Battle of San Pascual

Battle of San Pasqual
Part of the Mexican-American War
A map of the battle site.
Date December 6–7, 1846 Location San Pasqual Valley, San Diego, California Result Pyrrhic American victory Californios departed the battlefield
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Stephen Watts Kearny	Andrés Pico
Strength
150	75
Casualties and losses
18 killed, 13 wounded	12 wounded 1 captured

The Battle of San Pasqual, also spelled San Pascual, was a military encounter that occurred during the Mexican-American War in what is now the San Pasqual Valley community of the city of San Diego, California. The series of military skirmishes ended with both sides claiming victory, and the victor of the battle is still debated. On December 6 and December 7, 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny's US Army of the West, along with a small detachment of the California Battalion led by a Marine Lieutenant, engaged a small contingent of Californios and their Presidial Lancers Los Galgos (The Greyhounds), led by Major Andrés Pico. After U.S. reinforcements arrived, Kearny's troops were able to reach San Diego.

General Kearny had orders to assume command of U.S. forces in California with his, but sent back most of his force after meeting up with Kit Carson near Socorro on 6 Oct. and hearing of the seizure of California by Commodore , Kearny keeping only Companies C & K, 1st Dragoons, about 100 men. Kearny's force, guided by Carson, reached Warner's Ranch in California on 2 Dec., in a greatly weakened condition. They had just completed a 2,000 mile march; the longest march in U.S. Army history.

General Kearny's Army, most originating from Fort Scott:

After turning back the Americans trying to recapture Los Angeles in the Battle of Dominguez Rancho, Capt. Jose Maria Flores sent about 100 men to San Luis Obispo to confront Lt. Col. John C. Fremont's 300 men moving south from Monterey, and sent another 100 men to watch Stockton's base at San Diego, but Flores kept the bulk of his men at Los Angeles.

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