334 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



leading men of this American company ; and he managed early the next 

 morning to approach their camp by crawling up a ravine with a flag of 

 truce, accompanied by one James McKinley. They were discovered and 

 fired upon with grape shot from Micheltorena's camp, but escaped unhurt ; 

 and when the Americans saw the white flag, three leaders came to them — 

 one of these being Gen. John Bidwell of Chico, who was the Prohibition 

 candidate for president in 1892.''^ Wilson soon succeeded in showing them 

 that they were on the wrong side of this fight ; and after this better under- 

 standing they withdrew from Micheltorena's support. Later in the day, or 

 the next day, he accepted terms of capitulation. f His offensive troops were 

 required to march to San Pedro without passing through lyos Angeles at 

 all, and be shipped at once back to old Mexico. | 



In 1846, when the war occurred between the United States and Mexico, 

 and American troops were on their way to capture Los Angeles, Gov. Pico 

 called upon Mr. Wilson to raise a company of men to help repel the in- 

 vaders ; but Wilson was still a citizen of the United States, not of Mexico, 

 and declined to obey the summons, though at the same time assuring the 

 governor that he would remain quietly on his ranch, and not take part in 

 any movement to oust Pico from the governorship. He therefore remained 

 unmolested ; and he was resolved and ready to resist if the governor should 

 make any attempt to arrest him. But after Commodore Stockton had cap- 

 tured Los Angeles, in this same year, and established Lieut. Gillespie there 

 with a small force to maintain the United States authority, the Commodore 

 urged upon Mr. Wilson a commission as captain in the U. S. army, with 

 power to raise and equip a company of any number he might think best to 

 guard the frontier. For account of the battle of Chino, and Wilson's cap- 

 ture, and other adventures, see page 82, and following. 



Mr. Wilson watched the battle of San Gabriel ford [see page 91] with 

 intense anxiety from the hills of the Coyote ranch, where he had gone for 

 the purpose — for he was still a prisoner on parole, and had spent the previ- 

 ous night at his father-in-law Yorba's place in Santa Ana, his wife then 

 being there. Of course the American prisoners were free after Stockton 

 entered Los Angeles. 



* "On his way back to Micheltorena's position he [Capt. John Sutter] and Bidwell, his aide, were 

 captured, and after a brief detention were sent as prisoners under parole to Los Angeles." — Hist. Los 

 _Ang. Co., p. 66. 



t Bancroft, Hist Cal., Vol 4, p. soj. says : " Not a drop of human blood was spilled on the battle- 

 field of Cahuenga." This brusque and reckless assertion has been accepted by other writers, and used 

 to cast ridicule on the Mexic-Californiaus as fighters. The improbability of its being true is shown by 

 his own statement in regard to the battle, for he savs : " It was kept up all the afternoon on both sides, 

 Micheltorena's guuTiers using grape, and firing over a hundred times ; while the others fired less shots, 

 using ball, and in some cases perhaps small stones." This was on Friday afternoon ; and on Saturday 

 forenoon there was more fighting. Gen. Vallejo gave a report that "twelve cholos [convict soldiers], 

 one foreigner, one Indian, and one officer were killed." And eight others make varying reports of 

 numbers of men and horses killed. 



I Wni. Heath Davis, in his book, " Sixty Years in California," saj'S these troops were not so bad as 

 they are represented in history. Stealing chickens was their chief rascality ; but all sorts of evil re- 

 ports were made up agaiiKst them by the Californians." Davis was part owner of the ship that carried 

 them away, and he accompanied them on the voyage. 



