The morning call., 1894-10-26
NEGLIGENT OFFICERS SCORED.

"
Second Brigade. n. g. c.. San Francisco,
on September IL, 1894, organized 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 a special
inquiry and report should be made as to
the conduct of the officers and men. As
directed by said order the court has per-
formed its work without regard TO rank,
prejudices CT preconceiyed IDEAS" and
sits Investigations are returned with
its opinions freely expressed"
1t has endeavored to make its investiga-
ton thorough; its labors have been per-
formed with a view of eliciting the true
facts. and lis conclusions are the result of
careful elaboration. 1t realizes the i'm
pOrtance of the Investigation and the grave
duty resting upon it, being conscious that
the conclusions reached and the recon-
mendations made Will be officially acted
upon, as announced in said orders. A
large number of witnesses. citizens as we'll
as members of the National Guard, were
examined and much documentary evil
dence introduced. The testimony covers
over 1000 pages of legal cap. and the court
was actually in session twenty days.
From the evidence the court finds that on
July 8, 1894. the Governor received from
Marshal Baldwin a demand for troops 10
be sent to Sacramento to assist him in the
preservation of the public peace, preserya-
tion of property and enforcement of the
laws of California and the United States.
and thereupon by telegraph ordered Major
General DimoDd, commanding the divi-
sion, TO send sufficient troops to Sacra-
mento. The utmost latitude was given to
General Dimond. and he was permitted to
use his own judgment as to the number Of
the troops and the means of transporta-
ton.
Tie Governors orders were received
about 80 p. NJ. on the Sd, communicated
10 General Dickinson, and by 10 P. NJ. the
entire command was ready to go to Sacra-
mento, the troops showing Temarka BILE
promptness and zeal in reporting for duty.
No attempt was made to comply with
the order to provide one days rations
With the exception of two or three CON-
panies of the Fist Regiment. The order
for rations seems to have been clearly uu-
derstoo1 by General Dickinson and
ColoDels Sullivan and Barry. So far as
the court has been able to ascertain
the commissary officers received no
orders, nor did the commanding officers
themselves make any effort to provide
subsistence of any kind. 1t is in evidence
that these officers had, as early as June
so, considered the probability of their com.
mands being ordered out for active service
Sacramento was reached at $50 A. NJ
on the 4th. There seems to be no CUES
ton that before leaving the armory al
Sacra mento Brigadier-General Diekinso
received orders from Major General
Dimond to cooperate with Brigadier-Gen
eral Sheehan. The command moved in
one column upon the depot. The brigade
under General Sheehan was in the forma.
ton of close column of companies. Gen.
eral Dickinson marched in the same
formation until just before the depot was
reached, when 1t formed, by direction oil
General Dickinson, in street column. This
formation was maintained during the
whole time that the troops stood in the
sun at the depot and until they were finally
dismissed.
The depot may be approached by three
or four different streets, leading to it d.
rectly or indirectly. There seems to cave
been no organized plan and no consIdera-
ton of the advisab iity of marching
against the depot in parallel column oil
attack, so that on arrival a strong line
might have been Immediately formed and
q sufficient force of skirmishers thrown
forward.
1t appears that the strikers had publicly
announced and that General Sheehan was
fully satisfied that no resistance would be
made to the occupancy OF the depot by the
troops, ana be so informed General
Dimond and General Dickinson. During
all the time about three hours that tht
troops remained at the armory on the
morning of the 4th no attempt or effor
was made by any one 10 ascertain the
actual situation of affairs at the depot; th
number Of strikers there, their disposition
their arms, as we'll as their temper re
NAMED unknown to the commanding off
GERS. 1t appears that Generals DimonC
and Dickinson accepted the assurance O.
General Sbeehan that there would be nj
resistance; and the column of nearly 100
men moved upon the depot without taking
the precaution to send forward force Ii
advance or even to throw out a singl,
skirmisher.
No real effort, from military stand
point. was ever made to enter the depot o
take possession of the railroad premises
The force which came in direct contac
WIN the crown COHsiotcu VI WIG iioub U
only one company of sixteen rifles, and n
determined effort was made by that com
pany to clear the crowd away from it
front After further long details OF event
leading up 10 the march to the depot tn
court says:
"Maior-General Dimond says In his re
port that he 'cheerfnlly accepted the re
sponsibility of the management OF tn
campaign re ulting from the strike.' AM
in a certain sense it may be said that he ]
responsible for the various errors commit
ted in July last. Absolute command car
ries with it the entire responsibility. Blu
the court is of the opinion, while thu
boldly placing tho responsibility upon hi
shoulders, that in the execution of the va
rious movements he is not to De held en-
tirely to blame. But. nevertheless, he
personally responsible for number 0
mistakes. He gave the necessary order
and his subordinates should have attends
to the details.
THE concentration was made so that hi
command would arrive in Sacramento o.
the 4th, when it was well known that a
places of business would be closed an
that the capital city would be filled wit
large numbers Of citizens from the SUI