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2. Conflict With Confederates
Major William Scott Ketchum
The Major commanded Fort Dalles in Oregon, protecting the settlers from Native American raiders. However, when the Civil War began, he was ordered to San Francisco to oversee. Although William saw the surprising organization of the Royal Guard, he urged Emperor Norton to stay at San Francisco, until further notice, and out of respect, Emperor Norton did as he was told. He did not want to be responsible for a massacre, so he stayed, and the Royal Guard helped garrison the city, which was the only city that had a garrison other than San Diego. Major Ketchum would polish the Royal Guard's rough spots.
The police and Emperor Norton were no military academy graduates, but Ketchum was. Accompanying Union officers called the Royal Guard "Ketchum's passion project", as San Francisco was beginning a process of fortification from any Confederate navy seeking to seize the gold and silver shipping point. Emperor Norton would take any advice from Ketchum, even having Ketchum invited to one of his public talks, and from these interactions, Norton learned the basics. Nothing amazing, but enough to keep his men together. The two men began to become friends, and all seemed to be quiet for the Royal Guard.
With San Francisco properly fortified, Ketchum saw the use of the Royal Guard better elsewhere. However, none of the men were properly volunteers of the Union. Although some wished to remain under Emperor Norton's command, Norton believed it was best to have the Royal Guard integrated into the Union army as volunteers. And so, the Royal Guard was formally recognized as the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment. With respect for Norton, while his colleagues saw him as a nut job, Emperor Norton was allowed to accompany the 1st San Francisco Regiment, with main military command falling under a few selected officers to guide the unit to Los Angeles on July, where Confederate influence was becoming an issue for Union troops at the West. However, these officers would prove indecisive and it would, in fact, be Norton, who would do most of the commanding, as the officers took on a secondary command role. In San Francisco, a small number of Royal Guard remained to patrol the city, being captained by George Washington Coombs. However, this would not be the last time they would see Major William S. Ketchum, as when August came, Ketchum arrived at Los Angeles, being recently assigned the supervision of the counties: Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, & San Bernardino.
However, Confederate influence within San Bernardino was strong, and when the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment appeared quite near to the city, Confederate sympathizers believed the city was going to be subjugated and any Confederates weeded out of the city [1]. Lies and fear-mongering would largely have the city fear for their safety. Without giving a second thought, Confederate sympathizers within San Bernardino would make the first move, assassinating a Union officer, Clarence Edmund Bennett, Captain of the San Bernardino Rangers, a local militia force originally meant to deal with banditry. The San Bernardino Rangers had lost most of their members, with those defecting to join the Confederates, so when their leadership was gone, it was either flee or die. They chose the latter, retreating to Los Angeles, and the Confederate sympathizers of San Bernardino would seize control within the city. An issue would occur if the Confederates were to actually support the city with troops and supply, but Major Ketchum would see to that not occurring.
San Bernardino rebels raising the Confederate flag before the battle
Battle of San Bernardino
Major William Scott Ketchum, accompanied by Emperor Norton, would lead the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment, although still calling themselves the "Royal Guard", and the San Bernardino Rangers, being fortified by Companies D & G of the 4th Infantry Regiment. They would rapidly march to San Bernardino, and the Battle of San Bernardino would begin when Confederate snipers would claim their first victims. The men rushed within the city, and with that, the unorganized Confederates knew they couldn't beat the Union on an even playing field, so they resorted to close-quarters, building-to-building shooting, but the Union organization stayed intact, as the Royal Guard kept pushing and pushing.
However, as each block they took, men would have to clear the firing nests of the Confederate rebels, being quite dangerous to pull off, but they were cleared. The San Bernardino rebels would lower their arms after some minutes of fighting. The Battle of San Bernardino was a victory, with small casualties. Later on, the forces of Major Ketchum would defeat more Confederate sympathizers at the Slaughter of Belleville, which was a gold-mining boomtown northeast of San Bernardino, who had followed the example made by San Bernardino and rose up as well. After Belleville, which saw a nearly complete decimation of Confederate rebels, no place dared to raise a weapon against the Union at the West.
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[1] San Bernardino was peacefully pacified in OTL, not feeling entirely provoked to openly revolt.
2. Conflict With Confederates
"It is our duty to God and humanity to bring mankind into the modern, civilized age, and be rid of slavery. However, southern states have decided to go against modernization. They claim mastery over man, where only God is to do so. With that, I, Joshua Norton, Emperor of these United States, declare a state of war against the self-declared Confederate States of America." - Emperor Norton's declaration of war during the beginning of the American Civil War
Photograph of the Royal Guard
With the American Civil War kicking off, Emperor Norton made it clear to the people of San Francisco that he would be involved. Many thought little of it, but when Norton voiced his plans to send the Royal Guard south to join the fighting, people thought he lost it, which for Norton, didn't mean much. However, people still voiced their concerns, and Norton was open about what the people wanted. So Norton, with help from locals, would begin the transformation of the Royal Guard. Many of the members already planned for volunteering, but there were a few swapping the younger ones that were a part of the Royal Guard. From there, businesses helped fund for some needed equipment, and households donated their cooking supplies to have the Royal Guard be ready for any trekking that was to be done. With the help of San Francisco, Norton made his city scouts into a readied militia, and much of the discipline, training, and organization issues were better dealt with when the Civil War began. However, they did not march, as soon came Major William Scott Ketchum.
Photograph of the Royal Guard
Major William Scott Ketchum
The Major commanded Fort Dalles in Oregon, protecting the settlers from Native American raiders. However, when the Civil War began, he was ordered to San Francisco to oversee. Although William saw the surprising organization of the Royal Guard, he urged Emperor Norton to stay at San Francisco, until further notice, and out of respect, Emperor Norton did as he was told. He did not want to be responsible for a massacre, so he stayed, and the Royal Guard helped garrison the city, which was the only city that had a garrison other than San Diego. Major Ketchum would polish the Royal Guard's rough spots.
The police and Emperor Norton were no military academy graduates, but Ketchum was. Accompanying Union officers called the Royal Guard "Ketchum's passion project", as San Francisco was beginning a process of fortification from any Confederate navy seeking to seize the gold and silver shipping point. Emperor Norton would take any advice from Ketchum, even having Ketchum invited to one of his public talks, and from these interactions, Norton learned the basics. Nothing amazing, but enough to keep his men together. The two men began to become friends, and all seemed to be quiet for the Royal Guard.
With San Francisco properly fortified, Ketchum saw the use of the Royal Guard better elsewhere. However, none of the men were properly volunteers of the Union. Although some wished to remain under Emperor Norton's command, Norton believed it was best to have the Royal Guard integrated into the Union army as volunteers. And so, the Royal Guard was formally recognized as the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment. With respect for Norton, while his colleagues saw him as a nut job, Emperor Norton was allowed to accompany the 1st San Francisco Regiment, with main military command falling under a few selected officers to guide the unit to Los Angeles on July, where Confederate influence was becoming an issue for Union troops at the West. However, these officers would prove indecisive and it would, in fact, be Norton, who would do most of the commanding, as the officers took on a secondary command role. In San Francisco, a small number of Royal Guard remained to patrol the city, being captained by George Washington Coombs. However, this would not be the last time they would see Major William S. Ketchum, as when August came, Ketchum arrived at Los Angeles, being recently assigned the supervision of the counties: Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, & San Bernardino.
However, Confederate influence within San Bernardino was strong, and when the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment appeared quite near to the city, Confederate sympathizers believed the city was going to be subjugated and any Confederates weeded out of the city [1]. Lies and fear-mongering would largely have the city fear for their safety. Without giving a second thought, Confederate sympathizers within San Bernardino would make the first move, assassinating a Union officer, Clarence Edmund Bennett, Captain of the San Bernardino Rangers, a local militia force originally meant to deal with banditry. The San Bernardino Rangers had lost most of their members, with those defecting to join the Confederates, so when their leadership was gone, it was either flee or die. They chose the latter, retreating to Los Angeles, and the Confederate sympathizers of San Bernardino would seize control within the city. An issue would occur if the Confederates were to actually support the city with troops and supply, but Major Ketchum would see to that not occurring.
San Bernardino rebels raising the Confederate flag before the battle
Battle of San Bernardino
Major William Scott Ketchum, accompanied by Emperor Norton, would lead the 1st San Francisco Volunteer Regiment, although still calling themselves the "Royal Guard", and the San Bernardino Rangers, being fortified by Companies D & G of the 4th Infantry Regiment. They would rapidly march to San Bernardino, and the Battle of San Bernardino would begin when Confederate snipers would claim their first victims. The men rushed within the city, and with that, the unorganized Confederates knew they couldn't beat the Union on an even playing field, so they resorted to close-quarters, building-to-building shooting, but the Union organization stayed intact, as the Royal Guard kept pushing and pushing.
However, as each block they took, men would have to clear the firing nests of the Confederate rebels, being quite dangerous to pull off, but they were cleared. The San Bernardino rebels would lower their arms after some minutes of fighting. The Battle of San Bernardino was a victory, with small casualties. Later on, the forces of Major Ketchum would defeat more Confederate sympathizers at the Slaughter of Belleville, which was a gold-mining boomtown northeast of San Bernardino, who had followed the example made by San Bernardino and rose up as well. After Belleville, which saw a nearly complete decimation of Confederate rebels, no place dared to raise a weapon against the Union at the West.
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[1] San Bernardino was peacefully pacified in OTL, not feeling entirely provoked to openly revolt.
- Alpha_North
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