Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/242

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AN INTERREGNUM — ECHEANDÍA AND ZAMORANO.

There are no records of a formal adhesion to Zamorano's plan at San Francisco, San José, Branciforte, and Santa Bárbara, though there are allusions to such adhesion at some of those places, and there can be no doubt that it took place at all during the month of February. Ibarra started with a military force for Santa Bárbara about February 9th; and in April, the defence of Monterey having been intrusted to the compañia extrangera and to another company of citizens organized for the purpose, Zamorano himself marched south with all the force he could raise, having learned that the so-called rebels were assuming a hostile attitude, and were not disposed to pay much attention to the autoridad legítima.

So far as the south is concerned, we know more of what was said than of what was done. The authors of my original narratives content themselves with the general statement that Zamorano having refused to recognize Echeandía, the latter consented to rule in the south, while his rival held sway over the north.[1] The earliest notice we have that a knowledge of the contra-pronunciamiento had reached the south is when on March 5th Echeandía reported to Pico the news of disturbances at Santa Bárbara, and proposed a meeting of the diputacion for consultation, offering to attend;[2] and next day were communicated more complete details respecting the proceedings at Monterey. There were informal meetings of officials for consultation at


    to the command of S. F. Id., i. 305. March 30th, Z. to alcalde of S. José. Has heard that the rebels of S. Diego have assumed a hostile attitude and are about to occupy Los Angeles, which at the beginning of the month had come out in favor of the legitimate authority. This makes it necessary for him to go to Sta Bárbara and perhaps farther; and he calls on the alcalde for 20 or 25 men, mounted and patriotic, to be sent at once, since by a rapid movement he hopes to secure the tranquillity of the country. S. José, Arch., MS., ii. 60. Feb. 29th, Anastasio Carrillo in a private letter speaks of the force which Lieut Ibarra has at Sta Barbara, with which he will force S. Diego to yield to the proposal of Feb. 28th (?). Valle, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 25. April 8th, Z. was at S. Antonio on his way to Sta Bárbara. Guerra, Doc., MS., vi. 152. Gonzalez, Experiencias, MS., 30-1, alcalde at the time, gives a few vague particulars about the action at Sta Bárbara.

  1. The names of authors and narratives are for the most part those given in note 56 of chap. vii.
  2. Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 44.