Official Name:
Papers on file at the California State Archives:
| Name | Date of Rank | Date of Commission | Remarks |
| William R Gorham, Captain | May 27, 1861 | June 27, 1861 | |
| James E Nuttman, First Lieutenant | May 27, 1861 | June 27, 1861 | |
| William R Gorham, Captain | Reelected January 7, 1863 | ||
| Samuel D. Simmons, First Lieutenant | January 17, 1863 | February 3, 1863 | |
| William R Gorham, Captain | Reelected December 2, 1863 | ||
| Samuel D. Simmons, First Lieutenant | Reelected December 2, 1863 | ||
| Samuel D. Simmons, Captain | December 8, 1864 | December 11, 1864 | Resigned August 15, 1866 |
| Peter B. Quinlan, First Lieutenant | December 6, 1864 | December 11, 1864 | |
| D.A. Gorley, Captain | August 15, 1866 | October 29, 1866 | Resigned September 24, 1867 |
| Peter B. Quinlan, First Lieutenant | Reelected August 15, 1866 | ||
| Harvey Lake, Captain | September 24, 1867 | October 3, 1867 | Reelected February 7, 1871 |
| Peter B. Quinlan, First Lieutenant | Reelected September 24, 1867, February 7, 1871 | ||
| Peter B. Quinlan, Captain | February 20, 1872 | March 6, 1872 | |
| Alfred J. Fritz, First Lieutenant | February 24, 1872 | March 6, 1872 | |
| John Mason, Captain | April 21, 1874 | May 4, 1874 | |
| Alfred J. Fritz, First Lieutenant | Reelected April 21, 1874 | ||
| Alfred J. Fritz, Captain | January 18, 1876 | January 29, 1876 | Reelected February 5, 1878 |
| Prentice M. Clarkson, First Lieutenant | January 18, 1876 | January 29, 1876 | Resigned August 15, 1876 |
| Peter B. Quinlan, First Lieutenant | September 19, 1876 | October 6, 1876 | Reelected October 5, 1878 |
| John C. Murphy, Captain | July 12, 1881 | August 9, 1881 | |
| John G. Noonan, First Lieutenant | December 14, 1880 | January 10, 1881 | |
| Samuel D. Simmons, Captain | June 17, 1884 | July 19, 1884 | |
| Vincent Hallowell. First Lieutenant | April 14, 1883 | April 27, 1883 |
The
Union Guard was organized in San Francisco on May 27, 1861. Their
first Captain, William R. Gorham, was an experienced and accomplished
officer having had previous service in the California Militia.
James E. Nuttman was elected as First Lieutenant. The unit immediately
became one of the largest companies in the State. In 1862, this
unit had furnished one Captain, James P. Hyde, for Company B,
First Infantry Battalion, California Militia, and two Captains
as well as other members for the California Volunteers during
the War of the Rebellion. It was reported that the organization
of the company was the result of the City of San Francisco having
purchased a light piece of artillery and having no department
that could satisfactorily handle the arms without extra financial
aid.(2)
Among the first public activities of the Union Guard was the participation of the company in the Inauguration of Governor F. F. Low in December 1863. At the ceremony the Union Guard fired the salute in honor of the Governor.(3)
On December 9, 1875, the entire Second Brigade took part in a parade in honor of the arrival of the new Gatling Guns. To climax the affair, a reception was held at the Mechanics Pavilion, San Francisco. The four Gatling Guns were temporarily assigned to the Union Guard at that time. On July 1, 1878, by Special Order the four Gatling Guns were permanently assigned to that company; and the unit was detached from the Second Infantry Regiment and redesignated Union Guard. Company A, Gatling Battery.(4) At that time neither the United States nor any State Militia company had given any place in their organization to the Gatling or Machine Guns. The foresight of the leaders of the California Militia in giving a place in the militia to this very efficient arm of destruction has been demonstrated time after time, and today, sixty years after that reception, the Machine Gun, greatly improved, is one of the deadliest weapons of war.
On July 3, 1876, a Field Day was held at the Presidio in San Francisco. The entire Second Brigade participated in the celebration of the.One Hundredth Anniversary of the Independence of our country. Evolutions of the Brigade and the sham battle that was staged at that time were witnessed by the Commander- in-Chief, Major General, and Staff, and over thirty thousand spectators. On the day following, July Fourth, the entire Brigade paraded in what was a very elaborate procession that fittingly observed that momentous day of a hundred years before, when fires of patriotism burning in the hearts of our forefathers led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. One year later the Second Brigade of which the Union Guard was a unit again participated in an elaborate parade in which citizens also took part.
On July twenty-third to twenty-ninth of 1876, the Union Guard with the other units of the Brigade was placed under arms at the request of the authorities of San Francisco, during the rioting of certain elements of the working class against the Chinese, especially the so-called "Coolie" laborer. While the Chinese were greatly intimidated, much of their property destroyed, and warned by the whites to return to China, the troops were not called into action until the evening of the seventh day when they patrolled the streets and restored order and peace. The next morning the Brigade was dismissed from further active duty.
The Brigade Inspector reported that the Union Guard kept its enrollment to the full amount allowed by law (149) and that at one inspection held in 1877, Captain Fritz commanding the unit, sent to Nevada for one of his Sergeants who as absent on leave, in order that he might be able to report one hundred per cent attendance.(5)
On June 1, 1881, when the Second Infantry Regiment was redesignated as the Second Artillery Regiment, Second Brigade, the Union Guard was attached to the new organization and was designated as Company A, Second Artillery Regiment, Second Brigade.(6)