Jennifer A. Garey - California Cavalry

IMAGES
of America

CALIFORNIA
CAVALRY

ON THE COVER: In this 1941 image, the 11th Cavalry salutes the colors while in Campo. (Courtesy of Valerie Read.)

IMAGES
of America

CALIFORNIA
CAVALRY

Jennifer A. Garey

Copyright 2014 by Jennifer A. Garey
ISBN 978-1-4671-3110-0
Ebook ISBN 9781439644775

Published by Arcadia Publishing
Charleston, South Carolina

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013944357

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To Valerie, who made it possible, and to my family, Marty, Penny, and Phoebe.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you, Valerie Read, for the photographs of your father, a veterinarian for the 11th Cavalry, and for allowing me to share your fathers memory. Penelope Luksic, for giving the text a thorough once-over; you are the best writer I know. Thank you for your patience and your tactful candor. Thank you also to Marty and Phoebe, who made my exploration into the subject possible by taking care of daily life while I stepped out of it. A thank-you goes to the staff on the fifth floor of the National Archives, College Park; each of you made this project fun. Thank you, Jared Nelson, for believing in me and putting up with me, and I also thank Arcadia Publishing for letting me do this project, even if it is a little out of scope. All images appear courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), with the exception of chapter four, in which all images are courtesy of Valerie Read.

I hope that I was able to share this part of American history in a way that is respectful to cavalry regiments and respectful to the Indian nations that live in California and surrounding areas. We can only hope that we do not forget or ignore history since it is one of the best ways we can learn to become better at being human.

INTRODUCTION

Mounted cavalry was a military asset in America for hundreds of years beginning in 1777 during the Revolutionary War. The first official horse-mounted cavalry, the Corps of Continental Dragoons, was initially used for reconnaissance but was later outfitted with weapons and employed as an infantry throughout the Civil War, as mounted cavalry became strategically important for both the Union and Confederate armies. Mounted cavalries were critical in war campaigns in Cuba and the Philippines and were used exclusively in the US war against Mexico and Mexican revolutionary leaders such as Jos Doroteo Arango Armbula, also known as Francisco Pancho Villa. The mounted cavalry was also an integral part of westward expansion and the attempted removal and extermination of the nations of people indigenous to the continent.

The image of the US cavalry has become synonymous with extreme events in American military history. Under the direction of Pres. Andrew Jackson, the mounted cavalry was part of one of the worst periods in American history, the attempted genocide of Americas indigenous nations.

Aside from these military acts, the mounted cavalry served noncombative roles. Cavalries assisted with the surveying of land designated as national parks and were often tasked with maintaining the security of parks. Today, the National Park Service rangers continue to emulate the dress and military structure of the mounted cavalry.

California was the site of a number of mounted cavalry camps. The unique and varied landscape of flat desert, hillside chaparral, rocky mountain passes, beaches, and sandy dunes offered a training ground like no other. A number of cavalry units originated in these diverse landscapes. A short-lived Native American Cavalry, originating in Los Angeles in 1862, was commanded by Californio rancher Don Andreas Pico. The term native in Native American Cavalry refers to the Californios, or Mexican-Californian people. It was speculated that these Californio vaqueros, known to be expert horse riders, would make formidable cavalry soldiers. The Native American Cavalry was comprised of Californio vaqueros along with Mexicans, Chileans, Sonoran, and Yaqui Indians, Germans, and Americans. It operated under various commanders, and the occasional suspicion of disloyalty, until it was disbanded in 1866. California was also home to one of the first African American cavalries. These cavalry units were known as Buffalo Soldiers, a name given by Indians as a sign of respect.

Before mechanization, the mounted cavalry was considered the fastest mobile unit, excelling in reconnaissance, scouting, and reporting. Later, used on the front lines of combat operations, the mounted cavalry was the most prestigious military outfit. During training, a soldier developed his weaponry skills and his understanding of guns, riding, and horse and mule care. Today, horses and mules are no longer used in vast numbers for military combat situations; these animals are more likely to be used by police forces, as they remain one of the best means of crowd control. The cavalry is now mechanized and unmounted, signifying 20th-century changes in military technology.

The history of the American cavalry has been romanticized in popular culture and, therefore, divorced from most of its ruthless acts. According to Paul Chaat Smith in Everything You Know about Indians is Wrong, Europeans invaded, conquered and pillaged heavily populated, developed real estate. Vine Delora, in his book Custer Died for Your Sins, describes the 19th-century opinion that, because the Indian occupied large areas of land, he was considered a wild animal. The policies of the 19th-century United States were based on these prejudices and the belief in Manifest Destiny, the idea that white Americans had the right to make the world in their cultural likeness.

Though perspectives differ, when history is not recounted openly, or worse, ignored, the effects can be devastating to all. There will always be more than one perspective of any event; it is understanding the interactions of perspectives that show the whole picture.

Outlining the history of the California cavalry, battalions, and regiments between 1840 and 1941 and showing images of a time lost to advancement in military technology, California Cavalry has attempted to approach the topic of the cavalry from the perspective of native nations and cavalry troopers. Because California was not a state during the first half of American mounted cavalry history, the geographic regions are expanded to give context and continuity. To maintain historic accuracy, photograph locations are referred to according to the period in which the photograph was taken; for example, the text will note San Antonio, Mexico, as opposed to San Antonio, Texas, when applicable.

The subject matter of the mounted and mechanized cavalries is vast and interesting. Perhaps this small view will provide inspiration to find out more.

One

CAVALRY SENT WEST

The photographs in this section depict the early period of California history. It was a period of power struggles between the Californio rancheros, indigenous nations, and Mexico. In 1846, Pres. James K. Polk and Secretary of War William Marcy ordered Col. Stephen W. Kearney, commander of the 1st Dragoons, the early 1st Cavalry, to march into California and seize Monterey and San Francisco. Polk and his administration wanted to ensure that, if peace agreements were made with Mexico, the United States would achieve military control of California.