California Militia and National Guard Unit Histories

Mountain Riflemen

(Independent New York Guard)

 

Official or other titles:

• Independent New York Guard, 1st Brigade, 5th Division, California Militia (CM)(1)
• After December 1855, Mountain Riflemen, 1st Brigade, 5th Division, CM
  

Location: New York Flat, Yuba County

Mustered in: Mustered in November 17, 1855
Mustered out: 1857

 

 

Unit Papers on file at the California State Archives

 

a. Organization Papers 3 documents (1855)
b. Bonds 1 document (1855)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 2 documents (1855-1857)
d. Election Returns none
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 2 documents (1855-1857)
g. Oaths Qualifications none
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 2 documents (1855-1856)
j. Requisitions 1 document (1856)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none

 

Commanding Officers

 

William P. Calloway, Captain, Commissioned: November 17, 1855
L. B. Bruin, First Lieutenant, Commissioned: November 17, 1855

 

 

History

 

The Mountain Riflemen, New York Flat, Yuba County, was organized, November 17, 1855, under the name Independent New York Guard. The title of the newly organized unit was changed two weeks later to Mountain Riflemen by the unanimous approval of the company who deemed this latter name more appropriate and better suited to the miners who composed the corps, and also that the former name was not explanatory as to where the men "hailed" from. (1) An election of officers with William P. Calloway, Captain; and L. B. Bruin, First Lieutenant; was held at the organization meeting.

A Bond for $3,500 was filed November twenty-fourth of the same year. Captain Calloway sent in a requisition for eighty stand of arms. However, the company had only a membership of fifty two recruits at the time which the military authorities took into consideration when approving the requisition and supplying the command with but forty stand of arms and accoutrements, February 2, 1856. The rifles were of the percussion type, this model being in general use at that time.

Indian hostilities and their subsequent depredations were frequent during the early years of Yuba County and the citizens felt a sense of security knowing military protection was afforded them in the loyal ranks of the volunteer company under the able and efficient command of Captain Calloway. However, as time passed, more peaceful conditions came about and as the miners were of transient nature it was difficult for the organization to keep its membership up to the military standard and Captain Calloway on June 5, 1857, sent the yearly Muster Roll to General William C. Kibbe informing the General that disbandment was favored by the members.

There was no official mustering out date, but it is assumed the Mountain Riflemen were disbanded early in the Summer of 1857 as no further record appears concerning the company subsequent to that date.

 

 

Footnotes

(1) Letter from company Clerk, Guy F. Seely to General Kibbe, November 29, 1855.

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