California Militia and National Guard Unit Histories

Los Angeles Rangers

 

Assigned to: 1st Brigade, California Militia

Location: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County

Mustered in: August 1, 1853
Mustered out: 1857
Inclusive dates of units papers: 1853-1855

Papers on file at the California State Archives:

a. Organization Papers none
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 8 documents (1853-1855)
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 3 documents (1853-1854)
j. Requisitions 2 documents (1853-1854)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

A: W. Hope, Captain, Commissioned: August 1, 1853
Elias Brevoot, First Lieutenant, Commissioned: August 1,1853

 

 

History

 

In the early 1850s Los Angeles County was infested with organized bands of outlaws; and. the Sheriffs, Deputies and other civil authorities were unable to successfully combat them in maintaining law and order. To protect the citizens of Los Angeles from,frequent raids by these outlaws, a volunteer militia company; known as the Los Angeles Rangers was organized in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County; August 1, 1853, under the command of Captain Hope.(1) .This unit was composed of sixty active members and by.their splendid cooperation with the civil authorities there was a sharp decrease in the number of crimes, committed in that region.

 

The Rangers on February 22, 1854, were in attendance at the first judicial execution held in Los Angeles. The condemned man was a Mexican named Herrera, who had been convicted of murder. (2) On October 8, 1855, the Los Angeles Rangers arrested three men and a woman on charges of robbery and murder. The prisoners were convicted and sentenced to hang. However, after the captives were placed in jail they escaped, and again the aid of the Rangers was enlisted. The escaped party was readily recaptured and were held in the custody of the soldiers for safe keeping until time for their execution.(3)

 

The Los Angeles Rangers after four years of active and faithful duty to Los Angeles County and the State was disbanded in 1857.(1)

Footnotes

 

(1) History of Los Angeles County, published 1880, page 126, State Library.

(2) San Francisco Daily Herald, February 22, 1854, page 2, column 3.

(3) San Francisco Daily Herald, October 8, 1855, page 1, column 3.

 

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!

Search the Web Search California Military History Online

 

Questions and comments concerning this site should be directed to the Webmaster

 

Updated 8 February 2016