The injection of partisan considerations into public discussion of the Homestead affair led naturally to a vast amount of misrepresentation, and even at this late day the causes and character of the struggle are widely misunderstood. It has been the mission of the author of this history to sift out the truth, to make clear the motives and methods of the disputants on both sides, and to recount in detail the events of the contest without sacrificing historic accuracy to romantic effect. Personal observations in the course of visits to the "seat of war" while hostilities were in progress, and subsequent conversations with the leaders has made the task a comparatively easy one. Little attempt is made to philosophize on the varying phases of the labor question as presented at Homestead. It is left largely to the reader to form his own deductions from the facts set forth and from the opinions of recognized authorities, not forgetting Mr. Carnegie himself, which are liberally cited. That through the perusal of "Homestead" new light may be borne in upon some of the many who persist in regarding the American workingman as a mere piece of mechanism, deservedly at the mercy of his employer, is the earnest hope of THE AUTHOR. PITTSBURGH, November 22, 1893. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. CAPITAL IN ITS STRONGHOLD. Homestead and Its Mills--The Rise and Progress of the Carnegie Firm--How The "Star Spangled Scotchman" Made His Fortune--He Labors For Years and Then Lapses Into Luxury--H. C. Frick's Career as Coke King and Iron Master--The Fine Art of Crushing Strikes--Carnegie and Frick Join Hands and the Latter Becomes the Master-Spirit--Condition of Organized Labor at Homestead 3-14 CHAPTER II. THE GATHERING OF THE STORM. History and Methods of the Amalgamated Association--Operation of the Sliding Scale at Homestead--Superintendent Potter Makes Amicable Suggestions _a la_ Carnegie--An Ultimatum From Frick--He Threatens Non-Unionism and Fortifies the Mills--Lodges Hold a Sunday Morning Meeting--Burgess McLuckie's Bold Speech--"High Fences, Pinkerton Detectives, Thugs and Militia"--Political Exigencies Give Hope to the Workmen 15-26 CHAPTER III. LOCKED OUT. Frick's Allies--A Plan of General Assault on the Amalgamated Association Falls to the Ground--The Labor Question in Politics--Democrats Make Capital Out of Wage Reductions--Frick Confers With a Workmen's Committee and Rejects a Compromise--Mills Shut Down and Are Declared Non-Union--"Fort Frick"--Lodges Appoint an Advisory Committee--Guarding the Town 27-40 CHAPTER IV. THE PINKERTON GUARDS.