Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/85

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DISCONTENT OF THE SOLDIERS.
67

the cause of the rising; and there is no reason to suppose that it had any politically personal significance. There is also a vague allusion to insubordination at San Francisco about the same time, but we have no particulars.[1]

In 1829 there was a practical cessation of the financial controversy in its old phases, the situation remaining unchanged, save that Antonio María Osio acted as comisario during part of the year in the place of Jimeno, and an opportunity was afforded Echeandía to rid himself of Herrera by sending him away as a prisoner for trial, on charges somewhat less unfounded than that of mismanaging the revenues. Discontent among the soldiers continued, resulting in a revolt more extensive and complicated than that of 1828, though not much more serious in its results. Destitution, resulting from non-receipt of pay and rations, and attributed naturally by the troops to some fault of the governor, was the leading motive of the soldiers; the participants in the last revolt, yet under


    should not be inflicted. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxix. 24. Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 123-5, says 40 soldiers, not including the older sergeants and corporals, marched 12 leagues to Codornices Mt, and were induced to come back by Pacheco and the padres, the former offering to intercede for their pardon. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., ii. 83-3, tells us the cavalry company went to Sauzal, could not agree among themselves, and when Pacheco put himself at their head, they instinctively obeyed his order to march back to their quarters, where they were under arrest for many months. Pico, Acontecimientos, MS., 10, says that 80 men wandered about for a month, when half went back and were pardoned. The rest, the leaders being Felipe Arceo, Raimundo and Gabriel de la Torre, Pablo Véjar, José de Jesus Pico, and Francisco Soto, remained away longer, but at last returned at the request of their friends and families, and were put in prison. Véjar, Recuerdos, MS., 8-9, says he and another man were sent to Estrada to say that they would serve no longer without pay; and that before they returned to duty Estrada promised pardon and some relief. Torre, Reminiscencias, MS., 8-9, says that Arces was leader, and that the rebels went as far as Sta Cruz, S. Juan, and S. José. Ávila, Cosas de Cal., MS., 25-7, saw the rebels form in line near her husband's house to return with Pacheco. She says Véjar was the leader, and that while in prison all were terrified at threats of being put to death. Amador, Memorias, MS., 86, tells us it was a long time before all returned to duty. He and José de Jesus Vallejo, Reminis., MS., 15-16, represent the soldiers as having been in a pitiable state of destitution when they were driven to insubordination. Mention of the affair in Lugo, Vida, MS., 13; Larios, Convulsiones, MS., 8; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 24.

  1. Oct. 20th, gov. to min. of war. St. Pap., Sac., MS., x. 38-9.