Battle of Santa Clara (1847) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Santa Clara
Part of the Conquest of California Mexican–American War
U.S. Marines arriving in Santa Clara
Date 2 January 1847 Location Santa Clara, California Result American victory
Belligerents
Mexico	United States
Commanders and leaders
Francisco Sánchez	James F. Reed Captain Marston
Strength
200 men	Unknown number of volunteers, reinforced by U.S. Marines and artillery
Casualties and losses
4 killed 4 wounded	2 wounded

The Battle of Santa Clara was a small fight during the Mexican–American War. It happened on January 2, 1847, near Santa Clara, California. People sometimes called it the "Battle of the Mustard Stalks." This was the only battle of its kind in Northern California during that war.

Why Did the Battle of Santa Clara Happen?

This battle took place because of growing tensions. People from California (called Californios) were upset. They did not like that settlers from the United States were moving onto their large farms, known as ranchos.

Hostages Taken by Californios

A group of six American sailors from the U.S. ship Warren went ashore. They wanted to buy cattle for food. But a group led by Francisco Sánchez took them hostage. One of the hostages was Lieutenant Washington Allon Bartlett. He was the mayor (called an alcalde) of Yerba Buena. This town would soon be renamed San Francisco.

American Forces Respond

To free the hostages, U.S. volunteer leaders were sent. Captain Joseph Aram led volunteers in Santa Clara. Captain Charles Maria Weber led volunteers in San Jose. Francisco Sánchez had about 200 men. So, U.S. Marines and cannons, led by Captain Marston, were sent to help.

James F. Reed was also in the area. He was a lieutenant with the San Jose volunteers. He was trying to find people to help rescue his family. His family was part of the Donner Party. They were stuck in the snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The war made it hard for him to find volunteers.

How the Battle of Santa Clara Unfolded

The American forces were in a field of mustard plants. They were also in a dry creek bed. The Mexican forces opened fire on them there. The Americans then moved to open ground. Once they were in the open, the fighting started to go their way.

After about two hours, both sides agreed to stop fighting. This is called an armistice. During the battle, four Mexican soldiers were killed. Four Mexican soldiers and two American soldiers were wounded.

A writer named Tinkham described the scene. He wrote that "The women stood on the housetops at Santa Clara." They watched the battle with great worry. After the battle, the American soldiers marched into the town. They were given a big welcome and a dinner.

What Happened After the Battle?

The Mexican forces retreated to the Santa Cruz Mountains. A place called the "Armistice Oak" is believed to be where the agreement to stop fighting happened. This spot is marked near El Camino Real.

On January 8, the U.S. Marines arrived. Francisco Sánchez then surrendered to the Americans. As part of the surrender, the Americans agreed to respect the Californios' property.