Reminiscences of a Ranger, or, Early times in Southern California; by Major Horace Bell

Published: Los Angeles, Yarnell, Caystile & Mathes, printers, 1881

Horace moved to Los Angeles in 1852. After the Civil War he was a lawyer and newspaper editor. The book also covers his time as a Los Angeles Ranger chasing Joaquín Murietta in 1853, a soldier of fortune in Latin America, the Civil War; Los Angeles and area residents under Mexican and American rule, with emphasis on cowboys and criminals and Hispanic Californians and Native Americans

PREFACE

No country or section during the first decade following the conquest of California, has been more prolific of adventure than our own bright and beautiful land; and to rescue from threatened oblivion the incidents herein related, and either occurring under the personal observation of the author, or related to him on the ground by the actors therein, and to give place on the page of history to the names of brave and worthy men who figured in the stirring events of the times referred to, as well as to portray pioneer life as it then existed, not only among the American pioneers, but also the California Spaniards, the author sends forth his book of Reminiscences, trusting that its many imperfections may be charitably scrutinized by a criticising public, and that the honesty of purpose with which it is written will be duly appreciated.

H. B.

NOTE

The word "Registrar" used instead of Register in Chap. VI must be charged to the printers and not the author.

CONTENTS:

CHAPTER I [1]
The Sea Bird--Arrival at San Pedro--The two Captains Haley--Pioneer Staging--Sailor Stage Drivers--Banning--"Let Her Drive"--Stage Race and High Betting--Arrival at the Angels--The Bella Union and its Guests--The First Vigilance Committee--The Seven Wise Men of the Angels--Their Inquisitorial Torture--They Find the Assassin of Gen. Bean and Hang an Innocent Man--Joaquin Murietta--Zapatero, the Tejon Chief--The El Dorado-- Aleck Gibson's--Nigger Alley and Gambling--Noted Characters--Crooked Nose Smith--Cherokee Bob ... 17

CHAPTER II [2]
Ricardo Urives--He Wipes Out Jim Irvin's Party--His Encounter with John G. Downey--A Bloody Affray in Nigger Alley--Ricardo Passes in His Checks--The Black Democrat--The Court of the Vigilance Committee--The Doomed Men--The Gallows--Hanging Reyes Feliz, Sandoval and Three Others--The Arkansas Man as Hangman--The Last of the First Mob--Retribution--Fandango at the Moreno House--The Marshal--J. Thompson Burrill's Court and How it Was Adjourned-- Granger and Ogier--The Mission Indians--A Slave Mart ... 31

CHAPTER III [3]
More Lynching--Disgraceful Proceedings--Smith and a Mexican are Whipped on the Plaza--Tossing a Man in a Blanket--A Broken Neck--Even Change-- Thompson Burrill and Dona Concha--A Man Gets Married--The Hairless Dog-- Jack Powers and His Great Influence--He Defies the Law--Emigrates to Sonora and is Murdered--Alas! Poor Jack--Los Angeles the Hot-bed of Revolution--Castro's Pronunciamento--Micheltorena--Gringo Versus Gringo, and the Great Three Days Battle of Providencia--Blood, "God and Liberty."-- Bandini's Revolution--The Founding of Los Angeles--Navarro's Dream ... 50

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CHAPTER IV [4]
The "Most Useful Man," and How he Played it on Friar Juan, of Agua Mansa-- His Duel With General Magruder--Juan Largo Versus Juan Chapo--A Wonderful Lawsuit--Myron Norton, Don Jose, and the Mixed Jury--Cobarrubias ... 72

CHAPTER V [5]
Spanish Families--Good Society--A First-class Mexican Ball--Ranchero Hospitality--Captain J. Q. A. Stanley--R. S. Den, Bandini and Others-- Washington's Birthday Ball in 1853--Assault and Hard Fighting--The Dead-- Myron Norton Wounded--The Angels on a War Footing--Andres Pico Commands the Peace--The Mission Indians Adopt Gringo Customs and Hang a Man-- Mission Squirrels Versus Mission Bells ... 88

CHAPTER VI [6]
A Grand Character--An Old-time Election in Los Angeles--Capturing Voters, the Modus Operandi--Disguising Sovereigns--Old Payuche--History Repeats Itself--The Register of the Land Office Dines Off the Nose of the U.S. District Attorney--The Judge and the Pet Deer--Lafayette Cotton and the Register--An Overdose of Buckshot ... 99

CHAPTER VII [7]
Joaquin Murietta and His Desperate Doings--A Reign of Terror--The Rangers-- Captain Hope and Others--The Twin Brothers, Green and Wiley Marshall-- Green's Adventures in Arizona--Death of the two Brothers ... 107

CHAPTER VIII [8]
The Great Western Napoleon--The Grand Gringo Campaign Against the Desert Indians--Don Benito Wilson, the Honest Indian Agent--The Indians Steal His Horses--A Vindictive Pursuit--Don Vicente de La Osa and His Reinforcement-- The Padres of Old ... 118

CHAPTER IX [9]
The Great Ohio Mail Robber Seeks Refuge in Los Angeles and is Arrested-- The Royal Bengal Tiger--A Stir Among the Angels--A Cool Lawyer--Fourth of July Celebration at San Pedro and Los Angeles--Alexander & Banning--Don Juan Sepulveda and the Patriotic Spanish-Americans--A Reminiscence by an Old Mexican Captain--Commodore Mervine's March on Los Angeles--His Repulse--Patriotic Mexicans Fire a Salute Over the Americans Killed in the Battle--Brave Higuera--A Curious Court Scene ... 127

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CHAPTER X [10]
The Phantom, Spectre, or What is It?--Great Estampida--Excitement Among the Vaqueros--Bill Solves the Mystery--John T. Lanfranco's Pioneer Sulky-- A Sharp Briar and Pious Fraud--A Sermon to the Rangers--A Large Collection--A Midnight Raid and Important Capture--The Jackass Lawsuit-- Drown and Thom--"An Irishman Can't Give Evidence in this Court"--A Test of Blood ... 138

CHAPTER XI [11]
A Bloody Chapter--Murderers and Bandits Flee From San Luis Obispo--The Rangers Capture the Whole Band After a Sharp Skirmish in Bliss' Vineyard-- A Female Fighter--All Taken to San Luis Obispo and Hung--The Murder of Porter and Pursuit of Vergara--Stanley, Banning and Winston--A Ride for Life--Hand to Hand Fight--Vergara Escapes, Reaches Yuma and is Killed by the Guard--Don Santiago Arguello--Major Heintzelman ... 151

CHAPTER XII [12]
The Murder of Jack Whaling--An Army of Fair and Frail Sisters--Moreno's Band--Robbery of Lelong's House--Moreno Kills His Comrades for Blood Money--Capture of Moreno--The Whole City on Guard--Solomon Lazard's Bravery--Mayor Nichol's Message to the Council--All is Mystery ... 158

CHAPTER XIII [13]
The Post of Jurupa--Captain Lovell--Military Discipline--A Gay and Festive Quartermaster--Smith--Attempted Robbery of Mrs. Iverson's House at San Gabriel--Robber Camp at Temescal--The Rangers, Regulars and Mormon Contingent Make a Night March on Their Camp--Escape--On to San Juan Capistrano--Juan Forster--Juan Avila el Rico ... 165

CHAPTER XIV [14]
El Viejo Lugo--His Vast Wealth and Great Generosity--His Death--Bill, the Most Remarkable--Omar Pacha--Louis Napoleon--U.S. Grant--Knights Ferry-- King Gumbo Jumbo and Kahmehameha--A Wonderful Saint--Chebang--Boom--My Compadre--Another Pacha who Decimates a Turkish Regiment ... 174

CHAPTER XV [15]
Attempted Assassination of Judge Hayes--Horses Stolen From San Bernardino Ranch--The Lugos Pursue, Attack and Defeat the Indians, and Massacre a Party of Americans--Adobe Houses--The Fandango--Peons and Pelados-- Cascarones--The Dead Desperado ... 194

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CHAPTER XVI [16]
Alex. Bell--His Adventures--Leads a Filibustering Expedition to Equador-- Gen. Flores--Eminent Fighting Men--Walker's Expedition to Lower California--A Mexican Hercules--Battle of La Grulla--The Twin Republics-- The Old Flag Abolished--The Government Starts for Sonora--Hercules Heads it off--Major McKinstry, U.S.A. ... 203

CHAPTER XVII [17]
More Filibusters--Cafe Barrierre--Madame Begon--The Expedition of Count Gaston de Raoussett Boulbon to Sonora--All Made Prisoners--The Noble Count is Shot and His Followers are Banished to Los Angeles--The Crabbe Expedition to Sonora--Its Objects--The Ainsa Family--Grandara and Pesqueira--The Massacre--One Survivor Tells the Tale--The Feast of Demons-- Fernandez the Traitor--Alexis Godey and Kit Carson--Crabbe's Original Letter to the Mexican Prefect Announcing his Coming--Pesqueira's Proclamation ... 211

CHAPTER XVIII [18]
More Filibusters--The Expedition of Admiral Zerman to Lower California-- "The Stern Admiral"--Gen. Blancarte Traps and Sends the Party as Prisoners to Mexico--Bob Baldwin--John Cullen--Smith and His Bloody Record--John Temple and the Plan to Rob Him--His Vast Wealth--End of Smith ... 227

CHAPTER XIX [19]
Revolution--The California Spaniard--His Patriotism--The Great Gringo Nation--John Raines--Guadaloupe Sanchez--Organization of Patriots--The Plaza Occupied--"Viva la Republica, and Death to the Gringos"-- GeneralLittleton to the Rescue--Raid on the Bella Union Bar--Mayor Hodges in the Field--Firing on the Plaza--The Gringo Phalanx Routed--The Mayor in a Bomb Proof--The Phalanx Triumphant--The Killed and Wounded--Dona Maria, the Lady Mayoress in Peril--Littleton Relieves Her--The Last Outrage--The Angels Redeemed--"All is Well that Ends Well." ... 235

CHAPTER XX [20]
Bull Fights--Romance of Spanish American Conquest--Gran Funcion de Toros-- The Gran Toreador--Plaza de Toros--The Debut of Don Jesus--"The Bravest Man in the World"--A Furious Bull--A Desperate Encounter--The Lazadores, Picadores and Banderilleros--The Gran Toreador Gets a Raise--The Battle Over--The Gringo's Revenge ... 242

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CHAPTER XXI [21]
Bears and Bear Stories--Lassoing the Grizzly--Jim Bogg's Bear Fight--Col. Wm. Butts--"The Southern Californian"--Butts and Wheeler--Butts' Encounter With a Grizzly--Andy Sublette and the Bear--"Old Buck"--Andy's Last Fight-- Victory and Death--Andy's Funeral--Old Buck Dies From Grief--Queer Freak of an Old Grizzly--Fred Stacer's Adventure--Bill Bradshaw and Nelse Williamson--A Bad Wound ... 250

CHAPTER XXII [22]
Parker H. French--His Grand Overland Expedition from San Antonio de Bexar-- Capture of the Expedition at El Paso--French-Turns Robber and Brings up in the Durango Prison--His Arm Amputated--Is a Guest at the Bella Union--Goes to San Luis Obispo and Gets to be a Senator--His Antics--Sells and Mortgages His Constituents' Ranchos--Turns up in Nicaragua--Minister to Washington--Is Kicked Out of Nicaragua and Turns up Again a Prisoner of State in Fort Lafayette--A Dangerous Confederate Spy ... 267

CHAPTER XXIII [23]
John Glanton and His Chihuahua Scalp Hunters--Mustang Gray and His Ranger Protege--Glanton and His Rangers Reach Chihuahua--Treat With the Chihuahua Governor--Apache Scalps for Two Ounces Each--Ben. Riddle and John Abel-- The First Campaign--Grand Success and Golden Reward--The Second Campaign-- A Mistake in Scalps--Flight of the Rangers--Arrival at Jesus Maria--The Mexican Flag Outrage--The Second Flight--Arrival at Tucson--The Place Besieged by Mangas Colorado--The Rangers Save the Place--Great Joy of the Inhabitants--The Last Camp--Massacre--The Two Browns ... 267

CHAPTER XXIV [24]
McFarland--The Election of '53--Jurupa--Agua Mansa Again--Sharp Skirmishing for Votes--Rubideaux--"Can a Nigger Vote in California?"--He Votes--The Mormon Stockade--Bishop Crosby's Hotel--Cook--One Vote for Waldo--Quite a Skirmish--Alcalde Brown--Mormon Justice--Pegleg Smith--His Camp in the Rocky Mountains--He Goes to the Spanish Country for Horses-- Raid on Los Angeles Ranchos--Jim Beckworth--The Gringos Block the Game ... 274

CHAPTER XXV [25]
Ranchero Life--Fiestas--Military Execution--Rancho San Pedro--Don Manuel Dominguez--A Dignitary--Rancho Del Chino--Colonel Isaac Williams--His Noble Generosity--Rancho San Joaquin--A Grand Rodea--Don Jose Sepulveda--A Forty-two Mile Race--William Wolfskill ... 284

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CHAPTER XXVI [26]
Jim Savage the Tulare King--His Great Influence Over the Indians--His Barrel of Gold Dust--He Establishes His Camp and Harem on the Plaza of San Francisco--Is Photographed by Vance--Indian Monte--Jim Wins a Large Pile-- His Bloody End ... 296

CHAPTER XXVII [27]
Bradshaw--A True Gentleman and Natural Lunatic--Bill First Turns up in Sonoma in 1846--His Scrimmage with a Mexican Captain--Comes Out First best but Vamoses the Ranch--Joins the Bear Flag Party--Capture of Sonoma--True Chivalry--Joins Fremont's Battalion--Mad Freaks Among the Angels--The French Rebellion at Mokelumne Hill--The Militia Ordered out--Bradshaw Appointed to Command--Happy Termination of the War--His Antics in San Francisco--Goes to Arizona--Tragic Death ... 303

CHAPTER XXVIII [28]
The Haleys Again--Loss of the "Yankee Blade"--Timely Arrival of the "Goliah"--The Roughs on the Wrecked Steamer--Gallant Exploit of Captain Haley in Rescuing the Unfortunates--How the Roughs were Handled on the "Goliah"--The Russian Frigate "Diana" and the French Man of War "Ambuscade"--The Great Japan Tidal Wave--Great Destruction of Shipping-- The "Sea Bird" Rides Through It ... 312

CHAPTER XXIX [29]
More Pioneer Staging--Banning Again--A Rough Ride--Dangerous Driving--Fort Tejon and Its Commander--W. S. Hancock, A.Q.M.--The Kern River Excitement-- A Grand Rush--The First Train Going North--Don David Alexander--A Reminiscence of Cerbol Barelas and the Path-Finder--Stoneman and Others ... 322

CHAPTER XXX [30]
A Ranger Antiquarian--A Pompeii at Our Back Door-Tehachepi--The Robin Hood of the Windy Pass--The Last Relic of a By-gone Race--The Valley of Perpetual Bloom--The Ventarron--The Phantom City ... 336

CHAPTER XXXI [31]
Joe Stokes--A First Class Desperado--Sanguinary Combat--Kills His Man at Sacramento and Comes to Los Angeles--An Episode in San Francisco--Ned McGowan--The Panama Riot and Massacre--A Heroic Defense--Glorious Death-- A. H. Clark--His Farewell to Angel Creditors ... 350

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CHAPTER XXXII [32]
The Know Nothings Carry the Day in 1855--Downey Again--Aleck Bell Again, and How He Won a Fine Position, and How He Managed His Friends at San Quintin--James King of William ... 370

CHAPTER XXXIII [33]
Another Revolution--Juan Flores Raises the Standard of Revolt--Captures San Juan Capistrano--Levies Forced Loans--Murders a Merchant--Massacre of the Sheriff's Party--A Vendetta--Gen. Pico Takes the Field--T. D. Mott Commands an Expedition to San Buenaventura--The Rebellion Squelched-- Rebels Hung--Bloody Trophies--Stuttering Aleck ... 382

CHAPTER XXXIV [34]
A Reminiscence of San Francisco--The El Dorado--A Great Gambling Hell-- Clayt Sinclair and His High Betting--The Diamond Cluster Pin--A Chinese Thief--A Nest of Burglars and Counterfeiters--Capture of the Gang--Cora and Richardson--The Allies--The Malikoff Retaken--The Union ... 395

CHAPTER XXXV [35]
The Great Colorado Desert--A Legend--A Scientific Man Makes a Great Discovery--The Desert to be Filled with Water--The "Widney Sea"--Fremont to Fill it Up--General Stoneman Knocks the Bottom Out of It--A Tradition-- The Ship of the Desert ... 407

CHAPTER XXXVI [36]
A Reminiscence of Sacramento--King Solomon Gets His Gold in California--An Ancient Description of the Country--The 200-Pound Diamond--The El Dorado War--Murder--The Diamond Again--Skirmish with Indians--A Discovery--Gold Lake--San Francisco--T. Butler King and Uncle Sam's Coin--Frank Ball Again ... 426

CHAPTER XXXVII [37]
A Retrospective View--A Thirty Years' Change--"The Old Man of the Mountain"--Fraudulent Land Grants--The Limantour Land Claim--Santa Ana's Minister Bocanegra--Attempt to Assassinate Him--Fraud Exposed--The Justice and Wisdom of the Government Vindicated--Conclusion ... 443