Mariposa Battalion
Encyclopedia
Mariposa Battalion was a California State Militia unit formed in 1851 to fight the Yosemites
and Chowchillas in the Mariposa War
.
After a force under Mariposa County Sheriff
James Burney
was found unequal to the task of defeating the Indians, Burney made an appeal to Governor
John McDougal for help. This led to authorizing an organization of two hundred men into the Mariposa Battalion.
The Mariposa Battalion was mustered 12 February 1851. Sheriff Burney was the first choice for the Major
to command the unit, but Burney declined due to his other responsibilities in Mariposa
. James D. Savage
was then chosen as major, primarily due to his scouting abilities. The battalion was divided into three companies: Company A commanded by John J. Kuykendall, with seventy men; Company B under John Boling, with seventy-two men; and Company C, under William Dill, with fifty-five men. Other officers elected included M. B. Lewis as Adjutant, A. Brunson as Surgeon and Vincent Hailor as Guide.
A camp was established two and one-half miles from the town of Mariposa near Savage's Agua Fria
trading post
.
Miwok
Miwok can refer to any one of four linguistically related groups of Native Americans, native to Northern California, who spoke one of the Miwokan languages in the Utian family...
and Chowchillas in the Mariposa War
Mariposa War
The Mariposa War was a conflict between Native Americans and miners in California that took place in the early 1850s.The Mariposa War was sparked by the 1849 California Gold Rush, the discovery of the gold forged a California Trail which forked off southward from the Oregon Trail...
.
After a force under Mariposa County Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
James Burney
James Burney
James Burney was an English rear-admiral, who accompanied Captain Cook on his last two voyages.-Family:Burney was born in London, the son of the composer and music scholar Charles Burney and his wife Esther Sleepe...
was found unequal to the task of defeating the Indians, Burney made an appeal to Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
John McDougal for help. This led to authorizing an organization of two hundred men into the Mariposa Battalion.
The Mariposa Battalion was mustered 12 February 1851. Sheriff Burney was the first choice for the Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
to command the unit, but Burney declined due to his other responsibilities in Mariposa
Mariposa, California
Mariposa is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Mariposa County, California, United States. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census, up from 1,373 at the 2000 census. Its name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of Monarchs seen overwintering there by early...
. James D. Savage
Jim Savage
Jim Savage or James D. Savage, , California pioneer, 49er, businessman, American soldier in the Mexican American War, and commander of the California Militia, Mariposa Battalion in the Mariposa War, discoverer of the Yosemite Valley.-Early years:...
was then chosen as major, primarily due to his scouting abilities. The battalion was divided into three companies: Company A commanded by John J. Kuykendall, with seventy men; Company B under John Boling, with seventy-two men; and Company C, under William Dill, with fifty-five men. Other officers elected included M. B. Lewis as Adjutant, A. Brunson as Surgeon and Vincent Hailor as Guide.
A camp was established two and one-half miles from the town of Mariposa near Savage's Agua Fria
Agua Fria, California
Agua Fria is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California. It is located northeast of Catheys Valley, at an elevation of 2001 feet...
trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
.