1st Regiment of New York Volunteers


1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, was raised in 1846 during the Mexican–American War by Jonathan D. Stevenson. Accepted by the United States Army on August 1846 the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers was transported around Cape Horn to California, where it served as garrisons in Yerba Buena, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego. Elements of the Volunteers under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Stanton Burton were involved in operations of the Pacific Coast Campaign in Baja California, captured and garrisoned towns there, fighting in the Battle of La Paz, Siege of La Paz and defeated local forces at the Skirmish of Todos Santos after the peace was negotiated in 1848. The Regiment was then evacuated from Baja California and disbanded in California on August, September and October 1848.

History

Originally formed as the 7th Regiment of New York Volunteers upon the request of President James K. Polk by New York State Legislator Jonathan D. Stevenson. Secretary of War William L. Marcy directed Stevenson that the regiment should be composed of unmarried men, of good habits and varied pursuits, and such as would be likely to remain in California or adjoining territory at the close of the war.
The New York Legion departed New York 27 September 1846 aboard five ships, including the Susan Drew, LooChoo, and Thos H Perkins. Arriving in San Francisco 19 March 1847 companies D, E, G, and I were transported by store ship to the California Capital Monterey. From this post companies of the regiment were deployed by ship to lower California where they participated in the battles of La Paz, and the final Skirmish of Todos Santos. It is said of Co. D "This Company was without doubt the last command of American troops to leave the soil of Mexico after the close of the Mexican War." During the regiments tour of service in California portions of the regiment were dispatched throughout California in search of Indian horse-thieves. Much of the 1st New York was disbanded in early 1848.

Many names

Formed as the 7th Regiment New York Volunteers
Commonly referred to in New York as the California Guard or the California Regiment.
Since the 7th New York Volunteers was composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery the regiment was also called the New York Legion.
Finally re-designated in early 1848 by the War Department as the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, now also called the 1st New York Legion.
However, this fact was not well known outside of California and thus another regiment formed in New York by Colonel Ward B. Burnett served in Mexico as the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers during the war but was re-designated by the War Department as the 2nd Regiment of New York Volunteers, for during the war with Mexico.

Field officers