dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

Bear Flag Revolt

Main article: California Republic

John C. Frémont

Before dawn on Sunday, June 14, 1846, thirty-three Americans, already in rebellion against the Alta California government, arrived in Sonoma. Some of the group had traveled from the camp of U.S. Army Brevet Captain John C. Frémont who had entered California in late 1845 with his exploration and mapping expedition. Others had joined along the way. As the number of immigrants arriving in California had swelled, the Mexican government barred them from buying or renting land and threatened them with expulsion because they had entered without official permission.[24][25] Mexican officials were concerned about the coming war with the United States coupled with the growing influx of American immigrants into California.[26]

A group of rebellious Americans had departed from Frémont's camp on June 10 and captured a herd of 170 Mexican government-owned horses being moved by Californio soldiers from San Rafael and Sonoma to Alta California's Commandante General José Castro in Santa Clara.[27] The insurgents next determined to seize the weapons and materiel stored in the Sonoma Barracks and to deny Sonoma to the Californios as a rallying point north of San Francisco Bay.[28]

Bear Flag monument in Sonoma

Meeting no resistance, they approached Comandante Vallejo's home and pounded on his door. After a few minutes Vallejo opened the door dressed in his Mexican Army uniform.[29] Vallejo invited the filibusters' leaders into his home to negotiate terms. However, when the agreement was presented to those outside they refused to endorse it. Rather than releasing the Mexican officers under parole they insisted they be held as hostages. William Ide gave an impassioned speech urging the rebels to stay in Sonoma and start a new republic.[30] Referring to the stolen horses Ide ended his oration with "Choose ye this day what you will be! We are robbers, or we must be conquerors!"[31] At that time, Vallejo and his three associates were placed on horseback and taken to Frémont accompanied by eight or nine of the insurgents who did not favor forming a new republic under the circumstances.[32]

Bear Flag

The Sonoma Barracks became the headquarters for the remaining twenty-four rebels, who within a few days created their Bear Flag. After the flag was raised Californios called the insurgents Los Osos (The Bears) because of their flag and in derision of their often scruffy appearance. The rebels embraced the expression, and their uprising became known as the Bear Flag Revolt.[33]

There were some small unit skirmishes between the Bears and the Californios but no major confrontations. Hearing reports that Mexican General José Castro was preparing to attack, Frémont left his camp near Sutter's Fort for Sonoma on June 23. With him were ninety men - his own party plus some trappers and settlers.[34][35]

On July 5, Frémont called a public meeting and proposed to the Bears that they unite with his party and form a single military unit. He said that he would accept command if they would pledge obedience, proceed honorably, and not violate the chastity of women. A compact was drawn up which all volunteers of the California Battalion signed or made their marks.[36] The next day Frémont, leaving the fifty men of Company B at the Barracks to defend Sonoma, left with the rest of the Battalion for Sutter's Fort. They took with them two of the captured Mexican field pieces, as well as muskets, a supply of ammunition, blankets, horses, and cattle.[37]

War against Mexico had already been declared by the United States Congress on May 13, 1846.[38] Because of the slow cross-continent communication of the time, no one in California knew that conclusively. Commodore John D. Sloat, commanding the U.S. Navy's Pacific Squadron, had learned of Frémont's support for the Bears in Sonoma. Sloat finally concluded on July 6 that he needed to act, "I shall be blamed for doing too little or too much - I prefer the latter."[39] Early July 7, the United States Navy, captured Monterey, California, and raised the flag of the United States. Sloat had his proclamation read and posted in English and Spanish: "…henceforth California will be a portion of the United States."[40]

The Bear Flag Revolt and whatever remained of the "California Republic" ceased to exist on July 9 when U.S. Navy Lieutenant Joseph Revere raised the United States flag in front of the Sonoma Barracks and sent a second flag to be raised at Sutter's Fort.[41]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma,_California

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Republic