CHAPTER IV.

FIRST REGIMENT CAMP, CAPITOL GROUNDS.

CAMP ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.

THURSDAY morning, July 5th, the weary members of the First Regiment were awakened from a comfortless sleep on the hard floor by the catcalls and shrieks of the early birds. Company F was quartered on the band-stand, and, from this point of vantage, sent up yells that would wake the dead; and clear and loud above all were heard the strident tones of Tommy Eggert. Sleep was out of the question, not to say dangerous, for soon bands of practical jokers were roaming around, like lions, seeking whom they might devour. Private Hayes discovered Sergeant Sturdivant in slumber sweet, his lengthy form enveloped in an immaculate and frilled nightgown, his tiny pink feet (he wears 10’s) incased in dainty worsted slippers fastened with pink ribbons; this was too much. Did he think he was at the Palace Hotel? If he even dreamed of such a thing he was soon to receive a rude awakening. Willing hands seized the blanket on which he lay, and he was yanked out into the middle of the floor. He awoke to find himself surrounded by a howling mob of men, while shouts of laughter filled the hall. What became of the nighty-nighty and those slippers is a mystery; for a number of the souvenir fiends of the company went on a still huntfor those articles, but all in vain, they were never seen afterwards. Ben soon learned to sleep with his clothes on like the rest of the crowd.

Renewed confidence and security filled the rank and file when it was learned that we had received a strong reinforcement in the person of the old (young) Veteran Corporal Lew Townsend.[1]

[1]Corporal Lew R. Townsend is the veteran of the National Guard of California. He is 62 years of age, and has been in constant active duty for 40 years. He joined the First California Guard on July 12, 1854, and was transferred on January 30, 1857, to the City Guard. He remained a member of this organization until April, 1866, the date of the organization of the California National Guard, when it became Company B of the First Regiment Infantry, N. G. C. Lew continued his membership with this latter organization, and at present wears 13 service stripes, which show that he has served 39 years. On September 14th, 1894, he enlisted again, giving him credit for over 40 years of service.Lew’s motto is “I’ll stay with the boys,” and he is the biggest boy in the crowd himself. Though his feet are going back on him a little, he manages to air his numerous medals, and bejeweled gun at all parades and military displays, and never misses a drill. He is still a good shot, and on Sunday morning, when his Palace Hotel breakfast agrees with him, makes the eyes of the youngsters over at the Shell Mound shooting range stick out of their heads at his remarkable shooting. May his kindly, jolly face be ever with us.

Lew’s motto is “I’ll stay with the boys,” and he is the biggest boy in the crowd himself. Though his feet are going back on him a little, he manages to air his numerous medals, and bejeweled gun at all parades and military displays, and never misses a drill. He is still a good shot, and on Sunday morning, when his Palace Hotel breakfast agrees with him, makes the eyes of the youngsters over at the Shell Mound shooting range stick out of their heads at his remarkable shooting. May his kindly, jolly face be ever with us.

Soon the question of breakfast became of vital interest, and the faces of the boys grew very serious at the thought of a repetition of the heavy breakfast of the day before. But there were better things in store for us. The company received the order to “fall in,” and was marched to one of the downtown hotels, where a good meal was served. Thus fortified, we were ready for any thing, from playing marbles to killing a man. At this meal a nice large size linen napkin was placed at the plate of each man. Hereby hangs a tale. Handkerchiefs and towels were scarce. The boys had already been so well imbued with the principle of “taking,” by the illustrious and industrious example of Quartermaster Arthur Clifford, the great exponent of the art “of acquiring,” that seldom was a napkin seen again by any of the company on a Sacramento hotel dining-table. The honesty and rectitude of Van Sieberst must here receive special mention, his response to the call to serve his country was so hurried that he failed to supply himself with the necessary handkerchiefs and towels; but his fertile brain soon found a way out of this difficulty. He took a napkin, or, when such was not available, a roller towel from the hotel in the morning, used it all day as handkerchief and towel, but—here is where honesty became the best policy—returned the soiled article at supper, appropriated a clean one, and then, at night, slept that calm and peaceful sleep which the just alone enjoy.

After breakfast we were marched back to the hall, and there, for a few delightful hours, disported ourselves in its cool area.This hall and the depot were the only cool spots in Sacramento. Scientists may rave about the spots on the sun, but a cool spot was the only spot that interested the ’Frisco boys while at Sacramento. The hope that we might continue to be quartered in this hall, was soon to be dispelled. The order came to fall in, and, after the usual ceremonies, the regiment was turned over to Colonel Sullivan, who made a short speech, in which he praised the conduct of the men the day before. The failure of the National Guard to accomplish its purpose could not, he said, be attributed to the lack of loyalty on the part of the First Regiment. He further stated that we would at once march over to the lawn of the Capitol where tents would be pitched, and camp established.

During the campaign the men were inflicted with all kinds of oratory. The number of speeches made would do credit to a political campaign, both as to quantity and quality. Colonel Sullivan started the flow of oratory at the armory with his dramatic and forcible “shoot to kill” speech. We had many speeches from him afterwards that ranged from the sublime to the pathetic. Who of us will ever forget the 4th of July, when we stood like Spartans under a blazing sun, listening to the oratory of Marshal Barry Baldwin and the strikers, who held forth from the top of an engine-cab. Major Burdick, many think, came next; but our boys say Captain Cook. We think they stand about even. Major Burdick’s speeches were longer; but, though Captain Cook spoke oftener (he gave us a rattle every morning before breakfast) and his speeches were just as long in point of time—he said less. A number expressed the opinion that these gentlemen were just practicing the art of spouting, to be in good condition to take an active part in the political campaign which would be inaugurated a few months later.

CO. “B” STREET, CAPITOL GROUNDS, SACRAMENTO, CAL.

The regiment was then marched to the Capitol grounds, where tents were pitched on the nice, smooth, green lawn. It was afterwards rumored throughout the camp that this was done despite the objections of General Allen, who wanted the camp pitched on the plowed and broken ground just beyond the lawn. Our good General would not entertain the proposition; considering the comfort and welfare of his men of far more importance than the lawn. Hearing this rumor, the poet laureate of the company, after three days of close application, hard study, and great mental exertion produced the following poetic gem:

Then up spoke General Allen; his voice was fierce and loud,“Your men must leave this grassy lawn, there is a field just plowed.It is more meet to send them there; why should the rank and fileHave access around the Capitol, or its green lawns defile?”Thus spoke the doughty warrior from Missouri’s classic plains;But a peal of scornful laughter he got for all his pains.For General Dickinson uprose, and raised on high his hand,And said: “The gallant soldiers I am honored to commandShall fare as is befitting our boys so brave and true,Despite of martinets, whose forte is dress parade review.”We hailed our dashing General with a hearty three times three,And Allen of Pike county merged into obscurity.

Then up spoke General Allen; his voice was fierce and loud,

“Your men must leave this grassy lawn, there is a field just plowed.

It is more meet to send them there; why should the rank and file

Have access around the Capitol, or its green lawns defile?”

Thus spoke the doughty warrior from Missouri’s classic plains;

But a peal of scornful laughter he got for all his pains.

For General Dickinson uprose, and raised on high his hand,And said: “The gallant soldiers I am honored to commandShall fare as is befitting our boys so brave and true,Despite of martinets, whose forte is dress parade review.”We hailed our dashing General with a hearty three times three,And Allen of Pike county merged into obscurity.

For General Dickinson uprose, and raised on high his hand,

And said: “The gallant soldiers I am honored to command

Shall fare as is befitting our boys so brave and true,

Despite of martinets, whose forte is dress parade review.”

We hailed our dashing General with a hearty three times three,

And Allen of Pike county merged into obscurity.

It was at this juncture that the disciples of Mickey Free, made famous by Charles Lever, made themselves conspicuous, led by William Tooker, the quietest man that ever sold a brogan, they nestled down amid the blankets and comforters that were piled beneath the trees, and gazed with dreamy eyes, through the curling smoke of the ever present cigarette, at their toiling companions erecting the tents under the hot sun. During the day, between the heat and flies, these tents were practically uninhabitable.

While the men were thus busily engaged the busy mind of Quartermaster Clifford was filled with thoughts of the noonday meal; where was it to come from? The regimental commissary department was established in rather a condensed form under a large tent about one hundred feet to the right of the regiment. The men had worked up quite an appetite, and if there is any thing a Guardsman likes to do it is to eat. Clifford’s experience had taught him this, and he resolved that the boys should get what was coming to them, and as much more as he could take. Their confidence in him must not be misplaced. He carelessly strolled over to the commissary’s tent and inquired of the assistant commissary, what time he would call for Company B’s rations; he was informed that as soon as enough sandwiches were made for the regiment each company would get its portion.As soon as they had made enough sandwiches to feed the regiment!This remark set Clifford thinking. It was now 11:30A. M.and one man making sandwiches for about four hundred half-starved soldiers. Let us see when a “City Guard” man is not hungry; it is quite an easy matter for him to put away four family size sandwiches; then, there are Dick Radke, Frech, Overstreet, Townsend, and a few others who are good for about nine each. That man making sandwiches was likelyto be about two thousand years old when he would have his job finished. How to give the boys their lunch at 12 o’clock under these circumstances was a problem that puzzled him deeply; there were several knives lying around, he could take one; but what good would be a knife without the stuff to cut? There was plenty of bread and beef, but should he commit the larceny of them, what would it avail him without a knife to cut and carve with?—

“And thoughts on thoughts, a countless throng,Rushed, chasing countless thoughts along.”

“And thoughts on thoughts, a countless throng,

Rushed, chasing countless thoughts along.”

Thus ruminating he was disturbed by a sentry who told him that only those connected with the regimental commissary department were allowed there; he must therefore go. Clifford went—about three feet—and stood with his eyes resting on a pile of tinware, which was also to be issued proportionately with the rations. Something must be done; he must get on the inside track some way. His experience told him that some company was going to get left when the distribution took place, and never should it go down in history that Company B would be that company. No; not while he was quartermaster. His reputation was at stake, he must now, if ever, display the great power, spirit, and desire for “taking” that surged and swelled within his manly breast, only awaiting the opportunity to burst its bounds, and acquire every thing in sight.

But how to get on the inside—ah! an idea strikes him, and he immediately busies himself helping the lonely sandwich-maker. Commissary Sergeant Fitzgerald appears upon the scene and asks Clifford who gave him a position in his sandwich manufactory. Clifford evaded the question by humbly venturing his opinion that it would take all day to make sandwiches for the whole regiment; and why not issue the rations in bulk to each company and let them make their own sandwiches. “A good idea” said the commissary sergeant; and for the suggestion Clifford was allowed to take his company’s rations, which consisted of 10 ℔ corned beef, 5 ℔ cheese, 1 large bologna sausage, 1 roll butter, 12 loaves bread, and last, but not least, the apple of every good soldier’s eye, a keg of hop juice. The stores issued were 2 tin buckets and 20 tin cups.

Clifford began to take the rations, and when he finishedtakingan inventory of the contents of the capacious chest in his tent, it was as follows: 15 ℔ corned beef, 10 ℔ cheese, 2 largebologna sausages, 2 rolls butter, 18 loaves bread, 8 buckets, 40 tin cups, 2 coffee-pots, 3 dozen each tin plates, knives and forks, 2 large knives, 1 bucket sugar, and 1 bucket coffee. It was a glorioustake, a splendid beginning, and well might our quartermaster gaze on the results of his industry and activity with pride, feeling that he had done his whole duty.

LIEUT E. C. LUNDQUISTCAPT. I. B. COOKLIEUT. G. FILMER

For a while Clifford had clear sailing; he was on the inside track; was admitted to the ground floor, so to speak; but on a fatal day the regimental commissary ran short of butter, and the different company quartermasters were notified to that effect. This did not phase Clifford; from the cavernous depths of his chest he produced a roll of rich golden butter; and the gastronomical wheels of the boys’ insides were as liberally greased as if the regimental commissary had tons of butter. Not so with the members of the other companies, the sandwiches that were wont to slip down their throats when well buttered now rasped tissues and membranes in a most painful manner; a great howl was sent up thereat, and a still greater howl when it was discovered that B’s men had butter. The other company quartermasters thinking the regimental commissary was unjustly discriminating in favor of Company B made a great kick to Fitzgerald. Company B have butter, impossible! They received no butter from him, this mystery must be solved, he straightway swooped down on Clifford, and taking him unawares discovered the well-filled condition of his larder, there he saw many things whose disappearance from his quarters puzzled him not a little, he had discovered the leak in his stores, and ever afterwards Clifford was looked upon with a suspicious eye. Whenever he was seen approaching the commissary department, Fitzgerald immediately made a hasty inventory of everything in sight, and when anything disappeared he was off like a flash to see if Clifford had it. From this on Clifford had an uphill fight—a fight in which he was invariably victorious.

Our regiment was camped about two hundred yards in the rear of the Capitol, on the line of L street, the Third Regiment was camped the other side of the park, about one hundred yards from the First. General Dickinson declared the camp closed, sentries were posted, and no one was allowed to leave or enter the camp without a special permit.

The Captain’s tent was at the head of B street, and he shared its occupancy with First Lieutenant E. C. Lundquist,better known as “easy” and Lieutenant George (Chesterfield) Filmer, famed for his shapely form and the cut of his Prince Albert coat. All three officers were loved by every man in the company, and the same feeling of confidence that was felt by the men in their officers was felt by the officers in the men.

CHAS. PERRYFIRST SERGT. A. F. RAMMCORP. J. N. WILSONH. F. POWLESONWM. OVERSTREET

Tent crowds were now formed, and the leaders drew lots for the tents to which they were to be assigned.

The first tent was occupied by First Sergeant A. F. Ramm. He never sleeps, sometimes they think he is asleep, but he has always one eye open, handsome Corporal J. N. Wilson, W. L. Overstreet, with his hair parted at the equator, Charles Perry,hot soldier, straight and strong, and keeper of the key.[2]H. F. Powelson, happy-go-lucky, never worried, William Tooker, with a pronounced aversion for work and William Unger, the veteran. Later on this tent crowd was joined by the alleged Dutch comedian, Dr. W. H. Sieberst.

[2]During the last Santa Cruz camp Perry, who was experiencing his first military camp, became the victim of an aged and time-honored joke. He was told that the firing of the gun announcing sunrise could not be accomplished unless the key was found; he was hurriedly dispatched in search of it. He was sent from one to another, and finally applied to Adjutant Williams for the key of the gun. While still pursuing his search the report of the gun filled the air; thinking they had found the key he paid no more attention to the matter, until he was apprised that a practical joke had been played on him by reading an account of it in the papers, at the same time receiving from friends in the city a highly ornate and polished hardwood key.

SERGT. A. H. CLIFFORDMUSICIAN, WM. DE LOS MURPHYMUSICIAN, SERGT. WM. H. SIEBERSTWM. H. O’MALLEY

Tent No. 2 contained a homogenous mixture of mankind. Quartermaster Sergeant A. H. Clifford heads the list, with his taking ways, a man who took for the sake of taking, whoconsidered the right of taking a sacred one, and exercised that right at all times much to the benefit of the company’s larder; it is said of him that he would rather take than receive; William De Los Murphy, musician, “my name is my fortune, sir,” he said; W. W. Wilson, another musician who has the honor of having his name on the City Guard’s muster-roll; R. E. Wilson, with his bosom friend H. Gille, known in the Keeley Club as Antonelli, the irresponsible, with a holy and righteous dread of water, and always on guard; Van Sieberst, always out for fun and fond of his tea, a very busy man around a keg of beer. This tent crowd received considerable tone from its association with F. J. Monahan, the society leader familiarly known as “lengthy.”

H. FRECHJAS. WEARF. SHULAWM. J. HAYESMUSICIAN PAUL RUPPGEO. HEIZMANCORP. LEW TOWNSEND

SAM. WISEJOS. KEANEROBT. WILLIAMSP. J. KENNEDYCORP. B. E. BURDICKHENRY LANG

There were only six married men among the privates of the company. Three of them were in No. 3 tent. This alone would be enough to distinguish this tent from the others without making mention of the gallant soldiers it contained. Corporal Burtis, always strictly business, and a bad man to try to bluff, when he has a gun in his hand. W. H. Hayes, Secretary of the Keeley Club, who grew a very red whisker and wanted to look real hard, and he did; A. H. Frech, as model a little soldier as ever theVaterlandproduced, awfully particular, cleaning and polishing all the time; Frank Shula, who laughs to grow fat, has been very successful in doing so; his snore is a thing that has to be heard in order to be appreciated, he laughs all day and snores all night; Paul Rupp, full of yarnsin connection with his service in Kaiser Wilhelm’s army, is one of our married men. He is a musician, but later on rises to the position of chief cook. Jimmy Wear and George Heizman, fitting comrades for Paul Rupp are also married men. The way these poor wifeless men clung together during the campaign was pathetic, there seemed to be a bond of sympathy between them, and in a quiet sort of way they consoled each other; they slept together on the same blanket, and partook together their humble meals. Each day they dispatched a tender missive to the loved one far away. Last, but not least of all, there was Lew Townsend, and between him and the three married men the rest of the crowd in this tent narrowly escaped demoralization.

WM. FLANAGANMUSICIAN J. GILKYSONWM. CROWLEYW. S. MCKAIGWM. MCM. D. O’BRIENSERGT. W. N. KELLYP. BANNAN

F. J. SINDLERCORP. AL. MCCULLOCHG. RADKEH. ADAMSTHOS. MCCULLOCHM. CLAUSSENIUSGEO. CLAUSSENIUS

The fourth tent was known as the Keeley tent. Under the canvas covering of this tent the great leaders of the Keeley Club held forth. The high priest of the inner circle of the flowing bowl was Harry J. Lang and his assistant was P. J. Kennedy. The tent leader was none other than the well-known celebrity, Corporal Benjamin Burdick; during the silent watches of the night his still small voice would be heard telling of hairbreadth escapes in far away India and lion hunts in the wilds of Africa. Kennedy was dubbed the Yolo Farmer the second day at camp, and he looked like one. The two Bohemians, Lang and Kennedy, were the life of the company, Lang never knew a quiet moment; a most sunny disposition, and as brave as a lion; he was well paired with his comrade Kennedy.Sam Wise, an honorary member of the company was in this tent. At the call to arms he offered his services to the company commander, and they were gladly accepted. It is entrancing to sit and hear him tell about the first thing he did when he went to work. Sam’s working periods are so few and far apart that he has occasion to remember every little detail concerning them. Joe Keane, the basso barrello, with a faraway look in his eye; the little hero, Bob Williams, and E. M. Stealey, who sang “A Soldier’s Life’s the Life for Me—Not,” made up the balance of the crowd.

L. ZIMMERMANA. C. GEHRETWM. BAUMGARTNERH. B. SULLIVANA. FETZSERGT. B. B. STURDIVANT

T. HAMMERSON.G. UNGERMAN.W. A. BESEMAN.SERGT. H. B. TAYLOR.J. BRIEN.

The fifth tent was called the Irish tent, headed by the Irish Sergeant Walter Kelly, a splendid soldier and officer. Wm. Flanagan, good old nine, we called him; a very active manwhen our daily keg of beer was on tap. He claimed descent from one of Ireland’s famous kings. W. S. McKaig, dubbed kinky on account of his curly hair, was always writing letters when there would be any work to do. W. W. Crowley, the most desperate looking character in the camp and as desperate as he looked. Johnny Gilkyson, drummer and willing worker, had no use for a drum when there was sterner work to do, and soon attached himself to a gun. Phil Bannan, always quiet and passive, a disciple of Wm. Tooker’s and quite a society man; Flanagan called him piano Irish and sneered at his social aspirations. Wm. O’Brien, always ready to volunteer for dangerous work, was the last, but not the leastof this crowd. Upon the hearts of the members of this tent was emblazoned the motto, “We Love Our Sarg.”[3]

[3]Sergeant Kelly.

R. E. WILSONAL. HEETHH. C. CASEBOLTGEO. BOWNE.J. MONAHANW. W. WILSONE. M. STEALY

Corporal A. McCulloch was the leader of tent No. six. This was the intellectual tent. Beneath its classic folds weighty questions of state were argued and settled. The crowd in this tent claim that nightly they were lulled to rest by the voice of their learned corporal in the throes of some mighty argument; through the long stretches of the night when they would occasionally awaken they would still hear his voice; as if he were engaged in some great controversy. Morning found him awake, physically, but the restless brain had not slept, and now, with freshened physical senses, he still continued his interminable argument. But he had aids and abettors in the persons of Henry Adams and R. L. Radke (all will recall the soldierly appearance of the last-named gentleman). Radke the younger, Max and George Claussenius, F. J. Sindler and H. C. Warren were the unfortunate and paralyzed listeners.

The seventh tent was called the German tent. Sergeant Sturdivant, the leader of this crowd, is so tall and thin, that it is a surprise to him when he casts a shadow. He is quite a society man, and a favorite among the ladies. Another social favorite, Humphrey Sullivan, is also in this tent. He sings so sweetly that we enjoy it very much, more so if he were accompanied by a brass band. In this tent we have two other stars in the vocal line, Al Gehret, a basso, and William Baumgartner, a tenor, who can reach high “C” without an effort. In this crowd was Fetz the long, Zimmerman the short, also called Punch for short, and A. Heeth, Jr., with whose kindly aid we kept our rags together. This concludes the description of the tents of the enlisted men and their occupants. Only a week previous these men won the Dimond trophy, at the yearly encampment of the regiment, for being the best drilled and best disciplined company in the camp.

After our return from supper at one of the hotels, on this first evening, those who were weary sought the seclusion of their tents; the rest gathered beneath the trees and sang of love, but not of glory. Private Tooker sang “Sweet Marie” with such pathos and expression, that a tear was seen to tremble on the eyelid of Overstreet, and then silently wend its way down to the point of his nose, where it hung suspended for a while as if reluctant to part from him and then fell to the earth with a loud splash. Thus we whiled away the hours, till the bugle’s mellow notes swelling on the midnight air and thrilling the hearts of all with its sweet, solemn music, sang the call to rest, and then all was still.

Thirty minutes had passed and gone; the brave and true were dreaming of home and mother, when a wild yell rang out on the stilly air, and sounds of conflict were heard coming from tents Nos. 3 and 4, occupied by the Keeleys. Soon Corporal Townsend was seen beating a hasty retreat in great disorder from No. 3 tent, in the direction of the captain’s abode, where he reported that a well-planned effort was being made by the Keeleys to kidnap Private Hayes of tent No. 3. Meanwhile exciting scenes were being enacted in these tents. The kidnappers, headed by the Yolo Farmer and the High Priest of the Keeleys, were endeavoring to drag the person of Private Hayes into their tent, but Corporal Burtis, assisted by Privates Frech, Shula, and the married men, Paul Rupp, Jimmy Wear and George Heizman, did Trojan work. Aftera well-delivered blow from Hayes that connected with the head of the High Priest, who sent up a howl of pain, they were beaten off. The Yolo Farmer, however, returned to the charge, bayonet in hand, but the voice of the Captain, threatening a sojourn in the guard-tent, acted like oil upon troubled waters, and soon the warring factions were at rest.

During the night Fetz of ours, who was doing sentry duty, by the ominous click of his gun’s hammer and a threat to fire, resurrected two festive soldiers out of the brush in which they were hiding, preparatory to an attempt to get into camp unobserved. They were gathered in and taken to the guard-tent, where for two days they sweltered and sweltered. The spectacle these two young gentlemen presented as, bucket in hand, they went through the streets gathering up the refuse, under the vigilant eye of a sentinel, was a source of great amusement to their comrades.

While camped on the Capitol grounds we had breakfast and supper at the hotels, and luncheon at camp. Arrangements were made so that no more than three companies would be away at any one time. As usual a number found fault with the hotel fare, but a week later, when the regiment had to do its own cooking, they would have been very glad to return to it. At lunch we had all the fruit we wanted; corned beef was always on the bill of fare; but the keg of beer, that accompanied it, reconciled us. Then there was bread, bologna sausage, sometimes crackers, and always cheese; altogether we fared very well during the week.

Friday morning, on our return from breakfast, Sergeant Kelly made a motion, that the rule be established, whereby any who shaved during the campaign would be fined a dollar.

The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Sergeant Kelly was one of the first to avail himself of the expensive luxury.

The City Guard boys had now settled upon a unique style of wearing their hats, which distinguished them from the rest of the companies. The hat was dented four times perpendicularly, bringing the crown to a point; this, with the unshaven faces, and the long swinging stride and step we kept while marching to and from town, made us particularly noticeable, and many comments were passed on our appearance. We were getting well seasoned for the hardwork, which we were shortly to be called upon to do, and which we hope we did well.

The newspaper reports about this time were giving the boys “that tired feeling.”

In a previous chapter it has been told how disgusted the men were at the failure to take the depot. Therefore you may judge their surprise, on reading the accounts published in the newspapers of the same, to see that the failure to accomplish good results was laid at the door of the rank and file of the National Guard. The press was not the only accuser of the men, but from another source in which the men expected to find their vindication they received the “unkindest cut of all.” Their general officers it was who said they could not take the depot, because the men were demoralized and could not be trusted. Oh! what a subterfuge! On the surface what is to be conveyed by such a statement? Two alternatives present themselves. First, either the statement is true, or, second, the position of the officers themselves was weak and they desired to strengthen it by shifting the responsibility for the failure from their shoulders to those of the rank and file. If this latter course was the one pursued then they might have known, mighty though they be in the National Guard, that the consequences of such a course would be sure sooner or later, to redound with greater force upon themselves, and that instead of their position being strengthened, they would stand exposed in all their iniquity, stripped of the last shred of defense.

Investigation proves that the latter alternative is the correct one. The men, despite what comes from the press or by other sources, were not demoralized or untrustworthy. Being demoralized is meant, we should judge, that the troops were not under the strict control of their officers, and that confusion and lack of discipline reigned in ranks. At no time in the day did such a state of affairs prevail. It is true that a number of the men were prostrated by the heat, but the prostration extended only to a comparative few and not to the entire body of men as given out in the reports of certain officers. Besides this, the prostration came after the troops had stood in line under the hot sun for something like three hours. The men were willing and ready at any time that afternoon to attempt to force the strikers from the depot. Never were they called upon to do a harder thing, or one inwhich they felt more disposed to rebel against their officers, than when they were ordered to withdraw from the scene and leave the depot in charge of the strikers. There was not a squad of men in Company B, and when I mention Company B, I mean also every company with one possible exception, who would not willingly, even gladly have charged the mob of strikers. Curses, not loud but deep, were uttered in each company as they withdrew. In one of the companies under the command of Colonel Nunan the men cried out to advance, but no order came. Tears of vexation rolled down the cheeks of some of the men. To travel over a hundred miles and then suffer defeat—oh! how humiliating—not at the hands of the strikers, but from their own officers. And yet, in the face of all this, the failure to take the depot was laid at their doors.

Who was to blame for the failure of the operations on the Fourth? It remained for a court of inquiry to finally fix the blame upon the shoulders it belonged. This court was appointed by Governor Markham, September 8, 1894, to inquire into the conduct of those troops of the National Guard participating in the strike campaign, from its commencement to its close. The work of the court was to be performed without regard to rank prejudices or preconceived ideas. The court sat in session for a period of twenty days, and made a minute examination into the operations on the Fourth. Its work was well done. In the columns of one of our large dailies the following appeared:

“The court of inquiry has done its duty well—truthful, fearless, unmoved by considerations of friendships. Our Californian experience with investigating bodies had given us no right to expect this high and honorable result, and it is entitled to a swift, signal, and memorable approval by executive action.”

The court of inquiry showed plainly that the reports made by the commanding officers of the National Guard, and the charges appearing in the press concerning the demoralization and untrustworthiness of the troops were utterly false; that the rank and file, with the exception of two companies mentioned elsewhere,[4]“were at all times under good discipline, and behaved with becoming courage and loyalty.” The courtfurther found that certain officers greatly magnified the reports concerning the physical debility of the men. The court, in summing up, says: “There were men in the ranks, plenty and willing to retrieve the day, when at three o’clock, after standing patiently in the sun for three hours, they received their first orders, which were to move off and abandon the attempt to take the depot.” Thus the rank and file were finally vindicated after being for some time the object for obloquy by the public and press.

[4]One of these companies was a Sacramento company whose members were mostly employed by the railroad and therefor in sympathy with the strikers, in fact some of them were strikers. The other company was a company of the Third Regiment. Concerning this latter company, there are many extenuating circumstances. Had the officers remained with their company there is no doubt but what it would have been as reliable as any other.

The question, who was to blame for the failure on the Fourth, we would gladly leave at this place unanswered were it not for the fact that an implication is worse than an assertion. So we again refer to the report of the court of inquiry. Here it is shown that, on that memorable occasion, “General Sheehan refused to obey orders, directly communicated to him by Major General Dimond, to effect an entrance into the depot by force, and to fire upon the mob if they refused to give way”; it was further shown, that when the officer, upon whom the command of the Second Brigade had devolved, received distinct orders from Major General Dimond to clear the depot, by force if necessary, he left his command and urged the commanding General not to compel him to obey the order, as his men were demoralized and could not be relied upon. It was upon this representation that an armistice was entered into between the United States marshal and the strikers. Here we have the case in a nutshell.No orders were given to the troops to advance at any time that afternoon against the strikers.A spirit of hesitation prevailed amongst the commanding officers. When decisive action should have been taken questions of constitutional law were debated by them at length. Instead of an officer executing the commands transmitted to him by a superior officer he would desire to know where his superior officer received authority to give such an order. Just think of it, men who have been occupying high places in the National Guard for years, questioning at the time for action the authority of their superior officers and preventing decisive action by misrepresenting the condition and maligning the characters of their men. This then was the cause of the failure of the operations on the Fourth, and well has it been called the “Battle of Sheehan & Co’s Bluff.”

The garbled manner in which the occurrences of the Fourth were presented to the public by the press was disgusting to the last degree. From their accounts one would think that the men could fire or use the bayonet at will, instead of being a disciplined body under superior officers, subject to their commands in the minutest particular, and had no option but to obey orders,when they received them. The inefficiency of the National Guard was the subject of editorials; and it seemed to be a great disappointment to the press that the depot on the Fourth was not a scene of frightful carnage. Had the order come to fire the men would most certainly have fired, the result would have been a slaughter, and then in the columns of every newspaper in the country we would be branded as red-handed, bloodthirsty murderers. The newspapers even went so far as to cast reflections on the loyalty of the Guard; this to men who left their peaceful callings at the call to arms, left their homes, severed every attachment, every business connection, left weeping parents, wives, brothers and sisters, traveled by night, marched by day, and stood under a broiling sun for hours, ready to do the bidding of their superiors, and then to have their loyalty brought into question, this was too much. One enterprising Sacramento paper came out with the disquieting information “That it was rumored the strikers were going to use dynamite, but, with discretion,” that was comforting, they would use dynamite “with discretion.” The brainy reporter then, to seek a confirmation or denial of the rumor, called upon Mr. Knox, the leader of the strikers, and asked him if they were going to use dynamite, with discretion; of course he said yes. This is a fair sample of some of the ridiculous stuff published by the papers. The general tone of what did seem reliable and probable brought us to the conclusion that we had come to stay awhile, and that we would soon have plenty of work.

We had now settled down to the regular routine of military camp life. The mornings were devoted to guard mount, company drills, and battalion drills in the extended order.[5]The men in these drills acquitted themselves with a dash and celerity of movement that would do credit to regular troops. The face of grim-visaged war was partly shown to the people of Sacramento as the battalions of the FirstRegiment charged across the Capitol grounds, amid wild yells and the rapid reports of the Gatling gun from the far off corner of the grounds. They tore through the plowed ground, through water, down deep gulleys, up again on the other side, and under the blazing sun, continued the charge through the brush, until recalled by the whistle of the commander. In the afternoon we had dress parade. Crowds were drawn to the camp to witness these imposing ceremonies.

[5]To illustrate the last-named drill photos have been introduced, taken during the last camp at Santa Cruz, showing the line, firing by squad, section, company, and the rapid fire by the entire battalion.

A line of sentries, with loaded pieces, was posted round the entire camp day and night. Each day the company furnished a detail for guard duty. The personnel of these details were as follows: Thursday, July 5th, Lieutenant E. C. Lundquist, Corporal J. N. Wilson, privates J. Gilkyson, W. J. Flanagan, A. H. Frech, A. Fetz, H. G. Gille, A. C. Gehret, P. J. Kennedy. Friday, July 6th, Sergeant B. B. Sturdivant, privates Wm. De Los Murphy, A. Heeth, Jr., G. H. Heizman, J. S. Keane, H. J. Lang, S. Wise, W. S. McKaig. Saturday, July 7th, Captain I. B. Cook, Corporal B. E. Burdick, Corporal E. R. Burtis, W. D. O’Brien, W. L. Overstreet, C. Perry, H. F. Powelson, R. L. Radke. Sunday, July 8th, privates G. H. Radke, H. Sullivan, E. M. Stealey, F. Shula, F. J. Sindler, W. H. Tooker. Monday, July 9th, Lieutenant George Filmer, privates Wm. Unger, R. E. Wilson, R. J. Williams, H. C. Warren, J. R. Wear, L. Zimmerman. Tuesday, July 10th, privates H. H. Adams, P. L. Bannan, F. Baumgartner, G. L. Claussenius, M. Claussenius.

WILLIAM UNGER,AS HE APPEARED WHILE IN THE HAWAIIAN GUARD.

CORPORAL EDWIN BURTIS.

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