California in the American Civil War
Democrats had dominated the state from its inception, and Southern Democrats were sympathetic to secession. Although they were a minority in the state, they had become a majority in Southern California and Tulare County, and large numbers resided in San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Monterey, and San Francisco counties. California was home for powerful businessmen who played a significant role in Californian politics through their control of mines, shipping, finance, and the Republican Party but Republicans had been a minority party until the secession crisis. The Civil War split in the Democratic Party allowed Abraham Lincoln to carry the state, albeit by only a slim margin. Unlike most free states, Lincoln won California with only a plurality as opposed to the outright majority in the popular vote.
In the beginning of 1861, as the secession crisis began, the secessionists in San Francisco made an attempt to separate the state and Oregon from the union, which failed. Southern California, with a majority of discontented
Patriotic fervor swept California after the attack on
History of California |
---|
Periods |
Topics |
Cities |
Regions |
Bibliographies |
California portal |
Union states in the American Civil War |
---|
|
Dual governments |
Territories and D.C. |
|
From statehood to the Civil War
When California was admitted as a state under the Compromise of 1850, Californians had already decided it was to be a free state—the constitutional convention of 1849 unanimously abolished slavery. As a result, Southerners in Congress voted against admission in 1850 while Northerners pushed it through, pointing to its population of 93,000 and its vast wealth in gold. Northern California, which was dominated by mining, shipping, and commercial elites of San Francisco, favored becoming a state.
In the 1856 presidential election, California gave its electoral votes to the winner, James Buchanan.
1856 Presidential Candidate | Party | Home State | Popular Vote | % |
---|---|---|---|---|
James Buchanan | Democrat | Pennsylvania | 53,342 | 48.4 |
Millard Fillmore | Know-Nothing | New York | 36,195 | 32.8 |
John Fremont |
Republican | California | 20,704 | 18.8 |
Southern California's attempts at secession from California
Following California's admission to the Union,
Secession crisis in California
In 1860 California gave a small plurality of 38,733 votes to Abraham Lincoln, whose 32% of the total vote was enough to win all its electoral votes; 68% voted for the other three candidates.[5][6]
1860 Presidential Candidate | Party | Popular Vote | % |
---|---|---|---|
Abraham Lincoln | Republican | 38,733 | 32.3 |
Stephen A. Douglas | Northern Democrat | 37,999 | 31.7 |
John C. Breckinridge | Southern Democrat | 33,969 | 28.3 |
John Bell | Constitutional Union |
9,111 | 7.6 |
Conspiracy to form a Pacific Republic
During the secession crisis following Lincoln's election, Federal troops were under the command of Colonel (
Meanwhile, Union men feared Johnston would aid such a plot and communicated their fears to Washington asking for his replacement. Brig. Gen. Edwin Vose Sumner was soon sent west via Panama to replace Johnston in May 1861. Johnston resigned his commission on May 31, and after Sumner arrived turned over his command and moved with his family to Los Angeles. He would soon travel with other Southerners across New Mexico Territory to Texas and become commander of the Confederacy's western armies. He died at the Battle of Shiloh.
Struggle for control of the militia
As the secession crisis developed in early 1861, several
Secessionist militias
Notable as the only successfully formed pro-Southern militia unit, the Los Angeles Mounted Rifles was organized on March 7, 1861, in
On March 28, 1861, the newly formed
Outbreak of the Civil War
Reaction to the outbreak of war in California
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Southern California secession seemed possible; the populace was largely in favor of it, militias with secessionist sympathies had been formed, and
Suspected by local Union authorities, General Johnston evaded arrest and with
The only capture of a Confederate flag in California during the Civil War took place on July 4, 1861, in
California volunteers called up
California (along with Oregon and Kansas) was not included in
Turmoil in Southern California
Charged with all the supervision of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Santa Barbara Counties, on August 14, 1861, Major
Thereafter, with the Democrats split over the war, the first
1861 Gubernatorial Candidate | Party | Popular Vote | % |
---|---|---|---|
Leland Stanford | Republican | 56,056 | 46.4 |
John R. McConnell | Southern Democrat | 33,750 | 28.0 |
John Conness | Northern Democrat | 30,944 | 25.6 |
Following the elections on September 7, there was a gunfight resulting from a robbery of travelers to Bear Valley and Holcomb Valley on the pack trail in the Upper Santa Ana Canyon where the Santa Ana River runs out of the San Bernardino Mountains. It was suspected by Union men that secessionists had been the culprits, doing the robbery as part of a larger plan of robberies in the valleys of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. However, no such plan materialized.[20]
Civil War conflicts within California
Securing Southern California
As the California Volunteer regiments formed, some were sent south with
One of the earliest conflicts related to the Civil War in California occurred on November 29, 1861, at Minter Ranch, in the hills just south and west of the San Jose Valley, where Warner's Ranch and the military post of
Volney E. Howard as counsel, and I have but little hope that he will be retained in custody.[23]
During and after the 1862 Confederate
J. M. Chapman plot
In 1863,
Salvador pirates
In spring of 1864, the Confederate navy ordered Captain
Partisan Rangers in California
Late in the war, local secessionists in California made attempts to seize gold and silver for the Confederacy. In early 1864,
Also in early 1864, secessionist Judge George Gordon Belt, a rancher and former alcalde in Stockton, organized a group of partisan rangers including John Mason and "Jim Henry" and sent them out to recruit more men and pillage the property of Union men in the countryside. For the next two years the Mason Henry Gang, as they became known, posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California.[29] However, despite all these efforts no captured gold was sent to the Confederacy.
1864 election
In July 1864, with many Douglas Democrats having deserted their party over the war, the remaining Democrats formed a fusion party behind the former governor
1864 Gubernatorial Candidate | Party | Popular Vote | % |
---|---|---|---|
Frederick F. Low |
Republican | 64,447 | 58.9 |
John G. Downey | Democratic | 44,843 | 41.1 |
Lincoln won the
1864 Presidential Candidate | Party | Popular Vote | % |
---|---|---|---|
Abraham Lincoln | Republican | 62,053 | 58.6 |
George B. McClellan | Northern Democrat | 43,837 | 41.4 |
Civil War Era forts and camps in California
At this time, the U.S. had a number of military forts to defend against the Indian threat, and to solidify the U.S. claim to the state. As the conflict began, new forts and camps were founded to protect ports and communications, carry out operations against the Indians, to hold off Confederate soldiers and suppress their sympathizers.
Mustering and training camps for the California Volunteer units were organized at
Of the ports,
In the northwest of the state were several forts,
In the Northeast were
To the south there was
At the beginning of the war Union authorities were worried that the large number of secessionist sympathizers in Southern California might rise in an attempt to join the Confederacy. In June 1861 troops withdrawn from Fort Tejon and Fort Mojave established Camp Fitzgerald outside Los Angeles in various locations as each proved unsuitable.[43]
In late September 1861, troops from Northern California landed in San Pedro and marched to establish a new camp at a more suitable location at
In March 1862, all the troops that were drilling at Camp Latham were transferred to Camp Drum, leaving a company of soldiers to observe the Los Angeles area. Following flooding at Camp Carleton, the garrison moved to New Camp Carleton, built near the secessionist hotbed of El Monte in 1862.
Civil War military units associated with California
Due to its location, the state's local militia companies remained under state status because of the great number of Southern sympathizers, the Indian threat, and possible foreign attack. The state followed the usual military practice of mustering militia companies into regiments. These Volunteers maintained military posts vacated by the regular army units that were ordered east. However a number of state militias disbanded and went east. Several of these companies offered their services and were accepted by the Union Army.
In 1862, five companies of the
In October 1861, Colonel Baker was authorized to increase his command to a brigade. The additional regiments were commanded by Colonels
Military units associated with California included:
- Los Angeles Mounted Rifles (Confederate)
- Monte Mounted Rifles (Confederate)
- Captain Ingram's Partisan Rangers (Confederate)
- Mason Henry Gang (Confederate)
- 2nd Regiment of Cavalry, Massachusetts VolunteersCompany A, E, F, L, and M (the later four called the "California Battalion")
- 32nd Regiment of New York Volunteers
- "Philadelphia Brigade" of Pennsylvania Volunteers
- 1st California Infantry - 71st Pennsylvania Infantry
- 2nd California Infantry - 69th Pennsylvania Infantry
- 3rd California Infantry - 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry
- 5th California Infantry - 106th Pennsylvania Infantry
- 1st California Infantry -
Regiments of the California volunteers in federal service
The California Volunteer units recruited 15,725 volunteers for Federal service. Nearly all served inside California and in the Department of the Pacific and the Department of New Mexico.
The California Volunteers most directly in action against the Confederacy were known as the
The command composed of
Detachments from the 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry from Camp Latham under
The
Also the
- Pacific Squadron Operations
Past residents of California in the Civil War
The following famous people visited or lived in California before, during or after the Civil War.
- Lewis Addison Armistead
- Edward Dickinson Baker
- Edward Fitzgerald Beale
- James Henry Carleton
- Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
- Patrick Edward Connor
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Antonio Maria de la Guerra
- William M. Gwin
- John Charles Frémont
- Henry Wager Halleck
- Winfield Scott Hancock
- Joseph Hooker
- Albert Sidney Johnston
- Custis Lee
- Thaddeus S.C. Lowe
- Roderick N. Matheson
- Henry Morris Naglee
- Norton I
- Edward Otho Cresap Ord
- William Starke Rosecrans
- William Tecumseh Sherman
- George Stoneman
- Joseph Rodman West
See also
- California State Military Museum
- History of California through 1899
References
- ^ "10 Facts: California during the Civil War". Civil War Trust. 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ISBN 9780933280168. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ Guinn, J.M. (1901). The Quarterly (vol 5-6) How California Escaped State Division. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Civil War: How Southern California Tried to Split from Northern California". KCET. 2011-04-13. Archived from the original on 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ Johannsen, Robert W. Lincoln, the South, and Slavery: The Political Dimension, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1991.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Harpending, Asbury (1913). The Great Diamond Hoax: And Other Stirring Incidents in the Life of Asbury Harpending. James H. Barry Company. p. 36. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Index to Militia Units of the State of California 1847–1881". Militarymuseum.org. 2009-01-30. Archived from the original on 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Inventory of the Military Department. Militia Companies Records, 1849–1880" (PDF). Online Archive of California. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Petaluma Guard". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "San Bernardino Rangers (San Bernardino Mountain Rangers, San Bernardino Mounted Rifles)". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "California's Confederate Militia: The Los Angeles Mounted Rifles". Militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Monte Rangers". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ Scammmell, J.M. "Military Units in Southern California, 1853–1862" (PDF). Library – Military Department, State of California. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ Tinkham, George Henry (1915). California men and events: time 1769–1890 (2nd revised ed.). Record Publishing Company. pp. 194–195.
- ^ "The Biderman Flag". The California Military Museum. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ The maker may have been counting all the later members of the Confederacy, the border states and the "Pacific Republic" states of California and Oregon.
- ^ a b Lazelle, Henry Martyn; Perry, Leslie J. (1897). The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
Ketchum.
- ^ a b "Tinkham Chapter XVI". Usgennet.org. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ The War of the Rebellion Series I, Volume L, Chapter LXII - Operations on the Pacific Coast, Part I, pp. 612, 615, 617
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Wright". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "The Affair at Minter's Ranch | San Diego History Center". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Roger M. Grace (2006-08-15). "Candidate With Pro-Slavery Views Elected District Attorney in 1863". Metnews.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "California Naval History: The Pacific Squadron of 1861–1866". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ISBN 0806125101. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ISBN 9780811729789. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion; Series I – Volume 3: The Operation of the Cruisers (April 1, 1864 – December 30, 1865)". Digital.library.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ISBN 0806125101. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ISBN 978-1884995514. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Presidential Election of 184 Popular Vote Carried". Multied.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Lyon". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Sumner". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Drum Barracks:(Including Camp San Pedro, Camp Drum, and Wilmington Depot)". Militarymuseum.org. 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ Historic California Posts: Fort MacArthur - Military Museum
- ^ "Historic California Posts: San Diego Barracks (Including New San Diego Depot)". Militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Fort Wright". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Curtis". Militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Fort Baker (1861–1863)". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Fort Anderson". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Fort Crook (Including Camp Hollenbush)". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Babbitt". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "California and the Indian Wars: The Owens Valley Indian War, 1861–1865". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Fort Moore (Including Camp Fitzgerald)". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Archived from the original on 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Latham". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "Historic California Posts: Camp Morris". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ "California Military History: California and the Civil War". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- ^ Edwin C. Bearss (January 30, 1990). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Bear River Massacre / Massacre at Boa Ogoi, Battle of Bear River". National Park Service.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) and Accompanying 1 photo from 1973 (135 KB) - ^ "California and the Civil War: Regiments of the California Volunteers in Federal Service". Militarymuseum.org. 2016-02-08. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
Further reading
- Colton, Ray Charles (1984). The Civil War in the western territories: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-1902-1.
- Carter, Bryan Anthony. "Frontier Apart: Identity, Loyalty, and the Coming of the Civil War on the Pacific Coast" (PhD. Diss. Oklahoma State University, 2014) online, with detailed bibliography
- Fischer, LeRoy H. (Editor) (1977). The Western Territories in the Civil War. Sunflower University Press. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
{{cite book}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - Fischer, LeRoy H.(Editor) (1981). Civil War Battles in the West. Sunflower University Press. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
{{cite book}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - Lash, Gary (2001). Duty Well Done: Edward D. Baker's California Regiment (71st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry). Butternut and Blue. Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
- McLean, James R. (2000). California Sabers. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-33786-0. Archived from the originalon 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
- Masich, Andrew E. (2006). The Civil War in Arizona; the Story of the California Volunteers, 1861-1865 University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. ISBN 0-8061-3747-9
- Matthews, Glenna. The Golden State in the Civil War: Thomas Starr King, the Republican Party, and the Birth of Modern California (Cambridge UP, 2013).
- Richards, Leonard L. The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War (2008).
- Strobridge, William F. (1994). Regulars in the Redwoods, The U.S. Army in Northern California, 1852–1861. Arthur Clark Company. Archived from the original on 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2005-10-20.
- Quinn, Arthur (1994). The Rivals, William Gwin, David Broderick, and the Birth of California. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE.
Primary sources
- Orton, Brigadier General Richard H. (1890). The Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion. Adjutant-General of California.
- Official Army Register of Volunteer Force of U.S. Army for Years 1861–1865. (8 parts). Part 7 – Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, California, Kansas, Oregon, Nevada Listing of military units, with officers by rank or position; and individual deaths, promotions, transfers, desertions, missing personnel, discharges; battles; enlisted men who received medals of honor. Alphabetical index in back. United States, War Department. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1865.
- Personal Name Index to the Records of California Men in the War of the rebellion, 1861 to 1867. Gale Research Co., Detroit, Michigan. 1978.
- The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies, Volume 27, Part 1, CHAPTER LXII. Operations on the Pacific Coast, January 1,1861 — June 30, 1862, United States. War Dept.
- The War of the Rebellion: Volume 35, Part 1, CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST FROM JULY 1, 1862, TO JUNE 30, 1865. By United States. War Dept, Robert Nicholson Scott, Henry Martyn WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1897
- Records of California men in the war of the rebellion 1861 to 1867 By California. Adjutant General's Office, SACRAMENTO: State Office, J. D. Young, Supt. State Printing. 1890.
External links
California in the American Civil War.
- United States of North America, western states, 1861
- Map of California in 1860, showing County boundaries, roads
- California Military Museum
- Snakes in the Grass: Copperheads in Contra Costa?
- San Diego in the Civil War Archived 2005-12-23 at the Wayback Machine
- Copperheads, Secesh Men, and Confederate Guerillas
- San Francisco in the Civil War
- Civil War: How Southern California Tried to Split from Northern California Archived 2011-11-20 at the Wayback Machine - KCET