| Unit Name: | 1st California Mountaineers Battalion |
| Dates: | May 30, 1863 to June 14, 1865 |
| Country: | United States |
| Allegiance: | Union |
| Branch: | Infantry |
| Battles: | Bald Hills War Attack on Redwood Creek Skirmish in the Hoopa Valley Skirmish near the Big Bar Skirmish near Willow Creek Skirmish near Fort Gaston Skirmish on Redwood Creek Skirmish in Redwood Mountains Skirmish on Kneeland's Prairie Skirmish near Boynton's Prairie Skirmish at Grouse's Creek Skirmish at Matole Skirmish at Thomas' House Skirmish at Big Flat |
1st Battalion California Volunteer Mountaineers was an infantry battalion in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent its entire term of service in the western United States, attached to the Department of the Pacific. It was organized from men from the counties of Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity, Klamath, Siskiyou, and Del Norte, and other parts of California, between May 30, 1863, and March 16, 1864, for special service in the redwood forests and mountains that was being fought over in the Bald Hills War in Humboldt County within the Humboldt Military District. The Battalion mustered out June 14, 1865.[1]
In a report to Lieut. Col. R. C. Drum, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Pacific on October 13, 1862, following the escape of Lassic and several hundred other warriors from the Smith River Reservation, Col. Francis J. Lippitt, Commander of the Humboldt Military District:
In short, the state of things is far worse than when we arrived. My previous reports will suffice, I think, to show that for this result neither I nor my officers and men are responsible. The truth is, two companies of State volunteers could be raised here, consisting of old hunters and mountaineers familiar with the habits of the Indians and accustomed to hunt them, that would be of far more service than a whole regiment of the finest troops in the world, no matter how active and zealous they might be. .[2]
Governor Stanford called for the organization of the Mountaineer Battalion on the recommendation General Wright on February 7, 1863, in the following proclamation:
PROCLAMATION.Whereas, Brigadier-General Wright, of the U. S. Army, commanding the Department of the Pacific, has called upon me for a battalion of six Companies of troops (infantry) for special service against the Indians in the Humboldt District, in this State, to serve until discharged by him:
Now, therefore, I, Leland Stanford, Governor of the State of California and commander-in-chief of the militia thereof do call upon the citizens of the frontier counties of Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity, Klamath, Siskiyou, and Del Norte, of this State, as many as shall be necessary to fill up the foregoing requisition, to organize themselves into companies, to be mustered into the service of the United States as hereby required. The requisite officers for this force will be commissioned by the Governor.
Done at Sacramento, Cal., this 7th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1863.
LELAND STANFORD, Governor.Attest:WM. H. WEEKS, Secretary of State.By A. A. H. TUTTLE, Deputy.EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Sacramento, February 7, 1863.[3]
A detachment of A Company joined detachments of B and C Company under Captain Ousley (A Co.), in the Christian Prairie engagement on December 26, 1863.
The company was next stationed at Camp Curtis and Camp Iaqua until April, 1864 having a Skirmish at Redwood Creek, February 29, 1864. Company A, moved to Fort Gaston until November, 1864; engaging in the Skirmish at Redwood Mountains March 1 and the Skirmish at Kneeland's Prairie May 1, 1864. It then returned to Camp Iaqua conducting operations in Humboldt District during the balance of its term of service, until mustered out at Fort Humboldt, April 25, 1865.[5] [6]
Captain Ousley, with a detachment of fifteen men, had an engagement with the Indians on Willow Creek, about eight miles from Fort Gaston, Cal., in which Captain Ousley and two privates were wounded.
It fought a Skirmish at Christian Prairie near Fort Gaston:
On December 26, 1863, Captain Ousley, with a detachment of thirty men, with mountain howitzer, attacked Indian fortifications on Christian Prairie, about twenty-three miles from Fort Gaston. Private C. Smith was wounded in the arm. The amount of damage done the enemy was two killed and several wounded. Two horses, two inules, four guns, several saddles, and some other articles of property were recovered, and the houses destroyed, together with a large quantity of Indian provisions. This engagement was participated in by detachments of Companies A, B, and C of the battalion.
Next was duty at Camp Anderson until October, 1864; where if fought the Skirmish near Boynton's Prairie May 6, 1864. It then had duty at Camp Curtis until June, 1865, conducting a scout from Camp Anderson to Bald Mountain August 8–12, 1864. Mustered out May 13, 1865.[7]
Ordered to Fort Gaston until May, 1864. Engaged in skirmishes at Thomas' Ranch November 11, 1863, and Trinity River November 13, 1863. A detachment of C Company joined detachments of A and B Company under Captain Ousley (B Co.), in the Christian Prairie engagement on December 25–26, 1863 near Fort Gaston.
It was then at Burnt Ranch, Trinity County, until November, 1864; engaging in a Skirmish at the Thomas House, on the Trinity River, May 27, 1864.
It was then at Fort Gaston until April, 1865, engaging in Operations in Trinity Valley from September 1 to December 3, 1864. It was then at Camp Iaqua during the balance of its term of service and was mustered out at Fort Humboldt, May 23, 1865.[8]