Middletown transcript., 1868-09-26
Terrible Riot In Iieorgia.

"Hi0h, dccoTulnS W tIC cAiEgcrateu ac-
counts at first received seventy five or
hundred men were killed and wounded
Later accounts say there were seven killed
and thirty wounded. We give below the
different versions of the affair, together
with the sworn statement of the Sheriff of
Mitchell county.
AUGUSTA, Ga. September a1.-A fear
full riot occurred at Camilla the county
seat of Mitchell county, Georgia, last
Saturday. The following particulars have
| been tclegraphed from Bainbridge, twenty
four miles from the scene of the riot =
Pierce the Radical nominee for Congress-
and Murphy, an cx-Burcau agent, with
about two hundred negroes, armed and
equipped, started on Friday for Camilla
with three weeks provisions and boxes of
new arms and accoutrements, their inten-
tion being to ovcr-awe the citizens and
kill the leading democrats of the town and
vicinity. Before starting friendly negro
exposed their plans, and a negro courier
was despatched to Camilla tq inform the
citizens what was going on. A deputa-
ton of three prominent citizens met the
mob at China Church, about five miles
from the town, and the Governors proc
lamation for disarmng and forbidding
armed organizations was read. The mob
paid no attention to this but determined
to march on the town and kill such per-
sons as they chose. rwice more the dep
utation demonstrated, cntrcatin9 the ne
groes to come in without arms and they
should not be molestcd. These efforts
were fruitcss and the mob marched into
the town with banners flying and drums
beating, numbering nearly four hundred,
numbers having joined on the route.
The mob halted and clamored for the blood
of man named Johns, who in company
with DIR. Twitty, presented himself when
a hundred guns were levelled at them
The former, being intoxicated, fired, when
the riot commenced, the mob firing at
every one they could sec. The citizens.
white and colored rallied, gathering about
fifty stand of arms. The mob was Wig
orously attacked and driven back, beating
a hasty retreat which spread into panic
The negroes were pursued five miles, To-
sing thirty-fve killed and many wounded,
the total loss as far as ascertained being
from seventy-five to one hundred in killed
and wounded. Owing to the panic among
the mob only five whites were severely
wounded. The colorcd citizens of the
town are reported to have rallied promptly
with the whites in defeating the mob
Their stores and munitions were captured.
amounting to three weeks provisions and
several boxes of arms. At last accounts
Camilla was qnict
RADICAL AccoUNT. Sept. 81.
On Saturday last; Col Pierce, Rcpub-
lican candidate for Congress from the ID
district, and Capt Murphy, Republican
Presidential Elector, went to Camilla, to
speak at public meeting which had been
previously announced. When near town
they were met by Rebel, mounted and
armed who warned them not to 90 into
the town. They went on, and were soon
met by the Sheriff of the county, who in
formed them that the people would not al
low Radical to speak in Camilla They
persisted, however, and on reaching the
Court House, they and their friends were
assaulted by mob. Col Pierce is dam
gcrously shot, Capt. Murphy is badly hurt.
and many more of the Republicans were
killed and wounded. A large majority of
the Republicans were colorcd men, who
obeaient TO Gov. Bullocks proclamation
of the 14th inst. had left their arms at
home. They were of course beaten and
shot down by the Seymour Democracy,
almost without any resistance Official
reports place the number of killed and
wounded at fifty. Among the victims are
a colorcd woman and her infant These
outragcs are being perpetrated all over the
State
STATEMENT OF TIE SMERTTF.-Th fol-
lowing is a statement of the Sheriff of Nit
chell county, sworn to by himself and 9th
er prominent citizens. 1t is addressed to
members of the Legislature: "0n Sat
urday, the 10Th inst. It was made known
to the citizens that John Murphy, of Al
bany, Ga. had issued a circular and Sc
cretly circulated the same among the col
ored men of the county, ordering them to
bring their arms with them to the political
meeting advertised for that day at this
place. The information was corroborated
by statements made by Robert Cochran,
Sr. Thomas Jones, and others, who came
from the road in the direction of Albany
stating that armed negroes were assem-
bling in large numbers at China Groxe
Church, waiting for the delegation from
Albany, headed by said Murphy and
=, Pearcc, candidates for Congress, who were
/, to be speakers for the occasion. At the
, request of the citizens, M. j. Poor, shcr-
f iff, with committee of sixty other cti-
zens, went out to meet said procession and
, to protest against armed negroes being
, marched in procession in our town, and 10
state to them distinctly that if they would
, put down their arms no objections would
, be made to their entering the town and
holding their political meeting" The
sheriff delivered this message to Murphy
and Pearce, leaders of the procession, and
they replied "that they had nothing to do
E with these armed men the guns belonged
e to them and they were in the habit of car
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