“What flag is that flying over San Diego?”, a curious sailor might have asked in July 1846. Here we stand before the very spot of the First Raising of US Flag in San Diego. It marks a pivotal moment in the city’s history. This event signified the initial transition of San Diego from Mexican territory to part of the United States.
San Diego was still part of Mexico. Mexico was at war with the United States. The American naval fleet patrolled the California coast. The fleet dispatched the USS Cyane. Its mission was to sail into San Diego Bay and take possession of the town.
The USS Cyane encountered no resistance from a Mexican brig. It was anchored nearby. The captain sent a party ashore. Navy Lieutenant Stephen Clegg commanded them. Marine Lieutenant William Maddox was also in charge.
The landing party of sailors and marines went ashore at La Playa. It is part of today’s Point Loma. They walked five miles into Old Town. Again, they met no opposition. Ed Scott wrote in his book that no Mexican soldiers had been in San Diego for over nine years.
On July 29, 1846, at 4 p.m., Lieutenant Stephen C. Rowan of the US Navy raised the first United States flag. He commanded US sailors and US marines. Rowan arrived on the US sloop-of-war USS Cyane. It was built in 1837.
The log of the Cyane records the event simply. At 9 p.m., the launch returned. At 10:50 p.m., the Alligator arrived with Lieutenant Rowan. They had taken possession of San Diego. They hoisted the American flag. The log states that they left all our marine guard. Lieutenant Maddox was on shore to defend the flag and town.
The flag of the United States was raised in front of the Casa de Estudillo. There was no resistance. Fighting would occur in later months. On that day, it was a peaceful transition. After the war, the United States renamed the plaza Washington Square.
The First Raising of US Flag in San Diego represents more than just a change of power. It embodies the complex history of California. It links the Spanish colonial era to the Mexican period. It then moves to the rise of American influence. It’s a story of cultural shifts and territorial claims.
Today, as you stand here, remember those sailors and marines. Remember their long walk from La Playa. Consider the hopes and uncertainties they carried. Think about the significance of that flag. It rose over a town on the cusp of transformation. This very spot tells a silent story of a changing world.