California State Military
DepartmentCalifornia State Military
Department
In March, 1914, a large band of Industrial Workers of the World,
styling themselves as "Kelley's Army," and another band
of I.W.W.'s traveling with them, invaded Sacramento and established
a camp near the Southern Pacific Depot.
This group of about 2,000, trained into companies in military order, refused to obey orders of the police, refused to leave town and threatened-to scatter over the town and commit various crimes unless fed by the citizens and given transportation to Ogden, Utah.
The city authorities appealed to the Governor for help. The Governor directed the city authorities to try their forces first. In the meantime he ordered The Adjutant General to get enough of the militia together to suppress this lawless assemblage, which was continually making threatening speeches, in case trouble should occur and the city authorities should prove inadequate to preserve order. The Adjutant General ordered Companies A, E, F, G and I, 2d Infantry; Troop B, 1st Squadron of Cavalry; and Battery C, 1st Battalion, Field Artillery, to assemble at the State armory in Sacramento. These organizations fell in under arms, ready to take action at a moment's notice.
The Adjutant General went to the camp of
the I.W.W.'s and watched the fight between the police and deputies,
the sheriff and deputies and the firemen upon one side and the
I.W.W.'s on the other side, to determine whether it would be necessary
to intervene with the militia. The Governor was adverse to shedding
blood by the troops unless it was absolutely necessary, his instructions
being not, to bring the troops into the fight unless to prevent
bloodshed or great destruction of property. Fortunately the troops
did not have to intervene, as the civil authorities, by the free
use of pick handles and other clubs, and the hose from the city's
fire department, routed the invaders and made it unnecessary for
the militia to take part. The troops were retained at the armory
from six to ten days, until the civil authorities were satisfied
that there was no cause to fear further trouble.