California Militia
and National Guard Unit Histories
National Guard
(San Jose)
Official or Other Titles: National
Guard, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, California Militia
Location: San
Jose, Santa Clara County
Mustered in: April
13, 1857
Mustered out:
1861 Inclusive dates of units papers: 1857-1861
Papers on file with the California State Archives
a. Organization Papers 1 document (1857)
b. Bonds 1 document (1857)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 5 documents (1857-1861)
d. Election Returns none
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 1 document (1857)
g. Oaths Qualifications none
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 2 documents (1857)
j. Requisitions 2 documents (1857)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other none
8. Miscellaneous:
Commanding Officers
S. 0. Houghton, Captain, Commissioned
May 1859
J. B. Hewson, First Lieutenant, Commissioned May 1859
Official History:
On April 13, 1857, in San Jose, Santa Clara
County, a volunteer militia company was organized and sworn into
the service of the State. This company was known as the National
Guard, and with the posting of a $2,500 penal bond, the unit received
their arms and accoutrements and became one of the well equipped
military organizations of the State
There was only a meager source, of information
concerning this company's activities, and it was not until 1859,
that the commission date of; the company officers appeared on
record.
With the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion
in 1861, a great many members joined the regular United States
Army or the California Volunteers. Because of this fact, the National
Guard was not able to keep its membership up to the minimum standard
required by the Military Law of 1850, and the company disbanded
during the latter part of the year 1861. It was succeded by the
Union Guard.
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
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