The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-04-07

The Coles County Riot.
Il Full account Of It's Original Prog
ress and Conclxsion.-Ihe Conner
heads Suppressed, and Quiet Re
stored
CHARLESTON, Monday, 9 p. m.
This afternoon a dreadful affair took
place in our town, the most shocking
in its details that has ever occurred in
our part of the State. Early in the
morning, squads of copperheads came
in town, from various directions, and
as the sequel will show, armed and de-
termined upon summary vengeance
upon our soldiers. During the day
premonitions of the coming trouble
were too evident. Some of the sol.
diers, about to return to Heterogeneous,
were somew what excited by liquor, and
consequently rather boistrous, but not
belligerent-were more disposed for
fun than fight. About four o'clock, a
soldier, Oliver Sallee, stepped up to
Nelson Wells, who has been regarded
as leader of copperheads in this county,
and placing his hand good naturally
against him, playfully asked him if
there were any copperheads in town !?
Wells replied, eyes, God d---n you, l
am oner and drawing his revolver
shot at Sallee, but missed him. In an
instant Sallee was shot from another
direction, and fell, but raising himself
up, he fired at Wells, the ball taking
effect in his vitals. He (W.) went as
far as Chambers g. McCrary's store,
and, passing in, fell dead. The cop
perheads were gathered behind Judge
Edwards Office, loading their fire arms,
and then would step out and fire from
the corner at the soldiers indiscrimin-
ately, with guns and revolvers. OF
course, having come fully prepared
they had vastly the advantage over
the soldiers, who were not expecting
such an attack, and were, for the most
part, unarmed. Those who were
armed would hardly know at whom to
fire until they were fired upon. The
copperheads were seen to hurry to their
wagons, hitched at the square and
gather therefrom several guns, which
were concealed under the straw. They
were fire ely used and with terrible eff.
feet. Thomas Jeffries was the next to
fall, receiving an ugly wound in the
neck. VIM. Gilman was shot by B. F.
Dukes, the ball striking a rib on his
left side glanced of. Dukes was then
seen to fire at Colonel Mitchell, and af-
forwards declared that he had killed
him. Colonel Mitchell received sew
eral shots through his clothes; one hit
his watch and glanced off, producing
only slight flesh wound upon his
abdomen. The watch thus, providen-
TALLY saved his life. DR.. York, sur
geon of the 54th Illinois, willie passing
through the Court House, was ap-
preached by some one from behind,
who took deliberate aim and shot him
dead-the pistol being held SO close to
him that the powder burned his coat
SO far as we can learn, DR.. York was
not actively engaged in the affray, save
in his professional capacity as Surgeon,
and in trying TO restore order. A sol
dier, Alfred Swim, company @, saith
Illinois, was shot, and taken to Drs.
Allen 81 Van Meters office, where he
soon died. Mr.. S. lived somewhere
near Casey, in Clark county. where he
leaves wife and three children. He
is spoken of by all as having been an
excellent soldier and good citizen.
VIM. G. Hart, Deputy Provost Mar
shall, was shot in several places-in the
head and vitals his wounds are proba-
bly, mortal. James Goodrich, com,
pany G, 54th Illinois, received a shock
ing wound being shot in the bowels,
his wound, we fear, will prove mortal
Unarmed as our boys were, Colonel
Mitchell soon rallied all he could, citi-
zens and soldiers, and improvisirg such
arms as could be had, gathered at the
south west corner of the Square, as the
copperheads retreated down the street
running east therefrom. Dispatches
were sent to Nation for soldiers, and
three hundred were soon on the way.
The copperheads halted somewhere
near Mrs. Dickson's and remained for
some time, then turned and went off.
Beyond j. III. O'Hair's residence they
gathered together, consulted for time,
and then moved off in northeasterly
direction, cutting the telegraph wire as
they overwhelmingly before dis
patch could be sent to DIR. York. fami-
ly, at Paris, giving notice of his assas-
sination.
About five o'clock the reinforcements
from Nation arrived; and, while in
the court house yard, Mr.. John Cooper,
from Salisbury, was captured, and
brought in as a prisoner, by Mr.. w. A.
Noe and soldier. Mr.. G. had taken
an active part in the affray. When in
front of Jenkins store he attempted to
escape, and when commanded to halt
refused to do so, whereupon Mr.. Noe
fred over CPS head, who, in return,
fred at some of our men, when orders
were given to fire upon him, which
was done, and be fell dead at Jenkins
door. Unfortunately, one of the balls
passed through the closed door, and
struck Mr.. John Jenkins in the groin,
producing a serious, and, probably,
mortal wound. Mr.. Cooper was shot
through the neck and should. When
the cOpperheads were halted near Mrs.