California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
First Calaveras Guard
Organizational
Data
Assigned to:
First Calaveras Guard, 3rd Brigade, California Militia Location: Moklumne Hill, Calaveras County
Mustered in:
July 26, 1852 Mustered out: May 28, 1853 Inclusive dates of units papers: 1852-1868
Papers
on file at the California State Archives:
a. Organization Papers 1 document (1852)
b. Bonds 1 document (1866)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 46 documents (1853-1868)
d. Election Returns 13 documents (1861-1866)
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 29 documents (1861-1868)
g. Oaths Qualifications 22 documents (1862-1868)
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 16 documents (1854-1868)
j. Requisitions 7 documents (1852-1867)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports 2 documents (1866-1867)
m. Other Company Fund Certification, 1 document (1864)
Commanding
Officers
Arnold C. Lewis Captain, Date of Rank:
July 26, 1852
C. A. Luke, First Lieutenant. Date of Rank: July 26, 1852
History
The First Calaveras Guard was organized
July 26, 1852, to quell the Mexicans and Chileans who.were robbing,
murdering and way-laying the citizens in Calaveras County. Soon
after organization there was an uprising among the foreign element,
and it was necessary for the County Judge to call on the First
Calaveras Guard, for assistance: in repelling the armed mob of
three hundred persons. Much difficulty was experienced in restoring
order and the Guard was hampered by the shortage of ammunition.
The corps possessed only two rounds of caps which necessitated
charging with buckshot. Although successful in quelling the rioters
on this occasion.,' Captain Lewis did not care for a repetition
of this dangerous procedure, and in a letter September 18, 1852,
to General Kibbe he informed the General of the impending.Civil
War in the southern section of Calaveras, and urgently requested
a generous supply of ammunition and, if possible, pistols.
This company was short lived. Its sole
purpose being to put a stop to foreign lawlessness. As most of
the members of the company were miners, allowing them little
time to drill, it is not surprising to find that the unit disbanded
May 30, 1853, after it was seen that the lawlessness practiced
by the foreigners had been checked for the present.
Footnotes
(1) San Francisco Daily Herald, May 30, 1853, page 2, column 4.
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
Search
our Site!
Questions and comments concerning
this site should be directed to the Webmaster