Battle of Yerba Buena
| Battle of Yerba Buena | |
|---|---|
| Part of San Francisco, California ) | |
| Result | United States victory |
United States
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The Battle of Yerba Buena was an engagement during the
U.S. Navy captured and occupied the town of Yerba Buena, California (now San Francisco
), without firing a shot.
Background
Upon declaring war on Mexico on May 13, 1846,
annexation of Texas in 1845, and when war with Mexico broke out, he saw the perfect opportunity to take hold of the land he wanted. The U.S. Pacific Squadron was given the order to occupy every important port and city in California, with force if necessary. On July 7, 1846, the ships USS Savannah, USS Cyane and USS Levant captured the Alta Californian capital city of Monterey without firing a shot.[1]
This procedure of occupation would set the stage for the Battle of Yerba Buena, which would follow a few days later.
Battle
On July 9, 1846, the
Californios grouped together to watch the American force. Montgomery and his force walked up to the flagpole in the town square, where the Mexican flag was flown. He quickly tore it down, and hoisted the Stars and Stripes in its place, proclaiming that the town of Yerba Buena, and all of the land surrounding it, belonged to the United States. After Montgomery's speech, the marine band began to play Yankee Doodle
, and the USS Portsmouth fired a 21 gun salute, to celebrate the capture of Yerba Buena. Following the capture of the town itself, Montgomery ordered a detachment of troops to seize the Presidio of San Francisco, and confiscate any weaponry they found, which the detachment did without conflict.
References
- ISBN 0803261071.
- ^ Arnold, James (2013). The Encyclopedia of the Mexican-American War: A Political, Social, and Military History. Santa Barbara.
