On August 13, 1846, Commodore Stockton led his footsore Marines, joined almost at the last minute by Maj. Fremont’s mounted California Battalion, into the nearly deserted capital of Alta California, El Ciudad de Los Angeles. Ten years later, in 1856, Fremont was the popular hero, a gold millionaire, a former California Senator, and running for President — the first, and very controversially anti-slavery, candidate of the Republican Party. During that election year, Stockton threw out a ghost-written pamphlet telling his own story as Fremont’s (nominal) commanding officer, and highlighting his own role as the true kick-ass hero of the California Theatre of the Mexican War. From the moment he took command of the Pacific Squadron in Monterey Bay, Stockton began planning his conquest of California. (Note that the following account of Stockton’s “pivot to aggression” was intended to be highly flattering of the Commodore’s independent character:)

“It must be admitted that it took great moral courage to assume the responsibility of the enterprise which Cmdr. Stockton thought it his duty to undertake. He had no precedent in U.S. history to guide him. He had no instructions which applied to the emergency. And we are informed that he held no council, with whose deliberations he might divide the responsibility of his decisions. His decisions were the result of his own patriotic sense of duty. Indeed, we have been informed that he has said, that from his departure from the United States, in the fall of 1845, to the close of his career in California, he never asked the advice of anyone, nor took any counsel in relation to any measure of importance…Having determined upon the most decisive measures, Commodore Stockton, assuming the command-in-chief, civil and military, issued his proclamation (at Monterey, July 23, 1846) placing the country under martial law.”

— A Sketch of the Life of Commodore Robert F. Stockton, With an Appendix, Etc. 1856

Stockton’s Monterey martial-law proclamation shocked the Californios. It came on the heels of Commodore Sloat’s friendly proclamation of American possession-as-protectorate. California had been abandoned by Mexico, and Monterey had accepted Sloat’s gunboats without a murmur of resistance. But suddenly the benign, reassuring Sloat retired, and was replaced by Stockton. Acting entirely on his own initiative and out of his own prejudice against the Mexican nation, Stockton immediately insisted Alta California had committed bellicose outrages against the United States, chief amongst which was that:

“General [Jose] Castro, the commander-in-chief of the military forces of California, has violated every principle of international law and national hospitality (sic) by hunting and pursuing with several hundred soldiers, and with wicked intent (sic), Captain Fremont, of the United States Army, who came here to refresh his men, (about forty in number), after a perilous journey across the mountains on a scientific survey.”

[In other words, California deserved conquest, because her officers had dared to defend her against conquest. Remember, Patient Reader, that Capt. Fremont’s brigade had spent the last few months taunting Castro, refusing to leave the territory, leading him on a wild goose chase around Northern California, massacring and stirring up the Indians, and then stirring up any American “emigrants” they could find with tales that Castro and the Indians were planning to slaughter them. Fremont even seized the heights of Gavilan Peak, in sight of Castro’s camp, to run up the Stars and Stripes as a pre-emptive act of conquest-by-discovery — tee hee! — then pulled the flag down and – tee hee! — slipped away into the tules.]

“On assuming command of the forces of the United States on the coast of California, both by sea and land [a presumptuous assumption, Gen. Kearny of the Army would later declare] I find myself [sic] in possession of the ports of Monterey and San Francisco, with daily reports from the interior of scenes of rapine, blood and murder…I am constrained by every principle of national honor…to put an end at once, and by force, to the lawless depredations daily committed by General Castro’s men upon the persons and property of peaceful and unoffending [American] inhabitants…I cannot, therefore, confine my operations to the quiet and undisturbed possession of the defenceless ports of Monterey and San Francisco, while the people elsewhere are suffering from lawless violence, but will immediately march against those boasting and abusive chiefs, who…unless driven out, will with the aid of the hostile Indians, keep this beautiful country in a constant state of revolution and blood, as well as against all others who may be found in arms, or aiding and abetting General Castro.”

The Californios thus discovered they were not, in fact, going to be brought into the Union by a peaceful stroke of republican independence, which had been promised by Cmdr. Sloat, and anyway long-since negotiated between Gen. Vallejo and the U.S. consul Thomas Larkin. Stockton overruled all that patient diplomacy, in favor of a full-scale invasion and ravaging of the country, at his own behest and under his own personal direction, hostilities to be ended only upon his own personal satisfaction.

The Californians were further alarmed by the report that, at a party that night on the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Congress, over cigars and brandy, Stockton got expansive, stared up at the stars twinkling through the lacy Monterey pines, and outlined his plans to punish, chastise, put the boot to, and in every way scorch the earth of California. If the Southern Californians dared keep up an insolent resistance, Stockton boasted, he looked forward to hoisting the flag over the capital of the territory, even if he had to wade through the Los Angeles Plaza with the blood of slain Mexicans lapping at the top of his boots. Or words to that effect. This report came from the Mexican officer Juan Maria Flores, who was standing right there when Stockton said it.

“On the 1st of August Commodore Stockton sailed with the Congress to…San Pedro, on the coast about thirty miles distant from the Ciudad de Los Angeles. He landed at once 350 sailors and Marines, established them in camp, and commenced drilling them for the service contemplated. [Upon receiving Castro’s offer of a parley and a truce until Washington and Mexico City worked out a peace, Stockton] …directed the messengers to return to their master, and inform him that the American commander intended to march immediately to Ciudad de Los Angeles; that General Castro should prepare to surrender his arms, disperse his forces, and require his men to return to their homes and demean themselves peaceably, under penalty of being dealt with in the most rigorous manner. He ordered them to tell Castro that he would not negotiate with him on any other terms than those of absolute submission to the authority of the President of the United States. Having, through an interpreter, delivered this message in the most fierce and offensive manner, and in a tone of voice significant of the most implacable and hostile determination, he waved them from his presence imperiously with the insulting imperative, “Vamose!”

On the 11th of August, Stockton commenced his march upon Delos Angeles. The enemy were often in sight, hovering on the brows of adjacent hills. The artillery and ammunition carts were dragged along by the sailors over hills and through tedious valleys of sand, but without complaint or reluctance. [The Marines camped that night at Rancho Cerritos, owned by American Jonathan “Don Juan” Temple.] On the 12th, as they approached within a few miles of Castro’s position, another courier arrived…with a pompous message: “that if he marched upon the town he would find it the grave of his men.” “Then,” said Stockton, “tell your general to have the bells ready to toll in the morning at eight o’clock, as I shall be there at that time.” He was there at that time; but the California general of couriers and despatches was unwilling to risk a battle. Evidently panic-stricken, without firing a gun, Castro broke up his camp, dispersed his forces…and fled in the direction of Sonora. His artillery fell into the hands of the Americans. His principal officers…Don Andres Pico and Don Juan Maria Flores, surrendered, and were set at liberty on their parole of honor not to serve against the United States in the war. Ciudad de Los Angeles capitulated without any specifications of terms, and on the 13th of August, Commodore Stockton took possession of the capital of California.”

— A Sketch of the Life of Commodore Robert F. Stockton, With an Appendix, Etc. (Derby & Jackson, 1856)– A Sketch of the Life of Commodore Robert F. Stockton, With an Appendix, Etc.

Thus Stockton took Los Angeles quietly, in the morning, without firing a shot. He marched his Marine band around the Plaza; did the honors with the colors; and set up his H.Q. in “Government House,” the old Isaac Williams adobe on Main Street. This casa had been bought by Pio Pico when he removed the political capital to LA in 1845, so the administration would have offices. It was also conveniently next door to “El Palacio”, the grand courtyard adobe of the wealthy American Don Abel Stearns, who was at that time serving as L.A.’s alcalde. Doubtless Dona Arcadia offered the Commodore and his officers the fine bedchambers. That evening the band took formation in the Plaza, and gave a lengthy pops concert. The music lured the wary Angelenos back from the hills and ravines where they had fled, and LA slept quietly that night,

But things would not remain quiet; Stockton’s rude taunts and baseless accusations of crimes against humanity, his self-serving saber-rattling, and his deliberate insults to their patriotic honor, had hardened the Southern Californios’ hearts to Yankee rule. They endured a month under the thumb of the officer that Stockton left in charge of the city, Marine Capt. Archibald Gillespie; then hot-head Sebula Varela issued his pronunciamiento, Generals Flores and Pico responded by renouncing their parole, and the Californios revolted against their overlords. It has been argued that Gillespie was no martinet, but that he was just following Stockton’s gall-and-wormwood orders: prohibiting LA’s duennas from accompanying their muchachas on the traditional posada around the Plaza, for instance, because it was “unlawful assembly.” The California Lancers constituted themselves under Flores, besieged the Marines up on treeless, waterless, Fort Hill, received their surrender, and marched them at gunpoint back onto their ships and out of the harbor at San Pedro. Stockton had underestimated the Californios, and over the next four months, this mistake would be paid for with American blood, as well as Mexican.