The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-09-26
The Riot in Georgia The Particulars

The folloWibss the ssltomaas ofthe sheFiH 5l
Of Mitchell SGeahsy, swoM TORY himself and and
other pron,i9eRt citizshs Itsis sddrcssed lto Is
the membcrsSaf the Legislature /:
"On Saturday, 18th instant, sitwas made
knYwqto the citizens pf Camilla that sJol.ari
Murphy, of Albany Ca, had issued a.csiircular
and secretly circulated tie same among thu
3cplorcA fme,k g. isFc4,Ilt 0Flsru,g sthom is
brips their aims With thehf e L political moot
lug advertised for that*da atsthis place. Sbrhiss
Information was cofrob0ratdd byt statetiients
Fiadde sby aR6beft' Cochran, .ssenior;l Thdnas
zones and others Who aeamei from stho road in
the direction of Albany! sThey stated that
Farihed Negroes were assembling in,largct ri nun3
bers 'China'tG rove Church w aitihg for the
delegatioi fioM'Albany,9 9haaded by said AIurg
ply and Pcarcc, candidate for Congress- who
were to be the speakers for the occasion. At
Ftlis request Of tho citizens M9J .opoorc, She
riff; within committee ofHsix other citizciiss
went out to meet Fthcsaid procession, and to
protest against lhfmdd negroes beiug, sIlarchedI
in procession in our town, nnti tt state to them
distinctly that if they would put down their
arms no objection would be n1ads to their en-,
'tering the town. land holding atheir political
meeting +; The Sheriff delivered this message
to Murphy and Pearcc, the leaders of the pros
ccssiei, and they replied that they had notli!
ing to do with those armed men, the guns be.
Iongcd to lem, and they were in the habit Of
carrying them wherever they went The
Sheriff replied that, as peace officer, it was
his duty, under the law, to forbid asscmblagcs
OF armed nicn at political meetings, and ns
surcd them that if they entered town With
their music and banners, followed by armed
mc., rs they then were, that there would be
breach of the peace, and he would not be re-
sponsiblc for the Consequences Shortly after
wards the column moved into town in regular
order, headed by Pcarcc, the candidate for
Congress, and one Putney (white) in buggy,
armed with double barrel shot gun, Spcn-
Ger rifle and two pistols, with quantity Of am
munition, as was afterwards asccrtaincd. The
next vehicle was four horse wagon containing
the band and number Of armed NEGROES
Next followed column Of negro men on foot
between three and four hundred, attended by
about twenty outridcrs at least one IF if
not two-thirds, were armed with grns, aud
most OF them with pistols The music was
playing, and the crowd noisy and threatening
in their conduct. Murphy and one Philip
joiner, a negro were in buggy in the rear.
AS the head Of the column approached the
square, oneFof our citizens, j Jamcs Johns, who
was intoxicated, approached WITHIN ffs-r sest5
of the column and ordered the music to stop,
which order was not obcyed, but the column
moved on When about twenty steps from
him, his gun was fired, whether Intentionally
or unintentionally is not known but it was
pointed i'll different direction, and the con-
tents struck the ground about twelve feet from
him. The column then fired voley-somc
OF the shots at Johns, but most of them in the
direction OF Naples store, thirty or forty steps
from the column, at which place there was
number OF our citizens , nll unarmcd, six of
whom were wounded. Immediately OH the
shooting, about twenty of our citizens sprung
to their arms and fired into the column, by
which two negroes were killed and a number
unknown wounded. The negroes Immediately
broke to thick cluster of timber. one hundred
yards north Of the courthouse. at this point
there was an attempt made. by Pcarcc to rally
Ills routed forces, but thirty citizens. part of
them mounted, made charge and completely
routed the whole force, Pearcc flying through
the woods and fields. Murphy and Phil
JOINER escaped ina buggy up the road toward
Albany. Seven negroes were killed From
the best information VIC have been able to pro.
cure, between thirty and forty were wounded,
all of whom were properly cared for. 1t is
source OF deep regret that the calamitous con-
sequences OF this affair fell exclusively upon
the poor dcludcd negroes, who werc led on by
wicked white men, Murphy, Pcarcc and Put
ncy, who all made good their escape in the
hour of danger with but. little injury to them
selves. This sad result is to be attributed
more to the sharpness and shrewdncss of these
gallant leaders III cilectinS their escape than
to any want Of intention ON the part Of our
people. We hereby disayow any purpose or
intention on the part Of ourselves or our citi-
zcns to violate law or the peace of the State
in What wus Ionc W., ,rnro ,,;ll;... l 49,.