Key Facts
- Date
- March 27–28, 1838
- Duration
- 2 days
- Total killed
- 1 (Alvarado loyalist)
- Primary action
- Cannon siege of Mission San Buenaventura
- Prisoners taken
- Most Carrillo forces captured at Saticoy
Strategic Narrative Overview
Alvarado's forces advanced on the Carrillo loyalists, who had taken up a defensive position at Mission San Buenaventura in present-day Ventura, California. Alvarado's troops conducted a cannon siege of the mission on March 27, 1838. The sole fatality of the engagement was an Alvarado loyalist shot by a Carrillo rifleman in the mission's bell tower. Under cover of darkness after the first day, the Carrillo forces abandoned the mission and fled.
01 / The Origins
In 1838, California was a territory of Mexico wracked by internal political rivalry. Juan Bautista Alvarado, based in Northern California, held the governorship but faced a direct challenge from Carlos Antonio Carrillo of Southern California, who pressed his own claim to the office. This factional dispute over political authority escalated into open armed conflict, with each side mobilizing loyal followers to press its claim by force.
03 / The Outcome
On March 28, most of the retreating Carrillo forces were captured near Saticoy, California, effectively ending the conflict. The victory consolidated Juan Bautista Alvarado's hold on the governorship of California, neutralizing Carrillo's challenge. The swift collapse of the Carrillo faction resolved the immediate succession dispute, leaving Alvarado as the unchallenged governor of the Mexican territory.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Juan Bautista Alvarado.
Side B
1 belligerent
Carlos Antonio Carrillo.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.