California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
Tulare Mounted Riflemen
Assigned to:
First Brigade, California Militia Location: Visalia, Tulare County
Organized:
March 29, 1856
Mustered Out: June
10, 1859
Inclusive dates of units papers: 1856-1858
Unit Papers on file at the California
State Archives
a. Organization Papers 2 documents (1856)
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 2 documents (1857-1858)
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
Foster Demaster, Captain, Commissioned
March 29 1856
J. T. Pemberton, First Lieutenant, Commissioned March 29 1856
History
Tulare County (Tulare taken from the Mexican
tular meaning tule swamp) was suffering great depredations at
the hand of hostile Indians. The Four Creek tribe of Indians believed
they were being treated unfairly by the whites and decided to
take matters in their own hands. They attacked some of the settlers
and ran off their stock. The Honorable John Cutle, County Judge
of Tulare County, appointed S. G. George on March 18, 1856, to
proceed with the enrolling of members for an independent company
of mounted riflemen. The meeting for the organization was to be
held at the Court House in Visalia between the hours of ten and
three o'clock on Saturday, the twenty-ninth day of March.
There had been a dispute between the two
settlements of Woodville and Visalia over the county seat, and
finally an election was held which determined Visalia as the victor.
This first Court House was a log cabin surrounded by a fence and
the jail, which was in this enclosure, consisted of four tree
stumps which had iron rings stapled into the stumps to which culprits
were chained., The county officials at the time carried records
and public documents in their hats and pockets because of the
ill-feeling among many of the residents.(1) Dr. S. G. George acted
as emissary for the district to meet Governor Johnson who granted
him permission to recruit two additional companies of mounted
riflemen. The Governor also gave his permission for the filling
of a requisition for eighty stand of arms and 5,000 rounds of
ammunition.(2) The meeting held in the Court House was called
to order by Dr. George who presented the roll bearing fifty-six
names. The members then proceeded to the election of fifteen officers
with Foster Demaster elected as Captain and John T. Pemberton,
First Lieutenant. At this election W. G. Poindexter was elected
as the Fourth Corporal. Although there was no record to show the
fact, there must have been another election as Mr. Morris mentioned
in his letters Captain Poindexter being in command of the volunteers.
After the election it was unanimously resolved that the company
adopt the name of Tulare Mounted Riflemen. The company adjourned
to meet at the same place in two weeks.
With the completion of the organization
of the company, the unit immediately went into active service
against the Indians in what became known as the Tule River War.
Captain Demaster, commanded the sixty men of the Tulare Mounted
Riflemen who took after the Indians, and following a strenuous
engagement was compelled to withdraw his troop into camp until
reinforcements arrived, owing to the superiority of the Indians
in numbers (there being about 500 of them). A party of nine men
under John W. Williams, afterwards City Marshal of Visalia, also
aided in subduing the Indians and finally Mr. Williams left the
party to go back for reinforcements he was joined on the way by
William Lynn. A force of approximately 140 men under W. G. Poindexter,(3)
Sheriff of Tulare County joined to make the second advance on
the hostiles.The Indians had built themselves a breastwork that
would have done credit to the best of military engineers, and
with their over-powering numbers, the whites were at a disadvantage
against the shower of arrows and few guns of the hostiles. Mr.
Lynn invented a padded armor which would be impervious to the
arrows, and about a dozen of the most aggressive young men were
chosen to don the armor which became known as the "petticoat"
or "cotton bag parade". However, after several days
of maneuvering no opportunity arose to try out the efficacy of
the armor.(4)
The Indians usually came off "second
best" after these skirmishes, but not, however, until they
had forced several ranchers in the Tule River country to abandon
their homes and fall back on Visalia and Woodville,the two,largest
settlements in that section of the country. In this campaign the
volunteer forces of the State were given help from the troops
stationed at Fort Miller. In one of
these engagements under the command of Lieutenant Livingston of
the United States Army, the troops were forced to retreat and
a messenger was sent to the fort with a request that a cannon
sent to the front. A field piece had already been started on the
way, however, besides an additional squad of twenty-five men.
What was believed to have been the deciding engagement of the
uprising was fought near Four Creeks on May 21, 1856, when Captain
Demaster, commanding the Tulare Mounted Riflemen and some of the
Federal troops effected the complete rout of the Indians and totally
destroyed their supplies. During the engagement several Indians
were killed and a large number wounded. Three white men, two of
them volunteers and one a member of the Federal troops, were slightly
wounded.
The frontiersmen of this district had suffered severely at the
hands of the Indians. Following is a list of property destroyed
by the Indians, and the probable value of the same:
7 Dwelling houses average
value
500.00
1 Saw mill and 100 feet
of lumber
15,000.00
7 Horses
each 100.00
75 to 100 Head of cattle
each 50.00
Becoming alarmed over the existing Indian difficulties Governor
J. Neely Johnson instructed Brigadier General
E. F. Beale, (5) First Division, First Brigade, to proceed
to the scene with all possible haste in an effort.to effect a
peace treaty with the several Indian tribes in the locality. General
Beale left San Francisco on the twenty-eighth of May accompanied
by his aide-de-camp, Colonel Edward Byrne, arriving at the Kings
River territory a. week later where he met W. J. Campbell, Sub
Indian Agent, and learned that in consequence of the continuous
excitement of the whites, rumors had reached the Indians that
active hostilities would be at once resumed against them, causing
the hostiles to flee to the mountains. The General dispatched
Mr. Campbell early the next morning with five bullocks for a Council
feast, and a message to the Indians to appoint the meeting place
for the Council. In the meantime General Beale proceeded on to
Elbow Creek where he found Dr. Livingston commanding some thirty
men of the Third Artillery from Fort Miller. The unit was encamped
at Elbow Creek following their recent defeat of the Indians at
the Yocole Valley a few days past. Lieutenant Allston of the Dragoons
of Fort Tejon, whose command of forty men was encamped some ten
miles south, was also present in camp, and these two gentlemen
corroborated the reports that the Adjutant General had received
relative to the violent measures contemplated by the whites.,
and the pioneers determination to prosecute a war of extermination
against the Indians. From the vicinity of Elbow Creek, General
Beale traveled on to Visalia and Woodville where he called a general
meeting of the residents, many of whom were at first of the opinion
that nothing but a severe punishment the Indians would prevent
further molestations of the whites, although after a discussion
of the problem, a majority of the citizens were willing to accede
to more humane counsels. Several of the well known residents were
invited to attend the proposed Council. Prior to this meeting
between the whites and the Indians, Mr. Campbell attended an Indian
conclave and returned with the information that the hostiles had
selected a valley some thirty-five miles from Elbow Creek and
had sent runner's out for the scattered tribes to assemble for
the Council. Lieutenant Livingston and Lieutenant Allston with
their commands escorted Brigadier General Beale and his party,
which included Mr.O.K. Smith of Woodville, Dr. S. G. George of
Visalia and Messrs. Campbell and Jennings, Sub Indian Agents,
to the stated spot designated as Camp Easton.(6)
Some 100 or 170 Indians were present at the Council which was
held June 10th, and the following tribes were represented by their
Chief or Captain:
Monoes
Wick-a-choum-nees
Talumnees
Choo-e-nim-nees
Taches
En Tempich
Palonshios
Corvillas
Cho-kim-a-noes
0-pon-no-chees
Noo-tu-ne-toos
Yocolleo
Through Gregorio, his Indian Interpreter,
General Beale explained to the hostiles that he was sent by the
great "White Chief" and that the object of his visit
was to make peace, also that it was idle for them to attempt
to cope with the Whites and unless they would promise unconditionally
to go where it was deemed best for them to live, he had come
prepared to inflict summary and severe chastisement upon them.
All Indians living upon the waters of Kings River were to go
at once to the Reservation on that River, and those living South
of the River were to go to the Yocole Valley and remain until
the arrival of Colonel Henley who would make some permanent provision
for their future subsistence.(7) The hostiles agreed to the terms.
A list of articles which were distributed as "presents"
at this gathering is-given:
When the Indians were questioned as to why
they had destroyed O. K. Smith's mill, the only one in the county,
thereby causing a great loss to the community, they replied 'they
did it as they were at war with the whites, and desired to do
all the harm possible.'
A large tribe of Indians living on the
Tule River were not represented at this Council; therefore, General
Beale sent runners with a message for these Indians to meet him
in Yocole Valley within five days.for the purpose of making a
treaty, or he would consider them to be at war and would treat
them accordingly. On the fourteenth of June accompanied by an
escort of Dragoons the General went to the Corvilla Valley some
ten miles from Woodville where he found some 300 Indians in camp
representing the Olanches, Piqueminots, Coyotes, Wackoaches,
and Corillas Tribes. They were pleased to meet him, perfectly
willing to make peace, and agreed to remain in their present
camp until the arrival of Colonel Henley. "Presents"
were also distributed to these tribes which included the following:
It was the General's opinion that to preserve peace, required
first, the presence of the Superintendent of the Indian Affairs
to provide means for the Indian's subsistence, and a small force
of about twenty-five Dragoons who should be kept in the field
constantly. These suggestions were presented to Governor Johnson
when the General sent in his detailed report regarding the settlement
of the Indian hostilities.(8) General Beale was commended by
the State Legislature for the skill and tact with which he had
concluded the negotiations.
William Gouvernear Morris,(9) an Attorney of San Francisco, communicated
with Adjutant General Kibbe regarding some claims, together with
papers concerning business of the militia company. Mr. Morris
was evidently sent to this district to prepare the claims for
settlement of Indian depredations; and the resultant cost of
the wars with the Indians. These claims were passed on by the
Board of Examiners of War Claims of the State and in some cases
the Federal Government shared the expense. Governor Weller had
been back in Washington, D. C. in the early part of January 1857
on such a mission. A Resolution had been drawn up petitioning
the Federal Government to assist in the settlement of the claims
and the Governor was requested to transmit copies of this Preamble
and Resolution to each of the Senators and Representatives in
Congress. A letter from the Governor to Adjutant General Kibbe
dated January 31, 1857, informed the General that "during
the last ' session the Bill was passed by the Senate and sent
to the House for concurrence. He was "sorry to inform the
General that although he had several times urged the members
of the House to take the Bill up and press it through, he had
been unsuccessful in accomplishing his desires. He would continue
to exert himself to force it into a law, but had little hope
at the time as adjournment was near at hand."
The first letter of November 29, 1857,
to Adjutant General Kibbe informed the General that 'a muster
roll of one of the companies and several claims for supplies
were to be mailed on the following day.. The papers had been
carefully prepared in compliance with the rules which the General's
Board had adopted. He (Mr. Morris) had found it impossible in
few cases to obtain Powers of Attorney and therefore had concluded
to let this formula pass, as he did not care particularly about
having the bonds or certificates issued in his own name. He requested
the Adjutant General to mail the bonds and certificates back
to him when the claims were audited, and bonds and certificates
were issued. Mr. Morris informed the General that, "in another
week he would have prepared the Muster Roll of Captain Poindexter's
company numbering some eighty men or thereabouts, as also several
claims for supplies which had been furnished the company.«
This letter also contained some personal comments on his arrival
in the county, concluding, "I like this county very much,
but, aside from this war business, I have not had much to attend
to, as the practice of the Law here is only in its incipiency."
A second letter from Mr. Morris dated January 30, 1858, was sent
to General Kibbe in which the information was given that duplicate
muster rolls of Captain Poindexter's.company of Tulare Volunteers
were being mailed. It had been impossible for Mr. Morris to send
them before as, 'he had had great difficulty, in fact almost
insurmountable; in obtaining names, dates, etc., but at last
everything was in ship shape order." Mr. Morris requested
the General at the time to let him (Morris) know at the earliest
convenience what disposition the General had made of the claims,
and if any bonds or certificates had been issued to please send
them under cover to him. The muster rolls for companies which
had participated in Indian Wars were made out in detail and presented
through a special Board to the Government for adjustment:. Mr.
Morris' efforts in handling the claims for the Indian depredations
also resulted in the passage of an act by the Legislature to
allow Brigadier General Beale a stipulated sum for his activities
in negotiating the Peace Treaties. This Act illustrates the manner
in which the State repaid those who helped in maintaining peaceful
relations with the Indians, and,is:quote as follows: (9)
ACT
Section 1: The claim of Edward F. Beale, for expenses incurred
by him whilst engaged in the settlement of Indian difficulties,
in the Tulare section of country, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six, by the orders of the Executive of this
state, be and the same is hereby audited and allowed, to the
amount of twelve hundred and forty-two dollars.
2: Of the amount allowed in the foregoing section, five hundred
dollars shall be issued, in a state bond, to J. Neely Johnson,
or his assignee, being the amount advanced by said Johnson to
E. F. Beale aforesaid, on the fourteenth of September, one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six, on account of said claim for expenses
.
With the conclusion of the peace negotiations
between the Indian tribes and the United States Government, there
was no longer a need for a militia unit in the vicinity, and
according to the.Adjutant General's Report the Tulare Mounted
Rifles were supposedly disbanded in 1859.
Footnotes
(1) History
Central California Tulare County, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago,
Page 171.
(3) Sheriff Poindexter was mentioned as
Captain Poindexter in Mr. Morris letter to the Governor on January
30, 1858.
(4) History Central California Tulare
County, Lewis Publishing Company
(5) General Edward Fitzgerald Beale was
appointed, November 11, 1852, by President Fillmore as General
Supervisor of Indian Affairs for California. Congress accordingly-appropriated
$250,000 for the better protection, subsistence and colonization
of the Indian tribes within the General's superintendency. Edward
Fitzgerald Beale (a pioneer in the path of an empire) 1822-1903.
Author, Stephen Bonsal; Publisher, G. P. Putnam, 1912, Page 62.
(6) Edward Fitzgerald Beale, 1912. Stephen
Bonsol, Author; S. P. Putnam, Publisher. Pages 192-193.
(7) Letter written to Thomas J. Henley,
Superintendent of Indian Affairs, by M. B. Lewis June 14, 1856,
on file State Archives, State Capitol.
(8) All information on Brigadier General
Beale's participation in the Peace negotiations was obtained
from a letter written to Governor Johnson on July 12, 1856, which
is on file in the State Archives, State Capitol.
(9) William Gouvernear Morris is listed
in San Francisco's Directories of 1856 and 1857 as an Attorney,
40 Montgomery Street. He died at Sitka, Alaska,of.pneumonia,where
he had just completed three years as Collector of Customs for
the District of Alaska. He was an old and prominent politician
of California, had at one time been the United States Marshal
and for many years was employed in the Treasury Department This
extract of Mr. Morris' political life, was taken from the Sacramento
Union dated February 18, 1884, Page 2, Column 2.
(10) An Act to audit and allow the Claim
of Edward F. Beale, for senses incurred in the settlement of
Indian hostilities in 1856. April 26, 1858--original on file
State Archives. Photostatic on file Adjutant General's Office.
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
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