On the one hand, the California Republic remains one of the curiosities of the Mexican-American War, on the other, it is one of the most striking evidence of the historical collapse that the Mexican state suffered by 1846. Poverty, exhausted by endless coups, riots and uprisings, Mexico had lost by that time not only Texas, which after several years of independent existence joined the United States, but also Yucatan, which also proclaimed itself a separate state and waged a fierce armed struggle with the central government. Against this background, the emergence of another center of separatism was inevitable.
By then, the United States, led by President James Polk, was ready to invade. Having provoked the enemy to be the first to use weapons (later the Americans used this technique more than once), on May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico.
According to the widespread version, the American settlers in California did not know about the beginning of the war when they raised their revolt. The version, frankly speaking, is dubious, since, despite the underdevelopment of communications, a month is a long enough time for such an important news as a war. And if you remember that the revolution in Texas began in about the same way, then here too, most likely, an event took place that would today be called a hybrid war.
The background of the conflict speaks in favor of this version. Shortly before the outbreak of the conflict, a US Army expedition under the command of Captain John Fremont, son-in-law of Senator Thomas Hart Benton, known for his expansionist views, proceeded through Upper California to Oregon. The action was marked by uproar and provocations against the Mexican authorities. Later, Fremont contacted Thomas Larkin, a well-known businessman in Upper California, ladies' man, and concurrently - the only US consul in this Mexican territory. Back in early 1846, Larkin received a letter from Secretary of State James Buchanan, which in fact contained direct instructions for action to destabilize Alta California in order to facilitate its secession from Mexico. The war had not yet begun at that time, but the pre-storm mood was literally in the air. Both Larkin and Fremont were well aware of the plans of President Regiment, for whom the Pacific coast became the idea of a lifetime.
On June 8, William Eade, the future leader of the uprising, received an anonymous letter stating that Mexican government troops were burning crops and stealing livestock, and Captain Fremont was inviting American settlers to organize and fight back. The citizens who arrived at Fremont found with the greatest displeasure that he could not help them not only with supplies, but even did not even have the slightest adequate plan.
In a short time, the rebels captured 170 state horses (all of them were taken to the Fremont camp), as well as the Sonoma garrison barracks, which became their headquarters. The California bear flag was raised there for the first time.
At the same time, the most acute deficit faced by the militants was a shortage of gunpowder: there was almost none at all. It was decided to send messengers to the American ship Portsmouth with a letter in which the rebels asked for gunpowder for protection from the Mexicans. For greater persuasiveness, the rebels called themselves "compatriots."
At some point, the uprising developed two of the most organized and active centers - in Sonoma and the Fremont camp, which was located near Fort Sutter. Fremont himself, however, was determined to help the rebellion in Sonoma and advanced to her at the head of his detachment of about 90 fighters.
At this very time, John Sloat, the commander of the Pacific squadron in Monterey harbor, was waiting for convincing evidence of the outbreak of war between Mexico and the United States in order to begin active operations against the capital of Upper California. It was there that information about the uprising of American settlers reached him, as well as that the Mexican military authorities, headed by General Castro, were preparing to suppress the rebellion.
But Sloat was in doubt. Four years ago, his predecessor Thomas Jones gave the order to capture Monterey, mistakenly believing that the war had already begun. The result was an embarrassment, a diplomatic scandal and the removal of an overly zealous naval commander.
The decisive effect on the squadron commander apparently had a conversation with the consul Larkin, who literally stated the following: “Later, I can be accused of not doing something, or maybe that I went too far. I prefer the latter. On July 6, it was decided to act. On July 7, the frigate Savannah and the sloops Levant and Sayan captured the capital of Upper California. On the same day, it was announced in English and Spanish that California was henceforth part of the United States.
The Republic of California revolt ended two days later, when an American officer from the ship Portsmouth arrived at the rebels in Sonoma with two US flags, one for Sonoma and one for Fort Sutter. After that, the isolated uprising finally became part of the great continental war.
It is worth noting that along the way, American diplomacy had to urgently resolve the issue of the vast territory of Oregon, so as not to receive a second front with Great Britain during the war with Mexico. The territorial dispute was unleashed by a compromise: the area was divided in two and the border became as we know it today. If London could foresee the consequences of losing half of Oregon and, moreover, the complete military defeat of Mexico, he would undoubtedly do everything to prevent such an outcome. At that time, the United States could not withstand an open war with Britain and Mexico at the same time. But the British were engaged exclusively in the struggle with Russia and overlooked the threat from the West.
The California Republic existed for two weeks, numbered only about two hundred citizens, and did not have any civil government bodies. It is difficult to call it even an insurrectionary movement, let alone a state, but modern California originates precisely from that insurrection. And today the flag of the richest densely populated state in the United States bears the inscription "California Republic".
By annexing Upper California, the United States received the much-desired access to the Pacific Ocean. In the future, this will mean big problems and a constant threat to Japan, Russia, China, as well as Spanish and German overseas possessions. Great Britain will pay for its cowardice and shortsightedness by losing its influence, first on the North American continent, and then around the world.
