The "City Guard": A History of Company "B" First Regiment Infantry, N. G. C. During the Sacremento Campaign, July 3 to 26, 1894 / Including a Brief History of the Company Since Its Organization March 31, 1854, to July 3, 1894

by California. Infantry. First Regiment. Company B; Irving B. Cook; George Filmer; W. J. Hayes; A. McCulloch; William D. O'Brien

CORPORAL LOU. R. TOWNSEND IN HIS OLD CITY GUARD UNIFORM. REPRODUCED FROM
OIL PAINTING, BY MRS. MC HENRY, JUNE, 1859.

Blunt’s regulation targets, as to size, material, number of rings, and mode of counting, are the same as those of the Creedmoor system, otherwise they are not alike, the bull’s-eyes and rings of the new being ellipses set vertically, also of different dimensions, viz: Class “A” target, bull’s-eye, 8 x 10 inches; center, 24 x 30; inner, 40 x 50; outer, balance of target. Class “B,” bull’s-eye, 18 x 24; center, 36 x 48; inner, 54 x 72; outer, balance of target. Class “C,” bull’s-eye, 32 x 50; center, 51 x 72; inner, square of 72 x 72 inches; outer, balance of target.

The company has participated in a great many matches, particularly within the last two or three years. As a general thing, these matches were for glory, with a trophy occasionally thrown in. Some of these matches the company lost, while on other occasions the rooster crowed very loudly for “B.” Here are a few of the principal events:

On March 11, 1893, the company entered a team in the Midwinter Fair prize shoot for trophies. Entrance fee, twenty-five dollars; ten men to each team, and ten shots per man. The “City Guard” took third prize, an elegant one, with a score of four hundred and twenty-five points out of five hundred, an average of eighty-five per cent.

Perhaps the greatest and most satisfactory achievement of “B” Company was at Sacramento, on December 17, 1893. Company “C” of the First Regiment shot against “F” of the Eighth, located at Oroville, and this company shot against “C” of the Eighth, of Marysville. All four organizations shot on the same ground, and at the same time, the targets adjoining. This match was for thirty men on each team, ten shots per man, and to be shot upon neutral ground in the open, man for man. To accomplish this it was necessary that “B” and “C” of the First, and the other two companies meet half way at Sacramento, which they did. “C” beat Oroville, scores, 1225 to 1195. “B” beat Marysville, score 1233 to 1143, the “City Guard” coming out with the best score of the day, making an average of 41.1 points per man, a very large average for thirty men.

As a result of the Sacramento match the company received a match from the famous “Carson City Guard,” of Nevada. This interstate match was for thirty men a side, ten shots per man, the watch being held on each shooter for the time limit. The shoot was what is termed telegraphic, and targets were to be exchanged by express after the firing ceased. Each company had its representative at the other’s range. “B” was again victorious, beating their opponents by ten points, scores 1223 to 1213. This was on May 6, 1894.

The following three matches were undoubtedly the largest ever shot by military companies anywhere in the United States or elsewhere. They were shot man for man, under the existing rules, at two hundred yards, with ten shots for each competitor, making the possible number of points 2,500. It will be noted that two of these matches were shot upon B company’s opponents’ ranges, both of which being strange to the members of this company.

On December 2, 1894, at Schuetzen Park, San Rafael, with D Company, Fifth Infantry, N. G. C., B wins by five points. Scores: B, 1,846, or an average per man of 36.92 points. D making 1,841, an average of 36.82.

Both companies having strengthened their teams, a return match was made for May 5, 1895, this time at B’s headquarters, Shell Mound Rifle Range. B again wins by fifty-three points. Scores: B, 1,951 points, an average per man of 39.02 points, D making 1,898, an average of 37.96. Each company made a marked improvement over the previous match.

On May 19, 1895, this company shot another fifty-man match this time with C company, Eighth Infantry, N. G. C., upon their own range at Marysville, Cal., B journeying there for that purpose. This time B lost. Scores: B, 1,907 points, an average of 38.14 per man; their opponents making 1,982, an average of 39.64. The score made by C company was an elegant one, and the members are deserving of a great deal of praise for their splendid shooting.