Battle for Monterey, California

Early on, American leaders targeted California in the so called Mexican-American War. In 1846, California was already being settled by Anglo whites. Anishinabe Soldiers were already fighting whites in southern California. Some Chinese People who had lived in California for nearly 2,000 years by 1846, probably stayed nuetral. Anishinabe Soldiers from the Nevada-Utah region, were launching raids into southern California as early as the 1830's, and possibly during the mid and latter part of the 18th century. California already had an Anishinabe population which had lived there for thousands of years or much longer. A force of 350 American Marines and Sailors, landed near what is now Monterey, California and were handed the settlement on July 7, 1846 by Californios (Spanish whites born in California or Mexico) without any fighting occurring. Russians were in that location of California and possibly in an alliance with the United States. The 350 American Marines and Sailors were led by John Sloat. It took several warships to bring the 350 American Soldiers to the Monterey, California region. Very little fighting occurred in the Monterey region. Nothing happened in the San Francisco region. That can be attributed to Russian's. Battle of Monterey was fought where Monterey is. Further inland, Ojibway Soldiers prepared for war. They didn't know a war was going on!

Battle of Natividad

Another battle which occurred in the Monterey region was the November 16, 1846 Battle of Natividad or about 4 months after Battle of Monterey. It was won by whites. White casualties were 4 killed and an unknown number wounded. Ojibway People of California dealt with Italian's, Spaniard's and Russian's. The whites were armed with revolvers. They were also surrounded by native tribes more willing to become allied with whites. Ojibway and Chinese casualties were 5 wounded. Reason for their easy settlement of the San Francisco region, was the Russian's who militarily supported American's. It was different further south in the Monterey, Los Angeles and San Diego regions. The American-Russian Alliance was strong enough for an easy settlement of the San Francisco region. In the region around Monterey it was different. Though nothing major happened in that location, there were at least two battles fought in that location which indicates Ojibway hostility against white invaders. Battle of Natividad was fought about 11 miles inland, a few miles north of Salinas, California. Battlfield location is adjacent to mountains. Ojibway and Chinese Soldiers possibly used those mountains to launch guerilla war tactics against white invaders. Similar to what happened in the Los Angeles region. A large Ojibway Reservation was set aside in the Monterey region after this conflict.