90 HISTORY OP PASADENA. 



them more as mothers and sisters than as strangers. Of this many 

 officers bear witness. 



"To that house Gen. S. W. Kearny was taken from the battle-field 

 when struck down, and he found in Dona Refugio the kindest and most 

 attentive nurse. Within that home Generals Sherman, Sheridan, Grant, 

 Hancock, Stevenson, Stoneman, Magruder, Johnston, Lee, Stuart, and many 

 others who subsequently wrote their names high on the pillar of fame, ever 

 found a warm-hearted welcome and free-hearted hospitality. 



" Years have passed ; and now Dona Refugio in her old age finds her- 

 self dependent upon her relatives, and simply because of the self-sacrificing 

 devotion of herself and husband to the American flag.* The fingers 

 that made the first flag in the growing dawn of that far-off day have lost 

 their cunning, but the noble heart that inspired the act has lost none of its 

 love for the starry banner. As Dona Refugio and her two daughters. Do- 

 lorosa and Margarite, both mothers now, related to me the incidents of 

 those days, the eyes that had so often greeted with sparkling smiles the 

 great chieftains, when they were young officers winning for us the Golden 

 Land, filled with blinding tears, and the lips that had so often cheered them 

 on to heroic deeds, quivered with pain and sorrow as they spoke of the neg- 

 lected vow, and the matron's dependency in her old age. [1882-83.] 



"When the Walker filibustering expedition passed through California 

 on their way to Central America,! they robbed the store of Don Juan 

 Bandini, literally clearing it oiit of $60,000 worth of property, leav- 

 ing him and his family penniless. After the death of her noble husband, 

 remembering the solemn vow of Commodore Stockton to her. Dona Refugio 

 prayed the United States Government to recompense her, at least, in part for 

 her loss sustained at the hands of American citizens ; but to that prayer no 

 reply has ever been made."']: 



This is the story of the flag, as gathered from three of the women 

 themselves, besides other members of the family, by Mr. Dane. And from 

 various sources I learn that Commodore Stockton deposited that flag among 

 the historic relics of the Navy Department, and it is preserved there yet. 

 He did what he could to have Bandini reimbursed, as did also Col. Fremont, 

 and his father-in-law, Senator Benton of Missouri ; and at a later period Gen. 

 Beale, and also Gen. Sherman tried to have justice done in the matter. The 

 claim was lumped in with many others, and has been several times before 

 Congress, with favorable recommendation ; and yet the family say to this 

 day [1894] even the cattle and horses which Bandini furnished to Commo- 



*Wheii Bandini was in the Mexican Cong:ress he opposed the State-church party and supported the 

 final and niaudatory act to secularize the Missions, which was passed August 17, 1S33. This act was 

 simply to separate church and state, and establish religious freedom, the same as in the United States — 

 a contest which had been going on hotly in Mexico tor ten years. He steadily and faithfully favored the 

 United States, as against the Slate-church party of Mexico, and against any scheme for turning Calilor- 

 nia over to England. I take pains to mention these matters here, because he was "black listed" by the 

 State-church party as a traitor to Mexico, and his large estates thus confiscated ; and because of this par- 

 tizan record against him in Mexico, many superficial or careless American writers have done him gross 

 injustice. And even in Pasadena a street that was first named Bandini avenue in honor of this worthy 

 man and wife as true-hearted and original Spanish-Americans, was perversely changed to Michigan 

 avenue. Such a historic disgrace ought not any longer to stand against Pasadena's fair name. 



fMr. Dane was mistaken here. Walker had taken Lower California ; and then with some recruits 

 from San Francisco in March, 1H54, he set out to march around the head of the ,gu!f of California into 

 Sonora and capture that province al.so, and this was the time his men looted Bandiui's st(jre. His Cen- 

 tral America expedition was later — 1''^56-57. Sef Cvclo/iedhi Americana, Article ^' IValker , ll'm." 



JThe roljbing ol the store might be grounds for a claim against the local authorities of county or 

 state, but could not be against the United States. 



