The Evening News. November 14, 1916

37. Second Indian Rebellion

There was a beautiful salutation between the missionary fathers and the Indians. The father said, "Amad a Dios, hijo" (Love God, my son). The Indian replied, "Amad a Dios, Padre." (Love God, father) But this charming salutation did not keep the Indians from warring against the padres.

Yoscolo, the leader of the last and great revolt against the church in Santa Clara County, was a brilliant young Indian chief who had been educated by the fathers and who was their pride in the early part of the nineteenth century. Yoscolo felt the call of the blood, of the wilderness. He rebelled against authority.

Arming a thousand Indians with bows and arrows, he attached the Santa Clara Mission and robbed it of stores and supplies. Then Yoscolo and his men invaded the part of the mission where young Indian girls were being educated and trained. The Indians seized three hundred of their women, and it is said that the young women went not unwillingly back to their tribes. Then the Indians took three thousand head of the padres' cattle and five hundred horses and fled to the mountains near Mariposa.

There was probably concerted action between Yoscolo and Estanislao or Stanislaus. (A California county was named for this chief.) Estanislao's life had once been spared by Father Duran. The chief deserted the Mission San Jose. He assembled three thousand Indians and joined the forces of Yoscolo at Mariposa.

General Vallejo, resident commandant, was ordered to attack the Indians. But Vallejo was unfortunate with Indians whether unsuccessful or victorious. This time with three hundred soldiers he pursued the rebels, but they escaped to the mountains and were lost to Vallejo.

Yoscolo, who was the highest in command, was a good fighter and strategist, and he became daring.

Boldly he came back to San Jose and raided the Santa Clara Mission. Then he retired to the Santa Cruz mountains near Los Gatos. This was a wise choice, because the spot chosen was the breeding ground of wild cats (Los Gatos means cats.) No one cared to fight an army of Indians and wild cats. Even hunters dreaded the wilds of Los Gatos.

From Los Gatos Yoscolo made another raid on the Santa Clara Mission. The Californians had been pretty patient with Yoscolo. Now Juan Prado Mesa, majordomo of the Mission, thought it time to gather a force to resist him. The San Jose Mission had been attacked by Indians. Four of the southern missions had been burned by Indians, and one of two priests had been murdered. Mesa organized a force and followed the rebels into the mountains, where they fought wild cats and red men.

Mesa's forces had flint lock guns. The bloody battle lasted all day. Yoscolo, like a good soldier, formed a square of soldiers and ordered his followers to fight lying down. They fought from behind rocks and trees. Flintlocks conquered bows and arrow. Night brought surrender of the Indians.

But Yoscolo did not surrender until he was wounded. He and the leaders of his army were beheaded.

The surviving Indians were brought back to the Santa Clara Mission to be reconverted.

Yoscolo's head was set upon the top of the pole planted not far from the front door of the Santa Clara Mission. It was an effective warning against rebellion.

Transcribed by Kitty LaFavor, for the Santa Clara Co. CAGenWeb Project. 2008