Old Monterey Foundation continues to team up with noted Monterey Bay historian and author, Tim Thomas, who offers outstanding “Lower Presidio Historic Park Walking Tours” on the third Saturday of every month from 10:00 AM – Noon.
The next walking tour will be held on Saturday, December 21st:
Lower Presidio Historic Park Walking Tour: Focus on the 1842 Invasion of Monterey.Tim will discuss the mistaken invasion in 1842 by Commodore Catesby-Jones, commanding the U.S. Pacific Squadron and more about the intriguing history of the Lower Presidio.
Tours meet in front of the City of Monterey’s Presidio of Monterey Museum, 113 Corporal Ewing, Building #113. From Monterey, take Pacific Street past the Monterey Conference Center and the First Theater to the end of Pacific where it forks, take the left fork; turn left onto Artillery Road, turn right on Corporal Ewing Road and follow it a short way to the Presidio of Monterey Museum in the center of the Park against the hill; from Pacific Grove, take Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey, bear right to go onto Pacific Street and then go to Artillery Road, turn right, and then turn right on Corporal Ewing Road and follow it to the Presidio of Monterey Museum.
Advance reservations are required by contacting Tim Thomas at (831) 521-3304 or via email.
The tour is for ages 10-adult only and the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for kids (10-15 years). Group rates are also available.
About The Lower Presidio Historic Park
About the Capture of Monterey
USS United States Commodore Jones’ flagship: USS United States
Date: October 19–20, 1842
Location: Monterey, Alta California, Mexico (now Monterey, California, United States)
Resul:t American victory
United States vs. Mexico
United States: Commodore Thomas Jones
Land: 50 Marines and 100 Sailors
Sea: 1 frigate 2 sloops-of-war 58 Soldiers
1 fort captured
Casualties and losses: None
The Capture of Monterey by the United States Navy and Marine Corps occurred in 1842. After hearing false news that war had broken out between the United States and Mexico, the commander of the Pacific Squadron Thomas ap Catesby Jones sailed from Lima, Peru with three warships to Monterey, California. The Americans’ objective was to take control of the capital city before a suspected British cession could be achieved.American forces included the frigate USS United States and the two sloops-of-war USS Dale and USS Cyane. The squadron arrived in Monterey Bay on October 19 and anchored. Commodore Jones sent his second in command Captain James Armstrong ashore to demand a Mexican surrender by 9:00 am the following morning. The Mexican garrison consisted of only 58 men in an old fort who chose not to resist so when 9:00 am came, fifty American marines and 100 sailors landed and captured the city without incident. It wasn’t until the next day that Commodore Jones learned that war had not begun between the United States and Mexico and that the British were not preparing to take control of California. The Mexican troops were freed and the landing party boarded their ships and set sail, saluting the Mexican flag as they exited the harbor. Jones headed for Hawaii, which was just taken over by the British, and he helped restore the Kingdom of Hawaii. The incident proved unpopular in Mexico and in response Monterey’s garrison constructed shore batteries and other defenses to guard their city from future attack which came in 1846 during the Mexican War. Thomas ap Catesby Jones was relieved of duty though he eventually served in the war with Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Old Monterey Foundation 