The company halted on the street just outside of camp. Here Captain Cook, according to instructions ordered Sergeant Clifford to report to Colonel Nunan. Upon reporting, Colonel Nunan said, “Sergeant, you are to select from your company four men whom you have the greatest confidence in, men who you can trust to stay with you in any danger. We will proceed into town and halt in front of a certain building; at a given signal from me you are to enter the building with your squad, and search the house from top to bottom. If you meet with resistance use force. Seize every firearm or weapon likely to do bodily harm. The company will remain on the outside, and will respond to any call you may give for assistance.”
Sergeant Clifford selected as his squad Corporal J. N. Wilson, Privates Unger, Hayes, and Crowley.
The four companies, two from the sixth, one from the third, and one from the first, were formed into a battalion, and the command “March,” was given. The companies proceeded to a building in which was situated the headquarters of the A. R. U. Company B of the Sixth was detached from the column and sent to search the building. The other three companies continued the march. The next halt was made in front of the Fremont building. Company A of the Sixth was detailed to search this building. B of the First and B of the third then proceeded to the corner of Front and I streets. Here the companies were wheeled into line and halted.
The building to be searched was a two-story dwelling, the ground floor of which, being one large room, was used for a meeting place by the strikers. It was removed from the corner of the street by a three-story building, the first floor being occupied by a saloon, while, on the left of it, was another two-story building. Owing to the intimate relation between these three buildings it was deemed advisable to search all three. Consequently, on account of the increased magnitude of the search, the original searching squad was increased by the addition of Privates O’Brien and Bannan and placed under the command of Lieutenant Filmer. On receiving the signal agreed upon from Colonel Nunan, Lieutenant Filmer led the way into the building. The outer door was opened, on demand, by the proprietor of the place, who invited the squad to step in, assuring them that they would encounter no resistance. Entering the building, the squad found themselves in a large room where some fifty men were seated round. Sizing up the the place, Lieutenant Filmer gave the command, “Search the house.” The squad immediately spread out, part passing upstairs, while the others searched the ground floor and basement.
The company was now, for the first time in the campaign, really face to face with danger. A man’s castle was being invaded. Would he submit peacefully, or would he resist? This was a question that time alone could answer.
After the searching squad had been some minutes at work Private Unger appeared at the door and asked for assistance. Reenforcements were sent in, and in a few minutes they reappeared, bearing a large number of Italian swords and sheaths, which they piled upon the street.
In the mean time the crowd began to assemble and press up toward the building in which the search was going on. Seeing the necessity of keeping the crowd back, Captain Cook ordered Corporal Burtis and Private M. Claussenius to clear the sidewalk as far as the corner.
Fixing their bayonets, they advanced upon the crowd and commanded, “Get back!” at the same time pressing the crowd back with their rifles. “I live here,” was the response, “Get back!” “Don’t you force me, I won’t get back, I have a right here.” “Get back or I’ll put this through you,” emphasizing the commands by giving the refractory ones several sharp prods in the back with the bayonet, which overcame their resistance and accelerated their motion towards the corner, where they stood and relieved their wounded feelings by taunting and jeering the men. “You people think you’re great, but we’ll fix you yet, coming up here to down us, eh? By God, we hope you scrubs will get it in the neck,” and etc.
Beneath this shower of abuse Claussenius and Burtis stood impervious. Whatever satisfaction the crowd might have derived from jeering, and thus giving vent to their injured feelings, they certainly derived none, if such satisfaction depended upon their irritating the objects of their displeasure, from the men themselves.
Corporal Burtis’ work was much admired by Lieutenant McIver of the regular army and inspector of the National Guard of California. He was heard to remark to one of the officers that “that man is a fine corporal.” Corporal Burtis did not display a single sign of weakness. His work was characterized by firmness and determination, the essential elements of a good soldier.