Tom McCauley
Encyclopedia
Tom McCauley, better known by his alias
as James Henry or Jim Henry (? - 1865), was one of the many California Gold Rush
criminals in Tuolumne County convicted of murder with his brother in 1857 and imprisoned for ten years. Pardoned in 1861, he joined an outlaw
gang in the San Joaquin Valley
until it was broken up by the law.
In 1864, now known as "Jim Henry", he was one of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang
organized by secessionist Judge George Gordon Belt
, that posed as Confederate
partisan rangers but acted as outlaw
s, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley
, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County
and later in the counties of Southern California
..
McCauley was described by The Visalia 'Delta' of Nov. 30th 1864 as one of two secession guerillas and murderers "who killed ROBINSON and 2 other men the day after the late Presidential election:"
When the Civil War ended in April with Lee's surrender at Appomattox the gang came under pressure in Central California. They moved into Southern California and split up. Henry with part of the gang moved into the eastern San Gabriel Mountains
at San Sevaine Flats from which they began rustling, committing robbery and murder as they did.
In September of that year, he and his associates were camped out near San Bernardino
and sent John Rogers to town to obtain provisions. While there, Rogers became liquored up and started boasting about his outlaw connections. The locals took note and Rogers was arrested by Sheriff George T. Fulgham
. The sheriff's posse found Henry camped at San Jacinto Canyon
, about twenty-five miles south of town, (then just over the county line in San Diego County). At sunrise on September 14, the posse approached cautiously when Henry was awakened. He roused himself to fire three shots, striking one posse member in the foot. Henry died in a hail of gunfire, sustaining 57 wounds. His corpse was taken back to town, photographed and displayed in Old West fashion.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
as James Henry or Jim Henry (? - 1865), was one of the many California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
criminals in Tuolumne County convicted of murder with his brother in 1857 and imprisoned for ten years. Pardoned in 1861, he joined an outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
gang in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
until it was broken up by the law.
In 1864, now known as "Jim Henry", he was one of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang 1864-1865, a bandit gang that posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California.- Mason and Henry as...
organized by secessionist Judge George Gordon Belt
George Gordon Belt
George Gordon Belt , soldier, 49er, businessman, judge, Confederate sympathizer who organized the Mason Henry Gang in California during the American Civil War.-Early Life and California:...
, that posed as Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
partisan rangers but acted as outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
and later in the counties of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
..
McCauley was described by The Visalia 'Delta' of Nov. 30th 1864 as one of two secession guerillas and murderers "who killed ROBINSON and 2 other men the day after the late Presidential election:"
- McCAULEY alias James HENRY - Light florid complection; full prominent forehead; dark gray eyes, large and prominent; dark hair, rather short; dark whiskers, rather thin; may have light moustache; hight, about 5 feet 7 or 8 inches; weight, 145 pounds; stooped shouldered; head thrown forward; brown coat; black hat, lopped down; had on boots; riding large flea bitten grey horse, shod all round, has collar marks; Spanish saddle, known as half ranger; no machios; small tipidarios; common bridle; Dragoon bit; had spurs; 1 6-shooter and common butcher knife; went by the name of Spotty, at Watsonville.
When the Civil War ended in April with Lee's surrender at Appomattox the gang came under pressure in Central California. They moved into Southern California and split up. Henry with part of the gang moved into the eastern San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
at San Sevaine Flats from which they began rustling, committing robbery and murder as they did.
In September of that year, he and his associates were camped out near San Bernardino
San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
and sent John Rogers to town to obtain provisions. While there, Rogers became liquored up and started boasting about his outlaw connections. The locals took note and Rogers was arrested by Sheriff George T. Fulgham
George T. Fulgham
George T. Fulgham, Sheriff of San Bernardino County, California from 1864-1866. Led the posse that killed Jim Henry of the Mason Henry Gang in San Jacinto Canyon on September 14, 1865.-References:...
. The sheriff's posse found Henry camped at San Jacinto Canyon
Railroad Canyon
Railroad Canyon, also known as San Jacinto Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, and Annie Orton Canyon, lies along the course of the San Jacinto River at the point where the river passes south through the hills from Perris, California, through Canyon Lake, California, then west to Lake Elsinore, California...
, about twenty-five miles south of town, (then just over the county line in San Diego County). At sunrise on September 14, the posse approached cautiously when Henry was awakened. He roused himself to fire three shots, striking one posse member in the foot. Henry died in a hail of gunfire, sustaining 57 wounds. His corpse was taken back to town, photographed and displayed in Old West fashion.