The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-04-24

against the orders for prisoners to Il dead
line, and if Lieut.. Davis crossed this line, witness
did not think the tnel broke the strict letter
| of the order.
Court adjourned to 10 O'Clock Saturday
SATURDAY, April. 21, 1866.
After the reading of the journal, Capt. Jno. A.
Fuqua recalled to the stand, and the direct
| examination resumed.
In relation to the killing of Lieut.. Davis, wit
ness repeated substantially the statement of yes
! terday-sentry who shot him told witness that he
was at the tree, and prisoners said same thing
witness saw signs of deceased having been there
don't recolect that sentinel stated he had hailed
| Davis-witness was the tree at which Lieut..
| Davis was shot was between the dead line and the
| fence-dont think there was ground 10 punish
the sentry, deceased had crossed the LING
witness reported the case to Maj. Gee substantial
| " as he has stated it here-asked to have the
sentinel removed and gave the reasons for it, and
Mai. Gee had him removed. Witness thinks his
own life was in great danger at the time he started
! to approach the tree to look for the lost pin
never saw the sentinel but on that occasion.
! Maj. Gee rendered his resignation at Salisbury,
and wrote Gen. Gardner to assist i'll getting 1t
through giving his reasons, the inetiiciency ~
the guard, the want of provisions, lumber, 10,
to make the prisoners comfortable; that lis bust
ness at home required his attention, and that he
was exempt by aye and by his profession from
military service. The reply WAS that Ills position
would be made easier, aud his resignation WAS not
accepted.
/ Mai Gee cndcavored to induce Col Hinton, in
command of the GSth regiment, to cncamp arount
the prison, but lie refrlsed-his Major in his alb
scncc, commenced pitching his camp around the
prison, but Hinton, hearing of it, ordered Item
! hoo 10 thnir Hinton
by the authorities at Richmond, at 'Iaj. Gees
solicitation, to encanp around tie prison, but lie
refused, on the ground that his regiment were
State troops and not subject TO tac control of the
Confederate authorities. Col Hinton aiterward
moved his camp beyond the creek, y mile ormure
from the prison. On the day oi the outbreak
Hinton ha2 his regiment and onc conipany OF
Freeman's battalion, which lie had taken Ile au
tlority to annex to his regiment, ready to start
from Salisbury. This WAS Capt. Snc"d company
the best in the battalion, and the one froEl which
most of the pAsOn officials Were selected, and
they had all been withdrawn OH the dag OF the
outbreaks TO 60 with their company.
The Outbreaks, occurred about or ) clock
WITNESS was i'll IIaj. Gees olce-helrd great yell
ling and rapid firing Of mlsketry-rus!lcd out to-
ward the prison and realized at once that tie
prisoners were cndc;voring to c>capc->aw
shower OF stones and brickbats flying over the
wulls-reaci.cd the gate and saw the guard rush
ing ont, eight or ten were wounded and twO
or three soon fell and ded-thc scntine!s TIE
front wall were lodging the missiles and loading
and firing as fast they couid-witncss called
the Guard to turn out, but they seemed no; 10
understand what they were 10 do, and did not
nDvc-It length rallied about doZcn who went
with lin on the parapet-about this time one OF
the pieces of artillery fired, followed imme
diately by the othcr-at this the prisoners began
to scatter from tie gate where there some
! go 1000 and 20 into their tents and burrows
witness seeing this ordered the trinc: 20 cease,
went Ia the gun at the southeast angie and stop
ped ii from being fired and sent messenger to
the other gun TO order that to cease aIso-tiIat
gun fired once more-thinks before the messenger
had time 10 reach it.
About this time the citizens old men and boys,
came up and witness had great difficulty in pre-
venting them from shooting the prisoncrs-thcy
appeared very anxious TO fire them There
were but two guns mounted at the prison at that
| timc-the first shot fired this occasion
solid and passed entirely the prison and fell
in a gcntlclnaE'S lot i'll town.
Witness could not the water gate from
where lie was at the time, but heard that a crowd
of prisoners was there-saw Maj. Gee when he
first went out, hurriedly buckling his pistol
belt-did not him afterward till the firing had
ceased, when he met him on the parapct and they
walked round together, to stop the firing and TO
restore quiet.
A number of the guard made stand at the
gate and got hold of some picks and shovcls ly
ing there, with which they kept the prisoners at
bay and prevented them from going out There
were Is or 90 of the guard inside, who dis
armed by the prisOners-some of the arms were
recovered afterwards, others were thrown in the
tell to what extent-s:w one of the guard near
the gate wounded with musllet ball. Witness
does not t!linl, the main firing lasted more than
minute and haf-there was some scattering
firing aftcrward, after the order to firing
had been given. This occurrence was subject of
regret to all the city oficials-in conversation
with witness, Maj. Gee expressed much regret
that it had occurred, and that they had been
obliged to fire on the prisoners-knows that Maj.
Gee used every effort to stop the firing and 10
prevent the citizens from firing after they arrived
and this he did from policy well as humanity,
for if the firing had been kept up the prisoners
would certainly have renewed their efforts and
succeeded in escaping.
This outbreak, reported by prisoners,
commenced at the instigation of certain
commissioned officers among them, sergeants of
divisions. Two of these reported to Maj.
Gee by the prisoners and he had them brought
out-the citizens and soldiers were clamorous to
nave them hung, but Mai Gee prevented it, and
! sent them to Richmond-but for Maj. Gees eff
lorts, they would have been hung-they were not
! Puh1shea otherwise than by close confinement
'l"eSS stated, as an official there, that upon tie
OCCASION vi THIS outbreak there was no more firing
Oh Vic prisoners than the exigency of the occasion
required, except the last discharge of the cannon