Homestead Strike and the Pinkerton battle

Background. The conflict occurred at the Homestead Steel Works, a large mill on the Monongahela River in Homestead, Pennsylvania. It involved the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and the Carnegie Steel Company. Andrew Carnegie had placed Henry Clay Frick in charge of operations in 1881. Frick’s management was characterized by vehement opposition to unions, setting the stage for the 1892 lockout and subsequent violence.

Escalation. Negotiations began in February 1892, with the collective bargaining agreement due to expire on June 30. Frick announced on April 30 that he would bargain for 29 more days. In April, Frick contracted the Pinkerton National Detective Agency for plant security. By July, the mill was ringed by striking workers, and Pinkerton agents planned to access the grounds from the river.

The Battle. On the night of July 5, 1892, 300 Pinkerton agents assembled on the Davis Island Dam on the Ohio River. On July 6, these agents were called in to protect the mill and act as strikebreakers. The confrontation erupted into violence, leading to the deaths of three Pinkerton agents and nine steelworkers. The event caused outrage across the country.