Date of Organization: 25 April 1864
Date of Disbanding: 24 July 1866
Inclusive dates of units papers at State Archives: 1864-1866
Geographical Location or Locations: San Francisco, San Francisco County
a. Organization Papers 1 document (1864)
b. Bonds none
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 3 documents (1864)
d. Election Returns 3 documents (1864-1865)
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 4 documents (1864-1866)
g. Oaths Qualifications 11 documents (1864-1865)
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 1 document (1864)
j. Requisitions 1 document (1864)
k. Resignations 5 documents (1864-1865)
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none
Commanding Officers:
Frederick Lemler, Captain: Elected 25 April 1964, commissioned 7 May 1864, resigned 5 September 1864
Louis Bergst, First Lieutenant: Elected 25 April 1964, commissioned 7 May 1864, resigned 5 September 1864
Charles Hamberger, First Lieutenant: Elected 9 September 1864, commissioned 26 September 1864
Carl H. W. Hewalke, First Lieutenant: Elected 9 September 1865, commissioned 3 October 1865
The California Musketeers was mustered into the State Military service in April of 1864 with a membership of fifty men, ranging from eighteen to forty-five years of age. The unit was organized for the purpose of -rendering home protection and to aid the civil authorities in quelling the Secessionists who were very active in San Francisco and the surrounding vicinities at that time. A Bond for $3,000 was posted with the Honorable Samuel Cowles, County Judge of San Francisco County, and the company received their arms and equipment in August of 1864. Due to the incompleteness of the files, nothing further was recorded concerning the California Musketeers, aside from drills and parades of annual and special occasions.
This unit was mustered out of the State service, under the Military Law, July 12, 1866, which was an economy measure enacted by the State Legislature to reduce the then existing force to eighty companies in all, sixty-four infantry, twelve cavalry, and four artillery companies.
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