The Dragoons at Fort Tejon patrolled a wide area and had many responsibilities. They settled disputes involving Indians in the Tule and Kern River districts. They toured the Owens Valley, the San Gabriel Valley, and Mojave River country to "overawe" the Indians of those regions and to protect the miners and prospectors. In 1858 a small subpost was established at San Bernardino, and in 1860, Camp Cady (downstream from present day Daggett on the Mojave River) was manned for a time by Dragoons from Fort Tejon. The Dragoons were even sent to Los Angeles on occasion to maintain order there. In June 1861, despite protests from local ranchers, the Dragoons were transferred away from Fort Tejon, and with their departure the civilian population melted away overnight.
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