Philip Crosthwaite

But while in Philadelphia, he met a young man from Boston with whom he struck up an acquaintance, and for a "lark" these two determined to take a short sea voyage.

Going to Newport, Rhode Island, they shipped on board the schooner Hopewell, thinking they were on a fishing trip to the Newfoundland banks.

Too late, they learned the ship was bound for San Francisco, Alta California (then a Mexican territory).

It was Captain Gillespie, U.S. Marine Corps, who said: "There can be no neutrals in this country; you must either enlist for three months (as the war will probably be over by that time), or be imprisoned on the [USS] Congress."

A good deal of the local color concerning the Battle of San Pasqual came from Crosthwaite's accounts, as he served from start to finish.

After the U.S. Dragoons and other forces left for the capture of Los Angeles, he performed garrison duty until the close of the war.

In 1847 Crosthwaite was appointed Suplente (Substitute Justice of the Peace or Mayor) of Pueblo de San Diego.

Crosthwaite and López had seven sons and three daughters, including Francisco, Felipe, Eduardo, Marcos, Santiago, Carlos, Lizzie, Guillermo.

After these troubles, he was the mainstay of the citizens in preserving the peace, at the time when a gang was terrorizing the town, and was seriously wounded.

He lived for several years in Mission Valley, above Old Town, and later owned Rancho San Miguel in Baja California.

The first entry in it shows the sale of over $200 worth of provisions to Lieutenant Derby, for the use of the Indians working on the San Diego River dam.

An uncle-in-law, Mr. Hempstead, stopped off at La Playa (between Old Town and Point Loma) on his way to San Francisco in the 1850s, and recognized him by his voice, although he hadn't seen him for years.