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Battle of Providencia (also called the "Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass") took place in
Micheltorena had been sent to California from Mexico, along with an army that had been recruited out of Mexico’s worst jails. He had no money to feed his army, which then spread out to people’s homes and farms “like a plague of locusts, stripping the countryside bare.” This enraged the Californians and led to widespread hatred of Micheltorena. Women were not considered safe from the depredations of Micheltorena’s army.
The two forces met in Cahuenga Pass, near Los Angeles, and fought the Battle of Providencia (also known as the Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass). In spite of an extensive artillery barrage battle casualties were similarly slight as in the first Battle of Cahuenga Pass, being limited to one horse and one mule.
On the long march to the battle Marsh had taken every opportunity to dissuade the other soldiers from Micheltorena’s cause. Ignoring Sutter,
Cahuenga Pass
The Cahuenga Pass (, ; Tongva: ''Kawé’nga'') is a low mountain pass through the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Hollywood Hills district of the City of Los Angeles, California. It has an elevation of . The Cahuenga Pass connec ...
in 1845 on Rancho Providencia
Rancho La Providencia was a Mexican land grant in present-day Los Angeles County, California given by governor Juan B. Alvarado in 1843 to Vincente de la Osa. The majority of Rancho Providencia land north of the modern channel of the Los Ange ...
in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. Native ''Californios
Californio (plural Californios) is a term used to designate a Hispanic Californian, especially those descended from Spanish and Mexican settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries. California's Spanish-speaking community has resided there sinc ...
'' successfully challenged Mexican forces regarding autonomy of Alta California.
The conflict
Alta California, originally a province of New Spain, had been a territory under Mexican rule since 1822. As the native-born Californio population reached adulthood, many of them became impatient that the government of Mexico continued to choose Mexican-born governors. Following the CalifornioJuan Bautista Alvarado
Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo (February 14, 1809 – July 13, 1882) was a Californio politician that served as Governor of Alta California from 1837-42. Prior to his term as governor, Alvarado briefly led a movement for independe ...
, the central government in 1842 appointed as governor Manuel Micheltorena, another non-Californio who proved very unpopular. By 1844, a revolt against him arose, culminating in the Battle of Providencia.
Micheltorena had been sent to California from Mexico, along with an army that had been recruited out of Mexico’s worst jails. He had no money to feed his army, which then spread out to people’s homes and farms “like a plague of locusts, stripping the countryside bare.” This enraged the Californians and led to widespread hatred of Micheltorena. Women were not considered safe from the depredations of Micheltorena’s army.
Juan Bautista Alvarado
Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo (February 14, 1809 – July 13, 1882) was a Californio politician that served as Governor of Alta California from 1837-42. Prior to his term as governor, Alvarado briefly led a movement for independe ...
, the governor who had been forcibly replaced by Micheltorena, organized a revolt against Micheltorena. Upon learning of the impending revolt, Micheltorena appointed John Sutter
John Augustus Sutter (February 23, 1803 – June 18, 1880), born Johann August Sutter and known in Spanish as Don Juan Sutter, was a Swiss immigrant of Mexican and American citizenship, known for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area th ...
to lead troops in opposition. Sutter came to John Marsh John Marsh may refer to:
Politicians
* John Marsh (MP fl. 1394–1397), MP for Bath
* John Marsh (MP fl. 1414–1421), MP for Bath
*John Allmond Marsh (1894–1952), Canadian Member of Parliament
* John Otho Marsh Jr. (1926–2019), American c ...
, who had one of the largest ranchos in California, hoping he would join. Marsh wanted no part of it, but Sutter forced him to join his army against his will.
The two forces met in Cahuenga Pass, near Los Angeles, and fought the Battle of Providencia (also known as the Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass). In spite of an extensive artillery barrage battle casualties were similarly slight as in the first Battle of Cahuenga Pass, being limited to one horse and one mule.
On the long march to the battle Marsh had taken every opportunity to dissuade the other soldiers from Micheltorena’s cause. Ignoring Sutter, Marsh
A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
seized an opportunity during the battle to signal the other side for a parley. Many of the soldiers on each side were settlers from the United States. Marsh convinced them that they had no reason to be fighting each other. At Marsh’s urging, these soldiers on both sides united, abandoned Micheltorena’s cause, and even captured Sutter. Micheltorena was defeated, and California-born Pío Pico was returned to the governorship.Stone, Irving. ''From Mud-Flat Cove to Gold to Statehood,'' pp 66–68, Word Dancer Press, Clovis, California, 1999. .
References
External links
* {{coord, 34.180, -118.328, display=title Providencia 1845 in Alta California History of the San Fernando Valley 19th century in Los Angeles