When circumstances shaped themselves for the worst, a party of Americans
at Sonoma headed by Captain Ezekiel Merritt gave the first signal of
uprising which led to the establishment of the Bear Flag Republic of
California. These men applied to Captain Fremont for help, but as
Fremont was an officer in the United States army, he could not
personally take a hand in the affair without authority from the United
States Government, but left his men free to join Captain Merritt's
ranks, and many did so. Under Captain Merritt the Americans captured
horses and arms from a Mexican regiment on the march for Sonoma, also
the garrison of Sonoma; encouraged by this William B. Ide, one of
Merritt's chief advisers and successor issued a Proclamation which
launched the Bear Flag Republic into its existence of twenty-four days.
This Proclamation was a praiseworthy document, stating the grievances of
the American settlers, namely unfriendliness and threats of expulsion,
also declaring the justice of overthrowing a government which had
confiscated mission property calling upon the assistance of peace-loving
citizens of California and promising not to molest persons who had not
taken up arms.
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