The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-07-03
CALIFORNIA SOLDIERS.
GALLANT SERVICES DURING
THE CIVIL WAR.
Participated in Some Fifty En-
gagements, and Always with
Credit to the State.

Credit to the State.
Remote as she was from the fields OF
activity in the war of the rebellion Cal
ifornia furnished her full share of the
Federal troops. Nearly lI,ooO voiun-
teers were enlisted and mustered IN
this State, though no quota had been
assigned her. The Government at
WASHINGTON knew of the precarious SIT
uation that existed on this coast IN
1861: of the danger OF insurrection, and
of invasion from Texas by Confederate
forces, or, perhaps, of the establish
ment of a Pacific republic-the 1uiIiii-
mem of a scheme that had been openly
promoted by leading politicians In Cal
ifornia from the day her Constitution
was framed. She was admitted INTO
the Union as a free State; the anti
slavery clause in her Constitution was
tenaciously fought in the primal con-
vention, and its adoption was d1sap-
pointment to the Southern leaders. Inc
fight was continued in Congress with
renewed bitterness and was barely Won
by the passage of the admission bill
in 1850.
While the Northern element dorninat-
GU III Lie S<tIly yCdio u lily
hood, a change came in 1897, and the
control of the State government passed
into the hands of the chivalry wing of
the Democratic party. The same year
Broderick and Gwin were elected
United States Senators, and though
Gwin had published a declaration that
he would not concern himself in the dis
position of the Federal patronage, 1T
was evident from the hour of his return
to WASHINGTON that his suggestions
We're controlling with President Buch-
anan and the Senate. Frederick ana
the leaders of the Tammany Democracy
were thrust aside; the Federal patron
age and the powerful influence that 1t
controlled was in the hands of South
ern men when Fort Sumter was fired
on and the States of the South passed
ordinances of secession General Al
bert Sidney Johnston was then in COM
mand of the United States forces on
the Pacific Coast. There was some
foundation to doubt his loyalty, for he
was a Southern man, and, while not
politician, was committed to the doc
Urine of State allegiance. He had
declined the command of the De-
partment of Texas, his adopted State,
because he held that if that State
should secede he would be bound in
honor to surrender the public property
Entrusted to his care to the national
authorities He would not betray a
trust, but being persuaded that his
adopted State had a permanent claim
upon him would not consent to be
placed in a position where he might be
compelled to antagonize it. When he
learned that Texas had seeded he ten
dered his resignation April ., 1861. and
it was accepted May Sd. In the mean
time the situation of affairs on this
coast was under serious consideration
at Washington. and on March I'D the
Secretary of War in a brief note di
rected General Edwin V. Sumner to
prepare to sail from New York the lst
of the following month to relieve Gen
eral Johnston in the command of the
Pacific Division. Sumner arrived N
San Francisco unannounced on April
oath, and immediately took command
His report to the War Department was
complimentary to General Johnston,
and when President Lincoln was made
acquainted with the facts he executed
a Major Generals commission to John
ston that was afterward cancelled when
it became known that the General hivl
started for Texas and had accepted a
commission in the Confederate army.
The first call for troops from Califor
MIA was sent from Washington July ~.
1861, at $50 .. m, by telegram to
farthest point west, and thence by
pony express. The call was for ons
regiment of infantry, and five compa-
MES of cavalry to guard the overland
mail route from Carson Valley to Salt
Lake and Fort Laramie. On August
18th the Governor received a second
call for four regiments of infantry and
one of cavalry. Under the fist call
the enlistment for the first regiment
Of cavalry commenced on August 10th,
and the name of the first man to volun-
teer was Charles S. Thompson of Fol-
som. The second regiment of cavalry
was recruited under the second call
and was mustered in October Goth. in
1863 the first battalion Of native Cali
fornians was organized under special
authority at Los Angeles and was COM
manded by Major John c. Ceremony.
Eight regiments of infantry and Il bat
talon OF California mountaineers We're
also volunteered and mustered in dur
ing the war.
1t was unfortunate that as California
was located so far away from the more
active scenes or the war these troops
took no part in the great battles, yet
their service was fully as important as
that rendered by the soldiers from the
other States. They were placed On
garrison duty-and all over the plains,
in the valleys and through the mount
aims. they had to fight the savage II
dams. watch the turbulent Mormons
and perform picket duty for a whole ma
ton. Their service was severe, en-
failing long and fatiguing marches
across burning deserts and among al
most inaccessible mountains. They
were engaged in hundreds of fights With
Indians and small forces of Confederate
troops on the frontiers and in Texas
and Mexico. 1t was a constant source
of regret among them that they were
never ordered East TO the sea- of the
war.