California Militia
and National Guard Unit Histories
Stockton Blues
Official or Other Titles: Stockton
Blues, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, California Militia
Location: Stockton,
San Joaquin County.
Mustered in: January
8, 1857
Mustered out:
September 9, 1861 Inclusive dates of units papers: 1856-1862
Records on file at the California State
Archives:
a. Organization Papers 5 documents (1856-1857)
b. Bonds 1 document (1857)
c. Correspondence (Unclassified letters) 10 documents (1856-1862)
d. Election Returns 1 document (1861)
e. Exempt Certificates, Applications for none
f. Muster Rolls, Monthly returns 3 documents (1857)
g. Oaths Qualifications 1 document (1857)
h. Orders none
i. Receipts, invoices 2 documents (1857)
j. Requisitions 2 documents (1857)
k. Resignations none
l. Target Practice Reports none
m. Other
Commanding Officers
Samuel A. Booker, Captain, Commissioned:
January 13, 1857
Patrick Edward Conner, First Lieutenant, Commissioned: January
13, 1857
Patrick Edward Conner, Captain, Date of
Rank: January 5, 1857 Commissioned: January 17, 1857
P. L. Shoaff, First Lieutenant, Date of Rank: January 5, 1857
Commissioned: January 17, 1857
P. L. Shoaff, Captain
Frank Stewart, First Lieutenant.
Official History
John W. Webster, a resident of Stockton,
San Joaquin County, was duly certified to open a book to enroll
the names of persons as volunteering to become members of a company
of Infantry. December 24, 1856, was the date set for this enrollment
and the meeting was convened and called to order in the City Hall
for the purpose of forming an independent military company. This
meeting was presided over by Mr. Webster, the roll was then signed
and by motion the meeting was adjourned until December twenty-seventh.
On the evening of the twenty-seventh pursuant
to adjournment, the organization was called to order again by
Mr. Webster, who read the minutes. The members then proceeded
to ballot for the following officers, Samuel A. Booker, Captain;
Patrick Edward Conner, First Lieutenant;
C. Patrick, Second Lieutenant and Charles G. Whale, Third Lieutenant..
Patrick Edward Conner, First Lieutenant of the new company had
already had previous active military duty. .He was a veteran of
the Mexican War and had been First Lieutenant of the California
State Rangers, the company which had been organized for the
sole purpose of capturing the notorious bandit, Joaquin Murietta,
and four other Mexicans. The Second Lieutenant, H. C. Patrick
was a democratic newspaperman. The company numbered among its
members some of the most prominent citizens of Stockton., however,
practically every walk of life was represented on the rolls.
At this meeting of the twenty-seventh, the
chair was given authority to appoint two committees, one committee
to take care of framing the Constitution and By-Laws of the company
and procuring a suitable armory and drill room, and the other
committee to take care of the uniforms. The meeting adjourned
to convene at the same time and place January 3, 1857. The organization
of the volunteer company was perfected and the Bonds for their
arms and accoutrements were approved and filed with Adjutant General
William C. Kibbe.
Its
name, Stockton Blues, was chosen with deference to the uniforms.,
which consisted of a dark blue frock coat and light blue trousers
with white infantry trimmings. No remuneration was received from
the State for the support of the Company, each member paying their
own expenses. To help defray these expenditures, which were necessarily
heavy throughout the years, an Annual Ball was given. These affairs
were grand occasions, the most outstanding of which was held in
September 1860, at the Pavillion on Courthouse Square. This ball
was the concluding event of the first Agricultural Fair held in
Stockton. The music was furnished by the Third Artillery Regiment
Band of sixteen pieces from San Francisco. The price of admission
was Three Dollars a couple., which netted the unit a substantial
sum. A concert was also held the following evening, when a fifty
cent admission fee was charged.(1)
On January thirty-first, the men received
their first supply of arms. Expecting the uniforms to arrive by
steamer in April, they wrote again to the Adjutant General asking
that he send them at least twenty-five or thirty belts and bayonet
scabbards so the men would be able to participate, fully uniformed,
in the forthcoming parade. Again on June twelfth, the company
corresponded with Adjutant General Kibbe about their arms. The
men were determined to take target excursions and wished to have
cartridges for their guns. The company evinced great interest
in target practice and produced a number of "crack shots,"
several of them being members of the "Pigeon Shooting Club."
The company was regarded for their faithful practice, winning
the gold medal for shooting at the Sacramento State Fair in 1859.
In 1861, Private E. M. Howison won the first prize, a silver goblet,
and Private Frank Stewart won the second prize, the State encampment
gold medal; while Private James Sharrot won the company gold medal
for the best shooting scores. The company gold medal was offered
by the non-commissioned officers for the best yearly shot at the
annual target practices.
The State Militia held their first encampment
in September 1859, at Oak Knoll which was located one mile northwest
of the town of Washington in Yolo County, across the river from
Sacramento. Seven companies attended this camp, the Stockton Blues
being one of the number. The company was awarded third prize for
proficiency in target practice. Their Captain, Patrick Edward
Conner, was unable to attend the encampment because of the death
of a son. The affair was considered a success despite the inadequacy
of the shelters and the high winds that marred the pleasure of
the visitors. Given better tenting equipment and better rationing
facilities, the next encampment would be a Mecca for the members
of the volunteer military companies of that section of the State.(2)
The Company paraded upon every possible occasion, such as Andrew
Jackson's Day, Washington's Birthday and Fourth of July. The corps
also acted as escort to various societies and public school children,
and attended in full uniform, with a brass band, theatrical performances
of favorite actors or actresses.
Evidently the men were having difficulty
in maintaining their company because it was deemed necessary to
reorganize the unit for its success and permanence. Therefore,
an election of officers was held on January 8, 1858, reelecting
the same officers.(3) The Stockton Blues still had considerable
difficulty in keeping the members active and interested, and on
July 17, 1861 a meeting was held upon receipt of Order No. 1 from
Headquarters Third Division, First Brigade, California Militia,
Stockton. This order had directed Major O. M. Brown to preside
at an election of the company's officers. Upon the opening of
the meeting, Lieutenant P. L. Shoaff, took the presiding chair
and directed the roll to be called. Immediately after the roll
call a resolution was presented by Sergeant Harrison for the disbandment
of the company. The resolution set forth the reason for the action
as:
1. Lack of minimum number of members required
by State.
2. Lack of well being of company which seemed
to characterize many of the members
.
3. The absence from and inattention to meetings and drills of
the company which rendered it impossible for the corps ever to
attain efficiency.
This resolution was carried by a majority
vote of all present, and on the announcement of the result the
members of the unit left the meeting room,. Major Brown, who had
no opportunity to preside at the election called for by Order
No. 1, also left the room, then later he was notified that a quorum
of the members were present at the armory ready to proceed with
the election of officers, (agreeable to the order of the Commander-in-Chief
of the Brigade.) He was requested to attend and preside over the
meeting, as the first duty of a soldier is obedience to orders
of his superiors, and the order in question directed the Major
to preside at an election, the regularity or irregularity of the
foregoing proceeding could not determine his action. Major Brown
proceeded with the election. Eleven members were present and a
majority of votes cast placed Lieutenant Shoaff in the position
of Captain, Lieutenant Frank Stewart was elected First Lieutenant
and O. M. Brown and George L. Sanderson were elected Senior and
Junior Second Lieutenants, respectively.
There is no record of commissions having
been issued for these officers. However., despite the reasons
set forth for the disbandment of the company, much bitterness
was manifested by a certain faction of the members who contended
the proceedings at the meeting were illegal. They appealed without
success to Governor Downey to have the disbandment resolution
set aside, stating that only half of the company had been notified
of the meeting. The unit's forty-eight members had been divided
into two factions since the beginning of the Civil War.
Captain Shoaff communicated with Governor
Downey on August 6, 1861, calling the Governor's attention to
the report of the election of officers and requesting commissions
for these officers. He also stated that Brigadier General P .
E. Connor had been to Sacramento to try to see the Governor in
the company's recent action, but was not able to see him (Governor
Downey) and therefore the Brigadier General was unable to inform
the company as to whether the election report had been considered.
(4) It is evident that the Governor did not take any favorable
action on this matter as on September ninth, Captain Shoaff communicated
with Adjutant General Kibbe in reference to the delivery of the
muskets and accoutrements to the State Armory. He also wrote that
the company was disbanding, although they intended to reorganize
at a later date. The mustering out of the Stockton Blues ended
an organization that had been the pride of Stockton. (5)
The following year on May eighth, O.M. Brown
and H. B. Crummer, wrote to Governor Stanford in regard to reorganization
of the Stockton Blues which had temporarily disbanded after Captain
Connor had resigned,' but there is no further information to show
that the request was carried through to completion. Records indicate
that the Stockton Blues were organized as a military band with
Richard Candy as their band leader and S. A. Booker as Captain
of the corps. Then at the beginning of the Civil War the company
disbanded because of disagreement on national issues, but continued
as a musical organization for many years.(6)
Future Major General
Patrick Edward Conner and his son in the uniform of the Stockton
Blues
(2) Sacramento Union September
22, 1859, page 2, column 3.
(3) Captain Conner filed a report of his
command with the Adjutant General on March twenty-fifth, listing
the officers and privates. Solomon Pearsoll was recorded on this
report as First Lieutenant and P. L. Shoaff as Second Lieutenant,
but the Adjutant General's Report of December 1861, gives the
name of P. L. Shoaff as First Lieutenant, D. Beaumont as Second
Lieutenant and Frank Stewart as Brevet Lieutenant.
(4) Letter on file in State Archives,
State Capitol.
Its
name, Stockton Blues, was chosen with deference to the uniforms.,
which consisted of a dark blue frock coat and light blue trousers
with white infantry trimmings. No remuneration was received from
the State for the support of the Company, each member paying their
own expenses. To help defray these expenditures, which were necessarily
heavy throughout the years, an Annual Ball was given. These affairs
were grand occasions, the most outstanding of which was held in
September 1860, at the Pavillion on Courthouse Square. This ball
was the concluding event of the first Agricultural Fair held in
Stockton. The music was furnished by the Third Artillery Regiment
Band of sixteen pieces from San Francisco. The price of admission
was Three Dollars a couple., which netted the unit a substantial
sum. A concert was also held the following evening, when a fifty
cent admission fee was charged.(1)