California in the Civil War

United States     U.S. Military      California      California Military      California in the Civil War

Introduction
California supplied at least four cavalry units and nine infantry units to the Union Army. Though these units stayed in the west, many California men went east and joined the Union Army there. California also sent gold east, replaced regular forces in the western territories, suppressed secessionist activity and secured the New Mexico Territory from the Confederacy.

The Wikipedia article, California in the American Civil War, has more information.

Records and Resources

 * The Family History Library has an index to compiled military service records of Union Army volunteers from California . The compiled military service records and the pension records have not been microfilmed and are only available at the National Archives. The Family History Library has the pension index on microfilm.


 * An exhaustive list of the Civil War volunteers is found in Richard H. Orton, Records of California Men in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1867 (Sacramento, California: State Office, 1890; Family History Library ). An index to this list is J. Carlyle Parker, A Personal Name Index to Orton's "Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1867" (Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1978; FHL ).


 * Civil War Pension Index Cards - A free Internet index to pension applications of veterans who served in the US Army between 1861-1917 is available on FamilySearch Record Search. Each card gives the soldier’s name, application and certificate numbers, state of enlistment, and might include rank and death information. Other wars, of that time period, may be included.

California Military Units

 * Mounted Detachment, California Infantry (3 months, 1861) (Union) "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union) Organized at large in California March, 1863, to July, 1864. Battalion assigned to duty in District of Arizona May, 1865, and operating against Indians in that District until April, 1866. Mustered out April 2, 1866.


 * 1st Battalion Mountaineers, California Infantry (union) Organized at large May 30, 1863, to March 16, 1864, for special service in Humboldt County. Attached to Humboldt District, Dept. of the Pacific. Battalion mustered out June 14, 1865.


 * 1st Regiment, California Cavalry (Union) Organized as a Battalion of 5 Companies at Camp Merchant, near Oakland, California, and mustered in as follows: Co. "A," August 16; Co. "B," October 31; Co. "C," October 31; Co. "D," September 9, and Co. "E," August 15, 1861. 7 new Companies organized and mustered in as follows: Co. "F," December 15; Co. "0," June 13; Co. "H," December 31; Co. "I," November 12; Co. "K," May 16; Co. "L," August 15, and Co. "M," May 16, 1863. At Fort McDowell, February, 1866. Regiment mustered out March 6 to October 19, 1866.


 * 1st Regiment, California Infantry(Union) Organized at large August to October, 1861. Company "K" organized February 12, 1862. Attached to Depts. of the Pacific and New Mexico. Duty in Districts of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah until October, 1866. Mustered out October 21, 1866.


 * 2nd Regiment, California Cavalry (Union) Organized at San Francisco September 5 to October 18, 1861. On Powder River Expedition July to September and garrison duty in Utah until mustered out July 12, 1866.


 * 2nd Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized at San Francisco and Carson City September 2, 1861, to December 30, 1862. Attached to Dept. of the Pacific Scout from Fort Crook to Honey Lake Valley November 3-29, 1862 (Detachment)Regiment Mustered out July 2, 1866.


 * 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized at Stockton and Benicia Barracks September 15 to December 3, 1861. Duty at Camp Douglass, Camp Connor and in the District of Utah until July, 1866. Mustered out July 27, 1866.


 * 4th Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized at Sacramento, Placerville and Auburn September to October, 1861. Moved to Drum Barracks, and duty there until mustered out April 18, 1866.


 * 5th Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized in California at large September to November, 1861. Company to Fort Cummings October, 1864. Mustered out November 27 to December 14, 1864.


 * 6th Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized at San Francisco October 21, 1862. Companies "D" and "I" moved to Fort Churchill June 4, 1865. Regiment mustered out October 25 to December 20, 1865.


 * 7th Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized at large October to December, 1864. Regiment moved to District of Arizona June, 1865, and duty there, stationed at various posts, until June, 1866. Mustered out June 28, 1866.


 * 8th Regiment, California Infantry (Union) Organized by Companies as follows: Company "A"- At Watsonville and mustered in November 17, 1864. Stationed at Fort Point, California, until February, 1865. At Cape Disappointment, mouth of the Columbia River, Washington Territory, until August 17, 1865, and at Fort Dalles, Oregon, untll October, 1865. Ordered to Fort Point, California, October, 1865. Company "B"-At Sacramento and mustered in December 5, 1864. Stationed at Fort Point, California, until April 17, 1865. Moved to Fort Stevens, Oregon, April 17-26, and duty there until Octobcr 11. Ordered to Fort Point, California. Company "C"-Organized at San Jose and mustered in January 28, 1865. At Fort Point, California, until October, 1865. Company "D"-Organized at San Francisco and mustered in February 14, 1865. Stationed at Fort Point, California until October, 1865. Company "E"-Organized at San Francisco January 25, 1865. Stationed at Alcatraz Island until October, 1865. Company "F"-Organized at San Francisco February 14, 1865. Stationed at Point Blunt, Angel Island, until October, 1865. Company "G"-Organized at Marysville and mustered in January 5, 1865. Stationed at Alcatraz Island until October, 1865. Company "H"-Organized in Calaveras County and mustered in February 27, 1865, at San Francisco. Stationed at Alcatraz Island and Fort Point until October, 1865. Company "I"-Organized in Yuba and Sierra Counties and mustered in at San Francisco February 6, 1865. Stationed at Fort Point until October, 1865. Company "K"-Organized at Placerville and Sacramento and mustered in at San Francisco February 25, 1865. Stationed at Fort Point until October, 1865. Regiment mustered out October 24, 1865. United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865