Battle of Rio San Gabriel - Aftermath

Aftermath

Stockton and Kearny stayed on the field overnight and resumed the pursuit the next day, thinking to overwhelm Flores' troops in the Battle of La Mesa, at the confluence of the San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers in present day Vernon. The Americans suffered 6 casualties as opposed to 40 for the Californios. On January 10 the U.S. forces reoccupied Los Angeles, and Archibald Gillespie was able to raise the same U.S. Flag over the house which he was forced to bring down a year before during the Siege of Los Angeles.

After Los Angeles and the whole of southern California was secured, the command issue between Stockton and Kearny heated up once again. Stockton, who had been the initial military governor of California, later granted that post to his aide, Lieutenant-Colonel (later General) John C. Fremont. Kearny, based on his more recent orders from the War Department, asserted that post for himself but was initially ignored, and Fremont represented the United States at the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847, at Campo de Cahuenga. Based on that snub, Kearny later brought charges against Fremont. A court-martial did convict Fremont, but President James Polk later pardoned him.

Some historians believe that the Battle of Rio San Gabriel was under-reported because of the influence of the politically-ambitious Frémont and his father-in-law Senator Thomas Hart Benton, in order to make Frémont look better by downplaying Stockton and Kearny. Others believed that if reports were made of the brave and resistant Californio Lancers, recruiting for the US Army would be difficult, motivation for the Mexicans would be great, and the US Congress would further divide over this war.

On January 10, 1847, Stockton established his headquarters on Wine Street, now known as Olvera Street, in the pueblo settlement of Ciudad de Los Angeles and assisted in setting up a civil government; that home is still standing as part of the historic area. He left California overland on June 20, 1847, and arrived at Washington, D.C. on about December 1. He later served in the United States Senate, representing New Jersey.

Kearny left California in August 1847 for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and was reassigned to the war in Mexico.

The site of the battle is now registered as California Historical Landmark #385. The memorial, marked by a plaque flanked by two cannons, is located at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Bluff Rd. in Montebello. Volunteers in costume re-enact the battle annually.