Historic
California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields
Rancho del Chino
Post
A post was established
on September 14, 1850, at Rancho de Chino, located near the Santa
Ana River in the environs of the town of Chino, San Bernardino
County about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The garrison.
one company of the 2nd Infantry occupied a leased ranch building
at a monthly cost of $300. The post was intended to protect the
general area from Garra Indian depredations and, particularly,
to prevent their incursions via Cajon Pass. In the past, some
historians report that the post was first garrisoned by the 1st
Dragoons, an obvious factual error since the official report
dated June 29, 1852, by the commander of the Pacific Division,
specifies that the post was established by Captain C. S. Sovell,
with Company A, 2nd Infantry who was in continuous command until
the abandonment of the post.
In addition to the regular
troop garrison, the ranch was the rendevous for 35 volunteers
from Los Angeles and 15 from San Bernardino, who were mustered
by General Bean of the California Militia to help put down the
Garra uprising. Garra himself was finally captured, taken to
San Diego, tried before a court martial, convicted, and executed.
A son of Garra and another Indian were later convicted in a court
martial for the murders of four Americans at Warner's Ranch along
with other crimes and they were shot at Chino in the latter part
of December 1852. On September 17, 1852, the post was abandoned
and the garrison transferred to the Robidoux Rancho on the Jurupa
grant (Post
of Rancho del Jurupa).
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