1st Regiment, California Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
The 1st Regiment, California Cavalry was first organized as a battalion of 5 Companies at Camp Merchant, near Oakland, California, and mustered in as follows: Company "A," August 16; Company "B," October 31; Company "C," October 31; Company "D," September 9, and Company "E," August 15, 1861.

7 new Companies organized and mustered in as follows: Company "F," December 15; Company "G," June 13; Company "H," December 31; Company "I," November 12; Company "K," May 16; Company "L," August 15, and Company "M," May 16, 1863.

The regiment was at Fort McDowell, February, 1866. It mustered out March 6 to October 19, 1866.

For additional history, see


 * The California State Military Museum, California in the Civil War: Regiments of the California Volunteers in Federal Service, 1st Regiment of Cavalry, (accessed 26 March 2012).
 * Richard H. Orton, Adjutant-General of California, Records of California in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1867, pages 68-86.
 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 8 June 2012)
 * The Wikipedia article, 1st Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 11 June 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,445 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Field and Staff Officers, Roster, pages 87-88.

Company A - many men enrolled at San Francisco in San Francisco County and Oroville in Butte County. Roster, pages 89-97.

Company B - originally organized at Camp Merchant in August 1861 for 3 years. When first enlistment expired in August 1864, the company was reorganized at Fort Sumner, New Mexico by the reenlistment of part of the original members and recruits from other organizations of California Volunteers who had mustered out in New Mexico. It mustered out as an organization September 10, 1866. Roster, pages 97-108, show which other unit a soldier came from.

Company C - originally organized at Camp Merchant in August 1861 and mustered out in August 1864 at Las Cruces, New Mexico. The new Company C mustered out September 21, 1866 at Los Pinos, New Mexico. Roster, pages 108-117.

Company D - many men enrolled at Marysville in Yuba County. "There are no muster rolls or muster out roll of this company in the offices of the Adjutant-General...therefore the record of the company is incomplete." roster, pages 117-121.

Company E - originally organized at Camp Merchant in August 1861 and mustered out at Las Cruces, New Mexico, August 31, 1964. An entirely new Company E was organized in California. The new company musted out Mary 6, 1866. Roster for both E Companies, pages 122-130.


 * 1st Company E - many men enrolled at San Francisco in San Francisco County.


 * New Company E - most of the men enlisted at San Francisco in San Francisco County and San Jose in Santa Clara County.

Company F - many men enrolled at San Francisco in San Francisco County and Sacramento in Sacramento County. Roster, pages 130-135.

Other Sources

 * California State Military Museum, 1st Regiment of Cavalry, California Volunteers has histories and rosters for each company.


 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘California in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * California in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for California, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. CALIFORNIA 1st Cavalry 1st Battalion, Native Cavalry 2nd Cavalry 1st Infantry 1st Battalion, Mountaineers, Infantry 2nd Infantry. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, 1964),.