Personal album belonging to General Henry W. Mathewson, showing the 1st and 5th Infantry Regiments of the California National Guard in action during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and the War Maneuvers between the Regular Army and the California National Guard at Camp Atascadero in 1908.

The album begins with a group portrait of the California national guard with a manuscript date “April 1906.” This is followed by a number of compelling larger-format views showing the makeshift barracks of the National Guard erected in the immediate aftermath of the destruction. These shots include a crowd of displaced San Franciscans lined up at the Commissary Department, a large band posted in front of the barracks, other group portraits units, and a photograph of General g Mathewson recruiting citizens for the CA national guard. This appears in the “Images of America” book on the 1906 earthquake.This is followed by 73 smaller photographs of the National Guard pictured throughout the city, as well as photographs of the devastation itself.

The second part of the album is devoted to war maneuvers between the Regular Army and the California National Guard at Camp Atascadero in 1908.

From the Atascadero Historical Society’s website:

"In 1903, Congress passed the Dick Act which totally reorganized the various state militias under the universal term of National Guard and dictated that they would be trained to Army standards. It was soon decided by the War Department that there were going to be four major joint training exercises with the Regular Army and the National Guard. California was asked to host one of these sites…After considerable study, the Henry Ranch was chosen. In keeping with Army customs of the time, the camp was named for the nearest water feature, a small creek named Atascadero.

Soon over 5,000 soldiers and 1, 000 horses made their way to Camp Atascadero. Both Regular Army and National Guard units were joined into a two brigade infantry division with supporting artillery and cavalry, including the famed Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry Regiment. Commanding the division and supervising the exercise was the legendary Major General Arthur McArthur.

These joint exercises were to continue on a biennial basis until 1914 and after that the memories of the encampment on the plains of the Henry Ranch slipped into obscurity."