View source for Battle of Monterey

{{Short description|1846 battle of the Mexican-American War}}
{{hatnote|For the 1818 Argentine occupation of Monterey, see [[Argentine Invasion of Monterey]]. For the 1842 incident at Monterey, see [[Capture of Monterey]]. For the battle in [[Mexico]], see [[Battle of Monterrey]].}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Battle of Monterey
|image=Batalla de Monterey.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Officers of Commodore Sloat raise the U.S. flag over Monterey
|partof=[[Conquest of California]]<br>[[Mexican–American War]]
|date=July 7, 1846
|place=[[Monterey, California]]
|result=American victory
|combatant1={{flag|United States|1846}}
|combatant2={{flagdeco|Mexico|1823}} [[Second Federal Republic of Mexico|Mexico]]
|commander1=[[John D. Sloat]]<br />[[Earl Van Dorn]]
|commander2=Mariano Silva
|strength1=225 sailors and marines<ref name=Bauer />
|strength2=Unknown
|casualties1=None
|casualties2=None
|}}
{{California Campaign}}
{{Campaignbox Mexican-American War}}
The '''Battle of Monterey''', at [[Monterey, California]], occurred on 7 July 1846, during the [[Mexican–American War]]. The [[United States]] captured the town unopposed.

==Prelude==
In February 1845, at the [[Battle of Providencia]], the [[Californio]] forces had ousted the Mexican-appointed non-Californio governor, [[Manuel Micheltorena]], and most of his forces from [[Alta California]]. The central government in Mexico City cancelled an attempt to reassert authority and grudgingly recognized the regime of the succeeding Californio governor, [[Pio Pico]], who remained nominally in charge in Alta California.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|13}}

The main forces available to the United States in California were the about 400–500 bluejacket sailors and [[History of the United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marines]] on board the five ships of the Navy's [[Pacific Squadron]]. In November 1845, Commodore [[John D. Sloat]], commander of the Pacific Squadron, then at [[Mazatlán|Mazatlán, Mexico]], was joined by the {{USS|Cyane|1837|6}}, which carried orders that if Sloat learned "beyond a doubt" that war between the U.S. and Mexico had begun, he was to seize San Francisco Bay and blockade the other California ports.<ref name=Walker>{{cite book|last=Walker|first=Dale L.|title=Bear Flag Rising: The Conquest of California, 1846|year=1999|location=New York|isbn=0312866852|publisher=Macmillan|url=https://archive.org/details/bearflagrisingco00walk_0}}</ref>{{rp|98}}

On 17 May 1846, Commodore Sloat received word of the first open hostilities on the Rio Grande. On 26 May, Sloat received word of the [[Battle of Palo Alto]] and the [[Battle of Resaca de la Palma]], upon which he sent a coded message to [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[George Bancroft]] that he was leaving for California.<ref name=Bauer>{{cite book|last=Bauer|first= K.J.|year=1974|title=The Mexican War, 1846–1848|location=New York|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=0803261071}}</ref>{{rp|167}} After delaying his departure, Sloat received news on 7 June that an American squadron had blockaded Vera Cruz.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|142}} Sloat sailed on the [[frigate]] [[USS Savannah (1842)|''Savannah'']] on 8 June, arriving at Monterey on 1 July.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|168,170}}

They joined the sloop ''Cyane'', which had sailed on 19 June and was already there.<ref name="Cleland1922">{{cite book|last=Cleland|first=Robert Glass|title=A history of California: the American period|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HJLBUhRWGCkC|access-date=6 July 2011|year=1922|publisher=The Macmillan Company}}</ref>{{rp|205}} There were U.S. fears that the British might try to annex California to satisfy British creditors.<ref name="Cleland1922" />{{rp|180}} The British [[Pacific Station]]'s ships off California were stronger in number, guns and men.<ref name="Bancroft1886">{{cite book|last1=Bancroft|first1=Hubert Howe|author-link=Hubert Howe Bancroft|last2=Nemos|first2=William|last3=Victor|first3=Frances Fuller|title=History of California|url=https://archive.org/details/workshuberthowe04bancgoog|access-date=6 July 2011|year=1886|publisher=History Co.}}</ref>{{rp|199}}

On 5 July, Sloat received a message from Capt. [[John B. Montgomery]] of the ''[[USS Portsmouth (1843)|Portsmouth]]'' in San Francisco Bay reporting the events of the [[Bear Flag Revolt]] in Sonoma and its open support by Brevet Capt. [[John C. Frémont]].<ref name=Walker />{{rp|143}} On 6 July, believing Frémont to be acting either on orders from Washington or information that war had been declared, Sloat therefore began to carry out his orders. In a message to Montgomery, Sloat relayed his decision to seize Monterey and ordered the commander to take possession of Yerba Buena (modern-day San Francisco), adding, "I am very anxious to know if Captain Frémont will cooperate with us."<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}}

==Battle==
[[File:The U.S. Capture of Monterey by Commodore Sloat.jpg|thumb|left|The U.S. Capture of Monterey by Commodore Sloat]]
Early on 7 July 1846, the [[frigate]] [[USS Savannah (1842)|USS ''Savannah'']] and the two [[Sloop-of-war|sloops]], [[USS Cyane (1837)|USS ''Cyane'']] and [[USS Levant (1837)|USS ''Levant'']] of the United States Navy, commanded by Commodore [[John D. Sloat]], captured Monterey and raised the flag of the United States.

Capt. [[William Mervine]] of the ''[[USS Cyane (1837)|Cyane]]'' came ashore with a small party from the ''Savannah'' at 7:30&nbsp;a.m., seeking the surrender of the port from the Mexican commandant, Capt. Mariano Silva.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}} Silva replied that he was "not authorized to surrender the place."<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}} In fact, Silva was in command of a nonexistent garrison,<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}} as it would have had no [[gunpowder]] to use in its few [[cannons]].<ref name="Cleland1922" />{{rp|205}} Californio General [[José Castro]] had quartered his cavalry forces inland at San Juan Bautista.<ref name= Walker/>{{rp|24}}

At 10 a.m., 225 sailors and marines from Sloat's three warships landed and formed before the [[Old Customhouse (Monterey, California)|Customs House]].<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}}<ref>{{cite book|title=The Naval Institute Historical Atlas of the U. S. Navy|last=Symonds|first=Craig L. |publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=2001}}</ref> [[Purser]] [[Rodman M. Price]] read Sloat's proclamation and posted it in both English and Spanish, declaring that a state of war existed between the U.S. and Mexico and that "henceforth California would be a portion of the United States."<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|171}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Harlow|first=Neil|page=124|title=California Conquered: The Annexation of a Mexican Province 1846–1850|publisher=University of California Press|year=1982|isbn= 0-520-06605-7}}</ref>

The only shots fired were a 21-gun salute to the new U.S. flag fired by each of the U.S. Navy ships in the harbor.<ref name="Bancroft1886" />{{rp|252}} The British ships observed but took no action. A messenger was sent to General Castro at San Juan Bautista requesting his surrender, which he refused.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|144}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:The_U._S._squadron_at_peace_in_Monterey._12_June_1847.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The U.S. fleet at anchor in Monterey a year after its capture in June 1847.]]
Sloat still recognized Mexican real estate titles and church lands.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|171}}  He also established [[justices of the peace]] when the [[alcalde]]s resigned their offices.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|171}}

Captain Montgomery of the ''[[USS Portsmouth (1843)|Portsmouth]]'' received Sloat's message to seize Yerba Buena on 8 July and sent Lt. Joseph W. Revere to [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] and [[Sutter's Fort]] to notify Fremont of the capture of Monterey. Montgomery and 70 men landed shortly before 8:00&nbsp;a.m. on 9 July to curious onlookers and read the pronouncement at the Customs House.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|171}} He then replaced the [[Flag of California|Bear Flag]], which had been raised on 2 July,<ref name= Walker />{{rp|138}} with the American flag.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|171}}  The American flag was run up with a [[21-gun salute]].<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|172}} Montgomery then sent Purser James H. Watmough to notify Fremont of the occupation of Yerba Buena and Sloat's request for a meeting.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|172}}
[[File:Right panel of Monterey Harbor terrazzo by Margaret Bruton.jpg|thumb|left|Plaque commemorating the battle, located at Monterey Harbor.]] 
Commodore [[Robert F. Stockton]] arrived at Monterey Bay aboard the ''[[USS Congress (1841)|Congress]]'' on 15 July and took over command from the 65-year-old Sloat.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|170}}<ref name=Walker/>{{rp|151}} The British [[ship of the line]] ''[[HMS Collingwood (1841)|Collingwood]]'' arrived in Monterey on 23 July, and ''[[HMS Juno (1844)|Juno]]'' arrived at Yerba Buena on 11 July, but neither ship interfered in the American activities.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|172}}

On 19 July, Frémont's party entered Monterey. Frémont, having been requested, met with Sloat on board the ''Savannah''. When Sloat learned that Frémont had acted on his own authority (thus raising doubt regarding a war declaration), he retired to his cabin.<ref name=Walker/>{{rp|149–151}} On 23 July, Frémont was appointed [[Major (rank)|major]] in command of the [[California Battalion]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/140098865 |title=Compiled Military Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel John Charles Fremont, California Battalion Regiment |publisher=National Archives |access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802165002/https://catalog.archives.gov/id/140098865 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/118983144 |title=Bounty Land Application File of Lieutenant Colonel John C. Fremont, Colonel Percifer Smith's Regiment of U.S. Mounted Rifles |publisher=National Archives |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-date=August 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802165535/https://catalog.archives.gov/id/118983144 |url-status=live}}</ref> which he had helped form with his 60-man exploratory force and volunteers from the [[Bear Flag Republic]].<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|173}} The California Battalion, which varied from 160 to 428 men,<ref>{{cite book|last=Denton|first=Sally|title=Passion and Principle, John and Jessie Fremont, The Couple whose Power, Politics, and Love Shaped Nineteenth-Century America|location=New York|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2007|isbn=978-1-59691-019-5|page=38}}</ref><ref name="Bancroft1886" />{{rp|253}} drew regular army wages and were used to garrison and maintain order in the towns that had surrendered.

The Americans held northern California, but General Castro and Governor Pico planned resistance in the south.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|172}} However, on 11 August, upon learning of the advance of the American army on [[Pueblo de Los Angeles]], with about 1,500 residents, the California army of about 100 men, which lacked money and popular support, broke up. Its leaders, Castro and Pico, departed that day for the Mexican department of Sonora. The Mexican government in California had ceased to exist.<ref name=Bauer />{{rp|176}}

==See also==
* [[List of battles of the Mexican–American War]]
* [[Mexican–American War|Mexican-American War]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mdannear/firstfam/watkins.htm First-hand account of battle]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{Coord|36|36|23|N|121|53|59|W|region:US-CA_type:event|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monterey, Battle of}}
[[Category:Naval battles of the Mexican–American War|Monterey]]
[[Category:1846 in Alta California]]
[[Category:Battles of the Conquest of California|Monterey]]
[[Category:Battles and conflicts without fatalities]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps in the 18th and 19th centuries]]
[[Category:Monterey, California]]
[[Category:History of Monterey County, California]]
[[Category:July 1846]]
[[Category:1846 in the Mexican-American War]]