The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-13
The Reign Of Terror in Norfolk

a0eaHh publishes a letter from Norfolk.
Va, describing the dreadful outrages
which the negroes of that city have
daily to endure at the hands of return
ing Rebels. We grieve to add that they
are not only Rebels who conspire to in
jure the loyal blacks, but that soldiers
from the free North as well as soldiers
from Virginia are guilty of these crimes
Indeed, as there is a strong garrison in
Norfolk, it is evident the Rebels alone
would not have been bold enough to
assault the negroes, had they not been
Joined by those who were bound to have
protected unoffending citizens. 1t Is
humiliating to be obliged to confess that
New York troops play the ruffian in the
streets Of Southern city.
70 "'The days of bayonets are passed is
the bullying street-cry of the returned
Rebel soldiers in Norfolk and Ports
mouth, as they fearlessly assume the
once familiar knife and pistol" Nor
folk has Mayor-how elected, and
from what class elected let the story of
the riot on the 22d of June tell. eve
were defeated by Lees army" said the
Union men. The Tabb ticket was the
successful one-Rebel from top to bot
tom. Suits of Confederate gray, buttons
and all, marched up to the pools and
voted for Tabb-voted him in. From
that day riot and violence took a new
lease in Norfolk, and the property and
life of the negro became dependent
wholly on military protection. There
is q military commandment III the city,
but he. seems TO have a divided duty,
and however Jealous to do justice, lacks |
the power. His own soldiers turn
against him. Says The Commonwealth
letter:
ION Thursday last, two or three South |
ern gentlemen succeeded in infusing
Southern sentiments into the hearts of
some of the New York 18th Artillery by
dosing them with drugged whiskey
and, leading themselves they encouraged
the soldiers to destroy the wares on the
stand of colored man. On from the
stand, crying, Clear outall the niggers,'
thew passed to ballroom, through
which they dashed, driving all before
them, and destroying whatever came in
their way. On Friday night a body of
colored men, wishing to see circus per-
Torrance, deemed it prudent to go in a
body, and, protecting themselves with
canes, they went forth quietly, but were
| fired upon as they drew near the circus.
Two or three were shot, and all with
drew without offering resistance. Col
ored men were attacked that night in
various parts of the city. One man was
hanged upon a lamp-post."
Nor is it the negroes only who suffer:
"On Saturday night the wood-wharf
men were attacked, and the stores of the
Union white men We're broken into and
much of the property destroyed. Find
ing the declaration, I am a Union man,
no defense against the attack of New
York soldiers, one man resorted to his
| pistol, and, after wounding two of his
assailants, succeeded in making his es-
cape"
| On Sunday two colored men were
found hanging dead on trees. On the
same day-the Lords day-a young man
as he was leaving church, was shot
through the side and robbed. Two other
men were wantonly fired on and wound
ed. The singular courage of one is thus
described: Ya-F te
'He was quietly passing to his home,
whenthree sOldiersran after him and fired
three shots, neither of which took effect.
They then cried 'halt' but as the man
knew their order was not to be respected,
he walked on Another shot was fired,
and the ball passed through his mouth.
Finish him, finish him. some one
cried. Two men overlook him, and
each pointed q revolver at his breast; he
turned their hands aside, and said !:
you don'tshoot me again. Very well,
they said, come into the guardhouse. ."
Into the guardhouse he went-this
brave black man. In the morning,
when the officer of the guard came, he
inquired what brought him there, and
after hearing the mans story he said !:
PITY they did not Kill yOu" We should
like to know that officers name.
At another black man, badly wound
ed and lame before, eleven shots were
fired. One took effect. This case and
many others were brought before the
Mayor of Norfolk-guardian of civil or
der. That worthy replied "Y0u must
fight it out, I can do nothing for YOU
Fight it out! Against whom and what?
Against citizens, rebel soldiers, Union
soldiers, garrison, civil officers-every-
body; above all, against public when
in Norfolk declares a negro has no flghts |
white man is bound to respect.
Do not suppose these are 1Soiatea OF
exceptional cases. "Ddy ana ntght,
men. bows and soldiers cry Mig Mig
at sight Of colored man, and hasten to
modest him." And we cannot forbear
to quote this gloomy "reminiscences Of the
early days of the war .. nv IN
"Seyeral have said to me. We're
having again what we suffered when the
Union forces first came into Norfolk
one man said: we rejoiced to see the
Northern soldiers; there was nothing
we would not do for them; and they
knew it, too. We were humble, grateful
and respectful. But the New York seth
destroyed our property, shot us down,
and injured us in every possible way.
They got men from their beds at night,
saying, the general has important work
for you to do and then took the men so
willing to work for the Government, and
sent them over the lines, and sold them
as slaves. 1t seems, now, as if we had
no one to protect us, and there's nothing
Left us butte protect ourselves
AS it was in the beginning, 80 now in
the end. But neither then nor now was
the South so bad as the Northern accom-
plices of the South. zone man said to
me: L heard some soldiers aythis whole
thing was got up in New York, and was
to run through all the Southern ci.ies.'o
Got up by whom? If there be any truth
in the statement, authors of this crime
could only be the authors of the July
riots-the secret and open. partizans OF