Battle of Chino

Part of Conquest of California
Mexican–American War
| Date| September 26–27, 1846

|

Location|

near Chino, California.

Result|  Mexican victory
Belligerents
Mexico|  United States
Commanders and leaders
José del Carmen Lugo|  Benjamin Davis Wilson
Strength
50 militia|  24 militia
Casualties and losses
1 killed
2 wounded|  24 captured
3 wounded

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Conquest of California

* Bear Flag Revolt
* Olómpali
* Monterey
* Yerba Buena
* San Diego
* Santa Barbara
* Los Angeles
* Chino
* Rancho Domínguez
* Natividad
* San Pasqual
* Santa Clara
* Río San Gabriel
* La Mesa
* Treaty of Cahuenga

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Battles of the
Mexican–American War

Texas Campaign

* Thornton Affair
* Fort Texas
* Palo Alto
* Resaca de la Palma

California Campaign

* Monterey
* Los Angeles
* Chino
* Dominguez Rancho
* Natividad
* San Pasqual
* Rio San Gabriel
* La Mesa

New Mexico Campaign

* Santa Fe
* Tucson
* El Brazito
* Cañada
* 1st Mora
* Embudo Pass
* 2nd Mora
* Pueblo de Taos
* Red River Canyon
* Cienega Creek

Northern Mexican Theater

* Monterrey
* Buena Vista
* Sacramento River
* Santa Cruz de Rosales

Mexico City Campaign

* 1st Veracruz
* Polkos
* 2nd Veracruz
* Cerro Gordo
* Contreras
* Churubusco
* Molino del Rey
* Chapultepec
* Mexico City
* Puebla
* Huamantla
* Atlixco
* Matamoros
* Galaxara Pass
* Zacualtipan

Pacific Coast Campaign

* Guaymas
* Mulegé
* Punta Sombrero
* 1st La Paz
* 2nd La Paz
* 1st San Jose del Cabo
* 2nd San Jose del Cabo
* Todos Santos

Mosquito Fleet

* 1st Tuxpan
* 2nd Tuxpan
* 3rd Tuxpan
* 1st Tabasco
* 2nd Tabasco

The Battle of Chino,[1] a skirmish of the Mexican–American War occurred on September 26–27, 1846, during which 24 Americans led by Benjamin D. Wilson, who were hiding in the adobe house of Rancho Santa Ana del Chino, were captured by a group of about 50 Californios.[2]

## Background[edit]

In late September 1846, as war between Mexico and the United States was declared, about 20 Americans led by Benjamin Davis Wilson assembled at Isaac Williams' Rancho Santa Ana del Chino. Williams, originally from Pennsylvania, had become a Mexican citizen – a prerequisite for owning land – and married Maria de Jesus Lugo, daughter of Antonio Maria Lugo. The Californios doubted the loyalty of Wilson's men and set out to arrest them.[3]

## Battle[edit]

Serbulo Varela, Diego Sepulveda and Ramon Carrillo left Los Angeles with about fifty men, while José del Carmen Lugo with another fifteen to twenty men left from San Bernardino to converge upon Rancho del Chino. On the night of September 26, 1846, the adobe ranch house was surrounded by the Californios. At dawn, the following day, gunfire was exchanged resulting in one Californio (Carlos Ballesteros, son of the grantee of Rancho Rosa Castilla) dead with two wounded and three Americans wounded. When the Californios attempted to set fire to the roof of the house, Wilson surrendered to Varela. This brief engagement became known as the Battle of Chino.[4]

## Aftermath[edit]

Wilson's men were taken prisoner and marched to Paredon Blanco in Boyle Heights, the main camp of the Californio forces. The prisoners were nearly executed in retaliation for the death of Carlos Ballesteros, the only fatal casualty at Chino, but many were related by marriage to Mexican families, and Varela and others intervened. Later, the prisoners were taken to Rancho Los Cerritos, near present-day Long Beach, where they were detained and ultimately released.

## See also[edit]

* Battles of the Mexican–American War
* List of conflicts in the United States

## References[edit]

1. ^ Hubert Howe Bancroft (1886). History of California: 1846-1848. History Company. p. 312.
2. ^ Site of the Battle of Chino
3. ^ James Miller Guinn, 1915,A History of California and An Extended History of Los Angeles and Environs, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, Volume 1 (of 3).
4. ^ James Boyd, 1922, History of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, Western Historical Association, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, IL

33°59′24″N 117°43′05″W﻿ / ﻿33.990°N 117.718°W﻿ / 33.990; -117.718
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