Accompanying this report are the reports of the staff officers at these headquarters; also a tabulated statement1 of the work done by post lyceums in the department, established in compliance with General Örders, No. 80, series of 1891, Adjutant-General's Office. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, NELSON A. MILES, Major-General, Commanding. The ADJUTANT-GENERAL UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C. REPORT OF BRIG. GEN. THOMAS H. RUGER. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA, SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations by the troops, of occurrences and of the condition of affairs in the Department of California since the annual report of August 25, 1893. Pursuant to the requirements of General Orders, No. 69, Headquarters of the Army, August 22, 1893, the post of Fort Bidwell was abandoned on October 21 last, and the garrison-Troop C, Fourth Cavalry-was transferred to the Presidio of San Francisco for station, arriving on October 30. Light Batteries D and F, Fifth Artillery, left the Presidio of San Francisco on September 5 last on a practice march and for the annual practice firing, and rejoined at the Presidio on October 4 last, having marched 291 miles. The instruction had by the batteries in firing was conducted in accordance with a scheme submitted by the inspector of artillery, Maj. John I. Rodgers, First Artillery, and with decidedly beneficial results. A special report of this practice has been heretofore submitted. Pursuant to instructions of the Major-General Commanding the Army, dated March 22 last, Troop C, Fourth Cavalry-Capt. George H. G. Gale, commanding-left on May 17 a camp of instruction of the squadron of the Fourth Cavalry before established near Gilroy, Cal., for the Yosemite National Park, for the purpose of protecting the same from trespass under instructions received from the Interior Department, and arrived at the park on May 25; and Troop B, Fourth Cavalry, left the camp of instruction on June 6, last, for the performance of similar duty in the Sequoia and General Grant National parks, and arrived there on the 15th of that month. These troops have since continued in effective performance of the duties specified. In accordance with instructions of March 30 last from the Headquarters of the Army, Batteries B and M, Fifth Artillery, left on June 8 last the Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Mason, respectively, for Fort Canby, Department of the Columbia, and Batteries A and C, Fifth Artillery, arrived at the Presidio of San Francisco and at Alcatraz Island, respectively, from Fort Canby, on June 15. Battery I, Fifth Artillery, was transferred for station from Alcatraz Island to Fort Mason, on June 8 last. The squadron of the Fourth Cavalry at the Presidio of San Francisco, consisting of Troops B, C, I, and K, left that post on April 6 last, under Omitted. command of Lieut. Col. Samuel B. M. Young, Fourth Cavalry, for a course of instruction in field exercises, and established a camp near Gilroy, Cal., distant 95 miles from the post. Troop C was detached from the command on May 17 and Troop B on June 6, for service in the Yosemite and Sequoia National parks. The remaining troops rejoined at the Presidio of San Francisco on July 8 last. The instruction given at the camp and on the march was comprehensive in character and thorough in practical application. The service of most importance performed during the year by the troops serving in the department, was that recently rendered under orders received requiring prevention of obstruction to the United States mails, interference with interstate commerce, and the enforcement of the mandates and warrants of the United States courts. On the evening of July 1 last, orders were received conveying the direction of the President that a sufficient force be sent at once to Los Angeles, Cal., with instructions to enforce the mandates and warrants of the United States courts and prevent obstruction of the United States mails. Col. William R. Shafter, First Infantry, was accordingly, on July 2, directed to proceed with five companies, B, C, D, F, and H, of his regiment at Angel Island, and one, G, from Benicia Barracks, to Los Angeles, Cal., and carry out the instructions received. The command arrived at Los Angeles on July 4. The general condition of affairs at Los Angeles relative to the duty required of the command was as follows: Total suspension in the transportation of the United States mails, on all lines of railway passing through or departing from Los Angeles, had occurred in consequence of the so-called railroad strike. The intimidation exerted by the strikers over those disposed to work, aud the disregard shown to the mandates of the United States courts, rendered resumption of the operation of the railways at that point for the transmission of the mails and for purposes of interstate commerce practically impossible, except by the interposition of a military force. The result of the presence of the troops was, that the mail-train service was soon resumed on all main lines-first to the East and later on that to San Francisco. The trains were guarded by detachments of troops from the 7th until the 15th of July, when they were discontinued. With the exception of the overturning by strikers, on July 10, of some cars on a railroad crossing to interrupt the running of trains, no overt act was committed during this time, but there is sufficient evidence for belief that the strikers would have resorted, in the absence of a military force, to any degree of violence thought necessary to prevent the operation of the railroads centering at that point, except upon terms dictated by themselves. In this connection attention is invited to the reports of Colonel Shafter, attached hereto and marked Exhibits 11 and 2.1 The general condition in southern California having apparently become as usual, the command was withdrawn on the 16th instant. On July 7 instructions were received conveying the order of the President, directing that the military force under my command be employed to remove obstructions to the mails and prevent interruption to interstate commerce over the Central Pacific Railroad, and to give such protection as to insure to the Government the use of such railroad for postal, military, or other governmental purposes. By telegram of 1 Omitted. the same date from the Headquarters of the Army, I was informed that instructions of identical import had been given to Brigadier-General Brooke, commanding the Department of the Platte, the object being to maintain uninterrupted communication over the Union and Central Pacific roads from Omaha to San Francisco, and also I was advised to consult with the governor of California, or his military representative, respecting such cooperation as might be practicable between the troops under my command and the State forces. The condition of affairs at this time relative to the operation of the Central Pacific Railroad was substantially as follows: The railroad company had been virtually displaced in possession of the railroad throughout its length from Ogden to Sacramento, and of the lines in extension to San Francisco, by the so-called strikers-members of the association known as the American Railway Union-and a like condition obtained as to all railroads under the control of the Southern Pacific Railway Company and centering at Sacramento and Oakland. I determined to first begin action at Sacramento in execution of the instructions received, as that was the point where the strikers were in greatest force and had assumed the most belligerent attitude. Also it is the western terminus proper of the Central Pacific Railroad, to which road my instructions in part especially applied, and the point of its junction with the general Southern Pacific system. It was presumable also, as was proven to be the fact, that suppression of lawlessness at that principal point would have a marked effect for the restoration of order elsewhere and especially at Oakland, the point next in importance relative to disturbance in the operation of the railroads conveying the United States mails. There were in the employ of the railroad company at Sacramento on June 29 last, when the strike had become operative, nearly 2,500 men in the shops-as trainmen, firemen, switchmen, foremen, yardmen, watchmen, and trackmen. Of these over 2,100 joined the strikers either willingly or from intimidation, the greater part-over 1,700-being employees at the shops. In addition to these, some 500 active strikers joined from places on the lines of the railroads converging there, making the total number of those at Sacramento at the date of the receipt of instructions actively engaged as strikers so-called, about 3,000. The greater part of these had arms, guns or pistols. From the best information obtainable, several hundred, not less than 300, were armed with rifles or guns of some kind. A large party, many armed with rifles, came from Dunsmuir and other places on the line of the railway to Portland, by means of a train of which possession was taken by them. Armed parties came also from Stockton and Lathrop, Cal., and from the line of the Central Pacific to the eastward. On July 4 a force of the State troops of California, composed of two regiments and part of another, were assembled at Sacramento upon request made for assistance by the United States marshal under the provisions of a statute of the State for the purpose of affording such assistance as might be necessary to resumption of the operation of the railroad for the carriage of the mails and for the purposes of interstate commerce. For reasons and owing to facts which it is not within the purpose of this report to state, the object was not accomplished. Owing to the comparatively small force at my disposal-the First Infantry being at the time at Los Angeles and still required there-I suggested by telegraph on July 8 that the available force of marines at the Mare Island Navy-Yard be placed subject to my orders. By the order of the President, a battalion of three companies of marines was made available. On July 10, I directed Col. William M. Graham, Fifth Artillery, commanding the Presidio of San Francisco, to proceed with the four foot batteries at the post, A, H, K, and L, Fifth Artillery, the squadron of cavalry, Troops Iand K, Fourth Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Samuel B. M. Young, Fourth Cavalry, commanding; Battery E, Fifth Artillery, from Alcatraz Island; Company E, First Infantry, from Benicia Barracks, and the Battalion of the Marine Corps, Maj. Percival C. Pope, commanding (the latter two organizations having been directed to join en route), to Sacramento for execution of the order of the President, the first object to be attainment of control at Sacramento and afterwards the opening of the Central Pacific Railroad to the eastward to meet a force that would come from Ogden westward on the railroad on like duty. Lieut. Col. Francis L. Guenther, Fifth Artillery, commanding at Alcatraz Island, was directed to report to Colonel Graham for duty with the command, and Maj. Benjamin F. Pope for duty as chief medical officer. The command, which consisted of 26 officers and 516 men, arrived at Sacramento by boat on the morning of July 11, and without serious trouble took possession of the railroad station, yards, shops, etc., clearing them of what strikers were present, without necessity for firing or action other than advancing companies with bayonets at the charge and the cavalry troops with sabers drawn. In this connection attention is requested to the report of Col. William M. Graham, Fifth Artillery, and the accompanying reports of Lieut. Col. Francis L. Guenther, Fifth Artillery, Lieut. Col. Samuel B. M. Young, Fourth Cavalry, and Maj. Percival C. Pope, United States Marine Corps, which are attached to the report of Colonel Gra ham, marked Exhibit 3.1 On July 13, as soon after the arrival of the troops as the railroad company provided a train, a force was dispatched under command of Lieutenant Colonel Guenther, Fifth Artillery, to open the Central Pacific Railroad to the eastward and to a junction with a force proceeding westward from Ogden under instructions from Brig. Gen. John R. Brooke, commanding the Department of the Platte. Colonel Guenther with part of his command reached Truckee, near the eastern boundary of California, on the 14th of July, having placed whilst en route, portions of his force at points suitable to further the objects of protection to trains and, for the time being, of important parts of the railway construction. The force acting under the instructions of General Brooke and under the immediate command of Colonel Poland, had meantime been extended westward and reached to include Reno, Nev., on July 15. Under protection of the troops, which for a time, as deemed necessary, provided guards for trains, full operation of the railroad was resumed, the first through mail train from Ogden to San Francisco after the interruption caused by the strike reaching the latter place on July 16. The force acting under instructions from General Brooke was wholly withdrawn, with my assent, from the line of the railroad in this department on August 17. The battalion of marines was returned to Mare Island in part on August 11, and the remainder on August 20. On the 11th of July, the day of the arrival of the command at Sacramento, a train was made up under protection of the troops and started Omitted. WAR 94-VOL I— -8 for San Francisco, guarded by a detachment from Battery L, Fifth Artillery, under immediate command of Lieut. Delamere Skerrett. The train was derailed about 2 miles from Sacramento in consequence of injury done to the track, and three soldiers, Privates James Byrne, Peter Clark, and George W. Lubberden, were killed outright, and one, Private Wesley C. Dougan, mortally wounded; also, the engineer of the train was killed. There is no doubt the murder of the four soldiers and the engineer was the act of strikers who left Sacramento before the train was started, and also little doubt that it was known beforehand to a considerable number of other strikers that the track had been tampered with for the purpose of derailing the train. The place selected for throwing the train from the track was at a trestle crossing water, and approached by a narrow causeway. That loss of life would occur in case the train were thrown from the track was almost inevitable. Proceedings are in progress in the civil courts against several men charged with murder in causing death by the wrecking of the train. On July 13, whilst Battery L, Fifth Artillery, was protecting railroad employees in making up trains, some strikers approached, commenced offensive talk to the troops, and growing bolder as others joined, began throwing missiles at the soldiers, one being struck. The soldiers were somewhat scattered or separated into small parties, owing to the encumbered condition of the railroad tracks and yards. In accordance with instructions received by the soldiers to fire shots in case of attack, some shots were fired with the result that one man of the party of strikers was killed and one wounded. No further molestation of the troops by the strikers requiring mention occurred thereafter. The troops sent to Los Angeles and to Sacramento practically comprised the effective force of this department, and in view of the still unsettled state in Oakland, the possibility not seemingly to be disregarded that attempts then being made to involve the general trades and other unions with the American Railway Union would be successful and increase the malcontents by large numbers of idle men, and in view especially in such case that San Francisco, where large amounts of public moneys are kept, might become seriously involved, I made request to Captain Howison, commanding the Mare Island Navy-Yard, on July 11, to place at my disposal a force of sailors and marines from the ships at the navy-yard, which he had received instructions to do upon my application. Accordingly, on July 12 Lieut. Commander W. H. Reeder, United States Navy, reported with a command of 30 officers and 340 sailors and marines, drawn from the U. S. steamers Charleston, Monterey, and Thetis and the ship Independence. The force was armed and organized as infantry with a gun detachment and two gatling guns attached. This command, thoroughly efficient for any duty that occasion might require, was placed at the terminus of the railroad in Oakland, commonly designated as the Oakland Mole, and was charged immediately with giving such protection as might be necessary to prevent interference with track and trains at the mole, and also, in case of necessity, to go to the assistance of the State troops in Oakland to quell riots against the operation of the railroads in Oakland, in the vicinity of the mole. The presence at hand of this naval force was very beneficial in repressive effect upon the disorderly element in Oakland, and, upon occasion arising, was available for duty in San Francisco. The naval force was in part relieved on July 24, and the remainder on July 27, last, and returned to the navy-yard. |