Siege of Los Angeles | |||||||
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Part of the Mexican–American War | |||||||
San Pedro Bay, 1900. |
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Mexico | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
John C. Fremont Archibald H. Gillespie |
Jose Maria Castro José María Flores José Antonio Carrillo Andrés Pico |
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Strength | |||||||
48 | 150 militia | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
0 | 0 |
The Siege of Los Angeles was a military response by armed Californios to the occupation, which had begun August 13, 1846, by the United States Marines of the Pueblo de Los Angeles during the Mexican–American War.
Following the Battle of Monterey, the Americans held northern California but General Jose Maria Castro and Governor Pio Pico planned resistance in the south around the Los Angeles area. Commodore arrived at Monterey Bay aboard the Congress on July 15 and took over command from John D. Sloat. Stockton accepted the Bear Flag revolutionaries, under the command of Major John C. Frémont, as the California Battalion. Stockton then garrisoned Sonoma, San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, and Sutter's Fort. Stockton's plan for dealing with Castro was to have Commander Samuel Francis Du Pont carry Fremont's men in the Cyane to San Diego to block any movement southwards, while Stockton would land a force at San Pedro which would move overland against Castro. Fremont arrived at San Diego on July 29 and reached San Pedro on August 6 aboard the Congress.
Upon holding a council of war, Castro decided to leave California, heading to Sonora with Pico and a few supporters on August 11, while the rest of his force retired to Rancho San Pascual.