14 



ELDORADO 209 



Sienrra Nevada as a hunter and trapper, and had now 

 made a temporary home in the Santa Cruz range. He 

 was a "Tennessee Yankee," and being of an adventur- 

 ous turn, he, with Alvarado, upon hearing of his 

 wrongs, concocted a scheme to overthrow Mexican au- 

 thority in CaHfornia and estabhsh a free and indepen- 

 dent state. In a few days Graham gathered a force of 

 fifty riflemen, and Alvarado c.nd Jose Castro, with one 

 hundred and fifty native Cahfornians, suppHed them- 

 selves with ammunition from American vessels. They 

 marched upon Monterey, the capital, and entered it by 

 night, and made the governor, Nicholas Gutierrez, a 

 prisoner. At first, some show of resistance was made, 

 but a four-pound shot crashing through the roof of 

 the presidio building, caused an immediate surrender. 

 That was the only shot fired during that revolution. 

 Alvarado and Castro were now in possession of the 

 capital, and California was declared a free and inde- 

 pendent state, with Alvarado at the head of civil, and 

 Guadalupe Vallejo, of military, affairs. The governor, 

 with his officers and soldiers were banished, and a re- 

 publican government established. 



California eventually, again submitted to i\Iexican 

 rule, and Alvarado and Castro were given important 

 positions. Graham and other foreigners who had as- 

 sisted in the revolution now became obnoxious to Al- 

 varado, and he had them arrested and sent as prisoners 

 to Monterey and Santa Barbara, and some to Mexico. 

 The exiles, however, returned after a time through the 

 kindness of the English and other foreign consuls in 

 the ports where they were confined. 



