Military

Residents of Calaveras County have served in every war and conflict in our country’s history since the War of 1812. They range from a handful of generals and one notable admiral to privates and ordinary seamen, from native-born Americans to immigrants hailing from places such as Mexico, Germany and Ireland. Many served with extraordinary honor and distinction, including a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Some died in battle and one at the infamous Civil War prison camp at Andersonville. All served the cause of their country.

The final resting places of these soldiers, sailors and marines can not only be found in cemeteries throughout the county but across America, from the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio to the Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, DC. By telling their stories, documenting their gravesites, and preserving their memorials, we honor their sacrifice.

By Sal Manna

Mexican War

The Mexican War of 1848 instigated California’s entry into the United States of America. For Calaveras County, one of the state’s original counties, the soldiers who came to California as part of the war effort were instrumental in the Gold Rush that exploded in the area and additionally provided many of its first government officials. Veterans of the war, and some also of the previous Texas War…

Civil War

Californians – and Calaverasites – indeed served, fought and perished during the Civil War. Though there was a strong strain of Confederate sympathy and support among the populace, the vast majority served on the side of the Union.

Spanish-American War

Following the sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine in February 1898, war was declared between the U.S. and Spain in April. The first major conflict since the Civil War, the Spanish-American War was also similarly fought largely using volunteer troops organized within states. Calaveras residents at the time joined the various California regiments. Past and future residents, however, spanned…

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