Annals of the great strikes in the United States

The work provides a contemporaneous narrative and analysis of a nationwide series of labor uprisings that began with wage reductions on a major railroad and quickly spread to numerous cities. It chronicles strikes, stoppage of trains, clashes between strikers, militia, and federal forces, episodes of riot and property destruction, and efforts by authorities to restore order. Interwoven with detailed incident reports are chapters examining relations between capital and labor, social conditions that fueled unrest, the role of agitators and political movements, and the legal and military responses. The account aims to separate fact from rumor and to present a concise record of causes, events, and public reactions.