Civil War Troops

I enjoyed Cecilia Rasmussen’s July 25 article on the Drum Barracks in Wilmington but I wish she had contested the statement quoted by the U.S. Court of Claims that “California troops . . . were not used to do any fighting, they did only garrison and patrol duty.”

I believe the records show that California sent 15,725 volunteers to the Union Army. The Confederate number is unknown. The Union units included Company C, 8th U.S. Infantry; the California 100, which was integrated with the 2nd Massachusetts Calvary and served in the Washington D.C. defenses and against Mosby’s Rangers as well as at Cedar Crest, Dinwiddie Courthouse, Five Forks and Appomattox.

Another California regiment was adopted by Pennsylvania as part of the 71st Pennsylvania Infantry and served at Ball’s Bluff, the Peninsula, Antietam, Fredricksburg and Gettysburg. In fact, on a per capita basis I believe California supplied more troops than any other state. Our state is certainly entitled to the compensation sought.

DAVID J. BEAN

Torrance