Last modified: 2013-06-22 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: mexico | sonora | caborca | filibustering | republic sonora | crabb (henry a.) | us invasion | usa | west ward ho |
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image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, May 01, 2002. | |
See detail of the canton bellow. |
In 1857, D. Agustín Aínza presented before
Sonora Governor Ignacio Pesqueira
in order to plan the repatriation of some Mexicans who left in Upper California,
segrated from the Mexican territory after the 1846-1848
US invasion, and settle them in the region between
the Altar and Magdalena Rivers. Aínza was given authorization to seek for
inhabitable places. When Aínza was traveling over the territory, he realized that Henry A.
Crabb followed by armed men would secede the region from Sonora. Prefect Aínza
immediately informed about the matter, then the Executive ordered preparing the
defense. On March 24, 1857, a 104-group of filibusters led by Crabb invaded
Mexican territory through Sonoita informing Altar Prefect José María Redondo,
they came armed for thier security and 900 followers will join them soon.
The National Guard was summoned under the Captain Lorenzo Rodríguez's command
facing the filibusters on April 1. Lieutenant Colonel José María Girón supported
Rodríguez from Ures.
On April 6, 59 filibusters gave up being shut next day. Another group that fled
towards Pitiquito was persecuted and dispersed reaching the
US-Mexican border.
On April 7, 1857, another American leading 15 filibusters arrived to Caborca.
They were defeated by Lieutenant José Roldán. All the filibusters were passed by
arms on April 9.
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, May 01, 2002
At the Museo Nacional de Historia (Chapultepec Castle) in
Mexico City, there
is a flag with the following note: "Flag captured by Mexican troops in
Caborca,
Sonora,
on April 6, 1857, when the filibusters led by Henry A. Crabb
were defeated."
This flag is like the US one with fifteen white stars in
the blue square canton; fourteen of them
(perhaps, Mr. Crabb pretended at the end, joining Sonora to the
United States of America) six-pointed form circle surrounding a larger one
five-pointed. There is a text in the upper part of the canton that reads:
"Westward ho!!".
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, May 01, 2002.
1:1 (Crabb's flag detail)
image
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, May 01, 2002.