California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
Mobile Guard
Official or other titles: Mobile Guard, Company E, Sierra Battalion, 2nd
Brigade, 4th Division, California Militia
Location:
Shady Flat, Sierra County
Mustered in:
March 19, 1858 Date of Disbanding: Unknown Inclusive dates of units papers: 1858
Unit papers on file at the California
State Archives:
a. Organization Papers 1 document (1858)
b. Bonds 1 document (1858)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) none
d. Election Returns none
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 1 document (1858)
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
Andrew L. Stertens, Captain
David L. Whitney, First Lieutenant
Official History
When the emigrants poured into California
after Marshall's discovery of gold, many little settlements were
established by the pioneers around the diggings where the precious
metal was being mined. Names were given to these "mushroom
villages" for sentimental reasons, or through some quirk
of fate in the activities of the residents. Mobile Flat, Shady
Flat, O'Donnell Flat, and Snake Bar were located in Sierra County.
In 1858 residents from these four new settlements gathered together,
for the organization of.a volunteer military company to be prepared
and ready for any emergency should the State need their services.
There were many tribes of hostile Indians through out the State
particularly in the northern districts; there fore, public spirited
men were always aware of the possible need of protection for
their homes and work. After the nec essary steps were taken,
the meeting was called and presided over by Major Hungerford
at which time sixteen officers were elected from a roll of forty-eight
members, and the company stationed at Shady Flat took the name
of Mobile Guard becoming Company E, of the Sierra Battalion under
Major Hungerford.
A Bond of $2,000 was signed by D. S. Forman
and William P. Tenmant as sureties, and was subscribed and sworn
to before John C. Stanley, Notary Public, on March 22, 1858.
The Bond was filed with the Adjutant General by Alanson Smith,
Judge of Sierra County, on March thirty-first, in order that
the company would receive their necessary arms. The Muster Roll
signed by Captain Stertens, which was certified to by Major Hungerford,
was approved by O. C. Hall, Brigadier-General of the Second Division,
Fourth Brigade, on June first. This roll indicates that members
began enrolling in the volunteer company from March fourteenth
to May second.
As there is no Adjutant General's Report for the year 1858, nor
any other available information of the Mobile Guard, it is not
known whether the company was ever issued arms or participated
in military activities. Population in the mining districts was
more or less transient during that era, as many times word came
of new strikes found in other localities where diggings were
reported to be richer, thus drawing people away from the townships
already settled. After the exodus from the deserted camps, interest
in military activities waned causing a disbandment of the volunteer
companies. It is assumed that some such occurrence may have been
the cause for the disbandment of the Mobile Guard, although there
is no official record of the mustering out of the company.
This history was completed
in 1940 by the Works Progress Adminostration in conjunction with
the Californai National Guard and the California State Library.