The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-06-15
From the Cleveland bsadsr.b
THE MEMPHIS RIOT. nv AN
EYEWITNESS,
CLFvELAND, May 81, 1866.

ObEVELAND, May u, 1866.
TO tie Editor of the Leaders
Having just arrived from a land made
historical by the events of the past four
years, and having spent the greater part
OF the last three years in Wesh Tanneasee
most OF the time in the city Of Memphis,
and being On eyewitness of the scenes OF
that week Of horror, misery aud brutality
which will make Memphis infamously
memorable Tor the next century, | have
been panied to see statements in Northern
as well as Southern journals, conveying the
idea that the colored people were the Ia.
stigators Of the riot, which was not 90. In
all its aspects il was white mans riot. I
wish to paint tho circumstances (only Aa
thoy occurredl to the best of my ability, az
my eye rested on the flash Of the frst
volley that was fired on that occasion, and
| had been q close observer of events as
they occurred in the city of Memphia for
three years, especially among the colored
people, as soldiers and civilians, and no ono
had better opportunities to know their
condition, wants or coHduot than myself
The systematic organization and opera.
tion OF this riot, in its onward march, and
the execution of its plans, clearly show
that il had an existence previous to tho
first Of May. They seemed only TO wait
Tor an open fold on which to wreak their
vengeance upon tho gallant colored soldiers
who defended the Union flag during the
Shareholders rebellion. The cause Of the
riot may be traced TO the deep animosity
oxietiug between the Irish police and white
citizens towards the coored soliiery do.
ring the war. Whenever an arrest of
colored person, male or female, was to be
made 10y any one of these officials, they
seemed to consider part of their instruo.
tions to boat aud main their victims with
their clubs, and bring them lame and bleed.
ing into court While making such brutal
arrest, the colUred provost guard coming
up would arrest both parties and take
them before u military tribunal; and ia
several instances tho police, attempting to
break away from the guard, were Rhot;
also, prisoners confined in the Irving Block
for various crimes while under escort, with
pretopse Of getting bail, would attemt to
csc; po and would suffer the same lnse4
IquehcCs. For the faithful discharge, Of
these duties, it had been openly threatened
IN tho streets of Memphis, that for each one
; thus shot ten colored solliers would be
, put to DEATH f..r -
. No need of the learning of philosopher
| to analyze the Intention Of the rioters
They waited until the colored soldiers wero
dlschorged aud unarmed, and the last
musket taken from the hands of the coll
ored troops, who had stood guard upon tIa
walls of Fort Pickering, then the iiendsh
mob opeGed an indiscrn,inate and murder.
/ ous fire upon them. leaving their dead
bodies strewn upon tho streets, alleys, roads
and byways. -at - ils
When the riot commenced, I solemnly
aver that thre was not tho shallow of a
, ctute for it. Being on the street few mo.
mcnts previous to its commC cement my
enga ,ements being in the immediate yicini.
, ty, there was no disturbance of any kind,
not particle of noise, or au'armed man to
ho seen, or anything indicating resistance
on the part of the coored class, prior to
the arrival of the police, but whom they ar
} rived, entering South street, they had the
weapons OF death in their hands aud com.
menced their bloody work Immediately.
Being a teacher of u school at the time,
my school house was in the immediate
: vicinity of the riot and was completely
encirclel by flying bullets, and The dead
, and dying it seemed to be the intention of
the mob to murder every one in soldiers
uniform, as small boy in uniform was shot
and took refuge in my school-room a The
house was burned the next day, and the
reason assigned was that it gave refuge to
a negro soldier. My schooI-house was
burned in open daylight Armed ruffians
!, stood with loaded guns in both doors, their
intention being to shoot aud burn mo In
. the house, as they supposed | was in it at
the time. SO completely was the city in
! the hands of the rioters. and no real attempt
was made to check them, that in derision
!; they called the roll of my school among
: them, having secured my rollDook before
&. setting fire TO the house.
i II was met next day by portion Of the
mob who demanded my revolver, whiclfI
, carried by authority Of General Runkle,
J having been appointed by him as one of
/. the tax collectors, produced the revolver
and showed them my authority for carry.
| ing it, when they demanded me toleleliveF
1t to the Generals headquarters, and stood
with pointedg guns until theysaw me deliver
3 1t to that gallant young officer, who re-
5 ceIved seven shots in his person while
leading charge at Shiloh lie was now
. like Sampson, shOrn of his streng til. not
! having 50, much as prison-g guard at his
/ command. ato 80 slooI 4lsia4 rids.
This mob seemed TO be composed of three
! classes: First, the police, whose object
: was to murder the colored soldiers; second
, class to take private revenge on colored
, citizens; and third, a class whose object
was principally to pluuder aud steal from
q the colored people. One colored lady,
while confined in bed by sickness, had Eve
shots fired through the window at her, but
as if by miracle was not injured. yari,
Gus have been the conjectures as to tho
+ number killed, wounded and burned, and
Tear the Committee and Military Commis.
sloners will both fail to arrive at full
statement, as. many fed to- the country
wounded and dying. One OF my scholars,
a beautiful and intelligent girl, being edu.
Gated fora teacher, was Shot and thrown
back INTO the flames of her burning. home
and nothing was left but her charTed re.
mains. II. Nj. RANKIN,
u State Teacher, Memphis, Tenn.
If we would have powerful minds we
must think; if We would have true hearts, ),
we must love;if we would have muscles, we
must labor and these three thought, love
A labor include all that is valuable in life. ?
A Man out West says lie moved ga often
during one year that whenever a covered