Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-08
TROUBLES IN BEDFORD COUNTY.
Troops Sent to Preserve order.

From the Nashville Dispatch, 6th.l
We learned, yesterday, at Gen. Fisk's
headquarters, the following particulars
of disturbances in Bedford county, re-
sulting in a number of freedmen being
compelled to leave q plantation on which
they were quietly at work. About thirty
Of them, with their employer aud his
son, arrived Eere in the city within
the last few days, and on the strength
of their afidayits a squad of twenty-five
colored soldiers, in charge of a lieuten-
ant, left the city yesterday for the scene
of the reported difficulties.
1t appears that a gentleman named
Whit Ransom, who had been identified
with the rebellion, but had received a
pardon from President johnson, hired
about thirty freedmen to cultivate his
plantation, givingthemreasOnable wages
for their services. He also, it Is stated,
leased a few acres of his land TO some of
the negroes, which fact appears to have
been considered an objectionable offense
by some of his neighbors. In the last
few weeks a gang of these, headed bv a
man named VIM. Cole, whom Chaplain
Lawrence informs US makes eXtraordi-
nary professions of loyalty, have made
several raids upon Ransom's plantation,
driving Off some OF the negroes, and
threatening to murder them if they
would again go to work. One of the lat
ter, named Thos. Henry, they carried off
to Coles house, and after shamefully
abusing him, kept him there until he
was forcibly rescued by Ransom and some
of his employees. This incensed the
Cole gang to the last degree, and last
Wednesday, about fifteen of them,
mounted and armed, attacked Ransom's
house. The latter acted on the defen-
sive, collected all the available weapons
about the house, and with the assistance
of some of his plantation hands, gave
HIS assai!ants q warm reception, and
finally drove them off. We did not learn
of any lives being lost except that of a
mule belonging TO one of the attacking
party, One of the latter was dangerously
wounded. Ransom and all his hired
freedmen, fearing still greater violence,
came to this city and asked for protection
from Gen. Fisk, who Immediately dis
patched troops to the unruiy locality, as
stated above. These are the facts as
furnished US. Gen. Fisk saws he in
tends to deal summarily with those who
violently interfere with the rights of the
freedmen in the State, and that in all
cases where such Outrages occur, trOOps
VIII NC 0GAAh " Plt1EA ' Z OiUtI. w e are
pleased to state that such offanses in
Tennessee are few and far between, and
we sincerely hope for the fair fame of the
State, that they will still continue to
grow smaller aud beautifully less.
asRd Accident ut Cairo--SIx Persons
Yesterday evening about half-past six
o'clock a family named Fraser, consist
ing Of ten, together with a Mexican and
another individual, name unknown,
came down the Ohio river from near
Cache in two "dug outs" The family
consisted of father, mother and eight
children, the latter ranging in age from
four months to twenty years. As they
neared Cairo the Mexican, who was row.
ing the "dug oUts,n (which were dashed
together), attempted to effect a landing
at the bow of the steamer Southerner,
which, with the great steamer Atlantic,
was lying at the wharfboat of Ho-
man d Co., but on approaching the
bow of the Atlantic, the "dug outs"
were drawn between the vessels,
and one OF them was by the suction
drawn under the Atlantic and the other
under the Southerner. The Atlantic
was heavily laden, and sat in the water
up TO her guards, so that those who were
in the boat which was drawn under that
steamer were drowned, while those in
the other chung to the wheel and were
rescued by parties from the inside of the
wheel house. Those lost were the father
and grown daughter, one infant, four
months old IA twin child, and a little
boy and girl. Those saved were the
mother, a boy, aged eight years, a young
girl, aged twenty years, a twin child,
four months old, and the Mexican and
his associate.
The family had been engaged by Mr..
Fenton 70 work upon his farm, which is
situated somewhere in the vicinity of
JonesbOro, and were en- route there with
all their worldly effects, and those saved
are Of course destitute Of everything,
having OF possessing nothing excepting
the clothes they had on when the casualty
occurred.-CdirO Times, 6th.
The Richmond Times says that Mr..