In the north, during the first half of March, they were content to wait as before, news from the south being unexciting, and the governor also suffering for a time from illness.[1] Then came the information that Don Cárlos had sent a force to San Buenaventura, thus assuming the offensive. The force was understood to be small, and Carrillo not apprehensive of any immediate attack. Alvarado resolved on prompt action, and sent Castro with fifteen men to Santa Bárbara to join the garrison of that place, attack the abajeños by surprise, and to send Don Cárlos and his leaders as prisoners to Monterey. It was the plan suggested by Castro earlier, the execution of which had been postponed. "It is time to put an end to these political discussions," wrote the governor.[2]
There were particular reasons, it seems, for prompt action on both sides at this time. Alvarado learned that a despatch from Castillero for him had been intercepted by Carrillo; and he, on the other hand, intercepted a letter from Don Cárlos to his wife. In that letter it was announced that the California had reached Acapulco; that some of Alvarado's official letters had been published in government journals of September
- ↑ March 4, 1838, Alvarado to Vallejo. Thinks of going south in 8 days. Vallejo, Doc., MS., v. 36. March 12th, friends in Los Angeles send encouragement. Same to same. Id., v. 39. March 12th, V. to J. A. Carrillo. A rather severe answer to his last letter, suggesting that it is as well to drop protestations of friendship for a while until things are more settled. 'I am neither centralist, federalist, nor monarchist, but ranchero, caring little for systems while we have neither population nor capital.' Dept. St. Pap., MS., iv. 183-5. There is also a letter of Alvarado to Cárlos Carrillo, in Vallejo, Doc., MS., iv. 39, not dated, and probably written a little later. It is a repetition of the old views expressed somewhat independently.
- ↑ March 18, 1838, A. to V., in Vallejo, Doc., MS., v. 48. He wants a few men sent from Sonoma and S. Francisco. March 13th, Villavicencio to A. from Sta Bárbara. Sends 4 documents to undeceive him about Carrillo's intentions, one being doubtless Portilla's order to Castañeda to occupy S. Buenaventura. Dept. St. Pap., MS., iv. 183-6.
treated, pleading insufficiency of force. Mrs. Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 108-10, says that Villavicencio's garrison of 20 or 25 men was increased to 100 men by the citizens. She says that Castañeda came only to Carpintería. Farnham, Life in Cal., 200-4, gives a very amusing but of course inaccurate account of the Sta Bárbara campaign. Mention only in Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 41-2; Pico, Acont., MS., 48-9; Estudillo, Datos, MS., 22–3; Gonzales, Experiencias, MS., 33-5; Janssens, Vida, MS., 126; Valdés, Mem., MS., 27.
