Republic of Baja California
Republic of Lower California | |||||||||
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| 1853–1854 | |||||||||
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Flag | |||||||||
Mexico in 1853. Gray area represents Baja California and red area represents the 1854 Gadsden Purchase. | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Capital | La Paz | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Baja Californian (Baja Californiano) | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
• President | William Walker | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | November 3, 1853 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | January 21, 1854 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• Estimate | 8,000 (1853) | ||||||||
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The Republic of Lower California, also known as the Republic of Baja California, was a proposed state from 1853 to 1854, after American private military leader William Walker failed to invade Sonora from Arizona. Walker wanted to appropriate Sonora, and his claims had both the support of tycoons and government complacency in the United States.
In November 1853, Walker set off with two hundred men to La Paz, where he captured the political head and proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Lower California, a state that never had recognition nor truly existed because Walker had neither full control of the peninsula nor the support of the population. He faced resistance from the Mexican army and from civilians, among them a group led by Antonio María Meléndrez. In spite of being repulsed from Ensenada and suffering the mutiny of his US troops, Walker declared himself president of the Republic of Sonora, which also included Baja California, and, like his successor, was not there in fact or endorsement. In fact, Walker reached Sonora only in 1854 and, when pressured by the United States Navy, had to flee to Ensenada, Mexico. In the face of Melendrez's harassment and the desertion of more troops, Walker and the remnants of his filibuster army surrendered to the US military in San Diego. Brought to trial, the judge said he was guilty of violating the Neutrality Act signed between Mexico and the United States after the US invasion of Mexico in 1847. However, Walker was acquitted by the jury.