If at first you don't succeed . . . The Battle of Monterey, California - Battlefields on Waymarking.com

On October 19, 1842, Jones sailed into Monterey Harbor and demanded that the governor surrender California to the United States. Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado had recently been replaced by General Manuel Micheltorena, but the new governor was in Los Angeles. Alvarado refused to act and referred Jones to Micheltorena.

Later that night a group of Monterey citizens (with American merchant Thomas O. Larkin acting as interpreter) negotiated the surrender of the Monterey District (not all of California). On October 20, 1842, Jose Abrego and Pedro Narvaez signed the surrender documents and the U.S. Navy occupied Monterey and raised the American flag.

On October 21, 1842, Jones went ashore, read newspapers locally available, and spoke with prominent residents. He quickly became convinced that war had not broken out and that the rumored treaty with England had not been consummated. He explained to Alvarado that he was leaving Monterey, wrote a note to Micheltorena, replaced the American flag with that of Mexico, withdrew his occupation force, and sailed out of Monterey Harbor.

Catesby Jones' 24 hour seizure of Alta California's capital marked the first time that a US flag was raised over California soil. A second attempt was made on March 4, 1846 by John C Fremont during the Standoff at Gavilan Peak, but it wasn't until July 7, 1846 that US forces came to stay for good in California.

The battle was little more than a skirmish, with most of the Mexican detachments protecting the city surrendering without firing a shot. A handful of shore batteries attempted to resist Sloat but were quickly silenced by the American warships. Nevertheless, it is still celebrated as the beginning of US history in California and a giant historic plaque marks the place where Sloat raised the flag.