chap. death in every direction with their cannon and musketry, and were in-
Nov.
1826.
spired with confidence by the contempt in which they held the valour
and tactics of their unconverted countrymen, they were overpowered
by numbers, and obliged to seek their safety in flight, and to leave the
gun in the woods. Some regained the launch and were saved, and
others found their way over land to the mission ; but thirty-four of the
party never returned to tell their tale.
There were other accounts of this unfortunate affair, one of which
accused the padre of authorising the attack; and another stated that
it was made in self defence; but that which I have given appeared to
be the most probable. That the reverend firther should have sanctioned
such a proceeding is a supposition so totally at variance with his character,
that it will not obtain credit; and the other was in all probability
the report of the alcalde to excuse his own conduct. They all agreed,
however, in the fatal termination of their excursion, and the neophytes
became so enraged at the news of the slaughter of their companions,
that it was almost impossible to prevent them from proceeding forthwith
to revenge their deaths. The padre was also greatly displeased
at the result of the excursion, as the loss of so many Indians to the
mission was of the greatest consequence, and the confidence with which
the victory would inspire the Indians was equally alarming. He,
therefore, joined with the converted Indians in a determination to
chastise and strike terror into the victorious tribe, and in concert with
the governor planned an expedition against them. The mission furnished
money, arms, Indians, and horses, and the presidio provided troops,
headed by the alférez, Sanchez, a veteran who had been frequently
engaged with the Indians, ánd was acquainted with every part of the
country. The troops carried with them their armour and shields, as
a defence against the arrows of the Indians : the armour consisted of a
helmet and jerkin made of stout skins, quite impenetrable to an arrow,
and the shields might almost vie with that of Ajax in the number of its
folds.
The expedition set out on the 19th of November, and we heard
nothing of it until the 2 7th; but two days after the troops had taken
the field, some immense columns of smoke rising above the mountains
in the direction of the Cosemenes, bespoke the conflagration of the vil AjHAjl’
la .e of the persecuted Gentiles. And on the day above mentioned,
the veteran Sanchez made a triumphant entry into the mission of San
1826.
.losé, escorting forty miserable women and children, tire gun * at had
been taken in the first battle, and other trophies ol the field, ifiis
victory, so glorious, according to the ideas of the conqueror was
achieved with the loss of only one man on the part of the Christians,
who was mortally wounded by the bursting of his own gun; hut on
the part of the enemy it was considerable, as Sanchez the moining
after the battle counted forty-one men, women, and children, dead,
is remarkable that none of the prisoners were wounded, and it is
greatly to be feared that the Christians, who could scarcely be prevented
from revenging the death of their relations upon those who were
brought to the mission, glutted their brutal passion on all the wounded
who fell into their hands. The despatch which the alferez wrote to his
commanding officer on the occasion of this successful ^
expedition will eonvey the best idea of what was executed, and their
manner of conducting such an assault.
Translation-Uournal kept by citizen José Antonio Sanchez,
ensign of cavalry of the presidio of San Francisco, during ^ e e n to p ia ^
against the Gentiles called Cosemenes, for having put to death the
neophytes of the mission of Sán J osé .-Written with gunpowder on
the field of battle! „n.-nb mid
“ On the morning of the 20th the troop commenced its maich, and
after stopping to dine at Las Positas, reached the nver San Joachni
at eleven o’clock at night, when it halted. Ih is day s march was pe -
formed without any accident, except that
nearly losing his saddle. The next day the ^
send forward the toiuxiliary neophytes’ to construe ^
troop to pass a river that was in advance of them. le p j
and all cL sed in safety -, but among the last of ihe ^ f
the river was one belonging to soldier Leandro Flores, who lost his
. T h e se are ra fts made of rushes, and are th e India.. s..bstit..te for canoes.
O A *4