Wandering Lizard

Biographical Notes

John August Sutter

By 1842 Sutter had run up considerable debt and was increasingly at odds with the more important Mexican leaders in Northern California, His correspondence of the period showed that he feared a Mexican attack and he publicly warned that his fort was strong enough to withstand any attack that the government forces could mount against him. He protested that if left alone he would continue to be a loyal Mexican national and would continue to secure the Sacramento District for the government. At the same time there appears to be some evidence that he was considering the feasibility of establishing an independent California centered on New Helvetia. Anglo American immigrants were beginning to trickle across the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California and Sutter's Fort became a favored destination. Sutter was increasingly viewed as being pro-American by the immigrants and the Mexican establishment.

Events in Texas were souring Mexican-American relations and it was rumored that President Santa Anna was about to invade the United States. In California the Mexican authorities were concerned about the growing tide of Anglo-American immigrants and the inadequacy of their resources to defend against an American takeover. Mexico was requested to send reinforcements. Santa Anna named a close personal friend, Colonel Manuel Michaeltorena, to be Governor and gave him a force of 300 troops to strengthen California's defences. Sutter established a friendship with Michaeltorena, but the governor and his unruly troops were not popular with the citizenry nor with the landowners in California. This situation contributed to strained relations between Sutter and many of his Californian neighbors. Additionally his finances were in poor condition and his creditors were pressing him for payments that he could not muster.

In March 1844 Captain John C. Fremont visited New Helvetia on his first foray into California. The meeting was brief, but Sutter and Fremont did not get along even though Sutter went out of his way to assist Fremont with supplies and information. By mid-year war between the United States and Mexico was growing closer. Michaeltorena was ordered to create a strong militia in California and he chose Sutter to command the Sacramento company. In October 1844 Sutter visited Michaeltorena in Monterey and warned him of a planned coup against him organized by Jose Castro and Juan Alvarado. In appreciation of his loyalty, Michaeltorena promised to give Sutter the Sobrante land grant near New Helvetia. He also gave Sutter authority to issue land grants in the Sacramento District.

Alvarado and Castro did, in fact, revolt and defeated Michaeltorena in a military skirmish (Laguna Seca) which was followed by Michaeltorena's agreement (Treaty of Santa Teresa) to take his troops and leave California. The governor subsequently changed his mind and attempted to remain in power. Alvarado and Castro once again mounted an armed opposition and Michaeltorena called on Captain Sutter to muster his militia force and reinforce him. Sutter responded, but the campaign against Castro and Alvarado was unsuccessful. Sutter was captured on February 20, 1845, and Michaeltorena capitulated a few days later. The governor and his 300 troops were sent back to Mexico. Pio Pico became governor and Jose Castro was named Military Commander of California. Sutter was reinstated in his official positions and permitted to return to New Helvetia because he was judged to have been following orders in his support of Michaeltorena.

Sutter returned to his fort on April 1, 1845. He had been absent three months and there was much that needed his attention. His business ventures were extremely varied and included agriculture, distilling, fur trapping, manufacturing, and Indian "pacification". (His relationship with Native Americans ran the gamut from peaceable to violent. In some cases he provided orphan children, and sometimes adults as well, to his Californian neighbors as a kind of indentured servant. While there is no evidence that these people were actually sold it does appear that the practice was designed to gain favor for Sutter with the recipient.) By the end of 1845 Sutter had extensive fields of wheat planted and was running 4,000 cattle, 1,500 mares, 3,000 sheep and 200 domesticated horses along with a variety of other farm animals such as hogs and chickens. Although still in debt because of his purchase of Fort Ross, he was on the verge of becoming solvent.

In December 1845 Fremont returned to California and once again visited New Helvetia. Sutter was away at the time and his chief assistant, John Bidwell, was in charge. Bidwell and Fremont had a disagreement about what assistance the fort could spare. Fremont departed saying that the lack of support was due to the fact that Sutter was a Mexican official and thus not disposed to help an American officer. Bidwell tried hard to mollify Fremont but was unsuccessful. Fremont's reappearance in California was widely thought to be a part of President Polk's efforts to annex California by peaceful means or failing that by force. Everyone was suspicious of everyone else and word circulated that Sutter was trying to sell his fort to the Mexican government for $100,000. American settlers in and around New Helvetia were increasingly concerned that Mexican officials would try to force them out of California and they worried over the possibility that Sutter would turn his fort over to the authorities.

In January 1846 Fremont again visited the fort and had dinner with Sutter. Relations between the two men did not improve and Fremont remained suspicious of Sutter's political position. On leaving New Helvetia Fremont managed to antagonize General Castro and on March 5, 1846 Castro called for a mobilization of Californians to drive Fremont from California. (On March 14 President Polk declared war on Mexico. This was not known in California until much later.) Following a standoff between Fremont and Castro at Gavilan Peak, Fremont retired north to Oregon, stopping briefly at Sutter's Fort where he once again resupplied before moving on to Klammath Lake. On April 28 Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie stopped at the fort on his way to find Fremont. Although Gillespie was traveling in disguise, Sutter recognized him as an American militasry officer and surmised that his cover story hid a more important mission.

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