California Militia
and National Guard Unit Histories
Ringgold Light Artillery
Official or Other Titles: Ringgold
Light Artillery, First Brigade, California Militia
Location:
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Mustered in: June
21, 1855
Mustered out:
May 17, 1857
Papers on file with the California
State Archives:
a. Organization Papers 4 documents (1855)
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) none
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
S. L. Labatt, Captain, Elected: June 7,
1855; Commissioned 21 June 1855
P. C. Williams, First Lieutenant, June 7, 1855; Commissioned
21 June 1855
Official History
One of the earliest volunteer companies that was organized in
the southern part of tome State was the Ringgold Light Artillery
located at Los Angeles. This company was named in honor of Colonel
George Hay Ringgold, who had fought through the Mexican War,
and later for many years was paymaster in the United States Army.
Colonel Ringgold also was a noted scholar, an accomplished painter
and an author of several books. Data concerning the southern
units was incomplete and this is apparent in the records of the
Ringgold Light Artillery, there being only.a copy of the minutes
of the organization of the unit and attached thereto, a muster
roll of the company which reveals sixty-two men were enrolled.
One other, a letter by Captain Labatt to the Adjutant General's
Office states that "the Captain could not send the Bonds
for equipment until he learned the value thereof, and would the
Adjutant General's Office send the Captain a Bond Blank with
the amount necessary."
Undoubtedly the activities and history of this company would
make very interesting reading, since lawlessness abounded in
the Los Angeles area in the early fifties and militia companies
often were called out to aid the constituted authorities, especially
when bands of desperadoes were to be dealt with. However, there
are no additional records to be found pertaining to the company's
activities and no muster out date is obtainable and it is assumed
that the Ringgold Light Artillery was only in existence for a
short time.
This history was compiled
by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the California
National Guard and the California State Library.
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