Posted by Steve Clugston on January 21, 19103 at 22:03:28:
After many years and attempts at a commemorative or even a reenactment of the important Jan. 8, 1847 "Battle of San Gabriel" near Los Angeles: it appears we are making progress. Tony Delgadillo, who resides next to the battle site, has been working diligently with the City of Montebello towards this goal, and will be able to schedule a first commemorative event next year.
The battle is very important, and for some strange reason, overlooked by historians. Why this is so, is very suspicious in that the battle was the pivotal and largest battle in California history (as far as the number of combatants invoved). After San Gabriel, and the battle the very next day: the "Battle of La Mesa" (many link the two battles as one), California became a U.S. possession ever since. One theory, which makes the most sense: is that Fremont and Senator Benton wanted to slander and minimalize General Kearny & Stockton's victory of the Californios at San Gabriel and focused on his alleged defeat at San Pasqual instead. This was due to the court-martial of Fremont. Kearny died in 1848 and was not around to defend his record, and San Francisco historians supported the writings of Fremont since he was running for state senator and then a presidential candidate, as well as being appointed a Civil War General later. We hope to be able to set the record straight by emphasising the truth about the war in California and hope to be able to report more progress soon.