The "City Guard": A History of Company "B" First Regiment Infantry, N. G. C. During the Sacremento Campaign, July 3 to 26, 1894: Including a Brief History of the Company Since Its Organization March 31, 1854, to July 3, 1894

In Short

This book serves as both a field report and a commemorative archive of Company B, the "City Guard," during their deployment to the Sacramento railroad strikes in the summer of 1894. More than a mere military log, it captures the social tensions of the era—where the militia stood between labor and capital—while grounding its narrative in the daily survival of the soldiers. It succeeds as a historical document by balancing the gravity of ordered violence with the irreverent, anecdotal, and deeply human experiences of the rank-and-file guardsmen.

The Story

The narrative begins in July 1894, as the "City Guard" is ordered to leave San Francisco for Sacramento. The state government views the growing railroad strike as a direct challenge to its authority and the protection of property, and the company is mobilized to maintain order. The atmosphere is tense from the start; the men march through streets lined with jeering crowds, many of whom harbor sympathy for the strikers’ plight, while others demand that the militia suppress the labor movement with lethal force. Upon arrival in the state capital, the company settles into a camp on the capitol grounds, where the realities of military life—boredom, poor logistics, and the constant search for adequate food—begin to color their perspective on the conflict.

The arc of the campaign is defined by a series of tense standoffs and "what-if" moments. The militia occupies strategic positions, including the American River bridge, and faces the daunting challenge of managing a volatile crowd of strikers. The narrative highlights the disconnect between the officers' strategic planning and the soldiers' lived experience. The men are often left in suspense, awaiting orders to act, only to find themselves watching from the sidelines while others—or sometimes regulars—take the lead. There is a palpable sense of frustration among the rank and file; they feel their presence is vital, yet they are frequently constrained by the indecision or shifting tactics of their superiors.

The climax of the campaign arrives with a skirmish near the railroad lines, where the threat of violence becomes real. A brief exchange of gunfire occurs, and though the militia eventually succeeds in securing the area, the experience is described with a mix of grim seriousness and irony. The account of the search for weapons in local buildings reveals the deeper, more dangerous reality behind the strike, demonstrating that the strikers were far more organized and prepared for combat than many had realized.

Following the suppression of the immediate threat, the company is sent to Truckee. This final phase of the campaign serves as a period of reflection and physical recovery. The men enjoy the mountain scenery and the relative peace of their new surroundings, though the physical toll of the preceding weeks—malaria and exhaustion—begins to manifest in earnest. The book concludes by transitioning from the heat of the strike to the company’s broader history, outlining its origins in 1854 and its long-standing commitment to service and marksmanship. The final chapters solidify the book as a tribute, linking the 1894 campaign to the long, disciplined tradition of the City Guard.

How It Unfolds

Mobilization and Departure The company receives its orders to "preserve the peace and dignity of the State" and marches through San Francisco amidst a deeply divided public. Ammunition is distributed, and the men board a steamer, acutely aware that they are entering a conflict where they may be ordered to fire upon their fellow citizens.

The Sacramento Camp Settling onto the capitol grounds, the men navigate the absurdities of military bureaucracy and the chronic failure of the commissary department to provide basic sustenance. The daily routine is marked by makeshift cooking, the pursuit of beer, and the constant, often humorous, friction between the soldiers and their superiors.

Standoffs and Skirmishes The narrative shifts to the tense reality of the picket line, where strikers and soldiers stare each other down across the railroad yards. The men of Company B experience the frustration of being held in reserve while other units engage, eventually finding their own role in a decisive weapons search.

The Truckee Assignment The final deployment to the mountains offers a reprieve from the stifling heat and political pressure of the capital. The men reflect on their service and the physical cost of the campaign, ultimately returning home with a reinforced sense of collective identity.

The People

The men of the "City Guard" are portrayed as a colorful, often unruly, yet profoundly loyal brotherhood. Captain George R. Burdick emerges as the central authority figure, tasked with keeping order among men who are as likely to mock his commands as they are to follow them. His attempts to enforce discipline—often interrupted by the soldiers’ sharp wit—provide the book’s lighter moments.

Private W. J. Hayes and Corporal Burtis serve as the quintessential soldiers of the company. They are resourceful, frequently hungry, and deeply involved in the "spoils of war"—raiding the commissary or procuring extra food to survive the campaign’s logistical failures. Their actions are driven by a mix of genuine need and a desire to outsmart the bureaucracy.

Doc O’Malley, the company’s medical presence, is a figure of both professional duty and essential comic relief. His tent becomes a sanctuary for the sick and a site for "subdued but exquisite enjoyment," as he balances the serious task of treating malaria with the lighter duties of keeping morale high.

Finally, the strikers themselves, though not central characters, function as the primary foil for the Guard. Their willingness to act as a "living barricade" against locomotives is described with a grudging respect, illustrating the intensity of the struggle and the genuine danger faced by both sides. These men are not merely statistics to the author, but antagonists whose desperation underscores the volatility of the era.

In Its Own Voice

"You must remember that your own lives are at stake, and you will fire low, and fire to kill."

The Captain gives this sobering directive as the company prepares to depart San Francisco, establishing the gravity of the mission.

"Between these two extremes there was a third element, made up of men who had a true insight into the condition of affairs: men who fully recognized the place that strikes hold in the development of the human race; men who detect in these visible presentations of discontent..."

The author reflects on the varied public response to the deployment, highlighting the complex societal divisions of the 1890s.

"The scene of a truck loaded with weapons of war being driven through the streets in broad daylight, guarded on all sides by glittering bayonets, is one that will not be forgotten by the Sacramento citizens for some time to come."

This observation follows the successful raid on a building used by strikers, marking a turning point in the campaign.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book explores the fragile intersection of duty and civil unrest. It raises the uncomfortable question of what happens when a citizen-soldier is turned against his own neighbor during a time of labor conflict. The book argues that the "City Guard" served as an essential instrument of order, yet it does not shy away from the reality that the soldiers were often ill-prepared and poorly supported by their own leadership. It captures the tension between the ideal of the "patriotic citizen" and the harsh reality of class conflict, revealing how the soldiers mediated these competing pressures through humor, shared hardship, and a rigid, almost ritualistic adherence to military discipline.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in late-19th-century American history or the development of labor relations will find this a fascinating, if sometimes challenging, read. It provides an unvarnished look at the National Guard’s role in the 1894 railroad strikes, offering a perspective that is neither purely laudatory nor purely critical. The book feels like a conversation among veterans; it is filled with internal slang, period-specific humor, and a focus on the minutiae of daily life—who cooked the best soup, who stole the beer, and whose hat was dented in the most stylish way.

The prose is precise and evocative, though modern readers should be prepared for the sometimes long-winded lists of company promotions and historical dates that characterize the "History of the Company" section. The author’s attitudes reflect the perspectives of the 1890s, particularly regarding the strike and the social order of the time, which may feel jarring or outdated today. However, for those who appreciate history told from the bottom up, the book’s value lies in its ability to humanize a group of men caught in a moment of profound national transition. It is a rewarding study of how organizations preserve their own memory and how they interpret their own service in the face of deep societal fracture.