Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-10-02
The Camilla Riots.

The latest news of the "riots" at Cam
lila, Ga, proves them to have been simp-
ly downright rebel Ku-Klux muder.
The republican union men of that county
advertised and attempted to hold polit-
ical meeting to discuss the political ques-
tions of the day, and that was the only
occasion for the murders that followed,
Below will be found official particulars
from Gen. Howard;
WASHINGTON, SEPT. 25.
Gen. Howard, Commissioner of Free
mans bureau, to-day received report
from Brew Major P. H. Howard, Sub
Assistant Commissioner of the freedmen's
Bereau, for Georgia, giving an account
of the recent riot at Camilla.
Major Howard relates the cireum-
stances of the riot as already published,
and says that on the evening of the 10Th
inst, he was waited upon by large body
of freedman much excited, who express
ed desire to proceed at once on foot to
Camilla to the rescue of the republicans
there Major Howard counselled them to
remain quiet, promising that the affair
at Camilla should be thoroughly inves-
tigated, and if any great wrong had been
done, the proper legal remedy should be
applied, and the freedman departed ap-
parently satisfied.
AT distance of ten miles from Ca
milla the mob was still pursuing and
shooting the fugtives. Maj. Howard
says it is believed that the arms brought
to Albany, Ga. recently, and consigned
to Rush, johnson & Co., were sent to Ca
milla. 1t is also said that J. w. Arm
strong, Jr., of the Young Mems Demo-
cratic Club went to Camilla for the pur-
pose of instigating the people there to
prevent the speaking. Maj. Howard for
wards a partial list of the killed and
wounded, numbering "a, all of whom
were freedmen except three. A letter
from John Murphy, one of the whites,
accompanies the report. He says as
they were entering Camilla the party was
fred upon by mob, that a number of
people were wounded, but that Pierce,
the candidate for Congress was not hurt.
Putney, white, who was in the buggy
with them, was wounded in the arm, and
had several bullet holes through his
clothes. He estimates that two or three
hundred shots were fired in all.
A later report from the sub-assistant
Commissioner, dated at headquarters of
Freedmen's Bureau, Albany, Ca, Sept.
90, addressed to Col. j. p. Lewis, on the
staff of Gen. Sibley, says:
The affair at Camilla seems to have
been massacre A freedman who was
prisoner at Camilla, but who escaped
during the night. says that he helped to
remove one dead and four wounded from
the road within a hundred yards of the
court house. The white men, his cap
tors, boasted to the new comers of twelve
: freedmen killed in one pond near DR.
! Dosher's, two miles from Camilla. An
> other freedman took refuge in swamp
;. where he lay concealed all night with
~ four others with him. He says that dur
u ing the early part of the night the white
J men were securing the woods, shouting
6 cursing and shooting the freedmen. Tive
% of the men near him becoming frighten
u ed, endeavored to escape, and both wer
J shot within his hearing. The same off
y Ger also writes thus 1t was reported, a
Is late as four P. M. to-day, Sept. 10th, tha
l. up to eight o'clock this morning the,
le were still pursuing the freedmen will
~ horses and dogs.
ie There has been intense excitement il
o' town all day. The town has been file
70 with freedmen; they have swarme
. about my Office by hundreds 1t has bee
co difficult to restrain them from proceedin
80 en- masse to Camilla. have addresse
oe them, counseling peace and order, tellin
= them that the offenders should be pun
ished, and their lives protected; but
" have no heart for my work. l felt n
~ assurance that my promises would
w fulfilled.
o' The mayor addressed them, as d
90 some citizens, but the freed people SEQ
So ed at them, and would not listen to ther
nv and / had the whole burden to bear.
.or Major Howard telegraphed to Gene
- al Sibley on the 21st inst, that unle
:. protection is Immediately afforded Il
:. freedmen, he should earnestly request
= be relieved from further duty in the b
IA reau.
it,
hlo "REMINISCENCES OF EDWARD EvEREI
II Mrs. lydia Maria Child tells the {,