As Lieutenant Bartlett was a fluent speaker of Spanish, and was well read in legal matters, he was detailed by Commander Montgomery on August 14, 1846, to represent the military government as alcalde at Yerba Buena, in a position functionally similar to the office of prefect in the Mexican system. Bartlett served concurrently with a civilian (also appointed), José de Jesús Noé, who had previously served as alcalde in 1842–43. Accordingly, Lt. Bartlett became the first U.S. citizen to be alcalde (an office combining functions of a strong mayor with those of a municipal court judge), of Yerba Buena.
