, 1866-05-05
THE MEMPHIS RIOT,
Terrible Riot Between Policemen
and Negroes

IL U4A1AA&A - AA[ A@AoA1
Terrible Riot Between Policemen |
and Negroes.
TWO Policemen and Ten Negroes Killed
Fighting TIL long after Dark-The
military Called Out-1ncidenzs OF the
Conflict.
From the Memphis tCoppetheaa> Argus, May II
A not occurred in South Memphis yester-
day, beginning about $50 p. N. It began by
two policemen going to arrest man who
told liquor in South Memphis. The negro
soldiers who were yesterday mustered ont Of
ing ealoon, charged tho two police, killing
one. The other, running up Main street aud
down Second. collected about fifteen of his
comrades, who went down to rescue their \
companion, but were again repulsed by the
tse use o ses t6e bsn poee e q
the city. Capt. Garrett took eli the force
and proceeded down Second street to Beale, i
thence to theN left to DeSoto, down that
10 South street, There the melee began in
earnest. Some ave o. str policemen and
to be killed and several wounded.
When the police reached the South Street
bridge, about one hundred or one hundred
and tlftY negro soldiers aud white men from
this part of the city-mostIy Of the lowest
GlAkE- WITT ECALLE1cN LII 6fEi$ 0uEEk1DA, QE-
hini. houses, fences and ra,ines, opened an
Irregular but destructive trc upon tie police
and citizens fndiscrimnate1g. The police
and those Of the citizens who were armed,
returned the fte. hut were for time forced
to retire before the hot fire Of the negroes.
bridge about rwo squares east Of Main, on
South street. This they carried, and forced
the negroes aud their white Alltes to tall back
beyond the Mississippi and Tennessee Rail-
road depot. The police here made stand,
hut the negroes fankcd them and came very
police by this time, under the command Of
Captain Garrett and Lieut.. Riley, had
exhausted ul1 their ammunition and seeing the
armed force Thinking them started to retreatup
Main street, but just as they arrived opposite
Morris Cemetery, there being an eRbank.
the negroes having succeeded In making
their flank movement, fired a votley into the
retreating force Of police and citizens, several
men falling at the shot OF the negroes, but
one Of our reporters, who was on the ground,
having been slightly wounded ut South street
bridge, took no TIME to sec how many could
get awny. The police charged again, and the
few shots took effect, some dozen falling at
the 1re. Two negroes, who Ind been cap
tured In attempting 10 make their escape,
not far from the intersection of Shelby and
Union streets, were shot down, but It was
hard TO tell who shot them, rs they were be-
tween friends and foes. The negroes pressed
the retreating column of policemen and citf-
zcns as far as the Second Presbyterian Church,
on Bcn7e and Main streets.
In this melee there were some three or four
policemen wounded, among them were James
4 Finn and Air. Slatterly. The last named
gentleman and our reporter were wounded
bv the same shot, in the charge over South
| street bridge. A1r. 8. was shot through the
thigh, only flesh wound. Henry Dunn, en-
l an frn t,T,Crfna Nn z "a Ynnr%0f1r
| wounded; and has since died. It Is thought
Mr. Finn will die Some SIX or eight negroes
l were Killed and several wounded. Two OF tho
killed nre now at the Police statfon-house.
1 As our reporter was passing down Causey
street, there appeared to he much e5si.cFaent
Adams down. but in passing through Causey,
there wns much sympathy manifested for the
negroes. Some Of the lower class went 60
far as to curse the posse com1ats who were
following the police, and wished them, With
the policemen, In the Internal regions, Many
Of the white citizcus-but none that could bt
called respectable-joined with the negroes
md assisted them in their maneuy1fng
| Some Of them conducted the flank movemen,
from the fort to the ambuscade On Main
oppositcthc Morris Cemetery.
After the stampede Of the policemen ol
Main street, they rallied again ut Gayoso
md stopped the fugitivcs making stand
The negroes advanced to the next street he
low Beale. and fired several shots, but hur
no one. There the police were scattered t.
ten TO each street. the remaining force retir
ing TO arm and equip tlemselves. This the,
did as soon as possible, and returned to th
scene OF action.
Some reports soy that several negroc
were. killed up IN town as far Us jefferson
street.
1o:45 r. M.-The regular troops stationed q
| the Fort were called out to Qucu the rio1
| Some reports say that this was refused b
Gen. Stoncman others that the came ut I'll
tine, and the negroes and their white accom-
p1iccs were forced to retreat to the forts. n
further particulars since our reporter left, q
the time OF stntionipg troops and police o
the three streets mentioned above. There al
still occasional shots being fired as We 60
. l press.
About twelve o'clock there. were sever
ehots tired, but the results have not been ol
, | tanned.
The Whole number Of casualties, up to IL
time Of going to press, arc two white me
Killed and several wounded about six {
! eight negroes killed and several wounded.
u Very naturally, the riot created the MOI
intense exc,tcuentt throughout the southel
;, portion OF tho city. As soon as It becam
. known that the difficulty was between n
groes and policemen, md not one Of Il
1 daily and nightly disgrace the vicinity
r South street, curiosity to see the melee owe
: came discretion. Hundreds emerged fro
: houses and stfeamed to the scene Of Il
nt1Dg, from alleys and streets, a
eager 10 witness tho conflict. Quite
Glanced & to b 6 tse
did not incline to aid their black brcthre
were seized With terrible psnic, and the
1ight iu every direction added not 4 little
the excitement. On Shelby street, abo
seven o'clock, probably tlity Of this class VIC
their legs could carry them, evidently as mu
alarmed ut the negro rioters as the policeme
At this time the majority Of the residences
Shelby street, between Irrelevant and Vane
r were enptied Of their occupants, who We
q clustered In positions favorable tor 4 view
- the conflict, which by thus time wasf cn1rf
4 on In dcsultory manner ns far up Is Van
l. street, on Main. Tho fugitive negroes, o
" and al, asserted that the negro mob v as ma
il Z Ing for Shelby street. Fortunately, it d
n not, and Of the la1ge crowd Of spectators,
ono wne injured
y In front Of the Gayoso House, abont dar
m n negro man was shot in the face. but
or | whom we have not asccrtained. The m
', was at no time In that locality, aud the b
: was doubtless dred bY soruc excited indiv
;. nal, who supposed that ail The negroes
y man WIS bleeding proiasely, and seated
ID the door Of a hack, awaiting the arrival
a some one 10 dress his wounds.
II. These particulars are from the direct (
- kc.yntinn Of our reporter, md so far as fn
't mud not rumors arc concerned, We vouch
lie The truth. Thosc white persons who all
tn themselves with the rioters should be held
W 10 the c1ccration Of NIL good scitizens a
>, tho great pity Is, that they did not Ial 7
~ tttrx instead OF some innocent men y
ea happened 10 bc wounded or killed In
re action.
uclow wo g,yo the correspondence bctw,
Mayor rask nnl General Stouc1uan in req
I" c,otrration on Tho part Of the millt
IN ft,yu Mn.lcr tho command nf tho latter:
Of MAros'' oT''cs' CIT e. Or MsMgMm's' ,srM
~, ,se~rnAr--Thcrc il m uneas'ncss ID the pu
m'ui. rrnNtng ont nl The occurrences Of 10.
Int wheh vuuitt 10 materially ca'msta II theso ua'
~ ps,c~ IN -upt.ra.ing al disturbance. oI ihu pn
La rr.ts. ! rbould lc happy 10 have 1t In M po
ItO to E.r fis aaaursucc al cnco Il wnuld tnt,Tf:
- The nMir,t. and scsscto a)lay thu apprehcnslor
The orderly.
I'm, | .rrr tcte sequsst That you vii! order fore
-" Al hart 'trn h,1tad!cl mru, commanded by disc
rsIersr, to lss fcli sraai to GO operate with
sr.'snsr,s a,.s s"'sr 81 The e-' in sc ot al,
fc1,apt, Joux PAnE. MnYc
HrAnapAnr.na Dsr1 os:rsss:essxz
~ Msnnn,s, 1n, rs,n, May !. 1866.
l"' nlAM SIN: Ism In receipt Of youss of shEa
llhr rmaIl k,soo Of regular infantry staiinnt
100 sf.nc. "! he slsrrc,ed 10 hold ilclf In rcadl
ia eoorr1atc ui,h the civil nthot1t,e4 of Mem
"!I carr Of further coufpced lawlcskna.t.r
This f"rco Ia In can'p ncar tho for; where
cast you sltall ind you nCcl hfs Rssl.tanca and
pcr4 ,houid ptcfsz that tho tfoope be {,
"' ursn only IN sasc % q an ez'rcte necessity Of
sIn..n .rrS rr.nrrf;niv xorr ohe.1,cnt xerysn