The Civil War created a rip in our national fabric and re-wove it with historic change. It resonates to this day, and continues to influence and define how we, as Americans, view ourselves. It is arguably the most traumatic, transformative and talked about event in U.S. History. Despite all the research, all the interest, and all the experts, the American Civil War still has some secrets to reveal. This series will explore a Civil War that you weren't taught about in school...
Confederate Military Operations In California: The
Partisans
The second Confederate operation in
California targeted the rich silver shipments that flowed from the Comstock
Lode in Nevada to Sacramento, California[1].
Captain Rufus Ingram (known as the “Red
Fox” in his forays with William Quantrill's guerrilla band, including the
heinous attack on Lawrence Kansas on August 21st, 1863) had fled
Missouri and taken refuge in Mexico. In
early 1864, he happened to meet up with George Baker, formally of San Jose, who
was on his way to join up with the Confederate Army. In talking with Baker, Ingram (whose brother
John also lived in San Jose) learned that there were many men in the Santa
Clara Valley who would fight for the secessionist cause, but needed military
leadership[2]. Ingram and Baker traveled to northern California,
and upon arriving in San Jose, they met with the local Castle of the Knights of
the Golden Circle. Ingram presented his official
commission as a Captain in the Confederate Army to the Knights, and proceeded to
recruit members for a military company that would become known as “Captain
Ingram’s Partisan Rangers”.
Ingram, Copperheads and the "Knights"
began the process of raising money for weaponry and equipment. Unfortunately, donations for the “Cause” were
scarce. Ingram then hit upon the idea of
taking money that came via stagecoach from Nevada[3]. On a spying mission to Placerville, one of
the gang’s unnamed members tried to recruit a local man while intoxicated. Seeing as this man's mission was to gather information
on Wells & Fargo silver shipments, drinking and recruiting with the
possibility of alerting Federal, military or local authorities was a
concern. One slip of the tongue and the
whole operation would "go south", no pun intended. Ingram was afraid
that plans to rob the stage shipment had been compromised, so he ordered the
group back to San Jose[4]. All plans for Placerville were sketchy at
this point, so Ingram decided instead to plan a raid on San Jose, Lawrence
style, looting local banks and stores, and financing his military operation
with the loot. Once again, another
member of the Rangers “gave up the goods”, exposing the plans to a local
farmer. For Ingram and his men, the second time was a charm, as the farmer, a
man by the name of Hogan, warned the local Undersheriff, and preparations were
made to give the Partisan Rangers a “warm reception” should they move on San Jose. However, luck was with the Confederates and they
were warned of the measures being taken to protect San Jose. In light of these revelations, the raid San
Jose was prudently cancelled[5].
Undaunted, Ingram revived the idea of
robbing a Comstock stagecoach, one of the six-horse Concord coaches of the Pioneer
Stage Company, transporting precious metals that financed a large part of the
Union war effort[6]. In the early morning hours of June 31st,
1864, Ingram and his Rangers made their first attack. They were lucky, scoring over $40,000 in
silver and gold bullion, gold dust, and coin from two separate coaches. The Rangers left the passengers unharmed, and
Captain Ingram handed the driver of the second stage a handwritten receipt for
the bullion that read:
“This
is to certify that I have received from Wells, Fargo, & Co. the sum of
$________cash, for the purpose of outfitting recruits in California for the
Confederate States Army. R. Henry
Ingram, Captain, Commanding Co., C.S.A."[7]
The treasure was taken and hidden by
the Rangers, and was never recovered, so it's assumed that all, or part, found
its way into Confederate hands[8].
The Law was quick to respond, tracking
what they saw as a band of thieving outlaws.
Within a day, the Rangers were tracked to a local residence by law
enforcement. A shootout ensued where one
Constable was killed and another wounded.
A partisan ranger named Tom Poole, was also wounded and left behind by
Ingram and the rest of the fleeing gang members. Captured, Poole became the only member of the
Rangers to be executed for his Confederate activities and was put to death on
September 29th, 1865[9].
Still a viable force (despite only
having five men left), Captain Ingram continued seeking treasure to
"liberate" in the name of the Confederacy. He found his mark in the payroll shipments of
the New Almaden Mines. Ingram learned the
next payroll would be picked up in San Jose on the afternoon of July 15th,
1864. On the evening of July 14th,
the gang gathered on the Almaden Road about a mile from San Jose. Once again, a careless remark alerted the
authorities to the Partisan Rangers' plan to steal the payroll. Local law enforcement immediately tracked and
found the gang and ordered the Confederates to surrender. The demand was answered with a hail of
bullets and in the ensuing shootout, three of the five Confederate Rangers were
captured or killed. Captain Ingram and
George Baker managed to escape and vanish.
So it was, the first two Rangers were the last two, disappearing along
with the only recognized Confederate military unit to operate inside the
borders of California[10].
*****
1. Laurence F. Talbott, California Secessionist Support of the Southern
Confederacy: The Struggle 1861-1865 (PhD. diss., The Union Institute,
1995), p. 178
2. Sacramento Union (September 10th, 1864), John Boessenecker, Badge and Buckshot, Lawlessness in Old California (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988) p. 137
3. Ibid. (August 29th, September 9th, 10th, 1864)
4. Ibid. (September 10th, 1864)
5. John Boessenecker, Badge and Buckshot, Lawlessness in Old California (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988) p. 139-140
6. Ibid. p.141
7. Ibid. p. 144
8. Laurence F. Talbott, California Secessionist Support of the Southern Confederacy: The Struggle 1861-1865 (PhD. diss., The Union Institute, 1995), p. 191
9. Phil Reader, Copperheads, Secesh Men, and Confederate Guerillas, Pro-Confederate Activities in Santa Cruz County during the Civil War, Part 2: Tom Poole, Confederate Guerilla
10. Laurence F. Talbott, California Secessionist Support of the Southern Confederacy: The Struggle 1861-1865 (PhD. diss., The Union Institute, 1995), pp. 180-182