Dec. 1846 Letter By Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny Describing Events In The Southwest During Mexican War MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWEST Vol. 20, No. 2 Fall 1990

8/14/2019 Dec. 1846 Letter By Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny Describing Events In The Southwest During Mexican War MILITA

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MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWEST, Fa1L 1990,Volume 20, Number 2

A Letter from the Mexican WarEDTTED BY CHARLES BENNETT

The following letter from Brigadier General Stephen wats Kearny to hiswife Mary Radford Kearny was written 19 December 1946. At that time Kearnycommanded the Army of the wesq which ook possession of New Mexico(including Arizona) for the United States during the Mexican War. The letter isa previously unpublished account of Kearny's subsequent march across theSouthwest from Santa Fe to Catifornia, a description of the 1&46 battle of SanPasqual, and the general's perceptions of other events of that pivotal year. Themissive is a warm and candid account of a signifimnt aspct of the Mexican Warin which Kearny was a major participanrKearny was born in Newark, New Jersey, on 30 August 1794. Heatrendedcolumbia college in lSl l but joined the army at rhe outbreak of rhe lvar of1812. Beginning his long military career as a first lieutenant in rhe 13ft In-fanry on 12 March 1812, he was promoted to captain the next year after distin-guishing himself u the battle of Queenston Heighs, where he was wounded andcaptured. After 1819, with a few exceptions, his service was on the westernfrontier.lIn the fall of 1819 he accompanied colonel Henry Atkinson to camp Mis-souri (ater Fort Atkinson), nonh of present omaha, Nebraska" at that time thefarthest oulpos! of the army. The next year he accompanied Captain Matrhew J.Magee's expedition from camp Missouri !o camp cold water eater renamedFort Snelling) near present Sc Paul, Minnesota. In lg23 he was brevetred a ma-jor for ten years' service in one grade.Two years later he took part in General Atkinson's expedition to the mouthof the Yellowstone River. In 1828 he assumed command of Fort Crawford(Prairie du chien, wisconsin). He was appointed major in 1929, and after se-lecting the site for a new Fort Crawford and initiating the work, he was trans-

tGt.rl", Bennerq curirtor of collecriqu end rssisunr dirEdor of rbe Prlrcs of, thc Governorr,Muscum of Ncw Mcxico. 3rr!-rw9 dcgrccs in hisory frcn rhe Univcrriry d New Mcxico rod hes- wri[cn satcrel enidd cr Ncw Mexico history. He is cuncnrly cooducing-Escrrdr qr Ncs Mcxicoduring te Mcxican War ard on the Cofederere ocorpcion oi.ltlog.rqL urd S.il. Fe during rheCivil \l/ar- Hc wishcs rc rhank Crcsson H. Kcamy of Monrrosc, Cdtt ao, for pcnnissiol 1ppblish his gnatjrandfarher's leucr._ fn:_-bi"gnphicel metcrial in this and subscqucnr paragnphr il bucd cr Dwight Clertc'sstcpluav/atu Kcarry: soldicr of ttu rl/cst (Norman: univ'asif oi oklelrome prcss, t*t;.


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184 h{ilitary Hisary of ttu Sowhwestferred to Jefferrcn Barracrs, sL Louis._At rhat post hc maried Mary Radford,he srcpdaughter of Genrar wiui., cra*.2 uter in ilgo r,, reoccupied theffi:t the desuoyed fort fo*son, in pn*rn, Oklahoma and rebuilt the struc-In 1833 he was made lieuenant colonit of dragoons (predecessors to the cav-lry) and red an expedition into prcsgnt lowa" ,ur* rretga. building fre firstort Des Moines- Three v** -1"* he became .oio*ior the dragoons, witrreadqnarten at Fort t "urn*orrt. -In lg45 he red an expedidon o South passpresent wvomilgl,-d.* rorrowing yT be- uoilain! ,n, f'st Fort KearnyNebraska ciry, Nebraska), " pori-J"naoned-nvo yoo-L*, when a new post;:rtff:HT on the Plattc River. rhe new p"r.*"Jo bc named for himAt the beginning of rrre Mexican *-T I3-, L pracea in command of rhermv of the wesr His sma'ror." oi r,cse ;; rrri;il L.eavenworth onzTune 1846 with orders r "onqoo *o-rL po.session oiN;* Mexico (which in-luded at that time the pr.."n, rlt" or Arizona) -JC.rirorni". This wasearny's most important command, since the "rquirition of the rarge and polen-ially priceless Mexic- pto"in.-" li upp* ciriror'i"-ano trre even largerrovince of New tvtefcg was rtre ro,*aim or*re unitea saes in the war wirhexico- consequentrl, he *prorlL b brigadiergenerar on 30June l&46.vfarching westward ac-rr n" pr"ins-ro genfs Fort in prcsentday cororado,rning south and aossing Raon p.rr, n" Army orrrr, #.o entered santa Fenopposed on lg 1g*.The roops paraded through rhe nown and raised rhemerican flag over the parace ornJto"*rors with a thirteen-gun salub, andearny made a short address. The * *, he aefivereal ,no* fcirmal address,ollowed on22Augrxt with a pnoctamation that enrphasizecr the protection of re-igion, persons' and property,'n "a "tiN"* u"ri.-, ao,n their alregiance oexico' and announced the *rr*u*1f New uoi.ro t, unitcd saes.s military governorof New Mexico Kearny 6derd ilrepneparation of a lawode for ttre terriory, vhich ** ooly pubrished in s*ri Fc in september.pon the publication gf ne coaJe .npoinrra charresili of raos territorialovernor of New Mexico. By rhe *o ois.pt",nu"r, otirrJrhar his mission inew Mexico had b1T*rprished, Keamy decided to divide his uoops inohree pans. One would ,"rnain r" NL* ueiico; " *ona ior.e would march

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A Leuerfrom the MexicanWar

south and occupy Chihuahua in old Mexico; Kearny himself, pursuant to hisoriginal instructions, would lead an expedition to aid the United States navy inthe conquest of Califomia-

The United States had long had its eye on the Mexican province of Aln(Upper) Califomia, the area of the present state of California in the UnitedStates. American citizens living there constituted the largest forcign elemenr,,and a diplomatic consul was located at Monterey. C-alifomia was bountiful, andAmericans had been anxious to share in her abundant fruis for years prior to theoutbreak of hostilities with Mexico in l&46. Additionally, American exponenrsof Manifest Destiny saw California as the natural western limit of the countryand as a connection between America's heartland and the wealth of the Orient-The acquisition of California would also resolve once and for.all the apprehen-sion Orat Britain would gain possession of the area, thercby isolating Americansettlements in Oregon. Americans had been trading on the coast of Califomiasince 1822, and in the last twenty or so years American vessels had worked ttrehide rade, and whaling ships had rcgularly sopped u California harbon. Subse-quently, a growing number of Americans begur settling there as merchans andlandowners.In a series of confusing and sometimes comic actions and evens involvingsuch figures as Captain John Charles Fremont, the United States navy, and otherindividuals and entities, the Americans took Upper California by ttre middle ofAugust f 846. At this juncturc Commodore Robert Field Stockon, recently appointed commander of United States naval forces in the Pacific, announced inLos Angeles that California was now part of the United States. But in Septem-ber loyal Mexicans issued a procl,amation, also &om Los furgeles, declaring in-dependence of all forcign rule, and at the same time they laid siege o Americanmilitary positions there. Soon several skirmishes and battles between Ameri-cans and Mexicans erupted at various locations throughout Upper California, andthe situation rcturned basically to the same state as had existed before the Ameri-cans had taken possession.

While thqse events werc unfolding, Kearny was marching his roops downthe Rio Grande en route o California. The force met famed frontiersmanChristopher "Kit- Carson on his way east with Commodore Stockton's reporton the seizure of Los Angeles, the capitulation of the Mexican government inCalifornia Oased in l,os Angeles), and the civil organization of California bySockon. Since it appeared that California had been pacifred, Kearny decided tosend the bulk of his force back to Santa Fe, rctaining only two companies (about100 men) under Captain Benjamin D. Moorc, a small goup of opographical

185


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186 Milinry History of the Sowhwestengrneers' and a pair of mounain howitzers for the rip across the deserts to c;al-fornia Keamy convinced a^;; ;grde the force wesnvard-crossing southwestern New Mex-ico and southern Arizona on rhe rong andrduous march, the force reached the confluence of the GiL ana cororado riverson ttre present{ay carifornia-Ariro* uorao) in rate No"eruer. Here rhey en-ountercd a group of Mexicans who were herding ho.sesto sonora. seizing theen and their horses, Keamey's command foundieners incicating thu the Amer-cans had lost upper c3r.ornia "--.; for san Diego. This was rhe fust newsearny had received of the situatioi-in california ,-in"" *rv ocrober when head leamed thar california h"d ;;;en by the united sates.Kearny hastened onward, driving his men, mounted on the capt'red horses; ohe last and worst reg of ne marchl the cororado Desert- on 2 December thexhausted group reached rhe ranch oi lonanan T"rrt;' warner, about sixtyiles from san Diego. From warn.rt R-.rr, Kearny sent a message o com-odore stockton at san Diego, apprising him of his (Kearny,s) arrivar in therea and requesdng news of rhe siiuarion and an escort to ian oiego. upon re-eipt of Kearny's message, stockon immediatery dispatched a thirty_nine_manetachment with a fieldpiece a rJ. *ntact wirh Kearny. This derachmenrarsoarried Stockton's suggestion that Kearcan soldiers under cayt il a'" t"", ffi :::it# ;ffi :S::|"::ffi:::Hil"ffi;fi.the village orsan-nasqual (in trre viciiity of present-day Es-Kearny and his men refr wamer's Ranch on 4 December, meedng $re de-achment sent by stockton the next afernoon. The combined force, now num-ering about 150 men, esubrished $reir camp soon aferward, and a dragoon pa-rol led by Lieutenant Thomas c. Hammond was sent nine mires ahead o sanasqual to reconnoier the .n.ry poririon. rne ,r.rr"i "r s'rprise was rosthen the Mexicans were-arened iothe presen@ of the American paror by thelanking of the dragoons, hea"y saben. r- ----tw v' sr\' 'L'rs'Despite this serback, Kearny nevertheress decided o anack the Mexicanroops the nexr morning,6 Decernber. The Mexicans ""n,u.* about sevenry-ive men, but Kearny tnew that a fight wiur tt.m *ooru "", t" such a simpreane' his mcn and their horses rrrJ,"* out from neir grlring march; rheyad not yet been n's'd in batrte; urd rhey had not u.rn r.ilro nor equipped bight lancers rike the Mexican ,oioiro. n" gave rhe order o saddre up and move;rT"Tt A-M., despire a cord rain that darnpened *re powder in t'e dragoons, cr-


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A l*uerfrom the MexicanWar

The Americans sighted the Mexican troops near dawn. The advance guardunder Captain Abraham Robinson Johnston, consisting of a dozen dragoons wirhKit Carson in the lead, were followed by Kearny and his personat bodyguard ofsix or seven men. Close behind came the main body of dragoons and the escortdetachment sent by Commodore Sockton. when Johnslon's men came withinabout three-quarters of a mile of the enemy camp, Kearny ordered an adrrance at atrol Johnston evidently misunderstood the order and sent his men forward ar agallop. Johnston's men caught the Mexican soldiers still forming, throwingthem into confusion momentarily. But the misunderstood order had caused theadvance guard to separate themselves from the support ttrat ttre main body ofmen could have provided. Before the rcst of Kearny's force could respond, theMexicaru had rallied and opened fue. A bullet in the head killed Johnston on thespot, Kit C:rson was unhorsed and nearly rampled, and the dragoons were forcedo withdraw.Kearny's main body of roops then came onto the scene, urd pico's men fellback about half a mile o a level plain. Again the Americans charged, rhis rimeled by captain Benjamin D. Moore. The charge was uneven, as the dragoons'worn-out mounts varied greatly. The Mexican soldiers spun arcrund, couchedtheir lances, and slashed ino the ragged American charge. In ttre resulting thiny-minute ml6e the dragoons' sabers and rifle buus proved no match in close com-'bat for the long, sharp lances of the Mexican soldiers. Seventeen or eighteenAmericans were killed, and thirteen to eightecn wounded. Kearny himself re-ceived two lance wounds. Unwilling to face the American artillery, however,Pico and his soldiers withdrcw, leaving the Americans with possession of thefield of battle even though Mexican casualties had becn much lighter (twelvewounded, one captured) than those of the Americans.The fight, known as the battle of san pasqual, was a catastrophe for theAmericans: Captains Moore and Johnston and Lieutenant llammond had beenkilled, as Kearny lamens in his lener. The America$i werr in no position opursue the Mexican Eoops. Because Kearny was incapacitated due to hiswounds, he rclinquished command for nvo hours to Captain Henry SmirhTurner, who sent a messenger !o san Diego rcquesting help frrom CommodoreSockton. Making their camp that night on the banleground, the Americansburied thqir dead and treated the wounded. The next day the force moved on to-ward San Diego. At a small hill near Rancho San Bernardo rhe Americansclashcd again with Pico's mbn and took the enemy's position. The Mexicanuoops then surrounded tre hill and besieged Kearny's command (who named the

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r88 MiIilarT History of ttu Sowhwestheight "Mule Hill- as they were forced to subsist on mure meat dudng the siege)for the next several days, until l0 December.on 8 December, while pinned down by pico,s troops, Kit carson and twoother members of Kearny's command voruntcercd to try b reach san Diego toget help- The men,creeping silently wirhout their stioei runn, through threecordors of Mexican tancers and hiked ttrirty miles barcfoot over rocks ard curso san Diego, where they found that a rcscue force was already being organized.During the early morning of il December rhe rclief force of 215 Marines andsaile6 sent by commodorc Socrcon arrived at Kearny's pori i*. In the face ofthese rcinforcemenb pico and his troops merted away. The next day the com-bined troops, Kedny's and sockton's rerief fqce, entered sur Diego.with the arrival of the dtagmnq all of rhe forces available for the rctaking ofLos Angeles, rhe cenbr of pro-Mexican sympathy in catifornia" were now as-sernbled- Immediatery upon his arrival in San Diego, Kearny conferred withcommodore sockton. Both men at once became embroiled in a shrggre forpower. subsequent evens are uncrear, as is trre rcrationship of rhe two men inthe resulting military-campaign. Kearny craimed o be in command and o begovernor of california by virtue of his orders. stockton, on the other hand,considering Kearny's orders rcndered inoperative by events, claimed for himselfthe governorship and command of the expedition.3

At about this time Ggneral Keamy wrote his wife rdary, rhen riving on thefamity farm near sl louis, Missouri. The dae the lener reached r{ary Kearnyis unknown' but a handwritten noadon on the exterior portion of the letter re-veals rhat ir was received by the A_djuunt General,s ofirce on 12 July 1g47. Awashington postmark of t+ luty rg4z is also on rhe leuer, indicating when theSmir o.tup.i- of Kcamylcxpcdiricr ir barcdprinerily o rhc forlwing rqrrEel: Nuio,ldrchivcr' Record Gro'os 94 (oflice'of ,t. lai"L-cr-.-rT; ffiid;b" of the sccrcrery ofrrl Relpt Bietu (o.r,Jouur;i; s;a;'ilL xco*v ?!a_ooa;ot-r, r*4&1647, by Gcorscwledgc Gibsoa (Grendale, crt'.l"rr* n-d'* ""-i93sr i#T Hu3bes, Doaiphaa.srydilion; contahiap 1t1lccgtotr of tu c""


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A Leuerfrom the MexicanWar 189letter was sent on to Missouri. TheKearny's own spelling and punctuation.

San Diego - Upper California.Decemb 19, 1846My dearMary

letter is published here wirh General

I have been here one week-have been arxious to write to you, but no meansof sending-In 2 days Maj. swords will leave for the sandwich Isrands to gerhovisions, & I must write by him, hoping ttrat he may find there some vesselabour starting for the U.StateS-I know my dear wife that you may be uneasy about me, sepmted as we areso far from each other-Let me thercfore in the first place tell you that I ammoving about as if norhing had happened to me-And my appetite is perfectlygood, & that I feel but very little inconvenience from my wounds. They arehealing up much faster than I could have expecte4 & in one week more,I rhinkI shall be perfectly & entirely recovered-as a good christian you will unite witrme in *ranks !o our God, who directs all things, rhat he has persened me thnrthe perils and dangers that surrounded me-I have written a rcport to the AdjLGen'l of our Action of the 6th Decemb--probably that may be published in rhePapers when you will see it5-In the mean time I have to tell you that on the6th at day break with about 80 men we attacked aparty gf 160 Mexicars, whichwe defeated after an hours fighring & chased them frorir the tierd-this was arsan Pasqual & about 40miles from this place. we gained a vicory over the en-emy, but paid most dearly for it-{aps Moore & Johnson, & Lieut Hammond,with 2 Sergrs-2 Caps & l0 privs of Drgoons were Killed_about 16 of uswerc wounded, myself in 2 places in the left side by lances, one of which bled

- oY+t Thomes Srrords-ms . qu.ncrmrscr. on 30 Mey lt4t he wu brevencd licurcnentcoloncl for mcritorious 3-ellcr whilt scwing irr-,h. -".yrl counrry. connelrcy, Doniphan,sErydilion,32l: Frmcis B, Heiunal |i."rty1ile1r1y and DktionarT of tru uaitcd sutcs Anry@ vols.; washingron: Gove_mmcnr printing orn*,igml, r:94r. -SeniniJ- *., thc name giventhc Hasdien Istands (aficrJohn Mo*g,r. i*"r, i.a orsi,io*i"tr) t-aJ; Jsnes cok.. ..)Brigadicr Gcncret stcerralr1-ii*-t. a",, Dicgo, ro Brigrdier Gcneral Roger Jones,Adjurnt GcnenJ. wuhingtlr. Dc, 12 o"".r,61, raqe. k*iy;, ffi" wir pubushed in flrras,National Rcgbter,l2 (lS lt"y ialZi, tZO.


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190 Military History of the Southwest

very freely, which was of advantage !o me.6 The loss of o.r kiued is deeply feltby all, particularly by myserf who very much miss my aid Johnson who was amost excellent & tarened Sordier, & capl Moore wtro osptayea great courage& chivalry in the fight' as did Lieut HammonG{apt- Turner is now with me-he is perfectly well-was nor wounded, but had his jacket, tho nor his skin,torn-Lieut warner of the Topo Engs. received tt'ee wounds, but is now nearlywellT-Mr Robideaux' my interpreter, is wounded but is rccoveringr-poorJohnsrons loss wilr be felr by many & perhaps not least by Miss cothear, a sis-ter of Mr Maj. Swords, o whom he was engaged-I have now my dear wifegiven you some iems so that yo'r o*n mino rnay be easy-do not think that Iam worse than I represent myself, for it is not sel erpect,in less than a weekto be on my horse & as active as I ever was_ - |Yo'r brother wilriam I rearn is quirc we[-he is in the wanen& in the Bayof san Francisco, about a weeks sail from heree-I hope o see him ere long_He will nor be abre to get back o ttre u.s. before n"ri su.*er-4ommadorestockton is at this place wirh 3 of his ships & has 4 or 500 of his sailors &Marines here in Town to garrison it-among rhem are many very crever fe[ows& some Messmaes of wiltiam, who have ratery tefr the warren & from whom Ihave heard of him.we had a very rong & dresome march of ir from santa f6-we came downthe Del Norte 230 milesr'-rhen to the River Gila (pronounced Heta) G & I nSpanish sounding like i/ & E in english we marched 500 miles down that Riverhaving most of the way a bridle path, but over a very rough & barren country_

- - ho-**. apparently e rcfercncc ro the pracrice of blood-ldring whidr was in the pasr rhotrghr ofs a curr for elmost every known discasc -a "ili"nr. glmd-lcning wes rhe proccss whcrcin -bad-blod_was purged frqn Ui" U.ay i" *.t" *"y-fr:ro*-'Lieurcnant william Horacc wamer *., o* "orrrr" small body of topographical cnginccrs rharccompanied Kcamy.oAnroine Robidour (1794'tE6o) wes a mcnrbcr of e family of firr m&rs of French Cmadiannccsrry. Anroinc wes involvcd in orc S'. Fc r3& - tgzi.,il;ilEr; hc hed urmed o furraping in rhc Sourhscsr" In lg29 t. *""n".-voi-r, dri;;d;.J-ra in, e New Mericanamily' Ar rhc ouscr of -rhc Mexican wil;;+l'e an interprcrcr for Kcrmy on his march oalifomie- He rccovered rt-n **'a, *;; *"1, rhe banrc of slr Fesqrnr rnd rivcd rhc rcsr ofis ycars in Sr Louis" How:rd-L:mar @d:;i;;, Eacycropcdiaof tru Airiannlcsr (Ncw york:Thonras Y. Crowcll Cr.. 1977).'Tllr- Warrcn *.r .:ly..l::1n r" sloopof-war, comrnandcd by Joscph p. Hull. Theanea frgured in oocraions qt thc wcsr coasr of Mexico bc-forc sailing noni,o uppcrcalifomia inblilr:t ii:6' rack x" s.o."it M;a;i;;;, ru6-ruE(N"*'?o*, i'{acrn'r.rn co., re74),l0onc of the names used hisroricalty for thc Rio.Grurde (rivcr), whictr rises in colorado, runsfiHlffLTr"*'rd rodav i" T"".'l"i' *i,r' r*ni,J'.ofi;il';" bordcr bcrwecn rhe


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A Leuerfrom the MericanWar 191

It surprised me to see so much land that can never be of any use to Man orbeast-we traveled many days with out seeing a spear of grass, & no vegetationexception a species of the Fremontia, & the Musqueet tree,ll something like ourthorn, & which our Mules eat, thorns & branches to keep them alive after cross-ing the Colorado & getting about 100 miles this side of it -the Countryimproved, & about here is well enough, tho having but very little timber & butfew running streams-the climate is very dry & ttro this is the rainy Season ofthe Year, yet we have more clouds to threaten us, than rain o fall upon us-there is no certainty of a crop in this part of the world, unless the land is ini-gated from running streams.Lieut Col Fremont is still in California, & we are daily expecting ro hearfrom him-He went up the coast !o raise Volunteers from the Emigrans fromMissouri, to auack the Californians, 700 of whom are now said to be in Armsabout 100 miles from here-Fremonr, ir is supposed is not far from them-if hehas not force enough, it is expecred that he will send word to usl2-I have notheard of Capt Cooke & the Mormons, tho hope to see them here in less than amonthl3-I am also ignorant where the Volunteen & the Artillery from New

llFremontia (Frcnontia californiu),also tgrown as Flanncl Bush, Celifomia Slipcry EIm,.ndFrcnpnto&ndroa californiu,is a shrub or treclet thar grows in ctrl,oru rnd rcdry grrnirc trillsidcs inmost of lhc vestcm half of mounlainous southcm C:lifomie rnd in erees of ccnrnl Arizona.Michacl Moorc, Medicitul Plants of thc Mouuia Wcsr (Sante Fc: Musannr of Ncw Mcxico Press.1979),7t,79. Mcsquite (Prosopls juliflora) varies in rizc frqn r rurdl bush to r feir-sizcd rre upto fi.fiy fecr in hcight and four fcct in diamcrer. Ir ir usudly found growing * clevetions below5,00 fcct, oficn dong strcdnsi washcs, or wherc wucr is conrprntivcty rhdlow urd csr bc reedrcdby is lo.ng urp rrmt. E. O. Wooton and Paul S. Srandlcy, Flora of Ncw Mako (Weshington:Governnrcnt Printing Office, l9I5), 330.l2Jottn Qr"ttes Frmonr (lEl3-1E90), cxplorer, p"tiri"i"tt, and soldier, bd bccn in Celifomiawith r small force sincc Decernber 1E45, with thc cxccptior of e pcriod of rhrec mqrdrr in 1845when he withdrcv ro Orcgon dtcr hc wes ro ordered by Mcxicen mthorirics. Hc rcormed in carlyJunc 1E46, to thc rclid of Amcricans living in rhc Napa rnd Secamcnro vellcyr. Aftcr e fcw nidswcrc conductcd by thcse Amcricans rgainst Mexican troops, thc rebck, celling thcrnselves BcerFlaggen aficr Ocir flag, dcclarcd Califomie independcnt cr 4 July. lhc ncxr dey r ncv miliraryorganizatiur hcadcd by FnEmont was oryarizad, rhc Cdifqaie Benrliqr, nrmrbering 24{ mcn Thcunir rravclcd soqr efrervard ro Moarcrey. rniving rhcre dicr thir @rrrel villegc hd bcar tdzDdbyU.S. nery forccs. Hcrc rhc er-Bcar Reggcrs wcrc rcrceptcd u thc Cdifomir Brurliqr of UnircdSutcs uoope m Z! July 1E46, with Frfrnonr er mejor, by Ccnmodotc Stockron, who rr thc timecqrnnanded Unitcd Stetcs milirery opcrationr rshorein Crlifomia John Cbertes Ft&nq\Mcnobsof My Ufe (2 vols.; Chicago: Belford, Chrkc. lttCI: Frdrnqrt, -Thc C.ongucst of Celifomie,"CenturT Magaziac, al (April lE9t): 917-927: Cudiml Goodwin, Iotn Clsrbs Frdtront: AnExplatution olHis Carccr (Stanford, CA: Sranford Univcrsiry Prcss, l93O); Bue\Hezian$/ar,.t*zm.l3Philip St- Gcorye Cokc (1809-1E95) marchcd wirh lGemy's Army of thc Wcst to NcwMcxico end in Ocrobcr lcfi Santa Fe wirh r baudion of Mormqrt rnd r cmdl nrpply tnin of edozcn wagons urd six oxcarls to opc-n a wlgon road o Califomia- Hc rnd his csnmand took e routcccrsidcrably ro the sou0r of Kcamy's, aniving in San Dicgo drring 29-30 Janulry 1847. The wagcr


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r92 Military History of the SouthwestYork arc' or when to expect rhemra-rhe great difficurty of geuing informationhere renders it necessary, that alr o'r plans shourd be weli considercd beforeattempdng !o pur them in executionlwhen I get the voruntecrs inro thecountry, I can drive the enemy out of it with ease, tho at, present they have rheadvantage of us, * t"t are admirabry mountcd & the very best riders in theworlLhardly one, rhat is not fit ror rtre circus-This is ; grear country forcattle & horses, very many of both run wild & arcnever caught except whenwanted for beef or to be broken-a fine Mare is worth about $2_an unbrokenhorse 5-a broken one lO--so you see ,tar ftesh . ;;;; you have any cu-riosity to know where-saz oiigo is, you wilt find ir on ne Maps in rat 33 onthe Pacific & not far &om tne lo*erind of upper california - we have theocean in sight & hear rhe rofling waves which souna fike rumbring rhunder_v/e have abundance of fine nsn, rurnistred us by the navy, who cach day catchenough in their ne* ,o suppry all. In 6 days we sha[ have christmas & a weekafter that a New Year-May we ail live my dear Mary n be rc-unired before theyear is p:lst-you must take good care of yourself ir u or o'r litrle ones, sothat when I return our numben wiil be comprete-I have not heard from yousince your letter ro, me of the lgth August (4 monrhs since) I suppose LieutSmith may have a retter & mait ror ml & rhat he may be coming with captcooke, who I sent back on the 6rh ocob to command the Mormons, as soon asI heard of the death of rny friend capr Alrenrr-wr,"rsi.Lg., have ukenplace in the Regt wiriin the last 6 months.tc

ted letcr bccznc a rcurlar rcurc for we!,bor.Irrd crnigrrnu end_gol&..eken. Codre letcr rccqnpanicdcarny from cetifbmie ro the s.t, ."d-,..,;"a- egeinrr Frmqrr r rhc leucr,r coun*nini"lroceedin_gs. Lzmat, Rtdtn Ercylopcab ;i /;d_" Wcst, ZjIl.aln Jrme lErr5 prcsidenr poti rcccivea,,.-*rr"r*rrceof hir crbina !odiso.,dr b5r rcr e oesrnillcry cqnP'ny with ilr wcrPont. on 26 June L cebirs firrrhcr rgrccd to rhc rhipmcnt of e fuIlcgi'cnt of New YorL volunrec* Ttti;;;'iltrioio3 of mcn ptro wistrca ro bc disclrergcd inSffilg#"':ffi.** v"* * ii'JJpil,uo.ia,-"hJ i;;'trh h u'otsaz.l5liern--r Andrcw J. smi_th roof wer rr cqnmendtg ollicct of 6c Mquo ganrlicr upcrhc dcarh d Ljeurnanr c-orosrcl Jemes AllJ; i .l,ugoo lt4d. Did- r43.tvtrco Kcamy wes orgtrizinc th. er-i oilb. Poct b.d bccr anrhorizd ro rec.mir mcnmorg rhc Mormon ero.p-: wrn *J* u,hr tr,n; n*rrrs *rigiilffi;- ia lllhoir. Kcemvircacd crpain JrmL 'tir- a t"it-.]*r - H""-"*rp."i- of Momor md retc cqsnrnd of rhcattelion .' e licurcnenr coloner. A *;-L;;c ciu rrrs issua;;* rccciving Brighemonrg'r irupporr' fo'r colpnlcs -J p"i.r.Erf *"r" q.*ry nirid rnd musrcrcd inro rhc rcwicct corncil Bluffs on 16 Jury l_E46. fir ra-tr,o,l glgi- r"h n"irr.i**"r. for senrr R o2'13 Augusr- Allcn dicd lf '"-tc,,tir.f."J*-z .c,"errr, ;J tl,. il cooplercd iu mercrmdcr Licurcrrenr A- J. s3ig,- nl la"i.ii*Li.r r.j*Ji.r'.'Ei, g-rr ocrobcr. Scchilip Sr- Gcorgc cookc's iou-J oi n";"J; u. r"r"-,iEiri-t n"rpr, Bicbcr (cd.).xplorhg souhwestern rrat tcr*0.r.,-ctr'rtoor lr ch* co., t93t), r.-z*-.


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A Leuer from the MexicanWar 193

Phil has been for years sighing for a CaptaincylT-He is now enrirled toCompany B which was poor Johnstons, who succeeded Sumnerlt-LieutLovewent to recruit it.le Johnston was killed before Capt Moorc, & thus Phillwas entitled to first vircancy. Say norhing of this except to Phil himself, & Myregads to Major & Mrs Stewart. Also to Mr Hunt & my friend Bishop Hawkes& wife-I wish I was with you now to pass at least the Christmas Holidays-But as that is impossible, I must endeavor to content myself in thinking rhemore of you & the children-Kiss all my dear little ones for me-I hopeWilliam & Charles are learning fast-Haniet,I am certain is improving & MisLou, no doubt-also-Puddy, Clarence & the youngest must (rccupy yonrtime.D I hope that you have some good woman in your Nursery to take care ofthem.

Take care of yourself & the young ones-Regards to John & Sophie. I hopcthey like their farm near Saint Louis. I wonder how you get on in the nunage-ment of business & in your Money affairs. I will be able in a month or two tosend to you some more Pay accouns. I have remaining from what I broughtfrom Fort I-evenworth, enough to carry me thro this month, ha"ing paid for ev-ery thing I have got since I left there-Should Mr Kennedy or others pay you, so

ttPnUpKeamy (ltl4-1862) wrs lhe ncphcw of Srephcn Wrns Kcemy. In lE37 hc rcered erccond lieutcnency in tlrc lst Unitcd Statcs Dragwrs, canrnen&d by hir unda He resigrcd hisconrmissiqr es e fust lieutcnant in April lE45 but wrs rcinstatcd onc month hrcr wi0l thc ubrcakof thc Mcrican $/ar and bccamc Gcneral Winfidd Scos's bodygurrd o the edvocc to Mcrico Gty.Hc wls promotcd to captein in Dccccrbcr 1846 Lr thc Gvil $/er he wu brigdicr generd, rnd learmejor gcneral, of voluntccr (Uniqr ermy) rnd wrs killcd et thc brulc of Grrnrilly, I ScptcrnbcrIt6L Dictbrcry of ,lnurican Biography, ed. Dumar Mdqrc cr d- (Zt vob.; New Yort: ClrerlesScribncr's Sqrs, l9t-19 El'), lO:n l -nLrtEd*itt Vqe Suurner (179?-1863) cnrcred the ermy in lElg urd rpcnt mct of his c.rtcr $ .cevelry officcr on thc fionricr. He wes capain, ln US. Dngonr. frco 4 M.rEh l&!3 unril bc wespromocd to mrjor, 2nd Dragonr, on 30 Junc 1t46. It wes I thir timc thu hc wer ruccccdcd byAbnh.rn Robinson Jotrnston. rs Keamy mentions in his brrcr. Sumner wcnt oo in fifu nilirelycrraerto comrn nd thc Ninth Miliury Depercnant (Nor Mcxico), nrd &rring e civil-uriliury disgrawitb Enitorid officielr bc recomman&d ther Ncw Mexico bc.b.ndcd by the Uaitcd Stetcs. Hcled e nrcccssful cempeign rgainrt the Chcycnnc Indienr iB t$t7 ud in ltst commrodcd thc

Dcperuncnt of thc Wcst- He forghr in thc Gvil Wer (Unioo rmry) in the PcniasuLr crurpeigp ud* Antiaem rnd Fredericksburg. Hc wes r m{rr gerreral et thc tisre of hir dceth. Lemra Rcdcrsbtrylopenia ol Anuican lVcg, t 150.l9John Lo". ses brweucd e sccond licurcnent in rhe lct U.S. Ilngoons in July 1841, rcccivcdhis cecond licutcnancy in 1E42, rnd was pronoted o first lieutcnent o 30 lunc l8,t5. Hc wasregimcnul guanerm.stcr from March lE49 to Dccearbcr 1t50. Lovc wes brcvcncd capein forgalhnt end meritorious conduct at thc Bardc of Senre Cruz dc Rosdcs, Merico. in Mercb lE4E.Hcitm:n, HLstorical Rcgistcr atd Dictir;ltary, 643.tho" lrr rrem6 and nictcramcs of Kcemy dfspring. St?hn Wers Kcrmy urd Mery RedfordKcanry hed cightdtildrcn. William Keamy rras the gnndfethetof Crcssdr H. Kcemy. thc o*rrerofthc originel copy of this latca


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194 Military History of the Southwestthat you have more than you want for use, put it out at l0 per cent for not lessthan 3 nor more than 5 years"


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A l*uerfrom the lvlexicanWar 195vera cruz had sha'ered his hear&, and he was conveyed o a prace in ttre countryto convdesce. He was later taken to the home of Major Meriwerher l-ewis Chrlin st- Louis, where he died on 3l ocrober lg4g at ni age of fifry-four.

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Documents

Dec. 1846 Letter By Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny Describing Events In The Southwest During Mexican War MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWEST Vol. 20, No. 2 Fall 1990