Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-10-18
From the Memphis Avalanche. o,

: From the Memphis Avalanche, Oct. g.
| For some time past the planters living
on and about the Burgett plantation have
been watchful of the conduct and man
oeuvres of the negroes about them, who, our
informant states, number somewhere in the
vicinity Of five hundred. AS many as three
or four times have they the planters) been
warned by their friends here to watch their
every act, as it was known that they had
purchased arms and ammunition in this
city, and had unwittingly limited at their
murderous designs On Tuesday last
number of the negroes arrived here, and
obtainining key of powder and couple
of bags of shot, left that same evening on
the Ndt0mn for the plantation. A mile OR
two this side OF the plantation the negroes
went ashore and instantly started for "a lit
tie trading boat lying about three hundred
yards below. Here they found six rifles Of
fered for sale. They purchased these arti-
cles, and with the ammunition, buried them
in the woods.
On Friday evening, while the negroes
were weighing cotton, the suspicious of the
overseer were aroused by hearing them in
terlope the text Dixie with the words
"Ohs will be wine Tomorrow" and I" to-
morrow ;" "We'll have fun," &c. He said
nothing, but when the time arrived dis
missed the negroes from their labor and
repaired as quickly as possible to his own
quarters, where he found the owners of the
plantation, the brothers Burgett. He re-
lated to them what had occurred, and Sug-
gested the propriety of Immediately taking
such measures of defence as in their udg
ment was necessary to preserve the lives of
all the white people about the place. In
the meantime they had learned that on the
following day the negroes intended to at
tao in, bo oil Il
mined on devising plans which, they
thought, would entirely circumvent those
of the negroes, and obviate the necessity
of shedding blood. With this end in view.
they started next morning for the field,
two of the party riding off toward the road,
two riding in the rear of the plantation. -
The brothers Isaac and Henry took the
road, each being armed with shot gun
and revolver. They had not advanced
far before they were met by body of about
fifty negroes, who ordered them off their
mules, accompanying the order with rapid
and indiscriminate firing.
Fortunately none of the shots had any
effect. Mr. Isaac Burgett quickly aighted
from mis- animal, and raising his gun to his
shoulder, fired, killing the leader of the
crowd and wounding two others. His
brother, Mr. Henry Burgett, had by this
time got in the rear of the scOundrels, and,
together with the other two gentlemen,
who, it will be remembered, had started in
another direction, poured volley into
their ranks which had the effect to scatter
them in all directions. It was there that
the other negro was killed and two more
wounded. By this time some ten or twelve
white men gathered around the place and
quickly succeeded in arresting and placing
under guard the entire gang. Forty new
,.;4 IyoCr Of
der and two large bags of shot were cap
tured. In about an hour after the capture
two more squads of negroes were discover
ed about half mile off, but Immediately
dispersed in confusion upon hearing of the
disastrous defeat of their infamous brother
plotters and assassins.
An examination afterward of about twen-
ty of the negroes showed plainly that it was
concocted by heads far more capable of
doing mischief than those of the ignorant,
deluded negroes but the planners lacked
the courage of executing their damnable
plans This part of the work they left to
negro named Bill Dickinson, who assumed
the leadership, and who, as is stated above,
was killed. This outbreak, which was to
result in the murder of all the whites in the
neighborhood, to be followed by an indis-
criminate plundering, was planned and or
iginated here in Memphis There can be
no question about it. The ammunition
and arms for them We're purchased ywhite
men in Memphis This is the testimony
of the negroes They say, too, that they
were forced into the instruction by the
negro leaders, who told them that if they
would once take possession of the planta-
tions, their friends in Memphis and at the
North would stand by them
The Mysterious Hospital Patient.
Reference has several times been made
to a poor Confederate soldier, who either
from the hardships of active service or from
injury in battle had lost his mind and his
voice, and who at the time of the fall of
the Confederacy was left in the hospital at
Tallahassee, Florida, unknown to all and
of course unable to give an account of him
self. In the Tallahassee Sentinel, of the 4th
instant, we find the following in reference
to him
1.-THE unfortunate and unknown hospital
patient in this city, Of whom much has been
said in this paper, has not yet been heard
to speak, but is said to be gradually i'm
proving and il is thought that with proper
treatment he will eventually regain his
mind. We understand that his Honor,
Mayor Eppes, has presented him with
new suit of clothes, that he might be de-
Gently dressed to be driven out in an ambu
lance, to enjoy the benefit OF the fresh air
and the change of scene, which have had
good effect. Hundreds of letters continue
to be received making inquiries in relation
to this truly unfortunate man, but none, as
vet, have been successful in restoring him
to his friends. He receives the very best
attention at the hands of the hospital man
ayers, who have formed a great attachment
for him, on account Of his peculiarly pitia-
BILE condition"
Admirable and Wholesome Views.
From a letter written by the Hon. Albert
Pike, of Arkansas, to the President, asking
fol pardon under the $4,000 clause, we
make the following pointed and truthful
extract
The late war was more owing the dead of
the past, who are honored than to the liv
ing of the present, who are execrated; more
to Jefferson and Madison than to Davis and
Hunter more to the Kentucky and Nir.
ginia resolutions than to the arguments of
1850 sICivi1 cOmmOtiOns have long roots