| Irish Marine | 23 Apr 2021 10:46 a.m. PST |
I've seen 28mm figures for this unit but who were they and where were they during the war. |
79thPA  | 23 Apr 2021 11:39 a.m. PST |
I'll have to check my sources, but I am pretty sure they are just part of the "active" militia system. They would have been all over Mexico. |
| Irish Marine | 23 Apr 2021 12:33 p.m. PST |
If so, then California as well, I take it. |
| 79thPA | 23 Apr 2021 12:55 p.m. PST |
I don't believe so. California was garrisoned by a standing infantry battalion, and presidial companies. Consensus is 14 coast guard battalions and 8 independent coast guard companies in service at the beginning of the war, as well as a few independent coast guard cavalry squadrons. |
| Irish Marine | 23 Apr 2021 12:59 p.m. PST |
That interesting, my buddy talked me into this period and since I'm a Marine I'd concentrate on California, lots of action for the Corps there. So Irregular Cav, militia, maybe some 6 pounders. What Regular Infantry was stationed there?
What are presidial companies? |
| rmaker | 23 Apr 2021 2:26 p.m. PST |
Presidial companies are the old dragones de cuera, though they rarely wore the leather armor by that time. They were the garrisons of the frontier forts (presidios). Think Sgt Garcia and company from Zorro. |
| Frederick | 23 Apr 2021 3:10 p.m. PST |
Presidials were as noted the garrisons of posts on the frontier, recruited locally and not from Spain link |
| 79thPA | 23 Apr 2021 3:24 p.m. PST |
California was a side show; nothing more than skirmishes for the most part. You get some unusual field forces with sailors, marines, mounted and dismounted dragons, Mormons, and the California brigade. As noted above, presidials were the armed forces/policeof the Mexican frontier. The fixed or standing battalion was on garrison duty in Baja California. There were no other regular troops in California. California was sort of semi- independent, especially in regards to the rest of Mexico. The Mexican inhabitants were Californios and they served as light cavalry, kind of like Cossacks or Plains Indians, and they took to the field to fight US troops. The only field use of Mexican cannons that I am aware of was 2 cannons manned by Californios. |
| Irish Marine | 23 Apr 2021 3:50 p.m. PST |
We are going to use Rebels and Patriots rules which are very good and fast paced, so we can make up a bunch of fights. |
| Prince Alberts Revenge | 23 Apr 2021 8:12 p.m. PST |
79th PA covers it pretty well based on how I understand it. Mexican forces for California would be Presidial cavalry, mounted Californios (basically vaqueros or rancheros) and maybe some irregular militia on foot. Its a colorful bunch tho, Presidials with blue tunics, red cuffs and grey trousers, Californios in a cacophony of colors (google image search vaqueros, rancheros and californios for a good idea), militia foot would probably be more modest in washed out greys, earth tones and off whites. |
| Lilian | 24 Apr 2021 1:58 p.m. PST |
The Battalones de Guardacostas are
Tampico Tuxpan Alvarado Acayucan Tabasco Isla de Carmen
San Blas Colima Zacatula Acapulco Ometepec Tehuantepec Jamiltepec |
| Basha Felika | 24 Apr 2021 2:11 p.m. PST |
Can you recommend any good books for the California theatre of the war? |
| Irish Marine | 24 Apr 2021 3:09 p.m. PST |
Lilian, I wish I read Spanish. |
| Shagnasty | 26 Apr 2021 11:37 a.m. PST |
Lilian's list are the regions/communities from which the Guardacostas battalions were raised. |
| Irish Marine | 26 Apr 2021 11:55 a.m. PST |
Shagnasty, if you go to the sites they look like they have tons of info, but I don't read Spanish. |
gets started with WWI British in 15mm.
