Sketch of the Actions Fought at San Pascal in Upper California

Detailed battle plan of a major skirmish from the Mexican-American War.

The two day battle of San Pascal occurred outside of San Diego, California on December 6th and 7th, 1846, during the Mexican-American War. The U.S. forces under General Stephen Watts Kearney were heavily outnumbered by the native Californios, led by Major Andres Pico, and weary from having completed one of the longest marches is U.S. Army history.

They were made aware of Pico’s presence, blocking their path to San Diego, and Kearney chose to attack at midnight on the 5th. His troops lost the element of surprise, and the engagement clattered into the morning of the 6th and through the following day.

The initial action can be seen on the map in the upper right, near the Indianville of San Pascal. The route of the Americans follows the hills to the southwest and culminates in the “Fight for the Hill” (lower middle of the sheet) on the 7th. The U.S. troops suffered grievously at the hands of skilled Mexican lancers, who caused gruesome wounds with their medieval weapons. However, Kearney held the hill, and thus declared himself victor based on contemporary military convention.

This map was published in a government report and based on an earlier drawing by William Hemsley Emory.