Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-08-20
HORRIBLE ATROCITIES.


II would be impossible TO give credence the atrocities
described below if the statement not supported by
the testimony Of several different papers of different pot
cal complexons Can such crimes be suffered to escape
condign punishment
From the 81. Louis Republican Of august 10h.
The HORRIBLE ArRooTIEs--In our issue of Friday
we gave statement of brutal murders at Compro
mise Landing on the Mississippi not far from Island No.
TO- These deeds OF horror perpetrated the 4th
instant Our informant il respectable gentleman-Mr,
George o. Hart who signed his to the statement.
That statement readers may resoect, was that's
Eighteen negro soldiers, fully armed having come
from the camp Island TO- went to the house OF Mr.
Frank Beckham, the river, Immediately where we
landed this morning. and murdered him. aged forty years.
his old father Maj Benz Beckham aged eRhy and four
children OF Mr. r Beckham-Laura aged fourteen; Kate
aged ten; Carolhe aged and Richard, aged two
years They first caught Mr. f. Beckham and his aged
father tied them marched them to the edge OF the bank
of the river shot and stabbed them and threw their bodies
into the water They then threw little Dick into the river
tied the two youngest girls g-ther and threw them in
then forced the oldest gil and beat her the head with
their muskets until she sank down. The bodies of old
Major Beckham and the youngest child have been
cd Many Of and myself to the house
and them. Fortunately two of the family Of children
off at school, and hs mother aud child four years
old went to OwensbOro, Kentucky, with last
trip. All the rest were murdered"
We find in the ST. Louis Democrat Of yesterday spe
ca despatch from Cairo, which gives additional par
tcular and will be seen, confirms correspondents
statement
"CAIRo, AUGUST 6.-Passengsrs arriving here upon
the steamer Liberty from Memphis last night report
particulars Of most horrible and brutal murder
committed Monday last by negro soldiers from Island
No. ~ at Compromise Landing on the Mississippi liver
the line dividing Tennessee and Kentucky The acts
IN regard to the matter could learn them
| as follows:
AT Compromise Landing resides family by the name
of Bickham consisting of old man seventy years Of
age and Frank Bckham, aged forty and four children of
the latter-Laura, aged fourteen years. Kate aged
years. Caroline, seven and Dick aged but two years The
mother of the children had gone from home on visit
North, having taken child with her. 1t that as
nrse for the children, Mis-. Bickham had likely young
coloed girl whose relations at Vcksburg upon
Government property at Island No. TO- These
laOns very anxious that the girl should leave Bck
hams place and to live with them but for
she refused to do Some time several negroes
from fland No 10 supposed to be those relatives went
Bickhams place to force The young girl to go with them
| Frank Bckhsm prevented them from accomplishing
their design, and drove the ntruders off with his gum
threatening shoot them Soon after Mrs Bckham
the nurse North. On Monday last eighteen soldiers from
Island No TO- armed with muskets appeared the land
ing and shot old Mr. Bckham and his Frank and flung
the bodies into the Mississippi They then I'D two of the
children Kate and Caroline, together and threw them alive
into the river aud finished by knocking out their brains
with the butts Of their muskets Little Dick, aged but
two they threw also into the river and knocked his
brains out with their guns Laura, the eldest girl was
thrown into the river and left to perish. Having
phed their purpose the left the spot but
neghbos traced the body of the elder Bckbam and
news lsldBQ Twelve oil tA9 0gh-
teen engaged the perpetraOn of the promptly
arrested and will have trial aud be punished they de-
Couutymen in search of the remainder of the
| murderers"
1t is shocking to add that the Cairo News duplicates
white soldiers partcipators in this savage butch
| cry. That paper says:
1--WE learn from Capt. Phillips, of the navy, that two
white foldlers although they did not imbrue their
hands in the blood of the murdered still they prompted
the negroes to do it and sanctioned the act The coward
murderers stood behind the negroes who actually did
the deed They should be hung behind the negroes
wrapped in the shroud buried the grave and
| sent to the same hell"
The above is q terrible commentary the policy
employing blacks soldiers. To place large portions
the white population at the mercy OF their brutal passions
in instances cunnngy indamed by white despera
does who though shrinking from the nfamy Of their deeds
willing to hound the blacks to those deeds, is
scheme which had as well be at once reconsidered.
In this particular instance, the white officer in command
at leland No. 10 has heavy responsibility his shoulders
and should be made stand to it. Such
this internal tragedy unfortunately lends countenance
to the enemies of the Union the world over who will cite
it as damnng proof of the babarity of Goverement
and people But such charge wil doubt be refuted
by the prompt and condgn punishment Of these ends who
have been guilty of atrocities seldom known outside of
horde of red Any repetition of such denominations
will be most eecuay prevented by change the policy
which makes them possibe