th]. The event produced great rejoicing among our people. The next day I received an express from Commodore Sloat, transmitting to me his proclamation, and directing [me] to proceed with the force under my orders to Monterey. The registered force, actually in arms, under my orders, numbered two hundred and twenty riflemen, with one piece of field artillery, and ten men, in addition to the artillery of the garrison. We were on the eve of marching in pursuit of Castro when this intelligence arrived; accordingly, I directed my march upon Monterey, where I arrived on the evening of the 19th, with a command of one hundred and sixty mounted riflemen, and one piece of artillery. I found also there Commodore Stockton, in command of the Congress, and Admiral Seymour in command of Her Britannic Majesty's ship Collingwood, of eighty guns. I have been badly interrupted, and shall scarcely be able to put you in full possession of occurrences.

"To come briefly to a conclusion, Commodore Sloat has transferred the squadron with California and its appurtenances into the hands of Commodore Stockton, who has resolved to make good the possession of California. This officer approves entirely of the course pursued by myself and Mr. Gillespie, who, I repeat, has been hand in hand with me in this business. I received this morning from Commodore Stockton a commission of major in the United States army, retaining command of my battalion, to which a force of eighty marines will be attached. We are under orders to embark to-morrow morning on board the Cyane sloop-of-war, and disembark at San Diego, immediately in the rear of Castro. He is now at the Pueblo de los Angeles, an interior city, with a force of about five hundred men, supposed to be increasing. The design is to attack him with my force at that place. He has there seven or eight pieces of artillery."