The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-09
The Daily N ews.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. MAY 0, 1865.
"DETAILS of THE RIOT IN MEMPHIS
HETwEEN WHITES AND BLACKS.
tFtom The Memphis Argus, May a.

Tho rot in South Memphis yesterday began by |
two policemen going to arrest man VINO s3iu
liuuOr il SOUTH Memphis. The negro soidiers VINO
were ytstcrtiay mustered out of service, and had
been .tronizing the drinking saloon, charged the
two police, killing one. The other collected aoout
fifteen Of his comrades who won't down to rescue
their companion, but were again repulsed by tho
negro force. The police then sent back to the
to get the %a foreD sod 9f tne
70 Southstreet. There tho melee began in earn
est. Some five six policemen and citizens were
ahot-two or three said to be killed and several
fHounled. About ono hundred or one hundred
land fifty negro soldiers and white men from this
Ipart OF no city-mosty Of the lowest cass-were
1acattelcl in every direction, behind houses,
fences and ravincs, and opened an irregular but
destructive fire upon the police and citizens indis-
hG Dne but g
time forced to retire before the hot fire OF the
negroes.
bridgea about two squares east OF Main, on South
Natreet This they carried, and forced the negroes
= Hid tlrir white allies to fall back beyond the Mis-
S/sisspr and Tennessee Railroad depot. Thopolice
here made stand but the negroes fanked them
and came very near cutting them of from town.
The police by this time, under the command of
Captain Garrett and Lieutenant Riley, had ex-
haustf all their ammunition, and seeingthe armed
force fankug them, started to retreat up Main
street, but just as they arrived opposite Morris
hed,n ~ IN, west side Of Main-the negroes hay
ing succeeded iii making their flank movement
fired avoey into the retreatin9 force OF police
negroes, hut one Of our reporters, who was on
5he ground, having boon slightly wounded at the
I South street bridge, took no time TO see how
] many we're able to get away. The police charged
again, and the few Shots took effect, some dozen
falling ct the fire. Two negroes who had been
eapturrd in attempting to make their escape not
streets, were shot down, but it was hard to tell
who shct them, as they wero between friends and
foes. The negroes pressed the retreating column
Of fpoicenien and citizens as far as the Second
Presbyterian Church, Oil Beale and Main streets.
In this melee there were three or four police,
men WOUNDED among tholn were james t Linn ana ana
ny reporter were wounded by the same shot in
II do charge over south-street bridge. Mr. slat-
i ,(ery was shot through tho thigh-only flesh
= wound. Henry Dunn, engineer on fire engine No.
| 5, was mortally wounded, and has since died. 1t
] is thought Mr. Finn will die. Some six or eight
negroes wero killed and several wounded. Two
Of the killed arc at the police station-house
I As our reporter was passing down Csusey street
l there appeared to be much excitement, as well as
| at all other paris OF the city from Adams down,
but in passing through Causey there WAS much
! sympathy manifested for the negroes. Some Of
the lower c,ss went 80 af "s to curse USs the @ posse
ed them. with the policemen, III the internal re.
gions. Many of the white citizens-but none
! that could be called respectabe-joi with the
negroes and assisted them in their maneuvring.
Some of them conducted the flank movement
from tho fort to the ambuscade on Main, opposite
After the stampede of the policemen on Main.
street, they rallied again at Gayoso, and stopped
the fugitves, making stand. The negroes ad;
u vanced as far the next street below Beae, and
fred several shots, but hurt no one. There the
police scattered to cover Front, Main, and
second streets, about ton to each street. the re-
naming force retiring to arm and equip them
selves. This they did as soon as possible, and re
turned to the scene OF action,
n Some reports say that several negroes were
NAped in town as far up as Jefferson-street.
D9a0:45 P. M.-The regular troops stationed at tht
5rt were called ont to quell the riot. Some re
man; man others, that they came at the time and tn,
negroes and their white accomplices were forced
to retreat to the forts No further particular
troops and police on the three streets mentioned
above. There still occasional shots being
tired as We go to press.
About 12 o'clock there were several shots fred
but the results have not been obtained.
The whole number OF casualties up to the tim
Of going to press, are two white mon killed AM
several wounded; about six eight negroes kille
and several wounded.
Very naturally the riot created the most intcns
excitement throughout the southern portion O
the city. As. soon as it became known that tn
difficulty was between negroes and policemen, an
not one of the scores of ordinary negro brawl
that almost dtiy and nightly disgrace the vicinit
Of South street, curiosity to see tho melee ovel
acame discretion. Hundreds emerged from house
4snd sireamcd to the scene Of the firing, from a
37bys and streets, all eager to witness the conlc
quite number OF negroes-non participants 3
not incline to aid their black brethren, We,
Felzed with q terrible panic, and their nigl
ap every direction added not little to the excit
sAent. On Shelby street, about o'clock, prob
~ fifty Of this class were seen Fastening towal
tie river rapidly as their legs could carry ther
evidently as much alarmed at the negro rioters
the policemen At this time the majority of Il
residences on Shelby street between Trezera
and Vance, were emptied OF their occnpants, VII
we're clustered in positions favorable for view
the conflict, which by this time was carried on
sdesultory manner as tar up as Vance street,
Main. The fugitive negroes, one and oil, assel
ed that the negro mob was making for Shell
street. Fortunately it did not, and of the iarl
crowd Of spectators no one was injured.
In front of the aayoso House, about dark
Esegro man was shot in the face, but by whom
That locality, and the bsll was doubtless fred
some excited individual, who supposed that
the negroes on the streets were engaged in t
riot. The man wae bleeding ,protusely, a.
seeted in the door OF o hack, awaiting the arri1
Of some one to dress his wound.
These particulars are from tho direct obserV
ton Of our reporter, and 70 far ns taots, and Z
rumors, are concerned, we v0uch for their tru
Those white persons who allied themselves WI
the rioters should be held up to the execration
all good citizehs; and tho great pity is, that th
did not fall Victims instead OF some innocent IN
9Rho happened to be wounded or killed in the
1ion. - .:;"''
~ From the Men,phis Argus, Nay 81
The War OF Races.
TIE R1oToUs PROCEEDINGS YEsTEnDAY-TIE NEGRO
in BATTLE NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI AND II
jNRssER DRPoT-THEY ARE DISPERSED BY REGUI
TROOPS, POLICE AND CITIZENs-FoUR NEGRO
K1LLED-A WHITE NAN FEArFULLY MALTREATEl
AONR CITIZEN KILLS ANOTHER IN. A sAIoON-T