California State Militia and National Guard Unit Histories

Confidence Guard

 

Confidence Engine Company No. 1. Many, if not all of the members were concurrently members of the Confidence Guard. The firehouse probably also served as the unit's armory.

 

Official or Other Titles: Confidence Guard

Location: Placerville, El Dorado County

Mustered in: 1860
Inclusive dates of units papers: 1860

Unit papers on file at the California State Archives

a. Organization Papers 1 document (1860)
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 2 documents (1860)
d. Election Returns none
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns none
g. Oaths Qualifications none
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices none
j. Requisitions none
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none
8. Miscellaneous:

Commanding Officers

 

William Jones, Captain; commissioned February 8, 1860
Patrick Lynch, First Lieut; commissioned February 8, 1860

 

 

Placerville's Confidence Hall, former home of the Confidence Engine Company No. 1 and probably the Confidence Guard, circa 2009.

 

 

Official History

 

The Confidence Guard was organized in Placerville, following a petition written to the Honorable James Johnson, the County Judge, and signed by a number of loyal citizens who wished to form an Independent Company of militia. Judge Johnson appointed T. Elkus to open a book for the enrollment of members. Notices were posted in two newspapers to that effect for the required ten days.[1] The-first meeting was. held on January 27, 1860, at which time the members adopted the name of Confidence Guard. The men of this unit were all members of the Confidence Engine Company No. 1 of Placerville, which explains the designation of their company.

 

There was no election of officers until February eighth, when a meeting was held for that purpose. William Jones on that date was elected Captain and Patrick Lynch, elected First Lieutenant of the company.

 

There was no indication that this company was ever mustered into the State Militia as it is not listed in the Adjutant General's Report. Therefore, the length of time the Confidence Guard was in existence is unknown.

 

 

Footnotes

 

[1] A notice of this meeting taken from a newspaper is attached to the company's organization papers, Adjutant-General's Office.

 

 

 

This history was written in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in conjunction with the office of the Adjutant General and the California State Library

 

 

 

 

 

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Updated 23 June 2017