The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-03
ON The augusta (Gs.l COnstitutionslisi. Dee 80.
A Serious Affair.

The premises of Mrs. Freeman q
widow lady, who lives about one mile
and a half from the Sand Hills. we're
visited Thursday, between II and /
o'clock, pm, by party of four United
States cOlOred soldiers, belonging to the
regiment commanded by Col Ruth.
who, it will be seen from the unfortu-
nate sequel to this affair, has proved
himself an efficient officer and one en-
titled 10 great praise for Lis timely &C
tion in saving the lives and honor of a
respectable family from the vengeance
and lust Of an infuriated mob of ne
groes.
The facts as narrated to US are. that
fOaT cOlored soldiers entered the ysrd
Of Mrs. Freeman and drank water from
the well bucket, refusing to use the
gourd sent them To this Mrs. Free
man made objection, when the party
abused her and threatened TO kill her
il she did not 20 in the house, saying
they would drink out of the bucket Is
much they pleased, accompanying their
remarks with abusive threatz Mr. Viii
liam Freeman, d young man about TWEEN
ty years Of age, the son of Mrs +, hear
ing the negroes abusing his mother,
CAME out Of the house and ordered
them 70 leave the premises. After
staggering and swearing for some time,
the party left threatening vengeance.
About : o'clock the negroes came
back a second time, and commenced
abusing the whole family. Mr.. Viii
liam Freeman ordered them TO leave.
which they refused to do, and com
menced approaching the house. Mr..
F. then told them that if they adyanc-
ed further he would fire. Disregarding
his threats, the negroes advanced,
when he fired and shot one of the par.
ty in the head This action on his
part deferred them for q time and they
departed, but to reappear at q later
hour with reinforcements.
Suspecting their purpose of returning,
Mr.. Freeman sent for a young friend,
Mr.. Charles Martin, Jr., whom he in
formed Of what had occurred. With
courage and zeal, Mr.
Martin Immediately resolved TO aid
him in defending his house and the
lives Of his family from the torch and
the muskets of the incendiaries and
assassins-for such was the disbolical
purpose those lswless, cowardly
wFetches had resolved on.
Between twelve and one o'clock Fri
day morning the negroes returned to
execute their bloody purpose, with a
force in all Of from twenty TO thirty,
eight of whom were negro soldiers from
the Arsenal. The mob charged into
the yard shouting, yelling, and swear
ing ike q pack of devils. On hearing
their approach, Mrs Freeman and the
younger members of her family took
refuge in the upper part of the house.
The negroes broke open the doors,
stole what they desired from the lower
part of the house, and destroyed things
generally. After satisfying their thiev-
ing and destructive propensities on the
furniture and Vslusbles within their
reach, they attempted 20 10 up stairs
for the purpose Of killing Mr. Free
man, and OF committing other crimes
on the inmates of the house, the thought
of which is revolving. But God nerved |
the hearts of the brave boys, and they
TO sell their lives dearly. !
The negroes demanded that the whole |
family should come down stairs, threat /
ing to burn the house and murder them /
if they refused
Meanwhile the negroes in the yard /
were firing their muskets through the |
windows and doors, and the party in /
the house we're dancing, shouting, |
swearing and firing Finding their |
threats uuavailing to induce the family /
10 come down, TIE negroes determined |
to charge the passage and force their |
way up stairs. Mr. Freeman and Mr. 1
commanded the passage with
their shot guns, and awaited the com
ing of the maddened Wretches.
The leader Of the first gang was shot
down in attempting 10 20 up stairs,
and the balance fell back. Another
again essayed the task and he met
with the fate Of the irst Again and
again the negroes same up to the
charge. and the third and fourth were
shot down. The shosting Of four de
TERED them from erdeavoring to force
-ANA way AZ 7kaAAHI HAA AA4u 44cEAlc4 :
left the passage, determined 10 burn
the house and inmates
In the meantime information Of the
had BEEN conveyed TO Col
Ruth, at the Arsenal, who promptly re-
paired with a strong force to the scene
1f the outrage, and he arrived Just in
lime 70 thwart the horrible purpose Of
he laWless mob, three Of whom were
and two ven seriously wound
5d The whole parry were arrested.
md will doubtless suffer for this high
laEded and terrible outrage
The timely arrival o, Col Ruth alone
prevented the enactment Of ole OF the
most bloody and cruel murders ever
in this country. Colonel
2uth's conduct in tle premises is
worthy Of the highest communication,
md the bravery Of the two young gen
lemen, Messrs Freeman and Martin
6 highly creditabls.
Ii il 70 be regretted hat so unfortu-
late an occurrence took place, but the
conduct Of our young sis;sens in kill
ng these desperadOes viii doubtless
lave s salutary effect in preventing the
Of such an outrage Their
lction in the matter Is 50 eminently
ustifable that no proceedings have
,een taken against them.
I