California State Military
DepartmentCalifornia State Military
DepartmentAssigned to: First Division, Second Brigade
Location: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County
Mustered in:
January 6, 1854
Mustered out: 1856
Commanding Officers
Henry Carnes, Captain, Commissioned: January 6, 1854
C. R. V. Lee, First Lieutenant, Commissioned: January 6,1854
The Santa Barbara: Mounted Riflemen consisted of seventy men and was organized January .6; 1854 after the Federal Government had authorized the Governor of California to issue a call for volunteers for the express purpose of maintianing law and order as the Indians were giving much trouble to the emigrants coming into the State of California.
The principal duties.of the-Mounted Rifle
company consisted.of patrolling the trails and acting,as escorts
to the trains of covered wagons:through.hostile territory and
giving armed protection in case of.Indian raids. No reports were
ever sent in to the Adjutant General's Office regarding their
activities, and the only official record available concerning
this company
was. their list of officers and organization date sent in with
a Bond of $2,500 as security for their rifles and accoutrements.
Many companies such as the Mounted Rifles
were organized and after their active service was over were placed
in reserve to be called upon by the local Sheriff in case of need.
This
seems to have been the case of the Santa Barbara Mounted Riflemen,
for no further record of the company was found. In the year 1856
the Santa Barbara Mounted Riflemen was believed to have disbanded
and their arms placed in the hands of the Sheriff of Santa Barbara
County.(1)
(1) Adjutant General Report 1860, page 32