The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-25
Riot in Charleston.
The Charleston Courier, of the 9th, fur
nishes the following account of the riot in
that city, briefly reported by telegraph:

The Charleston Courier, of the 9th, fur
nishes the following account of the riot in
that city, briefly reported by telegraph:
Another of those disturbances which
have recently caused much excitement and
alarm in our whole community, took place
in and around the neighborhood Of the mar
ket about 8 o'clock Saturday night. Be
tween thirty and forty shots were fired du-
ring the affair, the rioters firing recklessly,
and compelling everybody around, men,
women and children, to retreat into the
stores, the Charleston Hotel and other
places of safety. Proyidentially none of
the shots took effect on the large crowd
just coming out ofthe market. Policeman
Dunn was severely but not dangerously
wounded in the left shoulder. A colored
man, named Henry Drayton was shot in
the right thigh, inhicting o serious and it is
thought mortal wound and another col
ored man name unknown, was shot in the
neck. .Drayton, after being wounded,
walked as far as the burnt district, on Meet
ing street, where he remained all night
He was picked up by the police Sunday
morning, and sent to the hospital for medi-
cal attendance.
From Sergeant Riley, of the city police
who was on duty at the market with q
squad of ten men at the commencement Of
the disturbance, we gather the following
particulars:
Sergeant Riley, on saturday evening
had stationed his men by twos through the
market, with the usual instructions to per-
serve order, and keep the passage-ways
clear of any gatherings of individuals OF
other obstacles. About halfpast party
of eight or ten colored soldiers went through
the market, and interfered with one of the
policemen in the centre meat market in the
discharge of his duty, keeping the passage
clear. Sergeant Riley, on being enformed
of the difficulty, collected his men and pro
ceeded to the scene of disturbance. On
arriving there he heard one Of the cclored
soldiers say: "D--n it, | will shoot the
first man that approaches me-" Another
said: Don't shoot" Sergeant Riley OBJ
serving corporal among the colored sol
diers whom he believed to be an officer Of
the Provost Marshals, went up and spoke
to him. The corporal told him that the
police had interfered with him, and ordered
him out of the market, and that he would
have the same chance as anybody else
The sergeant told him that the policeman
was instructed not to allow any party
white or colored, to obstruct the passage
After few more words the corporal sale
he was going to leave, and the party went
of.
About half an hour afterwards, as Ser
geant Riley was being relieved by another
squad of twenty men under Sergeant Poul
not, the same party Of colored soldiers, re
inforced and armed, appeared at the heae
of the market, on Meeting street, with thu
evident intention of provoking q difficulty
Sergeant Riley went to United States
white officer in the crowd of citizens, in
formed him of what had passed in th'
market about half an hour previously ant
stated that these colored soldiers had, NJ
doubt, reappeared for the purpose of pick
ing quarrel with the police. The Sergean
then requested him to have talk with thu
party and persuade them to leave, Will
talking with the officer, yolley was ire'
into the police by the colored soldiers
wounding policeman Dunn. The polio
then made q rush on the soldiers, wit
broke and run, turning and firing at tn
police as they went. The police pursued
the party to the Office OF the Freedmen
Bureau, inthe Military Hall, on Wentworth
street. Sergeant Riley states that he ha
every reason to believe that the whole part,
took refuge in the hall.