General Kearney with his small, and almost worn-out force, reached San
Diego just in time to join Commodore Stockton in carrying out a plan
for reducing the Californians to submission. On the 29th of December,
the little army, consisting of about six hundred men--the greater part
of them being seamen, started from San Diego, to march toward Puebla
de los Angelos, the capital and chief city of California. They had
proceeded about one hundred and ten miles toward the Rio San Gabriel,
when they found about six hundred mounted men, with four pieces of
artillery, drawn up to dispute the passage of the river. On the 8th
of January, 1847, the necessary arrangements having been made, the
Americans waded across the river, reserved their fire until they
reached the opposite bank, repelled a charge of the enemy, and then
charged them in gallant style. After an action of an hour and a half,
the enemy were driven from the field, on which the conquerors encamped
for the night. The loss of the Californians was severe.
This battle, fought by the seamen and marines of Commodore Stockton, is
justly regarded as one of the most extraordinary exploits of the whole
Mexican war, which, as we have seen, abounded in all sorts of romantic
and heroic achievements.
[Illustration: GENERAL SHIELDS AT CERRO GORDO.]