Skirmish at Grass Valley

On April 19, 1865, Secessionists skirmished with 25 troopers of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion in Grass Valley, California in the wake of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Background
On March 15 Brig. Gen. John S. Mason, the new commander of the District of Arizona, directed the 1st California Cavalry Battalion to move east to fight the Apaches. The battalion was getting ready for the thousand-mile march when the news came about President Lincoln's assassination and their movement was postponed. In California hundreds of southern sympathizers across the state celebrating the news in the streets. A man in Butte County made some disrespectful comments about Lincoln, bragging about what he would do to the soldiers who came after him. He was armed "large Colt revolver. " In the streets of Marysville, a man named L. W. Thomas, from Tennessee, walked about the town with a "silk Confederate flag" pinned to his chest. When news came in about the actions of the sympathizers, California volunteers stationed in nearby forts were sent out to intercept the perpetrators and keep the peace. One of the more violent incidents happened at Grass Valley between local Southern sympathizers and detachment of company A of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion.

Skirmish
Company A sent out a detachment of 25 men commanded by Second Lieutenant M. E. Jimenez to Grass Valley. When they got to Grass Valley a skirmish with a group of secessionist ensued. Two privates were severely wounded (Antonio Guilman and Juan Leon), while none of the Secessionists were killed or wounded. Jimenez and his soldiers arrested ten individuals ending the short skirmish.

Aftermath
Company A took the prisoners from Grass Valley to Camp Low. On June 3 the Lancers were scheduled for departure to Arizona when "two secessionists arrested in the wake of President Lincoln's death escaped from the Camp Low guard house. " Major Cremony detailed both companies to hunt for the rebels. After a week of searching in vain, the Californios began their lengthy march to Arizona on 16 of June.

This was the last engagement the Cavalry Battalion fought against Southern sympathizers.