The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-05
The Memphis RiOt-DetaiIs of the
second Days Work.

| a descent upon the municipal euthoritie
and citizens, as soon as they were mustere
out Of the United States service. This wa
not made known until the riot broke Out
as it was only thought TO be the braggado
clio OF the sOulless wretches, instigated b.
more demOu-like white men who wished :
wreak their malice upon some person o.
| other against whom they have som
spite.
Several little incidents have occurred du
| ring the last two or three DAYS which nov
point plainly TO the present happening
| events. The police have two or three time
| been resisted in their attempts 10 auell dis
| turbances in that locality-and a gentleman
| Of our acquaintance, on Sunday night hav
| ing some business down in South Memphis
took negro with him as pilot and body
| guard, and having reached Beal street, a
he turned the corner of Causey, was Sc
| upon by some dozen negroes, but his pilO
came up and explained to the attackint
party that the gentleman was not a polict
officer but private citizen. At this thel
| turned him loose to 90 on his way. Thesl
/ and some other overt acts which have beer
committed during the past few days hav,
50 incensed the public mind here, that it il
to be feared some deeds have been commit
ted against innocent persons, if any one O
them can be called innocent, for all the ne
groes of that section undoubtedly know oi
the intention of their brethren.
1t is reported that an hour or two before
daylight yesterday morning, some two OIL
three hundred Of these unrestrained vii
lains, after they had held consultation o.
war, went to Fort Pickering and demanded
their arms, which they had given up when
mustered out of service. This request was
Of course refused by the regulars, who
occupied the fort. They then retired, and
about sunrise returned and threatened tc
charge the fort if they were not furnished
with arms. The regulars again declined
and threatened TO bri1g out six pieces of ar
tillery and I" turn loose on them. Thi,
caused them to fall back to the ravine peal
the NJ. and T. r. r. depot. With what
arms they could collect, such as Enfield
rides, Springfield muskets and Colts pis-
tolls, the negroes scattered all over South
Memphis, determined, it is presumed, tC
make an attack upon the city let consequent
ces be just as might happen.
ItappeGrs from all the circumstances, thai
they deployed as far as the junction of the
HernandO Plank Road and Georgia street
When they saw some police ana citizens
moving along, they fired upon the party
and wounded one; the cry was raised thai
the "TolD had broken out again" This news
spread all over the city, and the already
incensed populace rushed down en- NESS tC
see and assist in quelling the riOtous ne
grOes. A party under the command OF
Sheriff Winters, and Captain Garrett, oil
the police, took the same route from the
station-hOuse that was taken Tuesday even
ing. Several gentlemen on horseback ioin-
ed the fOOtmen, and when they arrived al
South street, scattered in all directions tc
look for the negroes. They had not gone far
until we saw one of the party coming
back, his horse having been shSi
through the neck. The FIRST firing was done
By party of negroes, from the cabins be-
tween Reyburn avenue and the Railroad
Depot; as soon as the first shot was fired
the fOotm2n made a rush for the supposed
locality, seeing several negroes dressed in
the Federal uniform, running in every di-
Tection, the power Of the commanders to
check the men failed; they rushed in every
direction shooting and yelling with all their
power, " shoot theml" Gkill themP' etc
For some minutes the danger was nearly az
great of being shot by our own men as by
the negroes, as they were dashing in ali
directions on foot and on horseback. The
! negroes all the while kept up constant
fire upon the crowd from the eminences
around the depot, but did no damage. that
wo heard OF, as all the balls passed far over
our heads, but they had the same old famil-
lar sound that they had in Old Virginia
Right here on Rayburn avenue, between
South and Georgia streets, there were five
negroes overtaken and killed, some with
arms on their persons. The cavalry por-
tion Of the command made sudden dash
down this avenue, and cut off several who
were on the left, next the fernando Plank
Road, seeing which, the negroes took to
their heels and made for some woods, down
in the direction of Kerr and Latham ave-
nqes, Over fences, fields, etc., pursued
and pursuers went, until lest sight Of by an
intervening hill; undoubtedly they were
trying to make q flank movement and Join
their companions.
As soon as this little affair was fully dis
cussed, the officers called the men back in
to line and returned to South street, and
down South TO the corner of Main and
South streets. On turning the corner, a
volley Of about six or eight rifles was fired
from the heights opposite and west of the
depot-all the negroes assembling there,
perhaps thinking that the Regulars would
support them from Fort Pickering, il
pressed back in that direction.
We forgot to mention that, while the
melee was going on upon Rayburn Avenue,
there was the cry of "LOOk at the black
flag Z" and sure enough, on tho eminencs
near the depot, and in the midst of the
black rascals, was q regular black flag upon
a staff, supported ana waved by negro
boy. We do not think it was silk, but il
answered the same purpose. This tended a
great deal to inhsme the already too much
incensed pOpulaee, and it is probable that
some more precious blood than that which
had been shed during the morning would
have been poured out in stOrming the
heights, if Capt. Allen, 10th U. S. Infantry,
the officer Of the day, had not appeared on
the hill near the fort, coming at double
quick, followed By about twenty-five Regu-
lars.
When he made his appearance the firing
from both sides ceased for awhile. He came
to the white oombatants and told them to
hold still until he coutd go to town and get
orders, and he would stop tho Internal riot.
Some thought that this meant to disperse
the whites, but all stood and awaited the
result. Soon another company, sent from
the Navy Yard, came in and marched di-
rectly to the Fort, taking all the negroes
there under guard. After the departure of
Capt. Allen to get orders, the negroes sgain
opened on the whites. Gne negro had
slipped down behind box car, and fred
two or three shots before his place of con-
cealment was discovered. Some men went
around unperceived by him and dislodged
him, causing him to run out IN plain view
Of oil. Several shots were fred at him but
without effect. At one time It was thought
that he had made his escape by means OF
the interstices aud wlndings OF the en-
bankments and ravines-but presently
some Of the dashing cavaliers "took him
in" and came with him around the open
space st the depot. As he came near the
place Of his former concealment, he. made
a tuin as if to run, and passed TO the rear Of
his captor, a fOotman being in the rear
but his gun being out of order, broke the
stock over his head. Two or three others
coming up at the time, shot him and left
him lYing.WThus matters continued until
the regulars took possession Of the fort,
when All hostilities ceased Mayor Park
and other eitizsns then went 10 the open
Ground in front Of the fort, and held con
sultatiop with the officer IN command. The
officer assured the Mayor that the riotous
negroes should be put down if he had to
omen the artillery on them. About this
time Captain Allen returned and deployed
his command so as 10 cover all the ground
between the depot and the fort, driving ell
the negroes into the fort at the point Of the
bayOnet.
at Ills a. m. the city was all in an up
roar. The alarm bells were rung, ana the
most frightful stories were told OF the whole
sale slaughter. Attorney General wallace
raised a company, armed them at Folsom s
gun store and proceeded to the scene Of &C
ton, but arrived too late TO share the glory
(which the regulars alone wonl in driving
the black whelps to the fort.
This is the bloom Of eiUa riqhts-what the
fruit will be, God alone can tell. If things
progress long as they have been for the past
two days, there will be but few "darkies"
left in this city 10 tell Of the franchise"
and "ciYil rights"