Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/478

460 that we should not attack; and in a few minutes Gutierrez sent a communication offering to surrender on condition that we would give guaranties to the men of his party, without preventing such of them as desired to do so from following him. We accepted the conditions, and presented ourselves in Monterey in the most admirable order. The infantry marched to the sound of Mr Hinckley's music, and the cavalry with trumpets. The officers retired from the plaza, except one who remained to deliver the post."

The account just quoted, written at the time by Alvarado, the leader of the movement, in a private letter, intended to have no other effect than to inform Vallejo of what had occurred, is doubtless a correct one. Other records throw no doubt on its accuracy, except perhaps in the statement that the surrender was made in consequence of evident preparations for a charge. In later narratives written from memory, Alvarado, like other Californians, has introduced some exaggerations and erroneous statements. It is no part of my duty to reproduce the errors of such statements, but only to utilize the testimony which I have gathered so far as it may reveal the truth. I append a few details, the accuracy of which there is no special reason to question. There is a general