California Civil War Rosters
From the book “Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867”
by Brig.-Gen. Richard H. Orton, pub. 1890
Transcribed by Sandy Neder, © June 2004 pp 304-306.
The extraordinary horsemanship displayed by the native Californians led to the belief that a battalion of cavalry, composed entirely of such, would render excellent service in Arizona. Accordingly a telegram, a copy of which is here inserted, together with the reply, was sent to the War Department.
[Telegram.]
San Francisco, December 19, 1862.
To Adjutant-General L. Thomas:
I request authority to raise four companies of native cavalry in the Los Angeles District, to be commanded by a patriotic gentleman, Don Andreas Pico.
G. WRIGHT
Brigadier-General
[Telegram.]
War Department, Adjustant-General's Office,
Washington, January 20, 1863.
To General Wright, San Francisco, Cal.:
Secretary of War gives authority to raise four companies native cavalry in Los Angeles District.
Thomas M. Vincent,
Assistant Adjutant-General
A favorable response having been received, the officers were appointed and the work of recruiting the battalion commenced. Don Andreas Pico, of Los Angeles, then Brigadier-General of the First Brigade of California militia, was commissioned Major of the battalion. He, however, declined the commission, on the ground of sickness and his inability to ride on horseback.
General Pico having declined, Salvador Vallejo was commissioned Major of the battalion. He was not mustered as such, however, until August 13, 1864. He resigned in February, 1865, and was succeeded by John C. Cremony, who had been a Captain in the Second California Cavalry, and, with his company, constituted part of the 'California Column" during its march to, and service in, New Mexico.
Considerable delay was experienced in raising men for this battalion. Recruiting commenced in February, 1863, but the first company was not filled up and mustered until September seventh, same year. The other companies were not mustered in until the spring and summer of 1864.
The battalion was stationed in various places in California, as shown by the table published herewith. During the summer of 1865, it was taken by Major Cremony to Arizona and stationed in the southern part of that territory, until early in 1866, when it was returned to California to be mustered out. The table on page 7 will give the dates of mustered in and muster out of the companies. Companies A, B, and D were mustered out at Drum Barracks; Company C was mustered out at Presidio, San Francisco.
The records of this battalion are very incomplete, and for that reason it is impossible to give a full account of the service rendered by it. There seems to have been an unusually large number of desertions from it. From one company there were more than fifty; from another, about eighty.
The following is the correspondence and remarks on muster rolls found relating to this battalion:
General Headquarters, State of California
Adjutant-General's Office, Sacramento, June 2, 1864.
General: Colonel Curtis' letter has been read by me, and in reply to your inquiry as to whether the Governor has authorized Don Antonio de la Guerra to raise a company, I have to state that the Governor did not specially authorize him to raise a company, but that he, on yesterday, concluded to accept his company (known as the Santa Barbara Company), and has directed commissions to issue, which has accordingly been done and forwarded to Colonel Drum to-day, for the following officers: Captain, Antonio M. de la Guerra; First Lieutenant, Santiago de la Guerra; Second Lieutenant, Porfino Jimeno.
The recommendation for the Fourth Infantry, California Volunteers, I have duly forwarded to his Excellency the Governor.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
Geo. S. Evans
Adjutant-General, State of California.
George Wright, Brigadier-General U.S. Army, Commanding Department of Pacific
________
State of California, Executive Department
Sacramento, March 27, 1865
Colonel: I enclose a memorandum of the officers already commissioned for the native battalion, as appears from the books of the Adjutant-General.
I have the General's recommendation for Mr. Leese and some other men (I think) for a commission in this battalion.
Mr. Leese was commissioned by me as Adjutant, but could not be mustered in.
From this date it appears that there are no vacancies to fill; and even one or more of the Second Lieutenants that I have appointed have not been mustered in, for the reason that their companies were below the minimum.
It seems to me that all these companies should be recruited to above the minimum before they leave for Arizona. I am informed that the companies could easily get recruits enough to fill them up in Monterey County if any effort was made to do it. Please call the General's attention to the matter.
Truly yours,
F. F. Low,
Governor.
To Lieut.-Col. R.C. Deum.
[Inclosure.]
Company A, Rose R. Pico, Captain; Crisanto Soto, First Lieutenant; M.E. Jimenez, Second Lieutenant.
Company B, Porfino Jimeno, Captain; John Lafferty, First Lieutenant; J.G. Donevan, Second Lieutenant.
Company C, Antonio M. de la Guerra, Captain; Santiago de la Guerra, First Lieutenant; ---- Coddington, Second Lieutenant.
Company D, Edward Bale, Captain; J. Clement Cox, First Lieutenant; Francisco F. Guiraido, Second Lieutenant.
Note: Company C is the only one that has the minimum number of privates.
Remarks on Muster Roll of Company A, First Battalion Native Cavalry, for March and April, 1865. -- Pursuant to orders from Headquarters Benicia Barracks, Cal., a detachment of twenty-five enlisted men in command of Second Lieutenant M.E. Jimenez, proceeded, on the twenty-third of April, to Green Valley and arrested and brought to confinement ten marauders. A fight ensued, wounding private Antonio Guilman and Juan Leon, both severely.
Remarks on Return of Company B, First Battalion Native Cavalry, for May 1865. -- First Lieutenant John Lafferty and five enlisted men left Camp Low, San Juan, Cal., April 10, 1865, in pursuit of the murderers Jason and Henry, per Post Order No. 3, Headquarters Camp Low, Cal.
The following are the stations occupied by the headquarters and various companies as gleaned from monthly returns, muster rolls, etc.:
FIELD AND STAFF.
Drum Barracks, Cal. ..........................................................................December 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal. ..................................................................................April 30, 1865.
Drum Barracks, Cal. ...................................................................................May 31, 1865.
Drum Barracks, Cal. ...................................................................................June 30, 1865.
Fort Yuma, Cal. ...........................................................................................July 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T.......................................................................................August 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T.................................................................................September 30, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T. ...................................................................................October 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T..................................................................................November 30, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T. ................................................................................December 31, 1865.
COMPANY A.
Camp Curtis, Cal...................................................................................August 31, 1864.
Fort Humboldt, Cal..............................................................................October 31, 1864.
Fort Wright, Cal................................................................................December 31, 1864.
Fort Wright, Cal..................................................................................February 28, 1865.
Benicia Barracks, Cal...............................................................................April 30, 1865.
Tubac, A.T............................................................................................ August 31, 1865.
Tubac, A.T...........................................................................................October 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T...............................................................................December 31, 1865.
COMPANY B.
San Francisco, Cal. ...................................................................................June 30, 1864.
Presidio, San Francisco, Cal..................................................................August 31, 1864.
Presidio, San Francisco, Cal. ...............................................................October 31, 1864.
Presidio, San Francisco, Cal. ...........................................................December 31, 1864.
Monterey Barracks, Cal. ....................................................................February 28, 1865.
Camp Low, Cal.......................................................................................March 31, 1865.
Camp Low, Cal.........................................................................................April 30, 1865.
Camp Low, Cal. ..........................................................................................May 2, 1865.
Camp Low, Cal........................................................................................... June 1, 1865.
Fort Mason, A. T................................................................................... August 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T....................................................................................October 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T................................................................................December 31, 1865.
COMPANY C.
Cahuenga Pass, en route for Drum Barracks, Cal.................................August 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal..........................................................................December 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal............................................................................. January 31, 1865.
Drum Barracks, Cal............................................................................February 28, 1865.
Drum Barracks, Cal...................................................................................June 30, 1865.
Tubac, A.T...........................................................................................October 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T...............................................................................December 31, 1865.
COMPANY D.
Drum Barracks, Cal...................................................................................June 30, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal...............................................................................August 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal..............................................................................October 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal......................................................................... December 31, 1864.
Drum Barracks, Cal...................................................................................May 31, 1865.
Drum Barracks, Cal...................................................................................June 30, 1865.
Carrisso Creek, en route via Fort Yuma to Tubac, A.T.............................July 31, 1865.
Tucson, en route for Tubac, A.T...........................................................August 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T.............................................................................September 30, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T.................................................................................October 31, 1865.
Fort Mason, A.T..............................................................................December 31, 1865.
Tucson, en route for Drum Barracks, Cal...........................................January 31, 1865.