Los Angeles Star, Volume VI, Number 39, 7 February 1857 — The California Company. [ARTICLE]

The California Company.

On Monday, the 26th ult., Don Andres Pico started from town with nineteen Californians, the men armed with lances. At the Rancho of Don Pio Pico, obtained twenty-five other men, but not having sufficient arms for the whole number, selected thirty-five men and started for San Juan. At the Rancho of Don Jose Sepulveda, got five more men, and at San Juan obtained eleven men, making in all a company of fifty-one men. ¶ On the arrival of the party from the Monte at San Juan, they joined the Californians, and Don Andres held a consultation with them as to the plan of operations. His suggestions were adopted, and the two companies acted in concert throughout the whole affair. By the aid and influence of Don Andres, a party of Indians, numbering forty-three men under their captain Manuelito of the Potrero, was secured by whose aid the mountain passes were effectually watched and guarded. ¶ The first step taken was to send Indian spies into the mountains to find the camp of the robbers. One of the runners returned before dark same day and reported that the camp was situated at the head of the Cañada de Santiago. A second spy came in during the night and reported to Don Andres that he had conversed with one of the band, Antonio Ma. Varelas (Chino), who sent word to Don Andres to place his men in a certain position, and he would be sure to catch the whole gang. The moon, however, going down at an early hour, prevented the execution of the plan. Early next morning, the party marched to the place designated, but as they were taking up their position, Flores crept to an overhanging rock, observed the movement and commenced a retreat into the mountain fastnesses. Don Andres then charged up the mouutain after him. Flores, driving Chino before him with his gun leveled on him. The Chino was prevented by Flores from joining the Californians till the arrival of Dr. Gentry’s party of Americans, when being engaged in arraying his men, Chino effected his escape to Don Tomas Sanchez. Shots were exchanged by the parties, but at too great a distance to take effect. ¶ Flores and his men climbed up a very high peak of the mountain on horseback, and two went up afoot. Don Andres disposed his men along the side of the mountain so as to guard the robbers, and dispatched a runner for the Americans who were encamped in the Trabujo Pass. On their arrival, they divided into two parties—that under Dr. Gentry guarding the mountain, while the other, under Mr. B. Copewood, made the attack. The mountain to which the robbers had fled was almost inaccessible even on foot, and while the Americans were ascending the hill, Juan Flores, Jesus Espinosa, and Leonardo Lopez slid their horses down a precipice to a kind [of] shelf about fifty feet below, where they abandoned them and escaped down a precipitous ledge of rocks about 500 feet high by aid of the brush growing on its side. Thence, they took refuge in the adjacent mountain, making their way through dense chapparel on foot. ¶ Francisco Ardillerro, attempting to escape down the mountain, was captured by Gentry’s party. ¶ Juan Silvas, fearing to make the desperate leap with Flores and his two companions and knowing that he could not evade the guards, gave himself up to the Californians. ¶ When the company left the scene of the attack, it was sundown; they went to the foot of the mountain and encamped, and learned that night from Chino that Francisco Daniel, Andres Fontes, Santos (since shot at the Mission), and the Piquinini had gone to Los Angeles. ¶ Next morning, a party under Don Tomas Sanchez started for the city with the Chino as a guide to point out their hiding place. The remainder of the party kept up a strict guard on the various mountain passes. ¶ Don Andres returned to San Juan, obtained the assistance of the Indians and scoured the mountains. ¶ Dr. Gentry’s party discovered the trail of Flores and his associates, pursued it and came in sight of them, when the robbers attempted to evade them by hiding in a cave in the cañada. From this, they fired on their pursuers, wounding one of the party, Francis Goddard. Seeing that they

were at last caught, and overpowered by numbers, they made no further attempt to escape, and surrendered. They were conveyed to the rancho of Don Theodocio Yorba, where they effected their escape as elsewhere related. ¶ When Don Andres Pico left the camp for San Juan, he gave the charge of his troop to Don Juan Sepulveda. On obtaining the Indians, he sent an express for his own troop to unite with Copewood’s command and scour the hills and the Cañada of Santiago, while the Indians should climb the mountain peaks. ¶ That night the companies united, then forming a band of 119 men including the lndians. An express arrived from Dr. Gentry that he had captured the fugitives. ¶ The San Juan company were then dispatched below the San Joaquin rancho to guard the mountains and intercept the retreat of Daniel and the Piquinini, who were expected to come out there. ¶ Next morning, the remainder of the command started to join Gentry. When on the road, they were informed of the escape of the prisoners. Don Andres, not wishing to risk the safety of his prisoners, hung Silvas and Ardillero. He then divided his forces and diligently searched the whole country from San Juan to the Los Angeles River. ¶ The party was out on this harrassing duty eleven days and underwent great hardships. ¶ Don Andres Pico furnished sixty horses for the party and procured a large number from other rancheros. ¶ Don Jose Sepulveda drove a band of horses into the mountains as a depot for the company, and supplied the whole force with beef. ¶ CASUALTY. ¶ We regret to have to state that Jose Antonio Serrano, Mayor Domo of Don Pio Pico and a most reliable and trustworthy man, had his thigh broken by his horse falling from the precipice, when in close pursuit of Flores. ¶ Two horses of the company were killed by falling from the cliff.