The California National Guard at the Folsom Prison Riot

1927

This history was completed in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in conjunction with the California National Guard and the California State Library.

Digitized by the History Office, Camp San Luis Obispo, 23 January 2015

ACTIVITIES OF THE COMPANIES

OF THE

CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD

DURING THE

FOLSOM PRISON RIOT, 1927

ACKNOWLEOOEMENT

ASSISTANCE IN PREPARATION OF THESE MATERIALS WAS FURNISHED BY 1BE PERSONNEL OF WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL PROJECT NO. 665-08-3-128,

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OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE

CALIFCRNI•~ N ~ .ncNA.l GUARD ,·v1ILITIA AND VOLUNTEER FC.RCES

10 ·J9 - 1941 Pr.-.,.. r~d on

THE OFF C 0 T•-: :- A ; J .JTA" T GEI'-lERAL SA-..RA ·~,[• ·_TO , 'AL rO.'? NIA

STATIONS . AND LOCATl

FOLSO'

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Haveing completed these arrangements , General llittelstaedt secured a RegulLr Army airplane from Crissey Field ~ San Fran­cisco to transport'him to Folse~ where he arrived shortly after 4 :00 P.H.

Upon his arrival at Folsom prison, General Mittelstaedt found that about two hundred and fifty Nat ional Guardsmen had already reported. In addition to these, there were the prison guards, State police, motor police, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and a large number of civilians.

The National Guard troops at Folsom continued under the command of Colonel Mason, but did not take over complete control as the situation did not warrant such action. The troops did,how­ever, take over-the weak and important points in the defense and were .in readiness to assll!lle control of the entire situation, should the convicts attempt a bref).k for liberty. For the time being at least~ the Na.ti,:)nal Guardsmen simply cooperated to the fullest extent with the prison authorities.

At about 3:30 P.M. there was a movement of prison gU8rds an peace officers toward the cellhouse where the mutinous pri~on ers had established themselves. In the skirmish which follow­ed, about two hundred shots were exchanged. The Warden 's secretary was shot, but not fatally injured. Ten convict ere killed and several others were wounded.** The troops o£

the National Guard, did not, according to the Ad jutant General's report, participate in the firing. To refrain from so doing

as a splendid test of discipline, and the Guardsmen met it squarely.

In the organization and arrangement of the National Guards­men at the prison, two machine guns were mounted on tripods to command a sweep of the entrance to the cellhouse in the event a break was made. Another machine gun was mounted on a truck so as to permit rapid change of position in an emergen­cy. _ft. fourth machine gun rras lashed to a window frame in the power house to prevent any -attack on the prison power plant •

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*Report of Adjutant General Mittelstaedt to Governor C. C. Young, N0vernber 29, 1927, AdJutant General's Office.

**Sacramento Bee, November 25, 1927, page 1, column ~.

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cramento Bee, liovember 301 1927, page 1, col. ...... ~u v.

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Company

State Staff

Hdq. 184th Inf.

Hdq. Co. l84th Inf.

Howitzer Co. 184th Inf.

Service Co. l84th Inf.

DORING THE FOLSO

Colonel Called for ctive duty

November 2-: 1 1927

November 2-::, 1927

November 24, 1927

November 2":t, 1927

November 24, 1927

son. l84th _Infantry. com.mandill£{______ ________ ~---~----------Relieved

Stations and Locations Commanding from activ

The State Staff, numbering 23 men, were ordered by Governor c. C. Young to arm and pJ.·oceed to Folsom Prison. Arrived at pris­on about 1:00 P.M. Nov. 24th. Camped near the prison that night and returned to Sacramento about 11:00 A.M. the followin day_.

Headquarters Staff, 7 men, Head­quarters Co., 53 men, Howitzer Co., 56 Men, Service Co., 71 men, were ordered by Col. Wallace A.

ason to proceed at once to Folsom Prison where they arrived between 1:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. Nov. 24th. Troops encamped near the prison that night. Took no active part in the shooting that occurred.

hen the convicts surrendered on the morning of Nov. 25th the troops

ere dismissed and left for their home stations about 11:00 A.M.

Officers d_uty

Brig. Gen. R.E. 'Kittel­staedt

llace •

Col. 184th. Inf.

Roy A.Green Captain

Robert E, Beauchamp

Captain John E. Maloney Captain

~ov. 25, 1927

Nov. 25 1 1927

Nov. 251 1927

Nov. 25, 1927

Nov. 25, 1927

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Company

E 184th Inf.

l84th Inf.

H 184th In ....

I l84th Inf.

Called for active duty

Nov. 2":!:, 1927

ov. 2":1:, 1927

Nov. 2-:c, 1927

Nov. 241 1927

Stations nnd Locations (Continued)

Company E, Woodland , Compuny F, rrysville, Company H, Yuba City

and Company I of Stockton ag­regating 176 men were notified

by A~jutant General llittelstaedt t about 2:00 P.M. Nov . 24th to

proceed at once under arms to Folsom Prison. The troops arriv­ed at the prison between 6:50 P.~. and 10:35 P.M. Nov. 24th. Took no part in the firing. En­camped near the prison that night. The prisoners surrendered the morning of Nov. 25 and the troops

ere dismissed. Troops left the prison grounds for their home stations about 11:00 A. M. November 25th •

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Commanding fficers

Arthur c. Huston,Jr.

Captain

esley .:!. Captain

Irwin .u.

Farrington Captain

George Bisbee Captain

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Relieved from active

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~ov. 25, 1927

Nov. 251 1927

Nov. 251 1927

Nov. 25, 1927

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Nov. 24, 1927

Nov. 2";!:, 1927

Nov. 2-: 1 1927

Stations and location

ttery D of Sacramento, numb.E)r­ing 44 men was directed by Gov·er­nor Young to proceed immediately , to Folsom Prison and there to ·· report to Col. Mason. The bat­tery arrived at the prison short­ly after l:OOP.M. Nov . 24 1 1~27. Battery F of Lod1 35 m~n~ and detachment of 50 men of the 143rd ield Artillery at Stockton were

at about 2:00 P.M. Nov . 24th, 1927, directed by AdJutant General ittelstaedt to proceed to Folsom

Prison where they were to report for duty to Colonel .Mason •. These troops reached the prison at 2:00

•. M. Nov . 25th and finding every­thing quiet, encamped for the remainder of the night. No further disturbance occurred. The prison­ers surrendered on the morning of the 25th and the troops were dis­missed . They left the prison for their home stations about 11:00 A.M.. Nov. 25th •

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illiam H. Morgan

Captain

rthur B. Tindell

Captain

James L.Kelly First Lieut.

Relieved from active

ut

Nov . 251 1927

Nov . 251 1927

Nov . 2-.~ 1 1927

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Company

Air Service

Colonel Called for active duty

Nov. 2-s 1

1927

t about 2:50 P.M. November 2~ , 1927, Adjutant General R. E. ittelstaedt ordered two air­

planes , equipped with mochine gun and radio to proceed·to Mather Field, Sacramento to be held there in readiness for duty at any mo-ent. The two planes with seven

men, proceeded from Los Angeles to Mather Field as directed. Their presence not being requir­ed at Folsom Prison, the plane returned to their home stations at Los Angeles, November·25th •

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Clinton A. Burrows First Lieut.

NY

Relieved from ac tive

dutv .. -

Nov. 251 1927

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company

Tank Co.

Called for active duty

Nov. 1927

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Stations and Locations (Continued)

bout 8:00 P.M. November 2 •-

t the suggestion of some qr' th c.ivil authorities of tho" State, djutant General Mittelstaedt

ordered tno army 'tnnks from Salines here the 40th Tar~ Company Co.

s stationed. The two tanks with ten men arrived at Folsom Pr~son bout 8:00 A.1!.. Nov. 25; havin_

been moved by trucks and. r~ilroad train which took all the prev:tou night. The tanks were not needed however, as the prisoners surrend­ered at about 10:00 A.M. November 25th when the men were dismissed from active service and the tank

re shipoed bacK to Salinas •

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Commanding Officer

Francis Heple Captain

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Relieved from active

Nov. 25, 1927

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