The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-16

negroes number of shots fired at them, but by
the orders of the commanding officer, the soldiers re-
served their fire. The primary object seemed to be 70
dispense the negroes and compel them 10 return 10
their cabins A large number of citizens had accom-
panied the soldiers and of the officers dispatched
an orderly to general Sonemans headquarters for arms
to place in the hands of these volunteers Inc ponce
had also by this time up, and as the negroes re-
treated toward fort Pickering they continued hrng vol
leys which we're returned with effect and the bleeding
corpses of four negroes quickly in contact with
mother earth. Although the firing was kept up with
the greatest rapdty by the negroes none OF the sol
diers or citizens wounded with one single excep
/ ton-a citizen receiving slight flesh Woulu III TIE
/ right arm by stray bullet.
The news that hostites on the part OF the negroes
had again broken out, caused the greatest eAeiteeu
among the citizens Main and the other prlnelpai
streets and hundreds hurried to the scene OF action on
foot in hacks and horseback. The greatest excite
ment prevailed and men spoke to each other III hur
ried tones as they examined their weapons to see If
they were ready for Main street was alive with
volunteer citizens in full marching order, and IN front
of Mr.. Fosom's gun store was company oil voluh-
teers drawn up and receiving arms ln a few minutes
they got the order to march, and were soon at the
scene of action and took part in the charge made by
the military the negroes.
When the charge of the military, police and citizens
took place the negroes the latter kept their ground
until the others came up. Detective Stonebecker, who
was riding near the head of the police had his horse
shot in The neck by negro Who was armed with long
six barree, navy revolver Before, however, the ne
gro could level his pistol to fire another shot, well
directed bullet from pistol of one Of the police pen
erated his skull, and be fell to the ground and died
almost instantly Another negro, i'll military uniform,
who was taking the part of rngleader met similar
fate as the negroes retreated toward tie depot here
a determined fire was kept up by the blacks LOT some
time but when they saw OF their number TALL
and several more wounded they turned and ncontin-
emily fled toward fort Pickering. They were pursued
some distance and few skrmishers sent out at
ter them but they soon under shelter OF the fort
and the entertainments The military, police and clti-
zens who all behaved with the greatest bravery and
galIantry then marched back toward the old Morris
graveyard Mayor Park at their head, and had
been very active during the attack.
When the negroes were fairly under the shelter of
the fort all danger of further hostites ceased and
Capt Garrett gave his men orders to return to their
quarters and about l. O'Clock they left the scene
of action. The officer in command OF the regular
troops marched and countermarched his men up and
down in the vicinity of the depot, but there did not
to be any further appearance OF disturbance they
also returned to their quarters at the fort As they
left the of the recent struggle they were greeted
by a cheer from the crowd, and they marched down
the street with fixed bayonets and steady martial tread
and were soon out of sight
All quiet in the vicinity of the graveyard,
where the majority of the citizens had assembled and
the majority of those present returned to the city.
Negroes to be seen looking out of the doors and
windows of the hundreds of cabins which nearly en-
circed the graveyard and stretched out far beyond,
but one moestcd them, as they showed no intima-
ton of recommending hostites.
While the crowd was dispensing a shot was fred by
some one but whether by negro or white man could
not be ascertaned but be that it may, it had the
immediate affect Of exasperating the crowd, and in
few minutes two Of the negro cabins in the vicinity
were set on fire. The flames, however, were promptly
extinguished by some soldiers and citizens, and al
though the fire engines turned out promptly their
services were not required. After proceeding along
the street short distance they returned to their several
stations.
When the flames had been extinguished the crowd
quickly dispersed and at . o'clock not half dozen
persons to be at the spot which only hours
previously had been the of deadly conflict. The
negroes had taken shelter in their cabins i'll the fort
and quietus again reigned.
MEMPHIS, May 3.-About thirty houses occupied by
coored people, and all the school houses in south Mem
phis, pulled down or burned last night Every
thing is quiet this morning and it is hoped that order
has been fully restored. The negroes nearly all fled tC
the woods last night, but are returning this morning
The city remains quiet up to O'Clock tonight
The negro soldiers recently mustered Gus have beer
paid off at fort Pickering to-day They threaten tC
, burn the city tonight. Great uneasiness is felt
They kept in the fort by portion of 10th regulars
Gen. Stoneman this afternoon served notice upon the
mayor the council and the county officers, forbiddng
the assembling of any bodies of armed men, black OF
white except the police. So far the police reeC
upon to preserve the peace. large number of ne
grOeS were arrested to-day, ana lOunu neaNy armed
MEMPHIS May 5.-The city has been perfectly qule
since yesterday afternoon. Peace and order have
taken the place of riot and confusion. No further
! troubles are apprehended
GENERAL WADE HAMPTON on GENERAL SHERMAN
In the United States senate, on the lst instant, Mr.
johnson, Of Maryland read the following letter from
Wade Hampton in relation to the burning Of Columbia
South Carolina.
WILD WOODS, Mss, April 81, 1866.
To he MITE
Sir-A few days ago saw i'll the published proceed
ings of congress that petition from Benjamin Rawles
of Columbia, S. c., asking for compensation for the
destruction of his house by the federal army in Feb
ruary, 1865, had been presented to the senate, accom-
panied by letter from major general Sherman.
In this letter general Sherman uses the following
language:
= THE citizens of Columbia set fire to thousands OIL
bales of cotton rolled out into the street. and which
were burning before we entered Columbia /, myself
was in the city as early O'clock and l saw these
fires and know that efforts made to extngusE
them, bat a high and strong wind kept them alive
81 gave orders for the burning of your city, but
the contrary the Contagration resulted from the
great imprudence of cutting the cotton bales where
by the contents were spread to the wind, so that ii
became an impossibility to arrest the fire.
Z" in your Columbia newspaper the printed
order of general Wade Hampton, that the approach
of the Yankee army all the cotton should thus be
burned and from what | saw myself | have no hest
ton of your city,"
The same charge, made against me by general Sher-
man, having been brought before the senate of the
United States am naturally most socitous to vind-
cate myself before the tribunal But my State
has no representative in that body Those who should
be her representatives and opponents there are de-
barred the right of entrance into those halls There
are who have the right to speak for the south
none to participate in the legislation which governs
her to impose the taxes which she is called upon
to pay and none to yindcate her from msrepre-
sentation, injustice and SANDER Under these eircum-
stances appeal to you, in the confident hope that
you will every effort that justice is done in
f this matter.
| l deny emphqtiealy that any cotton was fred in
Columbia by my order
deny that the citizens "sct FIRE to thousands of
bales rolled out into the streets"
: deny that any cotton fire when the federal
troops entered the city.
l most respectfully ask of congress to appoint a
committee, charged with the duty of ascertaning and
reporting all the facts connected with the destruction
of Columbia, and thus fix upon the author of that
} enormous crime the intamy he richly deserves.
am willing to submit the case to any honest trbu-