Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1937 (3)

tack of the Dieguino Indians upon the mission and its inmates on that memorable night of November the fourth, 1775. It was during the late hours of the night or the .wee hours of the morning that eight hundred of this savage horde descended upon the Mission. They robbed the vestry of many of its vestments, and what- ever struck their fancy. They broke the locked chests with stones. Then, passing to the soldiers' quarters, they set fire to the build- ing. Brandishing clubs and fire-brands, t he y rushed towards the innocent and unsuspecting victims. Shouts pierced the silent night and arrows flew in wild profusion. The two missionaries, the four soldiers, the blacksmith, and two carpenters, were awakened from their sleep to face this threatening mob. Against this small number of persons stood a formidable array of wild, excited, blood-thirsty In- dians, bent on death to these unprepared and unprotected men, and on destruction of every quarter of the Mission. Flames of fire leaped from the burning buildings, illumining the darkness of the night. One of the carpenters fell mortally wounded, crying out like the Savior on the cross, "Oh Indian, God forgive you!" Now the fire was raging in every direction, igniting and consuming all the wooden structure of the Mission, the altar, vestments, stations of the Cross, leaving in its wake only the bare walls. It was a scene rife with horror and destruction beyond description. To avoid being roasted to death, the soldiers risked life and limb and braved the fly. ing arrows to reach a little three-walled adobe, the height of a man. Their dash to this shelter was at the imminent peril of their lives from a shower of arrows. With all the courage they could muster, they defended themselves in this scant shelter by shooting through the cracks and openings in the walls at the savages, bearing down in furious onslaught. Another peril menaced them, as over the uncovered shelter came lumps of adobe and darts and club and fire-brands, and one of their little band fell wounded. In this trying situation, the powder was failing. Then they remembered that a quantity of powder was stored away in one of the burning houses, kept for festive occasions. Realizing this was their last resort, they made a mad dash thither, and fortunately secured the box of powder and wi:h it defended their barricades 'til dawn, whei; the Indians retired taking along their dead and wounded. As Father Vicente and the soldiers came forth from their barracks on that fatal morning, November the fifth, 1775, they wondered what had become of Father Jaime. Was he burned to death in the general conflagration! Father Vicente and the soldiers and the few faithful Indian neophytes began a search. His body was found in the mission arroyo. It is believed that at the beginning of the attack, the good Padre, instead of seeking shelter, •:ver trustful of the child- like character of these savages, boldly and confidently approached -8-

them with usual saluation, "Amar a Dios, ~1.ijos," "Love God, my children." His confidence was misplaced, the savages rushed upon him, dragging him to the arroyo, stripping him of his clothing. they beat him with clubs and riddled his body with arrows. Father En- gelhardt's description of the murder of Father Jaime is most vivid. He says in substance that when the body was found, it was covered from head to foot with wounds and there was not a sound spot on it, save his consecrated hands. The face was so disfigured and bruised from the blows that the body could be recognized only by the white• ness of the flesh through the crust of blood. It was his only robe. The picture is appalling; the cruelty of the executioners knew no limits. But the seed was sown and watered with blood. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. Turn again our captivity, 0 Lord, a., a stream in the South." -Ps. 125:4,7. A large concrete cross marks the site where Father Jaime's body was found near the San Diego river, and his mangled body now lies, with the bodies of four other Francisco Fathers, in the First Mission, under the sanctuary floor covered with a cross of marble. THE RESCUE When the Mission was burnt down, November 5th, 1775, by the savage Indians, pract\_cally all the wheat and grain was likewise burnt. The Padres were in a sorry plight. To their rescue came Commandant de Anza with supplies from the San Gabriel Mission. This timely aid to the Mission staved off an impending famine. The rebuilding of the Mission began immediately and was com- pleted in about three years. The year 1797 was a banner year for San Diego de Alcala Mission. In that year, 565 Indians were baptized and the population rose from 909 to 1,405 after subtracting the deaths. These Indians the Fathers had to feed and clothe. Thus, in 1797, San Diego de Alcala out-stripped both San Gabriel and San Antonio, and became the most flourishing of the twenty-one missions in California. It continued to thrive until the American Army took over the Mission in 184 7 as a fort. At that time, California was an independent nation whose flag was the Bear. In 1850, California joined the Union. This occupation of the soldiers continued until 1858-the last seven years under the "Stars and Stripes." THE GRAVEYARD In the main pa ·; 'I) ,tay be seen three or four adobe and burnt tile crosses, which mark no particular grave, but signify that this was the last resting place of the hundreds of_Indians who died during the -9-

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