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SAN QUENTIN BREAKOUT

TUESDAY, 22 JULY, 1862

“THERE’S A BREAK!” BEARING THESE WORDS, LT. GOVERNOR CHELLIS WAS PLUNGED INTO MIDST OF A BREAKOUT BY NEARLY TWO HUNDRED

PRISONERS ON THIS DATE. THEY OVERPOWERED GUARDS, THROWING ONE OVER A ROCKY EMBANKMENT AND THE TOSSING THE BRASS SIX-POUNDER HE HAD FIRED AT THEM DOWN AFTER HIM. THE CANNON BOUNCED OVER HIS HEAD, AND THE GUARD RECEIVED ONLY BRUISES AND CONTUSIONS. EXITING VIA THE MAIN GATE, AND HEADING AROUND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE WALL, THE MISCREANTS SWARMED UP AND OVER THE HILL TO THE WEST OF SAN QUENTIN. HEADING UP CORTE MADERA CREEK WITH CHELLIS IN TOW, THEY LOOKED TO MAKE THEIR ESCAPE. A COMBINATION OF MOUNTED GUARDS FROM VALLEJO, AND LOCAL MARINITES ALERTED BY A PRISONER NAMED MILLER THWARTED THEIR DREAMS OF ESCAPE. CHELLIS WAS RECOVERED UNHARMED. AT LEAST THREE CONVICTS WERE KILLED, TWENTY SEVEN WERE WOUNDED, AND ALL WERE EVENTUALLY RE-INCARCERATED.

ERECTED BY YERBA BUENA #1, ECV, 25 MARCH, CY 6000, IN CONJUNCTION

WITH THE SAN QUENTON MUSEUM ASSOCIATION 3/25/95