CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC 1846 BEAR FLAG The Bear Flag Revolt Buy California Republic historic flags, USA made
Order 3'x5' nylon outdoor - $45.00 California Republic 1846 flags are USA made. 200 denier nylon, finished with heading and brass grommets Available made to order in large sizes
Current California State Flag
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Historic California Republic 1846 outdoor flags are USA made of nylon flag material and are finished with a canvas heading and two brass grommets on the hoist side, 2 rows of stitching top and bottom sides and 4 rows of stitching on the fly side. They are attached to the flagpole by means of a halyard (rope) and flag snaps, or to smaller poles with flag fasteners. Standard stock size for the California Republic 1846 flag is 3x5 ft. Other larger flag sizes are made to order, allow 2 weeks. An indoor flag with pole sleeve is also available made to order. The commercial version is printed. The original flag was painted. Embassy Flag can supply this flag custom sewn or hand painted in the origianl design. Please call or email for details. FLAG DESCRIPTION / HISTORY The California Republic 1846 Bear Flag was raised on June 14, 1846 on the plaza in the center of Sonoma. It is the precursor to the current California State flag. The design of the flag consisted of a star closest to the hoist, a silhouette of a grizzly bear to the immediate right, with the words "CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC" spelled underneath and a red band across the bottom. The flag was hastily created for a rebellion of American settlers against General Mariano Vallejo and California's Mexcian government. In June 1846 the Bear Flag Revolt took place. It began with Eyekid Meritt's seizure of Mexican horses on 9 June. Five days later, with advice from Captain John C. Fremont, the settlers took Sonoma. On 16 June the Americans occupied Sutter's Fort and proclaimed an independent Republic of California. By the 25th Fremont and his ninety-man force had come out in the open to join the settlers at Sonoma to do battle with the scanty Mexican forces. By now Fremont was coordinating his efforts with Commander John B. Montgomery of the U.S.S. Portsmouth now lying offshore in San Francisco Bay. Soon most of northern California was in American hands. Fremont then organized the California Battalion with himself serving as its commander. With an organization consisting of 234 men from the topographic party, settlers, and other adventurers, Fremont forged the strongest disciplined force in that theater of war. Having heard of the first battles of the war in Texas, Commodore John D. Sloat of the U.S. Navy's Pacific squadron ordered Montgomery to take San Francisco, and he sent word to Fremont to report to him. Sloat seized Monterey on 7 July, and prepared to join forces with Fremont to take the rest of California. When the American flag flew over Sutter's Fort a few days later, the Bear Flag Revolt ended as quickly as it started. (ref: history.army.mil, subjects: Fremont Expeditions, War with Mexico) The "Bear Flag" in Sonoma was lowered on July 11, 1846. Embassy Flag, Inc. is located in Sonoma,California.
Photo of the original flag from the late 1800's. The original flag was lost in the fires after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The flag was created by William L. Todd who painted, on a piece of brown cotton, a yard and a half or so in length, with old red or brown paint that he happened to find, what he intended to be a representation of a grizzly bear. This was raised to the top of the staff, some seventy feet from the ground. Native Californians looking up at it were heard to say “Coche,” the common name among them for pig or shoat. (ref; sfmuseum.net)
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