Eugene Villargne, Captain, commissioned
April 29, 1860
J. L. R. Ducroynell, First Lieutenant, commissioned April 29,
1860
A new French Militia Company composed of San Francisco citizens was organized on September 28, 1859. Eugene Villargne was chosen to be the first Captain of this unit, and J. L. R. Ducroynell as the First Lieutenant. Evidently the company's record was written in French for no records or papers in English are on file.[1]
On June 5, 1860, the Carbineers were presented with two beautiful colors, one of the French Tri-Color and the other the American Ensign. The gifts were presented by the French ladies of the city and after the ceremony the company with the new colors paraded and gave an exhibition drill. The men were dressed in their new uniforms which were the same as the French Infantry being a blue frock coat, red trousers, and white gaiters and bonnet. [2]
On July 22, 1861, Brigadier-General Cobb ordered a Court Martial to convene at the armory of the City Guard for the trial of Lieutenants Ducroynell and Gailhard, and such other officers of the French Guard that may be brought before it. The officers named were from the Carbineers and their offense consisted of their refusal to recognize Eugene Villargne as Captain. The Lieutenants contended the Captain had resigned and his resignation had been accepted, therefore, he had no authority over them. [3]
No records are available that would reveal
what the outcome of the Court Martial was, but the Adjutant General's
Report of 1862 shows that the then Lieutenant Gailhard had been
elected Captain of the Carbineers succeeding E. Villargne, so
it seemed likely he was acquitted at the trial.
Since the Adjutant General's Report of 1863 does not list the Carbineers as a unit in the Militia at that date, it is assumed that the dissension caused by.the Court Martial so weakened the company numerically that it was ordered dis-banded in the latter part of 1862.