Raised in the last year of the war, it spent its entire term of service serving in posts around San Francisco Bay, and on the Columbia River, attached to the Department of the Pacific, before mustering out in late 1865.

The regiment was mustered into Federal service on March 31, 1865, under the command of Regular Army Colonel Allen L. Anderson, attached to the District of California in the Department of the Pacific.

It was the last California regiment raised under the congressional act of July 1864, and had a total enrollment of 960 in ten companies.

The regimental flag is stored in the state's capitol and is one of four national colors from the California Volunteers to survive the War.

[3] The regiment suffered five enlisted men dead, four from disease[1] and one was killed while firing a salute.