California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
Monte Rangers
Assigned to:
First Brigade, California Militia Location: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Organized:
February 23, 1854
Mustered out: May
1, 1861
Commanding Officers
John H.. Hughes, Captain, Date of Rank:
February 23, 1854
James H. Wethersby, First Lieutenant, Date of Rank: February
23, 1854
Papers on file at the California State
Archives:
a. Organization Papers none
b. Bonds 1 document (1854)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 2 documents (1854)
d. Election Returns none
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 1 document (1854)
g. Oaths Qualifications none
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices none
j. Requisitions 1 document (1854)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none
8. Miscellaneous:
History
Three volunteer. companies of Cavalry were organized in Los Angeles
County in the space of eight months from July 1853 to February
1854. In the southern part of the state a twofold purpose for
military protection was evident. First, was the fact that the
citzens were continually subjected to Indian depredations.
Secondly, organized bands of outlaws roamed
the country pillaging and robbing. The Sheriff's office in both
instances proved entirely inadequate to cope with the situations,
and as a result militia companies were organized.
The Monte Rangers was the third company
to be organized, which was accomplished on February 23, 1854.
John H. Hughes was elected Captain and James H. Wethersby, First
Lieutenant. The necessary Bond was filed with the Adjutant General's
Office on March twenty-fifth along with the requisition for forty
colt pistols, forty rifles, and all necessary accoutrements.
The letters on file do not report any
of the activities of the Monte Rangers: In 1859 the Bond and
the requisition for arms was still or file, but there was no
evidence of the company having ever received their arms from
the Quartermaster, and it was believed the Monte Rangers disbanded
sometime during that year. (1)
Footnotes
(1) Adjutant General Report, 1859,
page 31.
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