Castañeda, in obedience to his orders from Portilla, left San Buenaventura probably, March 17th, and took a position with his force in sight of Santa Bárbara, demanding the immediate surrender of the place. Comandante Villavicencio, though his force was small, had two or three small cannon so placed as to defend the approaches. He refused to surrender, and despatched a courier in all haste to the north for reënforcements, while Captain Guerra and Padre Duran went out to parley with the besiegers. I have no means of knowing exactly what arguments these venerable diplomatists used, but such was their force that Castañeda did none of the brilliant things expected of him by the Angelinos. The captain most assuredly disobeyed in a disgraceful manner the orders of his chiefs Carrillo and Portilla, which with his force of over one hundred men he might easily have executed. Whether his course was inspired by fear of Villavicencio's guns, or was the result of deliberate treachery to Carrillo, as Botello intimates, or of an agreement with Guerra afterward broken by Castro, as Pio Pico seems to think, I do not know; but after remaining three or four days, perhaps at the Cerro del Voluntario, he retired to San Buenaventura.[1]
- ↑ Botello, Anales del Sur, MS., 50-2, who as sec. went with the alcalde of Angeles to Castañeda's camp, says that he pretended not to have men enough, though his officers urged an attack, and friends in Sta Bárbara sent word how easily it could be taken. Castañeda was said to have had some differences with Carrillo before starting. Pico, Hist. Cal., MS., 63, says that the agreement was that Castañeda should retire to S. Buenventura and no troops on the other side should pass Carpintería, that is, until Alvarado and Carrillo could hold a conference. Lugo, Vida, MS., 18-19, tells us the comisionados persuaded them to retire, promising mediation with the northerners. Pinto, Apuntaciones, MS., 29-34, claims to have been present at the interview between Villavicencio and Andrés Pico, after the negotiations with Guerra and Duran, when an arrangement was made to stop hostilities until Alvarado should come. Valle, Lo Pasado, MS., 21, merely says that Castañeda re-
Purísima. The gov. will leave Angeles on Monday so as to enter Sta Bárbara on Wednesday. Id., v. 50-2. It is noticeable that several letters of Carrillo, Portilla, and other prominent men at Angeles at this time bear the mysterious sign Fu...u,' which evidently had some hidden significance. On March 20th Carrillo acknowledges the receipt of $1,000 from Pio Pico as a loan to the treasury in aid of Castaneda's movement. On July 5, 1843, Gov. Micheltorena indorsed this by a marginal decree that it should be paid when convenient. Indorsed by Pio Pico to Andrés Pico, and by the latter to Pablo de la Guerra. Guerra, Doc., MS., i. 232-3.
