The Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora, and Western Texas

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER XVII.

  Up to the present portion of my narrative, I have lived and kept companywith Indians and a few white men who had conformed to their manners andcustoms. I had seen nothing of civilized life, except during my shortsojourn at Monterey, one of the last places in the world to give you atrue knowledge of mankind. I was as all Indians are, until they havebeen deceived and outraged, frank, confiding, and honest. I knew that Icould trust my Shoshones, and I thought that I could put confidence inthose who were Christians and more civilized. But the reader mustrecollect that I was but nineteen years of age, and had been brought upas a Shoshone. My youthful ardour had been much inflamed by our latesuccessful conflicts. Had I contented myself with cementing the Indianconfederation, I should have done well, but my ideas now went muchfarther. The circumstances which had just occurred raised in my mind theproject of rendering the whole of California Independent, and it-was myambition to become the liberator of the country.

  Aware of the great resources of the territory, of the impassablebarriers presented to any large body of men who would invade it from thecentral parts of Mexico; the more I reflected, the more I was convincedof the feasibility of the undertaking.

  I represented to the Californians at San Francisco that, under existingcircumstances, they would not be able successfully to oppose any forcewhich the government might send by sea from Acapulco; I pointed out tothem that their rulers, too happy in having a pretext for plunderingthem, would show them no mercy, after what had taken place; and I thenrepresented, that if they were at once to declare their independence,and open their ports to strangers, they would, in a short time, becomesufficiently wealthy and powerful to overthrow any expedition that mightbe fitted out against them. I also proposed, as they had no standingtroops, to help them with a thousand warriors; but if so, I expected tohave a share in the new government that should be established. My SanFrancisco friends heard me with attention, and I could see they approvedthe idea; yet there were only a few from among the many who spoke out,and they would not give any final answer until they had conferred withtheir countrymen at Monterey. They pledged their honour that immediatelyon their arrival in that city, they would canvas the business, dispatchmessengers to the southern settlements, and let me know the result.

  As it was useless for me to return to the settlement before I knew theirdecision, I resolved upon taking up my residence at one of the missionson the bay, under the charge of some jolly Franciscan monks.

  In the convent, or mission, I passed my time pleasantly; the goodfathers were all men of sound education, as indeed they all are inMexico. The holy fathers were more than willing to separate Californiafrom the Mexican government; indeed they had many reasons for theirdisaffection; government had robbed them of their property, and hadlevied nearly two hundred per cent upon all articles of Californianproduce and manufacture. Moreover, when they sold their furs and hidesto the foreign traders, they were bound to give one-half of the receiptsto the government, while the other half was already reduced to aneighth, by the Mexican process of charging 200 per cent duty upon allgoods landed on the shore. They gave me to understand that the missionswould, if necessary for my success, assist me with 15, 20, nay30,000 dollars.

  I had a pleasant time with these Padres, for they were all _bonvivants_. Their cellars were well filled with Constantia wine, theirgardens highly cultivated, their poultry fat and tender, and their gamealways had a particular flavour. Had I remained there a few months more,I might have taken the vows myself, so well did that lazy, comfortablelife agree with my taste; but the Californians had been as active asthey had promised to be, and their emissaries came to San Francisco tosettle the conditions under which I was to lend my aid. Events werethickening; there was no retreat for me, and I prepared for action.

  After a hasty, though hearty, farewell to my pious and liberalentertainers, I returned to the settlement, to prepare for the openingof the drama, which would lead some of us either to absolute power or tothe scaffold.

  Six weeks after my quitting San Francisco, I was once more in the field,and ready for an encounter against the troops dispatched from St. Miguelof Senora, and other central garrisons. On hearing of the defeat of thetwo governors, about 120 Californians, from Monterey and San Francisco,had joined my forces, either excited by their natural martial spirit, orprobably with views of ambition similar to my own.

  I had with me 1,200 Indians, well equipped and well mounted; but, onthis occasion, my own Shoshones were in greater numbers than our newallies. They numbered 800, forming two squadrons, and their disciplinewas such as would have been admired at the military parades of Europe.Besides them, I had 300 Arrapahoes and 100 Apaches.

  As the impending contest assumed a character more serious than our twopreceding skirmishes, I made some alteration in the command, takingunder my own immediate orders a body of 250 Shoshones, and the Mexicancompany, who had brought four small field-pieces. The remainder of myIndians were subdivided into squadrons of 100, commanded by their ownrespective chiefs. Gabriel, Roche, and my old servant, with two or threeclever young Californians, I kept about me, as aides-de-camp. Weadvanced to the pass, and found the enemy encamped on the plain below.We made our dispositions; our artillery was well posted behindbreastworks, in almost an impregnable position, a few miles below thepass, where we had already defeated the governor of Senora. We foundourselves in presence of an enemy inferior in number, but welldisciplined, and the owners of four field-pieces heavier than ours. Theyamounted to about 950, 300 of which were cavalry, and the remainderlight infantry, with a small company of artillery.

  Of course, in our hilly position our cavalry could be of no use, and asto attacking them in the plain, it was too dangerous to attempt it, aswe had but 600 rifles to oppose to their superior armament and militarydiscipline. Had it been in a wood, where the Indians could have beenunder cover of trees, we would have given the war-whoop, and destroyedthem without allowing them time to look about them; but as it was,having dismounted the Apaches, and feeling pretty certain of the naturalstrength of our position, we determined to remain quiet till a falsemovement or a hasty attack from the enemy should give us the opportunityof crushing them at a blow.

  I was playing now for high stakes, and the exuberancy of spirit whichhad formerly accompanied my actions had deserted me, and I was left aprey to care, and, I must confess, to suspicion; but it was too late toretrace my steps, and, moreover, I was too proud not to finish what Ihad begun, even if it should be at the expense of my life. Happily, thekindness and friendship of Gabriel and Roche threw a brighter hue uponmy thoughts. In them I knew I possessed two friends who would neverdesert me in misfortune, whatever they might do in prosperity; we had solong lived and hunted together, shared the same pleasures and the sameprivations, that our hearts were linked by the strongest ties.

  The commander who opposed us was an old and experienced officer, andcertainly we should have had no chance with him had he not been one ofthose individuals who, having been appreciated by the former government,was not in great favour with, or even trusted by, the present one. Beingthe only able officer in the far west, he had of a necessity beenintrusted with this expedition, but only _de nomine_; in fact, he hadwith him agents of the government to watch him, and who took a decidedpleasure in counteracting all his views; they were young men, withoutany kind of experience, whose only merit consisted in their being moreor less related to the members of the existing government. Every one ofthem wished to act as a general, looking upon the old commander as amere convenience upon whom they would throw all the responsibility incase of defeat, and from whom they intended to steal the laurels, if anywere to be obtained.

  This commander's name was Martinez; he had fought well and stoutlyagainst the Spaniards during the war of Independence; but that was longago, and his services had been forgotten. As he had acted purely frompatriotism, and was too stern, too proud, and too honest to turncourtier and bow to upstarts in power, he had left the halls ofMontezuma with disgust; conse
quently he had remained unnoticed,advancing not a step, used now and then in time of danger, but neglectedwhen no longer required.

  I could plainly perceive how little unity there was prevailing among theleaders of our opponents. At some times the position of the army showedsuperior military genius, at others the infantry were exposed, and thecavalry performing useless evolutions. It was evident that two powerswere struggling with each other; one endeavouring to maintain regulardiscipline, the other following only the impulse of an unsteady andoverbearing temper. This discovery, of course, rendered me somewhat moreconfident, and it was with no small pride I reflected that in my army Ialone commanded.

  It was a pretty sight to look at my Shoshones, who already understoodthe strength gained by simultaneous action. The Apaches, too, in theirfrequent encounters with the regular troops, had acquired a certainknowledge of cavalry tactics. All the travellers in Mexico who have metwith these intrepid warriors have wondered at their gallant and uniformbearing. The Californians also, having now so much at stake, had assumeda demeanour quite contrary to their usual indolent natures, and theirconfidence in me was much increased since our success against Fonseca,and the comparison they could now make between the disposition andarrangement of the opposed forces. So elated indeed were they, and sopositive of success, that they frequently urged me to an immediateattack. But I determined upon a line of conduct to which I adhered.

  The Arrapahoes showed themselves a little unruly; brave, and suchexcellent horsemen, as almost to realize the fable of the Centaurs,charging an enemy with the impetuosity of lightning and disappearingwith the quickness of thought, they requested me every moment to engage;but I knew too well the value of regular infantry, and how ineffectualwould be the efforts of light cavalry against their bayonets. I wasobliged to restrain their ardour by every argument I could muster,principally by giving them, to understand that by a hasty attack weshould certainly lose the booty.

  The moment came at last The prudence of the old commander having beenevidently overruled by his ignorant coadjutors, the infantry were put inmotion, flanked on one side by the cavalry and on the other by theartillery. It was indeed a pitiful movement, for which they paid dearly.I despatched the Arrapahoes to out-flank and charge the cavalry of theenemy when a signal should be made; the Apaches slowly descended thehill in face of the infantry, upon which we opened a destructive firewith our four field-pieces.

  The infantry behaved well; they never flinched, but stood their groundas brave soldiers should do. The signal to charge was given to theArrapahoes, and at that moment, the Shoshones, who till then hadremained inactive with me on the hill, started at full galop to theirappointed duty. The charge of the Arrapahoes was rapid and terrific,and, when the smoke and dust had cleared away, I perceived them in theplain a mile off, driving before them the Mexican cavalry, reduced tohalf its number. The Shoshones, by a rapid movement, had broken throughbetween the infantry and artillery, forcing the artillery-men to abandontheir pieces; then, closing their ranks and wheeling, they attackedfiercely the right flank of the infantry.

  When I gave the signal to the Arrapahoes to charge, the Apachesquickened their speed and charged the enemy in front; but they werechecked by the running fire of the well-disciplined troops, and, inspite of their determination and gallantry, they found in the Mexicanbayonets a barrier of steel which their lances could not penetrate.

  The chances, however, were still ours: the Mexican artillery was in ourpower, their cavalry dispersed and almost out of sight, and theinfantry, though admirably disciplined, was very hardly pressed both inflank and in front. At this juncture I sent Gabriel to bring back theArrapahoes to the scene of the conflict, for I knew that the Mexicancavalry would never form again until they had reached the borders ofSenora. Of course, the coadjutors of Martinez had disappeared with thefugitive cavalry, leaving the old general to regain the lost advantageand to bear the consequences of their own cowardice and folly.

  Now left master of his actions, this talented officer did not yetdespair of success. By an admirable manoeuvre he threw his infantry intotwo divisions, so as to check both bodies of cavalry until he could formthem into a solid square, which, charging with impetuosity through theShoshones, regained possession of their pieces of artillery, afterwhich, retreating slowly, they succeeded in reaching, without furtherloss, the ground which they had occupied previous to their advance,which, from its more broken and uneven nature, enabled the infantry toresist a charge of cavalry with considerable advantage.

  This manoeuvre of the old general, which extricated his troops fromtheir dangerous position and recovered his field-pieces, had also theadvantage of rendering our artillery of no further service, as we couldnot move them down the hill. As the battle was still to be fought, Iresolved to attack them before they had time to breathe, and while theywere yet panting and exhausted with their recent exertions.

  Till then the Californians had been merely spectators of the conflict. Inow put myself at their head and charged the Mexicans' square in front,while the Shoshones did the same on the left, and the Apaches onthe right.

  Five or six times were we repulsed, and we repeated the charge, the oldcommander everywhere giving directions and encouraging his men. Rocheand I were both wounded, fifteen of the Californians dead, the ranks ofShoshones much thinned by the unceasing fire of the artillery, and theApaches were giving way in confusion. I was beginning to doubt ofsuccess, when Gabriel, having succeeded in recalling the Arrapahoes fromtheir pursuit of the fugitive cavalry, re-formed them, made a furiouscharge upon the Mexicans on the only side of the square not alreadyassailed, and precisely at the moment when a last desperate effort ofthe Shoshones and my own body of Californians had thrown the ranksopposed to us into confusion.

  The brave old commander, perceiving he could no longer keep his ground,retreated slowly, with the intention of gaining the rugged and brokenground at the base of the mountains behind him, where our cavalry couldno longer assail him.

  Perceiving his intention, and determining, if possible, to prevent hisretreat, the Arrapahoes having now rejoined us, we formed into onecompact body and made a final and decisive charge, which provedirresistible. We broke through their ranks and dispersed them. For atime my command and power ceased; the Indians were following their owncustom of killing without mercy, and scalping the dead. One-half of theenemy were destroyed; but Martinez succeeded the remainder in reachinghis intended position.

  But the Mexican troops considered it useless to contend any more, andshortly afterwards the old general himself rode towards us with a flag,to ascertain the conditions under which we would accept his surrender.Poor man! He was truly an estimable officer. The Indians opened theirranks to let him pass, while all the Californians, who felt for hismortification, uncovered themselves as a mark of respect. The oldgeneral demanded a free passage back to Senora, and the big tears werein his eyes as he made the proposal. Speaking of his younger associates,he never used a word to their disparagement, though the slight curl ofhis lip showed plainly how bitter were his feelings; he knew too thathis fate was sealed, and that he alone would bear the disgrace ofthe defeat.

  So much was he respected by the Californians, that his request wasimmediately granted, upon his assurance that, under no circumstance, hewould return to California as a foe. As Martinez departed, a Shoshonechief, perceiving that his horse was seriously wounded, dismounted fromhis own, and addressed him:--

  "Chief of the Watchinangoes (Mexicans) and brother, brave warrior! aShoshone can honour as well as fight an enemy: take this horse; it hasbeen the horse of a Red-skin warrior, it will be faithful to thePale-face."

  The general bowed upon his saddle, and descended, saying, in few words,that he now learned to esteem the Indian warriors who had overpoweredhim on that fated day, both by their gallantry and generosity. When theIndian proceeded to change the saddles, Martinez stopped him:

  "Nay, brother," said he; "keep it with the holsters and their contents,which are more suitable to a conqueror
and a young warrior than to avanquished and broken-hearted old man."

  Having said this, he spurred his new horse, and soon rejoined his men.We returned to the encampment, and two hours afterwards we saw theMexicans in full retreat towards the rising sun.

  That night was one of mourning; our success had been complete, butdearly purchased. The Arrapahoes alone had not suffered. The Apaches hadlost thirty men, the Shoshones one hundred and twelve, killed andwounded, and the Montereyans several of their most respected youngcitizens. On the following day we buried our dead, and when our taskwas over, certain that we should remain unmolested for a considerabletime, we returned to St. Francisco--the Indians to receive the promisedbounty, and I to make arrangements for our future movements.

  By the narrative I have given, the reader may have formed an accurateidea of what did take place in California. I subsequently received theMexican newspapers, containing the account of what occurred; and asthese are the organs through which the people of Europe are enlightenedas to the events of these distant regions, I shall quote the pages, toshow how truth may be perverted.

  "_Chihuahua--News of the West--Californian Rebellion_.--This dayarrived in our city a particular courier from the Bishop of Senora,bearer of dispatches rather important for the welfare of our government.The spirit of rebellion is abroad; Texas already has separated from ourdominions; Yucatan is endeavouring to follow the pernicious example, andCalifornia has just now lighted the flambeau of civil war.

  "It appears that, excited by the bad advices of foreigners, theinhabitants of Monterey obliged the gallant governor to leave hisfireside. This warlike officer found the means of forwarding dispatchesto Senora, while he himself, uniting a handful of brave and faithfulcitizens, landed in the bay of St. Francisco, in order to punish therebels. By this time the governor of Senora, with the _elite_ of thecorps of the army under his orders, having advanced to his help, wasdecoyed into the rebels' camp under some peaceful pretext, andshamefully murdered.

  "It is yet a glory to think that even a Mexican rebel could not havebeen guilty of so heinous a crime. The performer of that cowardly deedwas a Frenchman, living among the Indians of the west, who, for the sakeof a paltry sum of gold, came to the aid of the rebels with manythousands of the savages. His next step was to enter St. Francisco, andthere the horrors he committed recall to our mind the bloody deedsperformed in his country during the great revolution. But what could beexpected from a Frenchman? Fonseca was executed as a malefactor, thecity plundered, the booty divided among the red warriors; besides animmense sum of money which was levied upon the other establishments, or,to say better, extorted, upon the same footing as the buccaneersof old.

  "The news having reached the central government of the west, GeneralMartinez assumed upon himself the responsibility of an expedition,which, under the present appearances, showed his want of knowledge, andhis complete ignorance of military tactics. He was met by ten thousandIndians, and a powerful artillery served by the crews of many vesselsupon the coast--vessels bearing rather a doubtful character. Too late heperceived his error, but had not the gallantry of repairing it and dyingas a Mexican should. He fled from the field almost in the beginning ofthe action, and had it not been for the desperate efforts of thecavalry, and truly wonderful military talents displayed by three or fouryoung officers who had accompanied him, the small army would have beencut to pieces. We numbered but five hundred men in all, and had but afew killed and wounded, while the enemy left behind them on the fieldmore than twelve hundred slain.

  "The gallant young officers would have proceeded to St. Francisco, andfollowed up their conquest, had the little army been in possession ofthe necessary provisions and ammunition; but General Martinez, eitherfrom incapacity or treachery, had omitted these two essentialnecessaries for an army. We are proud and happy to say that EmanuelBustamente, the young distinguished officer, of a highly distinguishedfamily, who conducted himself so well in Yucatan during the laststruggle, commanded the cavalry, and it is to his skill that we Mexicansowe the glory of having saved our flag from a deep stain.

  "Postscriptum.--We perceive that the cowardly and mercenary Martinez hasreceived the punishment his treachery so well deserved; during hisflight he was met by some Indians and murdered. May divine Providencethus punish all traitors to the Mexican government!"

  I regret to say that the last paragraph was true. The brave Martinez,who had stood to the last, who had faced death in many battles, had beenfoully murdered, but not, as was reported, by an Indian; he had fallenunder the knife of an assassin--- but it was a Mexican who had beenbribed to the base deed.

  Up to the present all had prospered. I was called "The Liberator, theProtector of California." Splendid offers were made to me, and theindependence of California would have been secured, had I only had twosmall vessels to reduce the southern seaports which had not yet declaredthemselves, either fearing the consequences of a rebellion, ordisliking the idea of owing their liberation to a foreign condottiere,and a large force of savages.

  The Apaches returned homes with eighty mules loaded with their booty; sodid the Arrapahoes with pretty nearly an equal quantity. My Shoshones Isatisfied with promises, and returned with them to the settlement, toprepare myself for forthcoming events.

  A few chapters backwards I mentioned that I had despatched my oldservant to Monterey. He had taken with him a considerable portion of myjewels and gold to make purchases, which were firmly to establish mypower over the Indian confederacy. A small schooner, loaded with thegoods purchased, started from Monterey; but, never being seenafterwards, it is probable that she fell into the hands of the piratevessels which escaped from San Francisco.

  I had relied upon this cargo to satisfy the just demands of my Indiansupon my arrival at the settlement The loss was a sad blow to me. The oldchief had just died, the power had devolved entirely upon me, and it wasnecessary, according to Indian custom, that I should give largess, andshow a great display of liberality on my accession to the command of thetribe; so necessary, indeed, was it, that I determined upon returning toMonterey, _via_ San Francisco, to provide what was requisite. This stepwas a fatal one, as will be shown when I narrate the circumstances whichhad occurred during my absence.

  Upon hearing the news of our movements In the west, the Mexicangovernment, for a few days, spoke of nothing but extermination. Thestate of affairs, however, caused them to think differently; they hadalready much work upon their hands, and California was very far off.They hit upon a plan, which, if it showed their weakness, proved theirknowledge of Human nature. While I was building castles in the air,agents from Mexico privately came to Monterey and decided the matter.

  They called together the Americans domiciled at Monterey, who were thewealthiest and the most influential of the inhabitants, and asked themwhat it was that they required from the government? Diminution of taxes,answered they. It was agreed. What next? Reduction of duty on foreigngoods. Agreed again. And next? Some other privileges and dignities. Allthese were granted.

  In return for this liberality, the Mexican agents then demanded that twoor three of the lower Mexicans should be hung up for an example, andthat the Frenchman and his two white companions should be decoyed anddelivered up to the government.

  This was consented to by these honest domiciliated Americans, and thusdid they arrange to sacrifice me who had done so much for them. Just aseverything had been arranged upon between them and the agents, I mostunfortunately made my appearance, with Gabriel and Roche, at the missionat San Francisco. As soon as they heard of our arrival, we wererequested to honour them with our company at a public feast, in honourof our success!! It was the meal of Judas. We were all three seized andhanded over to the Mexican agents. Bound hand and foot, under an escortof thirty men, the next morning we set off to cross the deserts andprairies of Sonora, to gain the Mexican capital, where we well knew thata gibbet was to be our fate.

  Such was the grateful return we received from those who had called us totheir assistance[17]. Such w
as my first lesson in civilized life!

  [Footnote 17: Americans, or Europeans, who wish to reside in Mexico, areobliged to conform to the Catholic religion, or they cannot holdproperty and become resident merchants. These were the apostates forwealth who betrayed me.]