Latest / California Frontier / 071: Tales of Mexican California Part 2: Antonio Coronel's Memoirs

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071: Tales of Mexican California Part 2: Antonio Coronel's Memoirs · California Frontier

0:00
Yeah.
0:05
Damian Bacich's video recording: I'm Damian Basich, host of the California Frontier Podcast, and on this episode I'm going to bring you some more of the memoirs of Antonio Franco Coronel, entitled Tales of Mexican California.
0:21
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now, as you might recall, Coronel arrived in California in the 1830s as part of a colonizing expedition sent from Mexico.
0:32
Damian Bacich's video recording: In fact, he arrived in 1834, to be precise.
0:36
Damian Bacich's video recording: And if you haven't, I recommend you go back and listen to episode 65, Tales of Mexican California, part one, where you'll hear about Antonio's origin story and how he and his family arrived in Alta California from Mexico.
0:54
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now, they came with what was called the Ijar Padres Expedition, and it was meant to establish a new pueblo in Alta California, which would basically become its administrative capital, and its members would become the ruling class of the territory.
1:12
Damian Bacich's video recording: They were, however, rejected by the local population, and the plan was eventually disbanded.
1:18
Damian Bacich's video recording: The town was never founded.
1:20
Damian Bacich's video recording: and its members were eventually absorbed into the local population.
1:26
Damian Bacich's video recording: Antonio, after a while, moved to Los Angeles, and when we pick up here, he's working as a superior court judge.
1:36
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now, over the previous years, Mexican Alta California had experienced a degree of instability with locally born officials moving from state to state.
1:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: actually rebelling against some of the governors sent from Mexico City to administer the territory.
1:53
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now in 1842, due to constant bickering between political factions in Alta California, the Mexican government again sent a governor, but this time he was a general, an army general, a real button up guy named Manuel Michel Torrena.
2:12
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he was accompanied by a group of 800 soldiers known as the Permanent California Battalion.
2:21
Damian Bacich's video recording: And it was said that they were mostly convicts, right?
2:25
Damian Bacich's video recording: At least among the local population said that.
2:28
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now the soldiers basically lived up to their reputation, and their criminality wound up pushing again the population to support.
2:40
Damian Bacich's video recording: throwing off this new governor.
2:43
Damian Bacich's video recording: So when we listen to, uh, Antonio's memoirs here, we're going to hear about this, the beginnings of this uprising and the problems that it represented.
2:59
Damian Bacich's video recording: And we're also basically going to be brought up to the eve of US, uh, annexation of California, almost.
3:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: And we're going to hear how Nichel Turena, who was the last governor sent from Mexico to rule over California, eventually, uh, goes down the path of, of himself being expelled from the territory.
3:30
Damian Bacich's video recording: We're going to pick up here in 1842.
3:34
Damian Bacich's video recording: Antonio says, As Superior Court Judge, I was kept busy with constant robberies committed by the Permanent Battalion of California, which I just mentioned.
3:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: If I told about all their crimes in detail, I'd never be done.
3:52
Damian Bacich's video recording: So I will only relate a few of the most interesting cases.
3:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: One night, when there was a ball at Don Vicente Sanchez's house, which is no longer standing, now remember he, he wrote down these memoirs or dictated them in the 1870s, I stationed a guard of twelve soldiers in what I had requested from Michel Turena, since that was the only way to keep order in those times.
4:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: There was a great crowd at the dance.
4:26
Damian Bacich's video recording: And this is a dance that they had organized in order to welcome the new governor.
4:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: In high spirits, most of the principal people of the town were there.
4:35
Damian Bacich's video recording: We entered on the ground floor.
4:38
Damian Bacich's video recording: The guard was posted next to the bedroom of the lady of the house, who happened to be there.
4:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: In the room were eight or ten trunks full of the lady's clothes and ornaments.
4:52
Damian Bacich's video recording: At that time, it was not unusual to have wardrobes.
4:55
Damian Bacich's video recording: The common custom was to keep, Oh, excuse me.
4:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: At that time, it was not usual to have wardrobes.
5:02
Damian Bacich's video recording: The common custom was to keep things in Chinese trunks.
5:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: And this is also very interesting because it points to the fact that trade with the far East was an important factor in California at that time.
5:18
Damian Bacich's video recording: Chinese trunks means trunks from China or the Philippines.
5:25
Damian Bacich's video recording: At about four in the morning, Senor Sanchez came down to his wife's room a little while after the guard was dismissed.
5:33
Damian Bacich's video recording: Immediately he noticed that one trunk containing money Jewelry and valuable clothing was missing.
5:42
Damian Bacich's video recording: He ran back upstairs, and he informed me.
5:46
Damian Bacich's video recording: I immediately went down to take appropriate measures.
5:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: I ordered the streets closed off, so no one could leave until dawn.
5:57
Damian Bacich's video recording: There was an Indian village nearby, and I had the chiefs keep it closed up too.
6:03
Damian Bacich's video recording: so I could examine the tracks or traces and find out which direction the trunk had been taken.
6:12
Damian Bacich's video recording: Daylight came, and between the Indians and practiced Californians, the tracks of the four of Michel Torrena's booted soldiers were discovered.
6:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: With my men, I followed the trail along an alley between two walled gardens some eight hundred or a thousand yards.
6:34
Damian Bacich's video recording: where we found the broken and emptied trunk.
6:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: The footprints showed they had split up the loot there.
6:43
Damian Bacich's video recording: I followed the clearest trail across an orchard on what is now Main Street, and back then was the only street in that part of the city.
6:54
Damian Bacich's video recording: I went towards the hills to the west of the populated area, following a creek in the so called Ditch of the Kings.
7:03
Damian Bacich's video recording: About halfway up it, I found some of the loot buried in the bank and suspected there was more nearby, which turned out to be the case.
7:15
Damian Bacich's video recording: I went on searching and found some more things buried under the stones in the Abila Brook.
7:22
Damian Bacich's video recording: All I found were clothes, no jewels nor money.
7:28
Damian Bacich's video recording: And here I want to stop the Ditch of the Kings, which I imagine was Zanja de los Reyes and Avila Brook.
7:35
Damian Bacich's video recording: If somebody's familiar with, uh, L.
7:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: A.
7:38
Damian Bacich's video recording: geography or nomenclature, it'd be interesting to know if those two place names, uh, still exist or what they referred to.
7:48
Damian Bacich's video recording: Back to the text.
7:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now, it remained for me to determine the culprits.
7:53
Damian Bacich's video recording: I continued my investigation with the exactitude required by the judicial practice of that time and discovered the guilty parties.
8:03
Damian Bacich's video recording: Michel Torreina permitted me to supersede military privilege in making a case against them and presenting it to him.
8:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: Michel Torreina was convinced of their guilt in spite of their experience in defending themselves against criminal charges.
8:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: and sentenced them to the terrible punishment of lashes and prison.
8:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: The leader of the criminals had been in attendance to the general the night of the robbery.
8:36
Damian Bacich's video recording: They all suffered the lashes and prison term, but they never revealed what became of the jewels and money.
8:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: The jewels were well known because so few people lived in the country.
8:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: And fewer still had jewelry.
8:53
Damian Bacich's video recording: It would have been very difficult to dispose of them without being caught.
8:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: However, they never did turn up.
9:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: A little Paiute Indian girl.
9:05
Damian Bacich's video recording: And here I'm, I suppose he's referring to Paiute Indians, uh, in that extend, you know, in the Great Basin.
9:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: Into Utah, a little Paiute Indian girl who had been raised as a daughter in the Sanchez's household gave the information leading to the capture of the principal thief.
9:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: Sanchez had bought her from some New Mexicans in exchange for some animals.
9:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: It should be noted that although it was forbidden by law, At that time, the buying of Indians from New Mexico was tolerated in view of the great benefits to the Indians.
9:49
Damian Bacich's video recording: They were educated and treated as members of the family.
9:55
Damian Bacich's video recording: And here he's mentioning something which, which was very true that along the Santa Fe Trail from New Mexico, excuse me, the Old Spanish Trail.
10:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: from New Mexico into L.
10:10
Damian Bacich's video recording: A.
10:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: and further up, you had parties of people who were basically trafficking in Indian children.
10:22
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he mentions here this girl who had been bought and was raised as a family member in the Sanchez household.
10:33
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, like I said, this happened a lot, and it's not clear, right?
10:38
Damian Bacich's video recording: I'm sure that some of the families, uh, raised them, uh, in all charity and like their own children, and I'm sure that, that some of these children were definitely exploited.
10:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, as he mentions, this was illegal, in effect.
10:57
Damian Bacich's video recording: Slavery of indigenous people was illegal in the Spanish Empire back to the 1600s.
11:04
Damian Bacich's video recording: Um, so anyway, a part of California history that we need to be aware of.
11:10
Damian Bacich's video recording: So going on.
11:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: At that time, and before and after it, bands of New Mexicans came with loads of goods to exchange for broodmares, horses, and mules.
11:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: On each trip, they took back one or two thousand head.
11:28
Damian Bacich's video recording: Occasionally, they came as thieves and stole immense herds.
11:34
Damian Bacich's video recording: One of these great robberies occurred in the time of General Figueroa, so that would have been between 1833 and 1840, I believe.
11:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: And the last big one I heard was the work of a Frenchman or Canadian called Charlie Foe.
11:52
Damian Bacich's video recording: who got away with something like 2, 000 horses and mules between 1844 and 1845 during the war with Michel Torrena.
12:03
Damian Bacich's video recording: Armed men from Los Angeles pursued them, but the thieves outnumbered and outgunned the Angelinos, who returned disappointed.
12:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: So this points to an issue that was taking place at that time of banditry, contraband, raids along this so called Old Spanish Trail between Los Angeles and Santa Fe.
12:33
Damian Bacich's video recording: Right?
12:34
Damian Bacich's video recording: And it's something that continued very much into, uh, the 1840s.
12:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: Another curious episode, and here I'm quoting, uh, Coronel again, about Michel Torrena's mestizos.
12:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: And that was one of the things that was also mentioned is that they were, uh, Michel Torrena's soldiers were all, uh, mestizos, uh, mixed ethnicity.
12:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: Which I think was used in this case as a, um, pejorative, even though most of the population of California at that time were also, uh, mixed race, mixed ethnicity.
13:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, another curious episode about them.
13:18
Damian Bacich's video recording: Don Manuel Requena sent word to me that some turkeys had been stolen from his poultry yard.
13:26
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he had been told it was one of the soldiers who took them.
13:31
Damian Bacich's video recording: An Indian woman described the thief and when she was taken to the barracks, identified him.
13:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: But before that, I had asked the officer on duty if a soldier hadn't come in with some domestic fouls.
13:48
Damian Bacich's video recording: He said no.
13:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: The only thing any soldier had brought into the barracks was a violin.
13:56
Damian Bacich's video recording: When the thief was identified, the officer demanded why he had said it was a violin he had under his arm in the bundle.
14:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: The soldier answered, Sir, that's what we call young turkeys.
14:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: Asked what happened to the turkey, he said, Well, didn't you get some chili from my woman?
14:21
Damian Bacich's video recording: You ate it up, and so did we.
14:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: Damian.
14:25
Damian Bacich's video recording: He claimed he hadn't stolen the turkey.
14:28
Damian Bacich's video recording: He had only used a bit of broken needle to tie kernels of corn to a piece of string.
14:35
Damian Bacich's video recording: For amusement, passing Requeña's house, he had thrown the string and the corn over the wall to see if it would catch a crow or something like that.
14:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: He felt a tug on the line and reeled it in with some difficulty, afraid it would break.
14:54
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he saw that he had caught a turkey polt, a young turkey.
15:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: He decided it was his by right, and wrapped it up in his sarape.
15:08
Damian Bacich's video recording: The officer told him that was theft, and he answered the theft was when you took something against the wishes of the owner, but the turkey had come to him out of its own free will.
15:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: This argument didn't save him from the whipping the officer commanded.
15:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: There you go.
15:30
Damian Bacich's video recording: Uh, the lash, which was a common punishment, not just in Alta, California, but in all of 19th century society.
15:41
Damian Bacich's video recording: In fact, if you If you read, um, Richard Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast, he has a very, uh, graphic account of a sailor who, uh, receives a bunch of lashes, whipping for an offense that he committed on board the ship.
16:05
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, back to Corona.
16:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: Those soldiers stole so often I was in perpetual motion.
16:13
Damian Bacich's video recording: I must say, General Michel Turena was aware his men were a bad lot, and didn't tolerate such behavior.
16:22
Damian Bacich's video recording: Both as civil governor and military commander, he fully supported whatever measures I wanted to take to preserve order, and he dealt out severe punishment to anyone found guilty of a crime.
16:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: The General, in private conversations with me, lamented his precarious situation.
16:46
Damian Bacich's video recording: Abandoned by the central government, struggling with the depravity of the troops given him.
16:53
Damian Bacich's video recording: He was aware that their conduct reflected unfavorably on himself, in spite of his earnest desire to win the esteem of the Californians by good government.
17:06
Damian Bacich's video recording: At the end of 1843, Michel Torrena marched north with most of his troops and all of his officers, but two or three.
17:17
Damian Bacich's video recording: During the long stay in Los Angeles, Captain José María Flores, who comes into this history later, married the daughter of Colonel Agustín Vicente Zamorano, and Ensign Garfías married Luisa Ávila.
17:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: On the journey to Monterey, Michel Torrena had to depend entirely on the charity of private citizens and a few missions that still had the wherewithal.
17:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: One of his first acts of economy was to suppress the prefectures and the sub prefectures and the superior courts.
17:59
Damian Bacich's video recording: I don't remember what happened in that part of the territory during the rest of his term.
18:04
Damian Bacich's video recording: The same complaints we had here about the permanent battalion of California's transgressions became a pretext for the rebellion in Monterey.
18:17
Damian Bacich's video recording: The principal citizens really wanted to control and benefit from the territorial income in the form of salaries.
18:26
Damian Bacich's video recording: So it was the, the principal leaders of the, of the population there.
18:32
Damian Bacich's video recording: that led the uprising against him.
18:34
Damian Bacich's video recording: And in particular, we're talking Juan Bautista Alvarado, who would, who had been governor, would become governor of California again, and Jose Castro, who would be the military commander in, uh, Mexican California.
18:54
Damian Bacich's video recording: Since before the revolt, and here I return, since before the revolt, the general had recognized The grave danger of invasion by the Americans.
19:05
Damian Bacich's video recording: And in consequence, he set about organizing militias according to the law.
19:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: He sent captain Andres Pico to Los Angeles with the rank of battalion commander to work with the civil authorities in forming an auxiliary militia.
19:24
Damian Bacich's video recording: So they're already concerned about American designs on Alta, California.
19:31
Damian Bacich's video recording: The justices of the peace ordered the enrollment of recruits and tried to persuade the citizens to cooperate voluntarily.
19:41
Damian Bacich's video recording: But there was resistance, particularly from a group headed by Hilario Barela and others, even armed defiance.
19:51
Damian Bacich's video recording: So the militia was never formed.
19:56
Damian Bacich's video recording: So there was no California wide militia.
20:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: To resist against a U.
20:04
Damian Bacich's video recording: S.
20:04
Damian Bacich's video recording: invasion when it came ultimately in 1846.
20:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: Things stayed in this sorry state for some time, during which Don Joaquin de la Torre appeared one night.
20:19
Damian Bacich's video recording: with a small band to surprise the guard at the house of the parish priest, which was Lieutenant Medina's temporary headquarters.
20:30
Damian Bacich's video recording: Although surprised and outnumbered, the guard fought back, losing one man but wounding De La Torre in the leg.
20:40
Damian Bacich's video recording: The rebels took the house And arrested the mayor, Don Vicente Sanchez.
20:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: I think there were other arrests too.
20:52
Damian Bacich's video recording: That was the beginning of the revolt against Michel Torrena in this part of the country.
20:59
Damian Bacich's video recording: Shortly afterwards, Castro and Alvarado arrived with their band of revolutionaries pursued by Michel Torrena in person.
21:11
Damian Bacich's video recording: Alvarado and Castro begin organizing their forces here, mustering all the prominent citizens capable of bearing arms.
21:20
Damian Bacich's video recording: The territorial assembly convened, presided over by Don Pio Pico.
21:27
Damian Bacich's video recording: Pio Pico would eventually be the last Mexican governor of California, not sent from Mexico, but born in California.
21:36
Damian Bacich's video recording: Don Pio Pico, senior member.
21:38
Damian Bacich's video recording: and declared it did not recognize the authority of Michel Torrena.
21:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: There were some communiques previous to the declaration, but I omit them as I assume they must be in the public records.
21:55
Damian Bacich's video recording: Now here, we're going to hear how the confrontation took place.
22:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: Michel Torrena's army approached.
22:06
Damian Bacich's video recording: including a rifle company of foreigners and a disciplined force of Indians commanded by Captain John A.
22:13
Damian Bacich's video recording: Sutter.
22:15
Damian Bacich's video recording: And if you've never heard of Sutter, he was basically, he was a Swiss, um, colonist who came and set up himself in, along the Sacramento River.
22:30
Damian Bacich's video recording: Uh, became a Mexican citizen, received a big land grant along the Sacramento River, which he called New Helvetia, after Switzerland.
22:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: And that eventually was, um, he was the epicenter of the discovery of gold in California, and he was also an important, um, ally of the Bear Flag Revolt.
22:54
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, already early on, Sutter is involved in the struggles between Californios, native born Californians, and the Mexican governor.
23:06
Damian Bacich's video recording: The rebels turned out to oppose them under Don Jose Castro and Don Juan Bautista Alvarado, getting to San Buenaventura.
23:16
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, Mission San Buenaventura is where the city of Ventura is today.
23:22
Damian Bacich's video recording: And Michel Turena got as far as the Rincón, this side of Carpentaria, nine miles from Santa Barbara.
23:32
Damian Bacich's video recording: So if you're familiar with that part of the coast, this is all near, uh, between Ventura and Santa Barbara.
23:42
Damian Bacich's video recording: Uh, the Rincón, this side of Carpentaria.
23:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: Rincon, as it's known today, a very famous surfing spot.
23:50
Damian Bacich's video recording: Um, but it's that area along the coast between Ventura and Santa Barbara.
23:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: Michel Torrena barricaded himself in the Rincon, and the rebels did the same in San Buenaventura for several days.
24:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: Senor Pico, who styled himself governor of the insurgents, appointed a negotiating committee to see if the matter could be settled without the inconvenience of fighting.
24:20
Damian Bacich's video recording: The committee was made up of Don Vicente Sanchez, Don Juan Wilson, and myself.
24:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: Sanchez and I set out as soon as possible for Michelturena's camp, where Wilson, who styled who lived in Santa Barbara, would meet us.
24:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: So according to the notes here, uh, this Don Juan Wilson was actually a man named Benjamin Davis Wilson, who later wrote his own memories of the events that took place here.
24:52
Damian Bacich's video recording: Before approaching Michel Turena, we held a meeting at Wilson's house to give him Pico's instructions and those of the insurgent leaders.
25:02
Damian Bacich's video recording: with whom we had consulted on the way.
25:05
Damian Bacich's video recording: Having agreed on the main points, we then proceeded to Santa Barbara, where Michel Touraine was staying, although his troops were encamped at the Rincón.
25:17
Damian Bacich's video recording: This was about 8 p.
25:18
Damian Bacich's video recording: m.
25:19
Damian Bacich's video recording: on the 4th of February, 1845.
25:23
Damian Bacich's video recording: We presented our credentials, and explain to the General our desire to see if some amicable, honorable, and fair resolution could be found for the current difficulties.
25:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: Michel Torrena answered that his conscience was clear, and he saw no excuse for the uprising at all.
25:45
Damian Bacich's video recording: In public and private conduct, he had demonstrated his affection for the Californians.
25:53
Damian Bacich's video recording: If he had been unable to do more for them, It was the fault of the central government in Mexico.
26:00
Damian Bacich's video recording: He had no personal ambitions as governor.
26:04
Damian Bacich's video recording: He wanted only order and peace in his term.
26:10
Damian Bacich's video recording: Then honorable retirement in recognition of his duty done.
26:16
Damian Bacich's video recording: He was always ready to compromise amicably and make any personal sacrifice in accordance with the law and justice.
26:25
Damian Bacich's video recording: We were to inform the insurgents they had proceeded illegally up to this point.
26:32
Damian Bacich's video recording: If they presented their claim through the proper channels, he would listen.
26:37
Damian Bacich's video recording: And if it were just, he would concede even to resigning the governorship.
26:43
Damian Bacich's video recording: In addition, he would not proceed against any of the insurgents, but let them present their case in the full enjoyment of their legal rights.
26:55
Damian Bacich's video recording: Since Wilson was not well, and Sanchez was somewhat tired, they commissioned me to take the General's reply to San Buenaventura.
27:07
Damian Bacich's video recording: I set out at 1 a.
27:08
Damian Bacich's video recording: m.
27:09
Damian Bacich's video recording: and got to Castro and Alvarado's camp.
27:12
Damian Bacich's video recording: At dawn with the message.
27:15
Damian Bacich's video recording: Alvarado reacted first.
27:18
Damian Bacich's video recording: He said Michel Torrena had ignored the authority of the territorial assembly, that he was obliged to accept the reconciliation which the legally constituted body offered to settle the current unrest, and that he had refused all amicable solutions.
27:38
Damian Bacich's video recording: Therefore, I was to tell the General.
27:41
Damian Bacich's video recording: that he must resign the governorship on honorable terms to be arranged.
27:47
Damian Bacich's video recording: Castro approved everything he said.
27:51
Damian Bacich's video recording: I returned to Santa Barbara immediately and acquainted my colleagues with the reply.
27:58
Damian Bacich's video recording: And we all went back to Micheltorena.
28:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: The general said he would answer the message, although he considered it a waste of time.
28:08
Damian Bacich's video recording: Since there was no possibility of an agreement.
28:12
Damian Bacich's video recording: I went to rest a little in Santa Barbara.
28:16
Damian Bacich's video recording: While I was asleep, Wilson and Sanchez tried to convince Michel Torrena to accept the terms.
28:22
Damian Bacich's video recording: Or at least to make a counter offer, which they would immediately communicate to the other side.
28:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: Then, I They went to San Buenaventura with no more results than I had gotten.
28:35
Damian Bacich's video recording: Neither side would budge.
28:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: Back in Santa Barbara, Michel Torena expressed his appreciation to all three of us for trying to keep the peace, although he was sorry we had not been successful.
28:51
Damian Bacich's video recording: He also wished, if it were necessary for him to leave the country, to do so in a manner compatible with his dignity.
29:01
Damian Bacich's video recording: Later the same day, he told me privately that he had sufficient force to resist the rebellion, and possibly crush it.
29:10
Damian Bacich's video recording: But his position was critical.
29:14
Damian Bacich's video recording: The government failed to support him, and he had no confidence in his troops.
29:20
Damian Bacich's video recording: The Californians considered him their enemy.
29:25
Damian Bacich's video recording: An American invasion was inevitable.
29:29
Damian Bacich's video recording: It was just a year away.
29:31
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he didn't want it all to explode in his face.
29:35
Damian Bacich's video recording: He considered the present crisis a way out.
29:39
Damian Bacich's video recording: If not exactly honorable, at least acceptable to the government.
29:44
Damian Bacich's video recording: And he begged me not to worry anymore about the negotiations, because he knew how they would turn out.
29:55
Damian Bacich's video recording: I took leave of Michel Turena to return to Los Angeles.
30:00
Damian Bacich's video recording: Castro and Alvarado detained me at San Buenaventura, but I told them the same thing I told them before.
30:09
Damian Bacich's video recording: No compromise on either side.
30:13
Damian Bacich's video recording: I went back to Los Angeles.
30:16
Damian Bacich's video recording: So, we're going to leave off here.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: I think this narrative is pretty interesting because you hear Cornell's wanting to stay out of trouble between the two sides, but he clearly has some sympathy for General Michel Torina.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: He portrays him as a reasonable and honorable man who's stuck in a difficult.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: Situation.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: And I think part of it has to do with the fact that cord, even though he came to Alta California as a young boy, he was born in the Republic of Mexico.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: And so when he comes to California, he still, he has a, he has an innate loyalty also to his home country, even though.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: He also loves his adopted country or his adopted territory.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: Obviously California is part of Mexico, so it's not a question of a different country, but you can see that his sympathies are not entirely with the, um, the officials like PO Pico Alvarado Castro, who are rebelling against Michel Tona, although he does.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: He obviously acknowledged the problems that his soldiers had caused in the country, but he, he portrays Michel Tona as someone who's seeking to do the best he can, and clearly Cornell portrays himself as somebody caught in the middle of a difficult situation.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: And the next time we take up with Antonio Coronel, we'll hear about the U.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: S.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: Mexico war in California, and get into some of his adventures during the gold rush.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: As always, it's important to remember that these are memoirs.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: that are written down multiple decades after the events in question, and they represent his personal views and recollections.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: For that reason, I personally don't take everything that is said here as gospel truth, since much of it would need to be verified and checked against other sources.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: And as you see, even in the, uh, the footnotes, I didn't read all the footnotes, but many of them correct.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: Some of the assertions he makes, names of people, etc.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: But I still think that this testimony gives us a very, very good insight from an eyewitness to a period in California's history that was very chaotic and is still very poorly understood.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: And for that reason, I consider it very valuable.
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Damian Bacich's video recording: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the California Frontier Show.
33:19
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