Nicolás Gutiérrez

Lieutenant Colonel Nicolás Gutiérrez was twice acting governor of the northern part of Las Californias (what had previously been Alta California) in 1836, from January to May and July to November.[1]

Nicolás Gutiérrez
Interim Governor of Alta California
In office 1 August 1836 – 3 November 1836
Preceded by	Mariano Chico
Succeeded by	José Castro (for 1 month)
Interim Governor of Alta California
In office 2 January 1836 – 3 May 1836
Preceded by	José Castro
Succeeded by	Mariano Chico
Personal details
Profession	Soldier

Gutiérrez served two short terms as acting governor of Las Californias in 1836, during a very turbulent period in the history of Mexican California.[1] The Siete Leyes reforms to Mexico's government had combined the two territories of Alta California and Baja California into a single departamento under the pre-1804 Spanish-era name of Las Californias. His term began on January 2, 1836, succeeding acting (ad interim) governor José Castro, and Gutiérrez served as governor ad interim until the arrival of official appointee Mariano Chico. Chico, however, was dismissed for abandoning his post, and Gutiérrez returned to the job in July.

Gutierrez himself was ousted in a coup led by Californios Juan Bautista Alvarado and José Castro, assisted by a group of foreigners led by Isaac Graham, on November 5, 1836. The battle was short and surrender was secured after the firing of just one artillery round at the governor's residence in Monterey. Gutierrez and his cadre of officers were detained at Cabo San Lucas on the English brig Clementine before returning to Mexico.

References

1. Killea, Lucy Lytle (October 1966). "The Political History of a Mexican Pueblo San Diego from 1825 to 1845—Part II". The Journal of San Diego History. 12 (4). Retrieved 2 December 2010.

Further reading

• Pourade, Richard F (1960). The History of San Diego. San Diego: The San Diego Union. OCLC 29421886.