The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-05-24
From the Delaware State Reporter, M.y TO-,
WAR Broken Out i,a Lesves Del.
s.Great Excitcincat,

s.Great Excitement.
&, The town of Lcwes has been
thrown into great confusion for the
past Two days, on account of fleet
ct htty ur more sail offsl.crmen, from
Mime and Cape Cod, appearing in the
harbour, and the riotous conduct of
the sailors. 1t seems these vessels, for
some weeks past, have been fishing off
the coast for mackcrel. On Satur,
day lsst they ran into the harbor, and
on Sunday, some dozen or moro of
the men came ashore, and raised con-.
siderable disturbance in the town Of
Lewes. Oh, Tuesday morning tho
vessels put to seq, but failing to dis
cover the fishing grounds, they re.
turned again the same afternoon. An
gered and vexsd With their disappoint-
ment, a large Abdy of the men march.
ed. up to the town, where they COM
1hittcd tho sIH8st excessive acts Of riot
Gus sbehaywdf. They made torciblc en-.
esHit6 private dwellings, fright
ening gSpd insulting the female occu-
pantsss a few energetic individuals
sqseAedcd in driving them back to
theif boats, and the town authorities
forbade them from returning at
their peril.
Shortly after sundown on Wednos.
! day evening the citizens were aroused
to immediate action by the report, that
/, one hundred and fifty fishermen were
crossing the beach, threatening to at
tack and burn the town. The men
all turned out, armed with guns, musk
cts and huge clubs. The windows and
doors of nearly every dwelling were
locked and barred, and the females
were III dreadful trcpidation. In the
meantime, the assalants continued to
advance until they reached the bridge
which spans Lewes Creek, one hun.
dred and fifty yards from the town.
iiere skirmish ensucd, in which the
fishermen were driven back, with q
few broken heads and bones.
BY this time POSSE Of the citi.
zens' had taken possession Of can,
non in front Of MIR. Burr's Hotel, load
ed it with grape shot, and upon the
Tepulsc of the fishermen, volley was
fired into them. The night was
dark, and it could not be aseertained
ifany one was shat.
The firing of the cannon served as
signal to the pilots of at the Break.
water. Several boat loads immediate
ly came ashore, and joining the citi-
zens, pursuit was made after the re.
pulsed assailants. Their rear was
protected by n loaded swivel mounted
on the bridge, with slow match kept
in readiness. The pursuing party, num-
bering hundred. or more, armed with
some sixty or eighty guns, quickly
reached the beach, and discovered the
fishermen had em barked for their YES
sells. The firing Of the canon warned
shem that thcre is plenty Of fight in
the men Of Sussex,
About twenty Of the rioters made
forcible entrance into the garden Of
Mr. Thomas Howard, and despoiled
the promises Ct all the most rare cx-
otics, Not content with committing
this outrage upon the property of on
nnoffending individual, they turned up.
on Mr.. Howard, and threw rotten eggs
at him, and drove him from his
garden. Another party entered the
house Of Dr.. Hall, and insulted the fe-
males. The same party burst into
the house adjoining, and drove the fc.
males into me back buildings, where
they succeeded in resisting the further
advances Of the fisherman by bar.
ring all the entrances.
In the skirmish Mr.. VIM. A. Nor.
row had his leg severely hurt. Mr..
Morrow, at ono time, stood alone on
the tootway which extends across the
beach, and with single pistol he kept
the whole party at bay.
The fishermen stole from tho beach
several anchors, and all the loose prop
erty they could lay their hands on.
When the disturbances first occurred,
despatch was sent off up the river for
the revenue cutter to come to the as.
sistancc Of the town. A message was
telegraphed back that the cutter was
unab1e'to come on account of having
no men with which to man the YES.
sci. On Thursday and Friday nights
patrols were stationed on the bridge
and on the beach. where they placed
their. watch, to prevent the landing of
any large body Of the fishermen. The
citizens have matters now SO organi
zed as to permit only one or two
to land ut time, for the purpose of
procuring provisions, and supplies
of sea stores.
This arrangement will avoid the
fishermen collecting in the town in
any large body. With telescope
several small squads Of the fishermen
are now seen on the beach off
the lighthouse, prowling about, and
Plundering the shore ofall property Of
q moyeable character. One Of the citi-
gems oflthe town informs me that he
has fine sboat at the cape, and which
he is anxious to obtain possession of,
but dare not,go in quest Of his own
property, for fear of being attacked.
The affair, it is thought, will now