California Militia and National
Guard Unit Histories
Sacramento Home Guard
(9th, 10th, 19th and 26th Companies,
California Home Guard)
Sacramento
News
The following article was copied from
the December 22, 1917 issue of California Home Guard News.
The four Home Guard
Companies making up the First Battalion of the California Home
Guard, have been drilling faithfully for the past eight months
under the direction of Major S. W. Kay.
The Sacramento companies
are very fortunate to have a man of Major Kay's caliber at the
head of the organization. Major Kay has had thirty years' experience
in the National Guard, and is a capable leader.
Captain Egbert Brown
is in charge of Company 9, and is a live wire, an all-round good
fellow, and a faithful worker. Much of the success of the Sacramento
companies is due to Captain Brown's efforts. He is ably assisted
by Lieutenants Osbourne, Elliott (Adjutant-Major of Battalion),
and Irving Post.
Company 10 is in charge
of Capt. Geo. B. Baldwin, a Spanish War veteran, but very much
alive and on the job. Company 10 has the distinction of having
the City Superintendent of Schools, Principal of the High School,
the Coroner, Panama Murphy, of baseball fame, and Jess Bolton
on its muster roll.
Company 19 is in charge
of First Lieut. H. Baugh. Company 19 was unfortunate to lose
Captain Victor Chambers, to whom much credit is clue for the
good work of the company. Captain Chambers perfected his company
in machine gun work, and although they used automatic shotguns
for machine guns, and bicycles instead of mules, their drills
were very real and exceedingly interesting. The 19th Company
surprised the other companies one evening at a battalion drill
by appearing in uniforms and equipped with wooden guns.
All that the Sacramento
Battalion needs now is arms and equipment, and we will be ready
to serve Uncle Sam in any capacity he wishes to use us. We want
to do our "bit," and we hope that the Adjutant-General
and the Governor will very shortly see fit to recognize us in
the proper manner.
26th
Company, Oak Park
The following article was copied from
the December 22, 1917 issue of California Home Guard News.
This company was located in the Oak Park section of Sacramento
Captain, A. G. WILSON
First Lieutenant, H. G. DOWDALL
Second Lieutenant, L. B. GAROUTTE
Twenty-six Company received its license from Governor W. D. Stephens
on June 28, 1917. The above officers were elected by the company
and received their commissions from the Adjutant-General shortly
afterward.At that time we had about seventy-five on the muster
roll. Until lately we have been drilling twice a week, Sunday
mornings and Thursday evenings.
Lieutenant L. B. Garoutte left for Camp Lewis with the first
contingent from Sacramento. This vacancy was filled by Byron
C. Erwin, who was elected by the company and
received his commission from the Adjutant General.
We have been drilling with wooden drill guns, purchased by the
company, every Wednesday night at the State Armory. Last October
the four companies of Sacramento and vicinity, the Ninth commanded
by Captain Brown, the Tenth commanded by Captain Baldwin, the
Nineteenth by Captain Chambers and the Twenty-sixth commanded
by Captain A. G. Wilson, petitioned the Adjutant-General to form
them into the first battalion, California Home Guards, which
petition was granted and Major S. W. Kay was appointed Major
of the battalion.
This company has been fighting for recognition and equipment
the same as all other home guard companies in the State, but
so far we have had very little success. The members of the company
are enthusiastic in this work and if we could only get equipment
it would only take a very short time to whip the company into
first-class shape. The officers of the battalion have taken the
matter of equipment up with Martin Madsen, the Governor's secretary,
and the Adjutant-General's office and we are now taking it up
with the State Council of Defense.
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