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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.ooo. tockton Record , November 25 1 19271 page 1, co ....................
ooaland De!llocrat, November 25 1 1927, page J_, c
Stockton Record .. November 25 , 1927 # pnge 1, col ...... u .a..
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Report of :.djutant General to Governor c. C. Young Nove:nbEr ;:;,.;,~ ~ 19271 Adjutant General's vfflce.
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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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en
Relieved from active
dut
~ov. 25, 1927
Nov. 251 1927
Nov. 251 1927
Nov. 25, 1927
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B
D
F
c Detac ent
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
,
NATI
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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