“The counter and the desk.”
(I. B. Cook.)
Any thing to break the stagnation of doing nothing. Besides this the men were disgusted with the situation. The strikers held the depot while they, who had traveled eighty miles to dislodge them from that place, held down the Capitol grounds. Every day, since the Fourth, saw the men expectant of marching upon the depot; every night saw the men disappointed and more disgusted. Is it any wonder that the men were discontented and strongly desirous of leaving the field of strife?
Inside of the camp of the strikers harmonious relations did not prevail. Their temporary victory on the Fourth was slowly turning into a defeat. Its effect had been contrary to what they had expected. The continued presence of the militia at the Capitol, the announcement that the regulars had been ordered to Sacramento, the growing stronger of the opposition of the railroad, all tended to show them the hopelessness of expecting to coerce the Southern Pacific Company into submission. Beside this, Poverty, the great ally of the capitalist, was forcing breaches in their hitherto determined front. A number of the strikers counting upon a swift victory were ill-prepared to stand a long siege. Many were now secretly prepared to desert the cause at the first opportunity. Compromise by arbitration was talked about, but nothing came of it. With some of the strikers, however, the hopelessness of success only tended to make them more desperate. Reinforced by the crowd of armed ruffians from Dunsmuir they were preparing themselves to resist every advance the troops made against them, even though that resistance amounted to bloodshed. Such actions as these could have but one result. Instead of bolstering up the cause of the strikers it was in reality weakening it. The peaceably inclined were repelled from such associates and disavowed their relationship with them. How well these desperate individuals kept their resolutions will be seen hereafter.
That things were approaching a crisis was evident by the increased precautions taken to guard the camp. It had been reported that the strikers were preparing to sweep down upon the camp and capture the Gatling guns. In order to prevent the camp from being surprised by any such movement men were selected from each company and detailed to act as pickets. They were posted a block beyond the line of sentinels of the camp guard and in such a way that the camp was now guarded by a double line of sentinels. By this plan it was almost an impossibility for any body of the strikers to approach within three hundred feet of the camp without being detected. Sergeant Kelly, Privates Hayes and Crowley were selected from Company B to act in this capacity. The strikers on the other hand were also exercising the greatest vigilance. Every movement made by the militia was carefully watched by the strikers’ pickets, who were always present in the vicinity of the camp, and who transmitted any suspicious movement on the part of the troops to their leaders. And, if the movement was of sufficient importance, three shrill blasts of a steam whistle could be heard; and down all the streets leading to the depot strikers could be seen hurrying along to gather there in a body. This great vigilance on the part of the strikers seemed to give the affair a much more serious aspect than it really deserved. The establishing of pickets on both sides added to the reality and picturesqueness of the scene.
All during the week different rumors had been flying around camp. First it was, that the militia were going to do this, then that; until finally, on account of their proverbial unreliableness, not much faith was placed in them. So, on July 10th, when it was rumored about camp that the regulars would arrive the following day, and that the militia would be ordered to co-operate with them in securing the depot, not much dependence was placed upon its authenticity. When, however, later in the evening each member of the company was notified to hold himself in readiness to be called at an early hour in the morning, and to sleep with his rifle at his side, it began to look that after all there was something in this rumor. It is safe to say that the men retired that night praying—that is, those who knew how—that the rumor would become a fact. At three A. M. the men of Company B were awakened by 1st Sergt. A. F. Ramm, and told to dress as quietly and as quickly as possible. This they did. Save now and again of the murmur of subdued conversation no one would know but what the camp was wrapped in sound slumber. On emerging from the tents, an air of mystery seemed to be hovering around. The day was just beginning to break. The gray dawn almost isolated us from the world without. Not a wreath of smoke, that would betoken life stirring in the adjacent closely barred houses was visible. Now and again could be heard coming along the stone pavement, breaking the peculiar stillness of the air, the tramp of feet, and some poor unfortunate would emerge out of the gray gloom and pass the camp on his way to his daily toil. Here and there could be discerned the dim form of some vigilant picket. Within the camp men were moving noiselessly to and fro. Few lights were discernible. Every one seemed to be awake to the necessities of the hour. They were preparing themselves for a rapid and noiseless movement; so that they would be well on their way towards the prospective scene of action before their absence from the camp was made known to the strikers. As one now thinks of the events of that morning it seems as if the men were preparing
“To fold their tents like the Arabs;
And as silently steal away.”
The men were awakened at this early hour, so, that when the order for marching did come no time would be lost.
During the hours of the night while the men slept the gods were busy. A load of haversacks and canteens had been brought into camp during the night. These haversacks and canteens, which are the same as are used in the regular army, were distributed among the men, every man receiving one of each. Provisions, consisting of canned corned beef. O! blessed Corned Beef would that thou wert never made, and crackers, were then packed in the haversack for future use, while the canteens were filled with coffee. The usual march up town for breakfast was omitted this morning and a rough and ready meal of sandwiches and coffee was substituted in its place.