The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-05-24
Killing of Crozier at Newberry.

member the lnhuman and brutal murde1
OF CALVIN CRozIER, paroled Confede
rate soldier, at Newberry last August, BY
order of Lieutenant Colonel TRowBRIDGE
of the 33rd U. S. colored troops. The
case excited much interest at the time
but in the midst of innumerablc scenes ot
wanton bloodshed and unprovoked out
RACES, the people have almost allowed
the circumstance to be blotted from mem
ory. The following article, therefore
will serve to refresh their recollections
and in addition, throw some light upon
the disgraceful proceedings whereby
TRowBRIDaE was permitted to be released
from arrest and escape the punishment
due to a cowardly and fendish murderer.
We. copy from the editorial columns OF
the Now York Neacs
Not satisfied with having, at a cost that
it makes one shudder to think OF, made
the once prosperous and happy States OF
the South waste of dcsolation, and per-
secuted her impoverished and helpless
people with insulting and oppressive leg
islation, the Radicals have inaugurated .
system of petty prosecutions directed
against those officers Of tho army whose
sense of Justice or selfrespect forbid them
to take part in tho crusade against tho
people of the South. From Generals
Blair and Sicklcs down to the humblest
subaltcrn, every officer, who has cvinced
a disposition to shape his official course in
accordance with the dictates of reason,
Justice and humanity, has been made to
feel, in one form or another, the weight
of Radical displcasure.
The latest case Of the sort that has tal-
len under our notice is that of General
Charles Devens, of Massachusetts, who
has been denounced, through the press,
as little better than a traitor, because he
was unwilling to sanction crime, the
perpetrators of which, in any other SER
vice than our own, as regulated by the
Radicals, would have been summarily
shot. This denunciation is based chiefly
upon Gen. Devons' action in the case OF
Lieutenant Colonel Trowbridge, tried by
court martial for the murder OF Calvin
Crozier. The facts in the case are briefly
these. Crozier, who was a paroled Con-
federate soldier, was travelling about
year ago on the Newberry, s. c., train,
accompanied by two ladies. Just before
the cars reached the depot, some negroes
belonging to the Thirty-third Regiment,
U. S. G. r., who had got aboard at a
wood station above, entered the ladies'
car and commenced insulting the passcn-
gers. One of them, named Mills, came
u up to Crozier's party, and putting his
arm around the waist of one of tho Ia
dies, attempted to kiss her. A scufilc of
course ensued, in the course OF which
Mills was stabbed he was carried out,
mortally wounded, as was supposed, and
Immediately the cars were surrounded by
furious mob of negroes belonging to the
Thirty-thrd Regiment, which was quar-
tored there at the time. Crozier was az
rested, and although there was no evi-
dence that he had inflicted the wound,
within twenty minutes thereafter, he was
shot by order of Colonel Trowbridso
without any trial whatever. The affair
created an intense excitement in the COM
munity, and all through the State, to al
lay which an er parte Court OF Inquiry
was called, which, as q matter Of course,
acquitted Trowbridge of Ill blame in the
matter His excuse was that, if he had
not caused Crozier to be shot, his men
would have sacked the town. Governor
Perry, however, not being prepared to
believe that the United States authorities
would sanction so gross an outrage, ap-
piled to General Gilmore for an investi-
cation. This was ordered by General
Devens, then temporarily in command,
and. upon the report of the Inspector
General, o Court Martial was ordered by
General Gilmore, who by that time had
returned and resumed command. Mills,
for whose murder Crozier was shot, was
present at the trial, but, strange to say,
was not examined. The Court Martial
acquitted Trowbridge on the ground al
ready stated, and General Dcvens disap-
proved the finding, using in regard to 1t
the following language: Calvin Crozler
was executed summarily by Lieutenant
Colonel Trowbridgc for the murder OF
private Mills, Thirty-third q. S. G. T.;
who not only was not murdered by said
Crozicr, but is to-day alive and we'll: 1t
was, in my opinion, most unjustifable
act,' etc. What else, in the name OF
common decency, could he have done
If Crozier had killed Mills on the spot,
he would have been justified. But he
did not kill him, and there was no evil
dence that he had even wounded him
and yet whom this bloodthirsty scoundrel
Trowbridge, this coward who could not
control his own men,. deliberately muir
ders Crozor at the instigation OF his
black rufians, Gen. Devens is called upon,
to endorse his conduct, and denounced
because he will not. Was there ever such
tyranny, such atrocious prescription such
unblus6ing avowal of lawlessncss!
We have referred at length to tins case
&C Crozinr,s hecause it throws LIGHT up