Stephen Watts Kearny

Stephen Watts Kearny (born Aug. 30, 1794, Newark, N.J., U.S.—died Oct. 31, 1848, St. Louis, Mo.) was a U.S. Army officer who conquered New Mexico and helped win California during the Mexican War (1846–48).

After serving in the War of 1812, Kearny spent most of the next 30 years on frontier duty. At the beginning of the Mexican War, he was ordered to lead an expedition from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to seize New Mexico and California for the United States. Lacking seasoned troops, he used diplomacy rather than arms to defeat the 3,000 Mexicans lying in wait en route to Santa Fe. Persuading them to withdraw, he marched unopposed into Santa Fe on Aug. 18, 1846. He promptly proclaimed a civil government for the entire province and won popular support by his promise of a democratic administration.

Heading toward California, Kearny was informed that the conquest had already been completed by Commodore Robert F. Stockton and Lieutenant Colonel John C. Frémont. With a force reduced to only 120 dragoons, Kearny arrived in early December to discover that rebellious Mexican-Californians had retaken most of the province. Stockton had proclaimed himself governor of California and refused to accept Kearny’s authority. Because he wished to preserve harmony and because Stockton’s men constituted the bulk of available U.S. forces, Kearny accepted the situation and led the combined army-navy command to Los Angeles, defeating the Mexicans at San Gabriel (Jan. 8, 1847) and the Mesa (January 9), thus ending the resistance.

Kearny’s position was complicated by the insubordination of Frémont, who had persuaded Stockton to appoint him governor. The arrival of reinforcements enabled Kearny to finally impose his will on Frémont without bloodshed. At the same time, he pacified California, establishing a stable and efficient civil government. He then returned to Fort Leavenworth (August 22) accompanied by a reluctant Frémont, whom he arrested and sent to Washington, D.C., for court-martial.

Kearny was next ordered to Mexico, where he served as military commander at Veracruz and later at Mexico City until an attack of yellow fever ended his career.