William C. Kibbe

William Chauncey Kibbe (1822–1904), California pioneer, third Adjutant General of California that oversaw the California Militia from its beginnings through most of the American Civil War.

William C. Kibbe was born in Illinois in 1822. He moved to New York City as a young man, teaching school in Brooklyn. He rose to become Principal of Public School #19. When news of the California Gold Rush came he went to California to seek his fortune as a miner. With no success in the mines he turned to politics.

William C. Kibbe was appointed by Governor John McDougal as California's third Quartermaster General in June, 1852, and after William H. Richardson resigned, due to the provisions of the Militia Law of 1852 became the Adjutant General of California in charge of the California Militia also. He was elected to the office of Adjutant General in 1854.

In 1855, Kibbe wrote a drill manual for the California Militia, The volunteer: containing exercises and movements of infantry, light infantry, riflemen and cavalry, as a drill manual for the California Militia.

In 1858, William Kibbe was responsible for organizing the Klamath & Humboldt Expedition led by Captain Isaac G. Messec to fight the Wintoon War of 1858-59 against the Whilkut people. In 1859, he oversaw the State of California's Pitt River Expedition against the Achomawi and Atsugewi tribes in the vicinity the Pit River in Northeastern California. He sent Militia units from California to help the settlers in Nevada during the Paiute War.

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