Battle of San Pasqual
San Pasqual Valley, San Diego County, California, USA
What happened
A US Army force under Stephen Kearny fought Californio lancers led by Andrés Pico during the Mexican–American War. Kearny's men had just finished a 2,000-mile march when they met Pico's horsemen. The Californios were warned before the planned dawn attack, and wet gunpowder made many American guns useless. The Californios split the American riders into small groups, and Kearny was wounded before Pico withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Both sides claimed victory, and historians still debate who won. Kearny held the field, but his mistakes put the American campaign at risk.
What came next
Sailors and marines rescued Kearny's column, which reached San Diego on 12 December. In January 1847 Pico signed the Treaty of Cahuenga, ending the fighting in California.
Did you know?
The battle site is now inside the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Timeline
- 6–7 December 1846Battle of San Pasqual.
- 12 December 1846Kearny's troops reach San Diego.
- 13 January 1847Pico and Frémont agree the Treaty of Cahuenga.
- 14 February 1876Andrés Pico dies in Los Angeles.