Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-10-01
The Georgia Massacre.
The Republicans Anbushed aud ASSN

ALBANY, Ga, Sept. COL hasten to lay
before yonr readers an account of the recent
important events 10 this section On the
18th inst, Captain William p. Pierce, a
Kentuckian hy BIRTH, gallant officer Of the
Union army during the late war, a staunch
Republican, and the regular nominee Of the
Republicans of this (SeconD Congressional
District, for the United States Congress, pro-
ceeded to Americas, Sumter county, a town
but few miles from unreasonable. for the
purpose of making his first speech in the
canvass of his district. He was accompani-
si by Mr. John Murphy, anative Of Indiana.
and now citizen and the sheriff elect OF
this county, elected by Republican major
ity of about 700 in poll of about 22o0.
Reaching Americus, they registered their
names at the hotel. Five minutes Thereafter
they were informed by the proprietor that
| his boarders insisted Upon his turning these
gentlemen out of the house. They were
Radicals, they must leave, or he could not
| be landlord of theirs. The gentlemen repli5
ed, Erase our names from your books.
| Shortly after this they addressed the colored |
Republicans, amid the mutterings and curses |
| of the white citizens, who were in town in |
force After speaking, they went. by invi-
tation, to the house Of II. K. Mccoy, Re- |
publican and Associate Chief Justice Of the |
State. While there the colored Republicans
1
square with drum and fife, though unarmed.
They were ordered by the Judge OF the
Superior Court, then in session, to stop the
noise, meaning that of the drum and FIFE
Some colored man, not hearing the order OF
the Judge, nor comprehending the cause Of
the cessation of the music, called out, $50
on with the music" whereupon the whites
drew their pistols, shot-guns, knives, ETC.,
, and drove the colored men from the square.
4 rsxl,, I'm, xxtt, nj h
ing of this, approached the public square,
paying little heed to the warnings of the
colored people, who told them that the whites
had sworn to kill them The Mayor address
ing the mob WAS informed by angry men
that the blacks should not be harmed, but
the "two White scoundrels' should
die. As Messrs. Pierce and Murphy neared
the square an old white man said, more TO
himself than to either of these gentlemen,
e you'll never leave that square
: alive" They then turned, and by circuitous
y route reached the Office of Mr.. VIC. Morrill,,
/, agent of the Freeumens Bureau, where they
!, took refuge. They remained concealed until
y after nightfall when Mr.. Morrill, sent his
:. servant with them through the fields to a
point outside the town, where he met them
/ with wagon, in which they escaped into
+ Lee county, and thence to this place
i Returning over the road upon which he
= nau taken out thc Whgon5,Mf. bloiiAi iouhu
n. it picketed by half u dozen armed men.
No These men inquired of colored men who
passed over the road after Mr.. Morrill, for
: two men, giving a careful description OF
Messrs Pierce and Murphy. That night
every road leading from Americas, in any
direction, was picketed by armed bodies Of
white men. Similar bodies of men kept
Ts watch over houses where the two gentlemen
az were supposed TO be concealed. None .o
Al L.. NIxatr st.sn
TX tions OF numbering Messrs Pierce and Muir
n ply. Yesterday, the 10th inst, Mr.. Pierce
i. accompanied BY Mr.. Murphy, the Rev. F.
y F. Putney, Philip Janin "a colored man, re
oe Gently member of The Georgia Legislature
IRE but who was expelled on account OF hi
nd color,) and about seventy five colored men
to approached the town of Camilla, Mitchell
~ county where Messrs Pierce, Murphy, ant
H. Janin were to address the colored Republi
mo- cans Four miles from Camilla they wer
. met by white man named James Johns
w who at first stated that he was in search o
a "doctor to attend colored man witt
had been injured by n falling tree. AS soon
tic however, as he learned the character of tn
10 party approaching, lie declared himself
~ 'scourier," sent to notify Mr.. Murphy tina
ny the people of Camilla and of Mitchell coun
ny ty would permit no Radical speaking Il
ih' Camilla, that the county was theirs, an
Ii | INey lHteuupu 10 Tuie ~.
,ne He then dashed off TO town, and the part
ld- moved toward me Town, not Deneving Una
hat the people would use force to prevent a pc
+, l., litical speech Mr.. Pierce, however, heede
~ the warning of the man Johns so much a
" to send a note by freedman to the Sheri
one of the county the contents of this not
are unknown to your correspondent
am but from subsequent actious of the Sheri
lich it is supposed TO have been "A note asking Il
| IS tl,n ,t,,n tbn,. .
, he point two miles from the town, the part
az was met by the Sheriff and a posse. I'll
''"' Sheriff asked that in Difference to the wis
of the citizens Mr.. Pierce would not ent,
the town. Mr.. Pierce answered that as
was violating no law of the county, and Il
able right of the people, he would speak in u
ZEN milla. He thought be had the right to
ents So Upon that the Sheriff and his posse, q
Of being armed and mounted, dashed off
town.
pro- Mr. Pierce, in buggy with Mr.. Putne
proceeded toward the town, followed
able some distance by the rest of the part
Van With these latter was plantation WACO
he drawn by four mules. containing the cOlort
For band, consisting of two drummers and
tifer. Messrs. Pierce and Putney drove In
the town, dismounted from their buggy, oil
htchcd their horse at the Court House.
u'y IA hundred yards from the Court House Il
/
with double-barreled shot gun, which
discharged into the wagon, wounding tv
Her. colorcd men Upon this there rose up fro
,eks either side of the road upon which tie &C
r;,v ored people were approaching the town,
10y large number of white men who had be,
concealed In the underground, who open
hcr' a cross fire upon the colored people in Il
Tory road.
ong A few of the coiored people. having p
,ras- | toic aplna ynrn1 IN dafnud tho,nc nc i,
era a majority of them fled. Messrs Pierce al
nth Putney rushed toward the contending pa
oro ties, Mr. Pierce throwing up his hands al
y e. calling upon the freedmen to STOP sayi
u Oh ''don't do that, don't do that" Upon this h
the whites, or portion Of them, turned up,
stay Pierce and Putney and fired, wounding N
Pierce in the leg, and Mr.. Putney in the
that bow and shoulder. Both, however, to-
eded to the woods and escaped reaching the pla
ourt tation Of Messrs, Flagg and Fish, two &c
: i. tlemen from Massachusetts, at three o'clo
-, this morning.
'niei To return to the battle er niassac at
sent milla. The freedmen who were armed liza
ugs. ing empied their pistols. fled for their ly
Pres such as had already been placed hors
aud combat-leaving the wounded on t
ground. The whites pursued some of thu
that first assuring themselves that those color
-. 80 men left ON the grolnd were dead by repe
i'on ed shots at their PROSTATE bodies,
'al- Murphy aud Janin endeavored to esca
'aad, in their buggy, but eight miles from CANT
e of were overtaken by five or six mounted mt
earn both dismounted from the buggy, Janin Ia
1t ing to the woods, and Murphy taking refu
)ela- in deserted house, where he prepared
"a 10 sell his life as dearly as possible His pl
- suers surrounded the house and demand
Jury his surrender. He refused and told them
commence firing. After some parley, up
ASA solemn promise that he should not be har
Gen. ed, nor detained, lie carse out, and VIII
talking with soiae Of the party, he was de
John horrible blow upon the head with bar
lemy OF gun IN the hanue OF aho.ne,. pc
'Ae' ton, allowed to proceed on his way
Up to O'Clock this morning the VIII
su- people were still in pursuit of the fleei
his and wounded with horses and bloodhoun
scted The white people of Camilla boast Il
Read one pond contains twelve dead ''ngger
90, This pond is near the house of Dr. Dash