Battle of La Mesa

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Battle of La Mesa

Date	January 9, 1847
Location	Vernon, California
Result	American victory

Belligerents

United States of America

Mexico
Californios

Commanders

Robert F. Stockton
Stephen Watts Kearny

José Mariá Flores

Strength

U.S. naval and army forces
457 sailors, marines
and dragoons

Californios
20 dragoons
40 soldiers

Casualties and losses

1 killed, 5 wounded

15 killed, 25 wounded

v • d • e

Mexican-American War

Fort Texas – Palo Alto – Resaca de la Palma – Cañoncito – Santa Fe – Monterrey – 1st Tabasco – Siege of Los Angeles – Battle of Dominguez Rancho – San Pasqual – El Brazito – Rio San Gabriel – La Mesa – Cañada – Mora – Embudo Pass – Pueblo de Taos – Buena Vista – Sacramento – Veracruz – Cerro Gordo – Tuxpan – 2nd Tabasco – Contreras – Churubusco – Molino del Rey – Chapultepec – Mexico City – Huamantla – Puebla

The Battle of La Mesa occurred on January 9, 1847, in present-day Vernon, California, the day after the Battle of Rio San Gabriel. At La Mesa, the outgunned and vastly outnumbered Californios killed one American and wounded five others in the force commanded by Commodore Robert F. Stockton. Stocktons force was largely on foot but had rifles, while the Californios fought on horseback with only lances. In the battle, the Californios suffered 15 dead and 25 wounded. After a day of charging and outflanking the American soldiers, the Californios fell back in exhaustion and camped at present-day Pasadena, ceding Los Angeles to Stockton's forces.

The battle was the last armed resistance to the American advance in California, and General José Mariá Flores returned to Mexico. The conquest and annexation of Alta California was settled with the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga by US Army Lieutenant-Colonel John C. Frémont and Californio General Andres Pico on January 13, 1847. Many historians now agree that the final surrender of the Califorios was brought about by the unscrupulous American military strategy of gathering up hundreds of California natives, the wives, children and relatives of the Californios, as hostages^{[citation needed]}.