California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
Mounted Coast Rifles
(Mounted Coast Rilemen)
Official or other titles: Mounted Coast Rifles, 2nd Brigade, 6th Division
(1) Location: Crescent City, Klamath County (now Del Norte
County)
Mustered in:
Mustered in November 3, 1855 Mustered out: 1861
Unit papers on file at the California State Archives:
a. Organization Papers 4 documents (1855)
b. Bonds 1 document (1855)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 1 document (1855)
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
Commanding Officers
C. A. Hillman, Captain, Commissioned:
November 3, 1855
C. H. Colier, First Lieutenant, Commissioned: November 3, 1855
History
New volunteer companies were continually
being formed to be prepared to move against the Indian tribes,
who were believed to be planning a war of extinction against the
white settlers in the Northern part of the State and Southern
Oregon. The Indians killed white settlers and drove off their
stock and caused continuous trouble for the pioneers.. The citizens
of Crescent City took up the-matter of forming a military guard
for service against these hostile Indians. As a result on October
26, 1855, notices were posted in the County to call together all
the men of the district who had signed a petition for a volunteer
company; to a meeting which was to be held at the "El Dorado"
Saturday evening; November 3, 1855. Although ninety-five men had
signed the Muster Roll as members of the Mounted Coast Riflemen,
which was well above the minimum signatures required by law, there
was a legal obstacle to hinder the perfecting of the organization.
The County Judge was tempor arily absent from Crescent City, the
County Seat, so rather than be delayed in the plans, the members
drew up a resolution em powering Captain Hillman to proceed with
fulfilling the necessary duties to perfect the records. A Bond
was executed to finance the company for arms and filed in the
Adjutant General's Office, but no arms were issued.
During these troublous times many temporary
companies were formed to attempt to halt the Indian hostilities
and it is evident that this company of Mounted Coast Riflemen
was such an organization, since there are no records of any activities
of the troop. In the Adjutant General's Report of 1861, this
volunteer company was listed as having been disbanded.
Footnotes
(1) The Adjutant General Report for April
1861 gives the title of Mounted Coast Rifles, but papers on file
are under Mounted Coast Riflemen.
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