n many things, to act with great
independence. Whenever a governor was sent to them who would not
conform to their rules and regulations, or made himself in the least
obnoxious, he was immediately placed on board ship, with orders to
take himself out of the country as fast as possible, which he never
failed to obey, in order to save his life. Attempts were made by the
home department to make them suffer for these disobediences of the
general laws, but, in all of these contests, the Californians came
out victorious, and hence they believed they were beyond the power of
being vanquished. They were taught differently by the Americans.

These few cursory remarks will serve to show the reader that General
Kearney had no despicable foe to overcome and subdue. His care now
was to attend to the wounded. There was no rest for his command that
night, as, during the hours of darkness, his men were busy interring
their dead and looking after the wants of the sufferers. A sharp
look-out, also, was kept on the movements of the enemy, who were
continually receiving reinforcements. A council of war was held in
the American camp, when Gen. Kearney, after taking the advice of his
remaining officers, decided to move on early in the morning, with the
hope of meeting reinforcements. He had dispatched three men as bearers
of dispatches to Commodore Stockton at San Diego before the battle;
but, whether they had been successful, or not, in reaching the
commodore, the general did not know. Just before the late fight, they
had returned to within sight of their friends, when they were taken
prisoners by the Mexicans. The order of the march on the following
day was as follows: Kit Carson, with a command of twenty-five men,
proceeded in the advance, while the remainder, of the now very much
crippled band of soldiers, followed after on the trail made by their
guide. Steadily and compactly these brave men moved forward, being
continually in expectancy of a charge from the enemy, who would show
themselves, from time to time, on the neighboring hills, and then
again, for a time, disappear. During the previous day, a Mexican
lieutenant had his horse shot from under him and he himself had been
taken prisoner. On a favorable opportunity occurring, General Kearney
ordered the "halt" to be sounded; when, through a flag of truce, he
asked a parley. It being granted, he succeeded in making an exchange
of the lieutenant for one of his expressmen. He gained not