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 Kathy Sedler, © June 2004, pp 381-384.
FIRST BATTALION OF VETERAN INFANTRY
This battalion was organized during the months of November and December, 1864, by consolidating the veterans of the First Infantry, California Volunteers, into two companies, which became Companies A and B, and consolidating the companies of Fifth Infantry into five companies, which became Companies C, D, E, F, and G, of the battalion.
Colonel Edwin A. Rigg, of the First Infantry, was made Lieutenant-Colonel and commander of the battalion, and Major Joseph Smith, of the Fifth Infantry, was made its Major. On the thirteenth of February a Board of Officers, consisting of Colonel Brown, First California Cavalry, Colonel Riggs, and Major Smith, met at Las Cruces, N.M., for the purpose of selecting a company to be broken up for the purpose of distributing the men among the other companies, as some difficulty was experienced in obtaining recruits sufficiently fast to keep up all the companies to the minimum required by law. The Board decided by lot that Company F should be broken up, and it was so ordered by the Department Commander, in Special Orders No. 9, dated at Santa Fe, N.M., March 16, 1865. The same order directed Lieutenant-Colonel Rigg to assume command, with headquarters at Fort Craig; previous to this time the battalion had been under command of Major Joseph Smith at Franklin, Texas.
The following remarks are found on the monthly returns of the battalion, filed in the Adjutant-General’s office:
Remarks on Return of Company D, First Veteran Infantry, for September, 1865. – On the twelfth instant, a detachment of the company, ten mounted and twenty foot, under command of Lieutenant John Slater, was sent in pursuit of Indians, who had driven off some of the animals on herd belonging to the post of Fort McRae, N.M. On the seventeenth instant they overtook the Indians in the Miembres Mountains, killing several, and wounding many of them, recovering most of the stolen stock, besides a lot of Indian ponies, mules, etc. In this action Lieutenant Slater was very seriously wounded; private John Kelly very dangerously and private Richard B. Mason very seriously wounded by firearms, which were the only weapons used by the Indians during the fight. The detachment returned to the post on the twentieth instant, having marched a distance of two hundred and seventy-five miles.
Remarks on Return of Company G, First Veteran Infantry, for January, 1866. – While six men of the company were performing daily duty – cutting wood for this garrison at Oak Grove, about five miles distant, on the seventeenth instant – they were surprised and fired upon by Apache Indians. The number of Indians was estimated at about forty or more. Four men were killed, and two escaped – Privates John H. Matthews and Nathaniel B. Goldsberry, the latter with an arrow wound in his hip. Private Matthews displayed exemplary courage in defending himself, as well as virtually saving the life of Goldsberry, who was scarcely able to render any defense. One Indian was killed and indications showed others wounded.
The following are the stations of the battalion headquarters and various companies, as shown by the muster rolls and monthly returns filed at the Adjutant-General’s office:
FIELD AND STAFF.
|
Franklin, Texas |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
February 28, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
En route to Fort Union, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Los Pinos, N.M., September 20, 1866.
COMPANY A
|
Fort Union, N.M. |
September 30, 1864 |
|
Fort Union, N.M. |
October 31, 1864 |
|
In camp, Blue Water Creek, Texas |
November 30, 1864 |
|
Fort Bascom, N.M. |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Fort Union, N.M. |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Union, N.M. |
February 28, 1865 |
|
Fort Union, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Sumner, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Fort Union, N.M., September 9, 1866.
COMPANY B
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
February 28, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
La Joya, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Wingate, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Wingate, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Wingate, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Los Pinos, N.M., September 15, 1866.
COMPANY C
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
February 28, 1865 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort Selden, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Garland, Col. T. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Garland, Col. T. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Garland, Col. T. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Garland, Col. T. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Garland, Col. T. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Santa Fe, N.M., September 17, 1866.
COMPANY D
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
February 28, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Fort McRae, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Los Pinos, N.M, September 15, 1866.
COMPANY E
|
Franklin, Texas |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
February 28, 1865 |
|
En route to Fort Craig, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort Craig, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Los Pinos, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Los Pinos, N.M., September 15, 1866.
COMPANY F
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
November 30, 1864 |
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
February 28, 1865 |
This company was broken up and the men transferred to other companies, March 16, 1865.
COMPANY G
|
Las Cruces, N.M. |
November 30, 1864 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
December 31, 1864 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
January 31, 1865 |
|
Franklin, Texas |
February 28, 1865 |
|
En route to Fort Cummings, N.M. |
March 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
April 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
May 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
June 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
July 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
August 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
September 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
October 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
November 30, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
December 31, 1865 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
January 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
February 28, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
March 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
April 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
May 31, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
June 30, 1866 |
|
Fort Cummings, N.M. |
July 31, 1866 |
|
Las Javis, en route to Los Pinos, N.M. |
August 31, 1866 |
Mustered out at Los Pinos, N.M., September 15, 1866.
When this battalion was mustered out in September, 1866, such officers and members as wished to be mustered out in California were consolidated into a company, under Captain William F. Ffrench, and marched to the Presidio, S.F., where they arrived December twenty-eighth, and were mustered out on the thirty-first of December, 1866.
The following officers of this battalion accompanied the return column: Captain W.F. Ffrench, First Lieutenant Robert Edmiston, and Second Lieutenant William Oman. The men mustered out at that time are accounted for in the individual record below as having been “discharged at San Francisco, December 31, 1866, by final muster out of the regiment.”