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Description
Mule Hill Monument commemorates the veterans of the Battle of San Pasqual, General Kearny and his dragoons. General Kearny created the “Army of the West” to win over the territories to the west of Missouri out of volunteers. He and his army made it to the California border with little resistance, then incorrectly informed that California had also given up, Kearny sent most of his soldiers home. He and the 100 men still with him were attacked by Californians, losing the battle they had 18 dead and 15 wounded. Kearny and his men escaped and made it to a nearby hill which they held against the Californians. Kearny sent men through the Californian’s line to request emergency help from the San Diego while his remaining men attempted to hold the hill. Kearny’s men were exhausted, injured, and totally without food. In an attempt to stampede Kearny’s horses the Californians sent mules with sheep’s pelts tied to their tails up the hill. Kearny’s men fired on one of the mules which drove the others away. The mule the soldiers shot quickly became food for the starving men, earning the hill the title Mule Hill. Or at least this is one story, others claim that the mule Kearny’s men ate was one of their own and still other stories claim that Kearny’s men ate several mules. Whichever story is true the end remains the same, Commodore Stockton of San Diego came to General Kearny’s rescue and the surviving men were saved.
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