Page:The War with Mexico, Vol 1.djvu/373

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344
THE WAR WITH MEXICO

Los Angeles; and after a time some three hundred Californians, whom Flores had managed to rally, placed themselves upon his line of march. An ineffective cannonade from a ravine used up the rest of their ammunition, While the Americans replied with equally meagre results. As a last effort, Flores now ordered a charge, giving the signal for it—as he himself reported a by sending forward a white flag.[1]

The attack was made with considerable spirit but no success at all on both of the American flanks, and then Flores took

post at a point on the road to Mexico, where Pasadena now stands. He admitted losing only five killed and twenty-two wounded during the two days, but probably these figures needed to be multiplied by three; While Stockton lost one killed and fourteen wounded. That night the Americans encamped near Los Angeles; and the next day, January 10, after a deputation had come to arrange matters, they took possession of the town — annoyed a little by drunken bullies—and replaced Gillespie’s flag on the government house. Most of the California troops now scattered, and those who remained were insubordinate. Flores could see there was

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