As dawn broke, her colors flapped in the wind. A solitary marker, making a stand in a strange new world. As a representation of a young nation, she really had no right to be flying so far from home. Yet it was here that the United States flag flew in defiance, atop a mountain, the highest mountain, for the entire province to see.

As Captain John C. Fremont, U.S. Army Corp of Topographical Engineers, looked up at the flag he was flying in defiance, he must have contemplated what had brought him to this point. He had been to California a couple times before, along with some of the members of his party, including the famous mountain man Kit Carson. In fact, it was on the first expedition in 1844 when Kit Carson stood at the top of the Sierras, about 9,000 feet in elevation at this place, and declared it to be Carson Pass. He then carved his name into a tree before the party descended the mountain along the American River. (Cleland 1929, 325-326)

After Fremont’s Second expedition to California He wrote “I had returned inspired with California. Its delightful climate and uncommon beauty of surface; the great strength of its vegetation and its grand commercial position took possession of my mind. My wish when I first saw it settled into intention, and I determined to make there a home.” (Cleland 1929, 334)

Now, however, on his third expedition to a land he loved so much, everything began to seem different somehow. The world climate was changing. Every major power was now looking at this paradise as a source for their own conquest. Still, this didn’t give an American soldier the right to raise his nation’s flag on foreign soil, especially with no declaration of war. Yet it was at the top of Gavilan Peak (meaning Hawk’s Peak, later to be known as Fremont Peak) that he built a fort, erected a flag pole, and flew his colors in defiance of the California authorities.

Fremont had come to California (on his third expedition) peacefully. He was sent here shortly after he mapped out the Oregon Trail to find the best route from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Ocean. (Cleland 1939, 194-195)

After being accused of stealing horses, and mistreating a lady, Fremont and his party were being asked to leave the county. They could leave on their own, or be escorted out by an armed band. The choice was his, but he had to leave. Fremont decided that he and his sixty-two man party would leave on their own. (Walker 1999, 84)

Instead of leaving, however, Fremont and his men climbed to Gavilan peak (overlooking San Juan Bautista) to make his stand on March 5, 1846. (Walker 1999, 94) General Castro, hearing of Fremont’s defiance, organized an army at San Juan Bautista. He then sent the army up the mountain to bring Fremont and his men down. Castro, who once wanted a peaceful revolt from Mexican control to independence now feared the 10,000 American settlers whom he feared carried visions of “Manifest Destiny“. (California Historical Society 1887, 64-65)

Prior to Fremont’s visits to California, independence had already been in the air. John Sutter, a Swiss emigrant built New Helvetia (Neuva Helvetia), later to be known as Sutter’s Fort. While he had a Mexican citizenship, required by law, he dreamed of independence an eventual statehood in the United States. He would never play a role in the revolt though, other than a supplier to both sides.

Thomas Larkin, who managed to hold onto his American citizenship despite Mexican law, was a strong businessman, and close friend of General Castro in Monterey. Larkin acted as a secret agent for American President Polk, who wanted information state of the people of California. President Polk knew they wanted independence, but he also knew that several countries, including Britain wanted California for themselves. Larkin did supply the U.S. with information, but he also was a key player in the Californian’s desire for independence. (Walker 1999, 51-52; Cleland 1939, 172)

On March 9th, 1846, the flag Fremont had erected blew over. He took it as an omen, and decided it was time to leave California. He passed the armed band that Castro had sent out of San Juan Bautista, and peacefully made his way to New Helvetia. There he picked up supplies, and headed north for the Oregon Territory. (Walker 1999, 101-105)

After camping at Klamath Lake for a couple of nights, Fremont and his men turned back for California. A messenger, Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie, of the U.S. Marine Corp, had delivered a memorized message to Fremont. Though it is not certain exactly what the message was, Fremont did mobilize his men and return to California the next morning. (California Historical Society, 1887, 71-72)

It was upon Fremont’s return to California that the peaceful show of force began. A group of settlers from the Sacramento Valley banded together to start the revolt of California against Mexican rule. They called themselves Osos (a word inspired by the “fighting spirits” of the local grizzly bears). They went to Sonoma, to the home of Commandante Mariano G. Vallejo, and asked for his surrender. It was here that the Osos agreed to avoid shedding any blood in this revolt. It was also here that William Todd, nephew of Mary Todd who married future President Abraham Lincoln, designed a flag for the new Republic of California. He chose a grizzly bear as an emblem to represent strength and unyielding resistance. His design would later be used as the state flag for California. (Ide 1967, 54)

Most of the settlers, including the Mexican citizens, were ready for independence. There was an incident where William Todd was captured by an armed band, and they planned to execute him. It was in his rescue that two men of the armed band were killed. There was one other incident where three men were killed. Other than these five, no blood was shed in the revolt. California became its own nation under the leadership of Fremont, and for the most part, the people were happy.

In the process, General Castro and Governor Pio Pico escaped California to live out the rest of their lives in Mexico.

Gillespie was put in charge of the pueblo Los Angeles. He wasn’t a good governor, and soon the people began to resent him. Andres Pico, brother of former Governor Pio Pico, led a revolt of the California Republic. His actions would later be immortalized in a fictional character named Zoro, who was patterned after the life of Andres Pico.

The United States at this time had been at war with Mexico, though those in California didn’t yet know about it. After the U.S. Marines captured Mexico City, and then purchased the Southwest Territory from Mexico, an army was in under General Kearny to end the hostilities in California. The final treaty for peace was signed by John Fremont and Andres Pico at Cahuenga Pass on a hill outside of the pueblo Los Angeles. Today that spot is in Beverly Hills, and is commemorated with a plaque.

While the Bear Flag Republic had its independence for only a short time, it was successful in bringing the people of the region together. They had escaped he rule and neglect of Mexico. Also, as they would later find out, President Santa Anna of Mexico had made a secret deal with Great Britain to transfer California into British control. The revolt, and the war between the U.S. and Mexico prevented Great Britain from gaining California as a colony. Soon the United States would have control of the region, and due to the influx of people during the gold rush of 1849, California would soon be a state. (Cleland 1939, 180)

Fremont owned land that had been granted to him before the revolt in an area the Mexicans considered to be a wasteland, the Sierra foothills. The land was known as Las Mariposas. He settled the land and built the town of Mariposa.

By Erick Hanneman
myMerced.com staff writer

Bibligraphy

California Historical Society, Papers of the California Historical Society. Vol. 1. Part 1. San Francisco: California Historical Society, 1887.

Cleland, Robert G. Pathfinder: of the series California. Los Angeles: Powell Publishing Company, 1929.

Cleland, Robert G. History of California: The American Period. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1939.

Ide, Simeon. The Conquest of California By The Bear Flag Party, A Biographical Sketch of the Life of William B. Ide. Glorieta, New Mexico: The Rio Grande Press, Inc., 1967.

Walker, Dale L. Bear Flag Rising: The Conquest of California. 1846. New York: Forge, 1999.