California State Military
DepartmentCalifornia State Military
DepartmentOfficial Name: Santa Clara Light Infantry (after 1864, Santa Clara Guard), Second Brigade
Location: Santa Clara, Santa Clara County
Mustered in:
August 1, 1861
Mustered out: October 15, 1866
| Name | Date of Rank | Date of Commission | Remarks |
| A. Jones Jackson, Captain |
|
|
|
| G. H. Parsons,, First Lieutenant |
|
|
|
| George H. Parsons,, Captain | April 29, 1863 | May 16, 1863 | |
| Volney Willett,, First Lieutenant | April 29, 1863 | May 16, 1863 | |
| Hugh D. Menton Captain | April 6, 1864 | May 6, 1864 | |
| J. R. Billings, First Lieutenant | April 6, 1864 | May 6, 1864 | |
| F. A. Brimblecom Captain | April 6, 1865 | May 19, 1865 | Resigned October 20 1865 |
| Hugh D. Menton, Captain | December 21, 1865 | August 22, 1866 | |
| William H. Swope, First Lieutenant | April 6, 1865 | May 19, 1865 |
The need of a company or several companies of militia in Santa Clara County was manifested when on April 15, 1861, the Sheriff of the county attempted to serve a writ of restitution on one of its citizens and was resisted by a band of armed men numbering nearly a thousand. The Sheriff wrote to Governor John G. Downey asking for sufficient guards to to"serve the papers if new ones were issued.*
Undoubtedly this aroused the citizens of Santa Clara, and they proceeded to organize a militia company. J. S. J. Wright was appointed by the Court to enroll names for a volunteer unit. The organization was completed on August 1, 1861, when officers were elected and the company designated the Santa Clara Light Infantry. This company also was known as the Santa Clara Guard as recorded on the Muster Roll of December 1864.
The Muster Roll of August 1863, two years after their organizatlon, shows the names of eighty-three members which indicated that this company was a strong unit. A letter to the Adjutant General by Captain Jackson, February 1862, requested twenty more rifles as he had over sixty members and only forty rifles. The Adjutant General sent sixty new rifles and accoutrements to the Santa Clara Light Infantry and ordered the company to turn their old rifles over to Father Accolti of the Santa Clara College, which order was obeyed.
The only record of activities of the company
were those of the usual muster and inspection, drills and parades.
The last Muster Roll of this company was October 15, 1866, which
revealed only thirty-five members and it is likely the company
was mustered out soon after, as it was listed in the Adjutant
General's Report of 1866 as having disbanded.
'Letter April 18, 1861, Sacramento, to Sheriff of Santa Clara
County from Governor John G. Downey, on file Adjutant General's
Office.
1. Name of Unit: Santa Clara Light Infantry (Santa Clara Guard) . Item No.: B3409-3
2. Military Unit Designation: Company F, 1st Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade
3. Date of Organization: August 1, 1861
4. Date of Disbanding: October 15, 1866
5. Inclusive dates of units papers: 1861-1866
6. Geographical Location or Locations: San Jose, Santa Clara County
7. Records Series Descriptions:
a. Organization Papers 2 docs (1861)
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 29 docs (1861-1864)
d. Election Returns 8 docs (1862-1866)
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 9 docs (1861-1866)
g. Oaths Qualifications 9 docs (1861-1866)
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 3 docs (1861-1863)
j. Requisitions 1 doc (1861)
k. Resignations 9 docs (1861-1865)
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none
8. Miscellaneous: Santa Clara Guard became Company H, 5th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade.
Posted 28 December 2008
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