Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/720

702 There was also in 1831-2 an artillery detachment of eight men under the successive command of Petronilo Rios, Joaquin Piña, and Antonio Mendez. In 1835 the company was tranferred to Sonoma, where its force was reduced to 20 in 1837, but raised to nearly 50 in 1839-40. The officers, after Vallejo had been made captain and general, were Alférez Rodriguez to 1838; Sergeant Juan Prado Mesa, made alférez in 1837, and acting as comandante in 1839-40; Antonio Peña, sergeant in 1836 and alférez in 1837; and sergeants Cayetano Juarez in 1836, Ignacio Pacheco in 1837, Ignacio Higuera and Lázaro Piña in 1839, and Santos Berreyesa in 1840. After the transfer Alférez Rodriguez remained at the presidio in 1835 with two or three men; and after that year San Francisco was abandoned by the regular soldiers but for an occasional visit by an inspecting officer; and the mission escoltas were also recalled. In 1837 a company of civic militia numbering 86 men was organized under Captain Francisco Sanchez, who subsequently figured as commandant of the post. It does not appear that these militia-men did anything more than 'hold themselves in readiness' for the country's service, or that they ever garrisoned the presidio, where, however, from two to six men lived with their families in 1836-40, and where as we shall see ayuntamiento meetings were held in 1835-8.

Down to 1834 the military commandant had exercised political and judicial jurisdiction in the San Francisco district, except at San José and Branciforte; but now an organization of civil government, in the north as elsewhere, was demanded by the laws, by the spirit of the times, and by Figueroa's plans. The change was the more necessary because of the proposed transfer of the military establishment to the frontera del norte. Besides the soldiers soon to depart for