Robert Stockton letter to , 10 March 1847

UNITED STATES FRIGATE CONGRESS, HARBOUR OF SAN DIEGO, March 10, 1847.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CALIFORNIAN, MONTEREY:

GENTLEMEN : In an editorial article in the Californian of the 13th February, you may find the following paragraph :

Commodore Stockton announced to the officers that the whole expedition was placed under the command of General Kearney, himself holding his station as Commander-in-chief of California, and General Kearney did command the whole expedition

I take the first opportunity to say to you that the above paragraph is not true in any one of its important particulars. It is not true that I placed the whole expedition under the command of General Kearney, nor did I so announce it.

On the request of General Kearney, and with the consent of Lieutenant Rowan, (to whom, with the consent of Lieutenant Minor, who had previously held it, I had given the command only the night before,) I appointed General Kearney to command the troops, and so announced it; at the same time, stated distinctly that I still retained my own position as Commander-in-chief. The word California did not pass my lips upon that occasion.

Now, Messrs. Editors, if you say that I delegated, or intended to delegate, to General Kearney, or to any one else, any part of my duty or authority as the director of the expedition or Commander-in-chief of the forces, or that General Kearney, or any other person but myself, exercised, or pretended to exercise, any such power or authority from the time we left San Diego until we arrived at the Ciudad de los Angeles, then I must say to you that all such statements are false.

But, Messrs. Editors, it is quite true that Commodore Stockton did leave San Diego at the head of the forces at his command, and marched into the Ciudad de los Angeles in the same way.

There are other most glaring misstatements in the editorial referred to, which, no doubt, in due season, will be corrected. In the mean time, go on.

Sic iter ad astra.

Your obedient servant,

R. F. STOCKTON.

P.S. This communication has been delayed in the hope that I could be at Monterey before this time.