California Battalion
The California Battalion (also called the first California Volunteer Militia and U.S. Mounted Rifles) was formed during the
Formation
Hostilities between U.S. and Mexican forces had been
In 1846,
Since there was no U.S. Army present in Alta California except Frémont's few cartographers (and wouldn't be until December 1846), Stockton needed additional men to garrison and help keep the peace in the various California towns rapidly coming into U.S. control. Stockton had three frigates with a crew of 480 each, three to four sloops with a crew of 200 men each plus three store ships at his disposal. The marines on his ships were used mostly to
Battalion in Mexican American War
The California Battalion was officially authorized a few days later on 23 July 1846 under Commodore
A compact was drawn in early July 1846 for all volunteers to sign, which in part read: "Not to violate the chastity of Women; conduct their revolution honorably; and pledge obedience to their officers." With the signatures or marks of the men, the California Battalion was formed. On formation of the battalion, Frémont requested the Battalion's volunteers to elect their officers from the ranks. Most were emigrants over the
The first job given to the California Battalion and was to assist in the capture of
In
After news of the Los Angeles revolt reached northern California, Frémont was asked to enlarge his battalion and head for Los Angeles to join with Stockton's men to retake the city. Volunteers rapidly enlarged his force to about 450 men plus more stationed in various northern California towns to keep the peace. The California Trail by this time was starting to deliver a new collection of American colonists and potential recruits—an estimated 1,500 would arrive in 1846.
Commodore Stockton and (brevet) Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearny met at San Diego in December 1846 after being rescued by Stockton's men. Kearny, wounded and with only about 60 unwounded men after the fiasco of the Battle of San Pasqual was ambiguous as to his status. The rank of Commodore and Brigadier General were roughly equivalent (both one star titles) so it was not clear who had superior rank.
In late 1846 Frémont, acting under orders from Commodore
Frémont specifically quoted his title as California Battalion commander in the Treaty of Cahuenga:
To All Who These Presents Shall Come, Greeting: Know Ye, that in consequence of propositions of peace, or cessation of hostilities, being submitted to me, as Commandant of the California Battalion of the United States forces, which have so far been acceded to by me as to cause me to appoint a board of commissioners to confer with a similar board appointed by the Californians, and it requiring a little time to close the negotiations; it is agreed upon and ordered by me that an entire cessation of hostilities shall take place until to-morrow afternoon (13 January), and that the said Californians be permitted to bring in their wounded to the mission of San Fernando, where, also, if they choose, they can move their camp to facilitate said negotiations.
Both Kearny and Stockton though out-ranking Frémont wanted to avoid further hostilities and accepted the treaty negotiated by Frémont. On 16 January 1847, Commodore Stockton appointed Frémont military governor of California following the
Kearny ordered Frémont to accompany him back east over the route of the
Battalion Organization
- Commanding officer: Lt.-Colonel John C. Frémont US Army
- Second in command: Major Archibald GillespieUSMC
The battalion was organized into eight companies:
- Co. A. Capt. Richard "Dick" Owens (Owens Valley; Owens River) Wm. N. Loker, 1st lieutenant, appointed adjutant, 10 Feb. 1847; B.M. Hudspeth, 2d lieutenant, appointed captain, Feb. 1847, Wm. Findlay, 2nd lieutenant, appointed captain, Feb. 1847.
- Co. B. Capt. Henry L. Ford (nephew of Mary Todd Lincoln); Andrew Copeland, 1st lieutenant.
- Co. C. Capt. Granville P. Swift; Wm. Baldridge, 1st lieutenant; Wm. Hartgrove, 2nd lieutenant.
- Co. D. Capt. John Sears; Wm. Bradshaw, 1st lieutenant.
- Co. E. Capt. John Grigsby; Archibald Jesse, 1st lieutenant.
- Co. F. Capt. Lansford W. Hastings (Hastings Cut-Off fame); Wornbough, 1st lieutenant; J.M. Hudspeth, 2nd lieutenant.
- Co. G. Capt. Bluford K. "Hell Roaring" Thompson; Davis 1st lieutenant; Rock, 2nd lieutenant.
- Co. H. Capt. Richard T. Jacob; Edwin Bryant, 1st lieutenant (afterwards alcalde at San Francisco); Geo. M. Lippincott, 2nd lieutenant (of New York). About 34 Indians were in this company. The Indians typically were employed as scouts and guards in front and in back of the column while transiting.
- Co. Artillery. Capt. Louis McLane U.S. Navy, (in charge of their two small cannons) (promoted to major); John. K. Wilson, 1st lieutenant, (appointed captain in January, 1847); Wm. Blackburn, 2nd lieutenant. (later alcalde of Santa Cruz).
And outriders, hunters, couriers, and scouts, including Delaware, Cosumnes River, 10 Walla Walla[7] and Chinook Indians, scouts Kit Carson (enrolled as a Lieutenant) and Scout Alexis Godey, captain (appointed by Stockton);.
- Officers on detached Service and doing Duty at the South.–Miguel Pedrorena, captain, Spaniard (appointed by Stockton); Santiago Argüello, captain, Californian (appointed by Stockton); Bell, captain (appointed by Stockton), old resident of California (Los Angeles); H. Rhenshaw, 1st lieutenant, (appointed by Stockton); Jas. Barton, captain (appointed by Stockton); L. Arguello, captain, Californian (appointed by Stockton).[8][9]
The complete roster of the California Battalion is given by the following two references.[10][11]
References
- ISBN 0-312-86685-2
- ^ Juan Flanco's amazing ride Accessed 17 March 2009
- ^ Los Angeles in the War with Mexico Accessed 15 March 2009
- ISBN 978-0-87417-096-2
- ^ Tompkins, Walker A. Santa Barbara, Past and Present. Tecolote Books, Santa Barbara, California, 1975, pp. 33-35.
- ^ Fremont's Mariposa ranch Archived 8 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 17 March 2009
- ^ Heizer, Robert Fleming. "Walla Walla Indian Expeditions to the Sacramento Valley." California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Mar., 1942), pp. 1-7
- ^ California Battalion Organization Archived 15 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 15 March 2009
- ^ What I saw in California Accessed 15 March 2009
- ^ Manders, Eric I., and Wayne A. Colwell. California Battalion of Mounted Riflemen, 1846, Military Collector and Historian, 18 (Spring 1966), p. 14
- ^ Rogers, Fred B.; Rosters of California Volunteers in the Service of the United States, 1846–1847; Society of California Pioneers publication, Vol.?, No.?, 1950, pp.17-25.