Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/222

204 many words. It was apparently the production of Juan Bandini.

In a day or two the pronunciados, with about fifty men under Portilla, set out northward, Argüello being left behind in command of San Diego. The little army arrived at Los Angeles December 4th, learning now, or perhaps the day before, that Victoria was approaching from the north and was not far distant. Of occurrences at the pueblo since the imprisonment of eight citizens by Alcalde Sanchez at Victoria's order, as already related, we know very little; but it would seem that there had been further trouble, and that more citizens, perhaps many more, had been added to the eight in jail, Andrés Pico being one of the new victims. The captives were at once set free by the San Diegans, and the obnoxious alcalde, Vicente Sanchez, was in turn put in irons. The Angelinos accepted the plan with great enthusiasm, and next morning the rebel army, probably numbering about one hundred and fifty, marched out to meet Victoria, who at the same time started with about thirty men from San Fernando.

The date of Victoria's departure from Monterey is unknown, as are his motives, and most details respecting his southward march. He must have started before the proceedings of November 29th could have been known at the capital; but he probably was warned of prospective troubles by letters from southern friends. Full of confidence as usual in his