“California’s involvement in the American Civil War included sending gold east, recruiting volunteer combat units to replace regular forces in territories of the Western United States, maintaining and building numerous camps and fortifications, suppressing secessionist activity (many of these secessionists went east to fight for the confederacy) and securing the New Mexico Territory against the Confederacy”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_in_the_American_Civil_War
“many of these secessionists went east to fight for the confederacy”
Leaving California ahead of the rush. :)