The record-union., 1894-10-26
Generals and Colonels Raped Sc
Verely On all Sides.
Everybody Made Mistakes Except the Gen.
tltmGn Who We're Hundreds Of Miles
Away From The Scene.

received.
1t states that the court met at the
armory of Company c., First Regiment
Infantry. Second Brigade, n. G. c., 81;
Ellis street, on September II, 1894, organ.
lzed IN due form and entered upon its
duties. The order appointing the court
provided that thorough inquiry should
be made as to the operations of the troops
at Sacramento during the late strike, and
that special inquiry and report should
be made as to the conduct of the officers
and men. AS directed by said order the
court has performed it's work without
regard to rank, prejudices or precon-
ceived IDEAS" and it's Investigations are
returned with its opinions freely ex-
pressed
1t has endeavored TO make its investi-
cations thorough; its labors have been
performed with a view of eliciting the
true facts, and its conclusions are the re-
suit OF careful deliberation 1t realizes
the importance of the investigation and
the grave duty resting upon it;
being conscious that the conclusions
reached and the recommendations made
Will be officially acted upon, as an
nounced IN said orders. A large number
OF witnesses, citizens as well as members
OF the National Guard. were examined,
and much documentary evidence intro
duced. The testimony covers over l 200
pages of legal cap, and the court was
actually in session twenty days.
From the evidence the court finds that
on July 3, 1894, the Governor received
from Marshal Baldwin a demand for
troops to be sent to Sacramento to assist
him in the preservation of the public
peace, preservation of property and en-
forcement of the laws of California and
the United States, and thereupon by tele-
graph ordered Major-General Dimond,
commanding the division, to send sutfi-
cient troops TO Sacramento.
The utmost latitude was given to Gen
eral Dimond, and he was permitted to
use his own judgment as to the mum Der
of the troops and the means oftransporta-
ton. In obedience to this order General
Dickinson was ordered TO take the First
and Third Infantry Regiments, a section
of the Light Battery with Gatling gun
and a detachment of the Signal Corps,
and was ordered to provide rations for
one day. Colonel Nunan, commanding
the Sixth Infantry, was ordered to report
for duty with two companies of his regi-
ment, stationed at Stockton, upon the
arrival of the train conveying the troops
from Stockton. Generals Dimond and
Dickins with number of staff Off
GERS. accompanied the troops.
The Governors orders were received
about $50 P. NJ. on the Sd, communicated
to General Dickinson, and by him to
Colonels Sullivan and Barry, command
ing the First and Third Regiments. By
10 p. NJ. the entire command was ready TO
60 to Sacramento, the troops showing re-
markable promptness and zeal in report
ing for duty. Owing to the lateness OF
the hour it was impossible to reach the
men at their places of business, as at that
hour they were on their way to their
homes. Special efforts were made and
messengers sent in all directions 1t
speaks well for the men that they should
have reported for duty at a distant point
in such large numbers, and the returns
show larger per cent of men present for
duty than was ever known at any camp.
Considerable delay was occasio ned in
the departure of the train from Oakland
Finally about l O'Clock a. NJ. on July 4th
the train, In two sections, started and
proceeded without special incident to
Stockton, where Colonel Nunan, with
two companies of the Fifth Infantry,
Joined the command. Sacramento was
reached at $50 a. NJ. The trains stopped
at Twenty street and the troops
marched to the arInory at the corner of
Sixth and l. streets, distant nearly two
miles. An attempt was made to supply
the troops with breakfast at the armory
This consisted of only bread and coffee
and it was so limited in quantity that the
troops did not have sufficient to satisfy
hunger. After long and inexcusable
delay, at about l1:4O A. NJ, the command
took up its march for the depot, the OBJ
jective point.
No attempt was made to comply with
the order to provide one days rations,
with the exception of two or three COM
panies of the First Regiment. The order
1or ratiOns seems to have been clearly
understood by General Dickinson and
Colonels Sullivan and Barry. So far as
the court has been able to ascertain, the
commissary officers of these several or
ganiZations received no orders or iustruc-
lions, nor did the commanding officers
themselves make any effort to obtain
rations or to provide subsistence of any
kind, 1t is in evidence that these officers
had, at early on June 30th, considered
the probability of their commands being
ordered out for active service.
On that date, as stated in General Di-
mond's report, realizing the gravity OF
the situation" a consultation was had,
at which there were present Generals Di-
mond and Dickinson and CoIonelS SullI-
van and Barry. 1t was then we'll known
TO them that the employees of the railroad
company had gone out on strike and
were preventing the movement of trains
and the transportation of the United
States mails. 1t was matter of public
notoriety and occupied the attention OF the
the moving of freight, was almost wholly
at sIandstill. From June 30th to the
receipt of the order on July Sd, nothing
was done by any of these commanding
officers TO prepare their commands for
active service. 1t would have been an
easy matter to obtain ample supplies for
the entire command before moving.
Hard tack and canned meats could have
been taken in bulk and distributed to the
troops on the train. We are aware that
no funds were available for such cases,
but we are convinced that very little ex-
ertion on the part of the officers would
have provided the supplies. This view
of the case is emphasized by the fact that
provisions OF all kinds were afterward
readily obtained in sacramento in much
greater quantities and under more diff
cult circumstances. It is true the troops
were not supplied with haversacks, in
which rations are usually carried, but as
the troops were not proceeding on 8
march, but were being transported by
rail, provisions in bulk could have been
carried and distributed to the troops as
necessity required.
There seems to be no question that be-
fore leaving the armory at Sacramento
Brigadier- General Dickinson received
orders from Major General Dimond to
cooperate with Brigadier-G Shee-
han. The command moved in one col
umn upon the depot. The brigade under
General Sheehan was IN the formation o.
a close column of companies.
General Dickinson's marched in tht
same formation until just before the
depot was reached, when it formed, by
direction of General Dickinson, in stree
Column. This formation was maintained