1 8 6 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁December , ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁five ▁companies ▁of ▁the ▁regiment ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Fort ▁Y uma ▁on ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁and ▁the ▁others ▁to ▁various ▁posts ▁around ▁Southern ▁California . ▁ ▁The ▁regiment ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁a ▁force ▁called ▁the ▁California ▁Column , ▁which ▁was ▁commanded ▁by ▁Car leton ▁and ▁composed ▁of ▁one ▁inf antry ▁regiment ▁( the ▁ 5 th ) ▁and ▁parts ▁of ▁two ▁caval ry ▁reg iments ▁( the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ) ▁of ▁California ▁volunte ers ▁and ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁Reg ular ▁art illery . ▁ ▁The ▁Column ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁drive ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁Army ▁of ▁New ▁Mexico ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁Territ ory . ▁Due ▁to ▁supply ▁problems , ▁the ▁force ▁did ▁not ▁move ▁out ▁until ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Infantry ▁saw ▁fighting ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pic ach o ▁Pass ▁( only ▁Company ▁I ) ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Apache ▁Pass ▁( this ▁battle ▁was ▁against ▁Apache ▁war riors , ▁not ▁Confeder ates ). ▁ ▁The ▁regiment ▁continued ▁march ing ▁across ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁Territ ory ▁to ▁Fort ▁Craig . ▁ ▁Pic ach o ▁Pass ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁eng agement ▁against ▁Confeder ate ▁forces , ▁since ▁they ▁had ▁retre ated ▁back ▁into ▁Texas ▁before ▁the ▁California ▁Column ▁reached ▁eastern ▁New ▁Mexico ▁and ▁they ▁made ▁no ▁attempt ▁to ▁recover ▁the ▁territory ▁they ▁lost . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the