The Bear Flag Revolt
Today we look back 180 years to the Bear Flag Revolt in which California’s short-lived sovereignty ended when it was annexed by the U.S.
The Bear Flag Republic was in a small portion of Mexican land in Northern California in June and July of 1846.
In April 1846, Mexican Gov. Jose Castro proclaimed that the acquisition of land by foreigners who had not been naturalized as Mexicans would be void. As word spread of the edict and rumors swirled of Native Americans being encouraged to burn crops of non-Mexicans, the foreign settlers began to organize with the advice of U.S. Army Capt. John C. Fremont.
On June 9, 1846, American immigrants near Sonoma took up arms and captured a number of members of the Mexican military and their horses. There was little resistance and Mexico had the smallest of its military presence in Northern California. On June 14, 1846, settlers arrived at the Sonoma headquarters of Gen. Mariano Vallejo. The men took Vallejo prisoner and declared California to be an independent republic. The Bear Flag Party raised its flag in Sonoma and declared California free from Mexican rule.
Commodore John Drake Sloat and several U.S. Navy ships sailed into Monterey Bay and took the Mexican base without a skirmish. They raised the American flag on July 7, 1846. On July 9, the Bear flag in Sonoma was hauled down and the American flag raised in its place. The militia became organized under U.S. command. The Bear Flag Revolt was over, but the Mexican-American War was well under way.
The California republic lasted 25 days and was never recognized by another nation.
Several limited battles were fought in California until Mexican forces were beaten at San Gabriel and La Mesa. The Californios, Mexican nationals, surrendered to American forces and signed the Treaty of Cahuenga on Jan. 13, 1847. The treaty called for both nationalities to assimilate into the U.S. and was upheld with the treaty that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.
Bear Flag Revolt Timeline
1846
January — John C. Fremont arrives in Alta California with an armed party and visits Sutter’s Fort before traveling to Monterey to meet U.S. consul Thomas O. Larkin.
March — Mexican commander José Castro orders Frémont to leave the territory. Fremont stages a brief armed standoff at Gavilan Peak, raises the U.S. flag, then withdraws north toward Oregon.
May 13 — The United States declares war on Mexico; news begins slowly spreading toward California.
Late May — Fremont returns to the Sacramento Valley. Rumors circulate among American settlers that Mexican authorities plan to expel them.
June 9–10 — Settlers associated with Frémont’s camp seize horses gathered for Castro’s forces.
June 14 — Rebels enter Sonoma and arrest Mariano Vallejo and other officials; the town is taken without a fight.
June 15 — William B. Ide issues a proclamation. Rebels raise the Bear Flag and declare the “California Republic.” The insurgents become known as the Osos (Bears).
June 19 — Californios capture and execute two Bear Flag insurgents near Santa Rosa, increasing tensions.
June 23 — A brief clash takes place near Rancho Olompali between Californios and Bear Flag fighters.
June 25 — Fremont arrives in Sonoma with armed supporters and openly joins the revolt.
June 28 — Fremont’s men kill three Californios near San Rafael after they come ashore by boat.
July 1 — Fremont’s force spikes the cannons at the old Spanish fort at the Golden Gate (Castillo de San Joaquín / Fort Point area).
July 4 — Bear Flag rebels celebrate in Sonoma; Fremont agrees to lead combined forces against Castro.
July 7 — U.S. naval forces under Commodore John D. Sloat raise the American flag at Monterey, beginning official U.S. occupation.
July 9 — The U.S. flag is raised at Yerba Buena (San Francisco).
Late July — Fremont’s command is reorganized as the U.S. Army’s California Battalion, ending the short-lived Bear Flag Republic.
The most well-known and debated Mexican-American War battle in California took place in Escondido and was the Battle of San Pasqual. It was in December of 1846, and both sides claim victory. Californios departed the battlefield after inflicting heavy losses.The war ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which Mexico was forced to sell a vast tract of land that amounted to almost half its national territory to the U.S.
There were several other battles and skirmishes across the state, including places such as the Salinas Valley, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles. The last being the Battle of Sacramento in 1847. The largest battles of the war were in Mexico including the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. The American forces had about 4,500 soldiers and the Mexican force was more that 15,000.
California became the 31st state Sept. 9, 1850, thus becoming part of a republic again – the U.S.A.
The Bear Flag
The settlers in Northern California thought It was necessary to design a flag to replace Mexico’s. The central feature of the flag became a grizzly bear. The bear designed on the flag was mocked by some, due to its closer resemblance to a pig. The flag was designed by William Todd on a piece of new unbleached cotton. The star imitated the lone star of Texas. A grizzly bear represented the many bears seen in the state (which were extinct by the early 1920s). The words California Republic were placed beneath the star and bear.
The original flag was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires. In 1911, the Bear flag was adopted by the state Legislature as the state flag. It was 65 years after the revolt.
Sources: The Museum of the City of San Francisco, California State Parks, University of Utah, History.com, California Historical Society, National Archives, Library of Congress, Californiafrotier.net
Photos from the California State Parks and Wikimedia Commons