On April 19, 1865, Secessionist skirmished with 25 troopers of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion in Grass Valley, California in the wake of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Backround

Skirmish at Grass Valley
	Part of American Civil War
Date	April 19, 1865
Location	Grass Valley city in Nevada County, California39°13′9″N 121°3′30″W / 39.21917°N 121.05833°W
Result	United States victory
Belligerents
United States	Secessionists
Commanders and leaders
	Second Lieutenant M. E. Jimenez;
Units involved
1st California Cavalry Battalion	Local Secessionists
Strength
25	10
Casualties and losses
2 Wounded	all 10 Captured
	two secessionists Captured later escaped from the Camp Low guard house;

On march 15 Brig. Gen. John S. Mason was the new commander of the District of Arizona, had a plan that the 1st California Cavalry Battalion would be sent out east to fight the Apaches, and the battalion was getting ready for the whole thousand-mile march when the news came about Lincoln's Assassination and orders to keep the peace. In California hundreds of southern sympathizers across the state celebrating the news in the streets. A man in Butte County made some disrespectful comments about Lincoln, bragging what he would do to the soldiers who came after him, he was armed "large Colt revolver.^[1]" While in the streets of Marysville, a man named L. W. Thomas, from Tennessee walk down the town with a "silk Confederate flag" pinned to his chest.^[1] When news came in about the actions of the sympathizers, California volunteers station in nearby the areas and forts were sent out to intercept the perpetrators and keep the peace. One of the more violent incidents happened at Grass Valley between local Southern sympathizers and detachment of company A of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion.

Skirmish at Grass Valley

During the early April Company A of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion had been station at the Benicia Barracks on the mouth of the Sacramento River. The company was getting ready to head out to the Arizona Territory and commence operations against the Apaches. But the Benicia Barracks sent out orders to A & B Companies that their new mission was to stop violence and arrest men caught "rejoicing" at the news of Lincoln's murder.

Company A sent out detachment of 25 men lead by Second Lieutenant M. E. Jimenez headed to the Grass Valley.^[2] When they got to Grass Valley a gunfight with a group of secessionist ensued severely wounding 2 privates, Antonio Guilman and Juan Leon, none of the Secessionist were hit or wounded.^[3] Jimenez and his 25 soldiers arrested ten individuals ending the short skirmish.

Aftermath

Company A would take back the prisoners from Grass Valley. On June 3, the Lancers were scheduled for departure to Arizona when "two secessionists arrested in the wake of President Lincoln's death escaped from the Camp Low guard house.^[2]" Major Cremony called on both companies to hunt for the rebels. After a week of searching in would all be in vain, on June 16, Californios began lengthy march.^[2]

This was the only battle were the Cavalry Battalion fought against Southern sympathizers.

References

^ ^a ^b "California and the Civil War: Contemporary Accounts of California during the Civil War". militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c "California and the Civil War: Regiments of the California Volunteers in Federal Service: 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry". militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ California. Adjutant General's Office (1890). Records of California men in the war of the rebellion, 1861 to 1867. unknown library. Sacramento, CA : State Office. p. 305.

[:0-1] "California and the Civil War: Contemporary Accounts of California during the Civil War". militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

[:1-2] "California and the Civil War: Regiments of the California Volunteers in Federal Service: 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry". militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-05-16.

[3] California. Adjutant General's Office (1890). Records of California men in the war of the rebellion, 1861 to 1867. unknown library. Sacramento, CA : State Office. p. 305.

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