The 1st Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment in the
Union Army during the
American Civil War. It was first formed of five companies as 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry between August and October 31, 1861, at
Camp Merchant near
Oakland. After the battalion was organized it was sent to
Southern California, three companies being stationed at
Camp Latham, near Los Angeles, and two at
Camp Carleton, near
San Bernardino. November 20–29, 1861, a detachment under Second Lt. C. R. Wellman was stationed at Camp Wright, and pursued and captured
Dan Showalter's party west of the San Jose Valley and
Warner's Ranch. The battalion remained in Southern California until the spring of 1862, when it became part of the
California Column, and formed the advance force of that Column during the march to
New Mexico Territory and
Texas. In 1863, the Regiment was brought to full strength when seven more companies were raised to bring it to a full strength of twelve companies. The five companies first organized were mustered out August 31, 1864, the terms of service of most of the men having expired. Two new companies, B and C, were organized in New Mexico, by consolidation of the few men whose terms had not expired, and by new enlistments, and two new companies were enlisted in California, A and E, which, upon the completion of their organization, were sent to Arizona. All of the companies of First Volunteer Cavalry (Companies B, C, F, G, H, K, and M) stationed in New Mexico and Texas, were ordered to assemble at Baird’s Ranch, near
Albuquerque, to be mustered out of the service, during the month of September, 1866. Company M was the last mustered out on the September 30, 1866. 1st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment spent its entire term of service in the
western United States in California and New Mexico Territory and Texas.[1]
1st Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry Commanders
Company B October 1861 sent to
Camp Wright. November 20–29, 1861, Second Lt. C. R. Wellman pursued and captured
Daniel Showalter's party near
Warner's Ranch, west of the San Jose Valley. [2nd Lt. Wellman was in Company B according to Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion.]
Company C
Company D
Company E
Company F Mustered at
Camp Stanford October 31, 1863.
Company G Mustered at Camp Stanford June 12, 1863.
Company H
Company I
Company J
Company K Organized at
Camp Merchant,
Oakland, California; moved to
Camp Morris in October 1863, in
San Bernardino, California. Moved to Drum Barracks in December, 1863. Moved to Tucson, Arizona Territory in February 1864, then on to
Camp Valverde and
Fort Craig,
New Mexico Territory at the end of March 1864, arriving in April and remaining until moving to Fort Union in August. Moved to Cottonwood Springs in October and returned to Fort Union in December 1864, remaining there until May 1865 when they moved to the
Camp near Fort Larned,
Kansas where they remained until moving to
Camp at Lower Cimarron Springs in August, 1865. They returned to Fort Union November 1865, moving on to
Camp Lincoln in December 1865 where they remained until May 1866 when they returned to Fort Union on June 30, 1866. The company assembled at Baird's Ranch, near Albuquerque, to be mustered out of service, during the month of September, 1866.
Company L
Company M Organized at Camp Union, California, July 1, 1863. Moved to Tucson via
Drum Barracks, in February, 1864. At
Camp Goodwin,
Arizona Territory March 31, 1864. In
Las Cruces, New Mexico from April to October, 1864, then moved to
Hatch's Ranch, New Mexico. Moved to
Camp at Blue Water Creek in November, 1864 and participated in the "Kiowa and Comanche Expedition," near
Fort Bascom, New Mexico in December, 1864. It then returned to Las Cruces in January, remaining until May 1865 when they moved to
Fort Selden, then Fort Craig in June, returning to Fort Selden until September 1866 when it moved to Baird's Ranch to muster out on September 30, 1866. It was the last company of the regiment to be mustered out.