Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-10-23
THE Ku-KLux DEMOCRACY.
0fiicIsi Report ofthe Camilla Massacre
CAPT. MlLLs REpoRr.


McPisE,soN BARRACKS,
ATLANTA, GA. september ~, 1865
Brepet Brigadier Gen~,ai r. @. D,u1,, A.
A q. department ,fihe Scu,h, Aftania,
Ga; lsf
GENERAL-I havethe honor 10 report
that in mpliance with special orders No.
A.. from headquarters OF the South. /
proceeded to .amills, Mitchell county.
ks' on the 22d inst, 70 investigate the
occurrences at that I1ste on the 18th inst
respectfully report as follows:
A few days previous TO the 10Th inst,
notices we're circulated in Daugherty aud
Mitchell counties that Republican meet
ing would be held 10 Camilla, ga, on
that day, aud that W. z. Pierce, candi-
date for Congress Tor that district, John
Murphy, candidate ss eIector for that die.
trict, Putney aud Others would address
the meeting; that pursuant TO that notice,
a humber OF colored people from the plan
tations between Albany. ia, aud the
neighborhoood Of Camilla, proceeded in
body to that place, accompanied by mu-
slcians aud u wagon.
This crowd numbered from 200 TO 800
colored people, about Que bali OF whom
may have carried firearms Of different de.
scriptions; that when within from two to
three miles Ut Camilla they were met by
NJ. q. Poore, Sheriff vi Mitchell county,
accompanied by four OF i've citizens Of
Camilla, who protested against their eu-
tering the town with arms, claiming 10
accordance with late proclamation Of
the Governor, be was empowered &c de-
mand that they do not enter the town with
arms.
This demand Of the Sheriff was replied
to by Messrs. Pierce and Murphy, on be-
half Of the crowd. by stating that they
we're not su organized hody, aud iu no
way under the control OF any leader; that
those persons with arms carried them OF
their own accord, and assured the Sheriff
aud citizens vi Camilla that they had as
seMbled for the purpose OF attending the
meeting, aud that their intentions we're
peaceable, aud without any intent to dis
turb the peace Of the town.
would respectfully call your attention
% the nclosed uthdayiis OF w. q. Pierce,
John Murphy, N. 4. Puiney, and w. g.
Poor. the Sheriff Of Mitchell county, for
u full understanding Of all that took place
between The sheriff anu the freedmen at
this time. From the affidavit IL will be
seen that he cousidered'the attitude OF the
crowd approaching the town OF such a
I 1hihalsr as to ipduce bin 60 return to
apd prepare - citizens against
~ direcriAx them Us posse 10
nove fher arms ready Ia case he should
call upon them 10 assist him in presery-
ing the peace.
have been unable TO obtain any evi
dence that these coored people going to
Camilla on that day we're either instructed
or advised by any one to carry arms with
them, either for purposes OF defence or
violence, or that they seriously expected
inlerception from holding their meeting;
although from some OF the inclosed off,
GERS athdayits il is alleged that one james
Johns, u white citizen Of Camilla, had
frequently said that no Republican meet.
ings should be held at Camilla, and that
on this day this man Johns, armed with
gun, met the crowd some three miles
frcm the town aud told them that they
should hold no meeting or speaking at
Camilla, and that ii they came into town
they would be hurt. Upon the crowd en-.
terIug The town; ca route TO the court.
house, they were met by this man Johns,
who was Intoxicated and armed with n
eun. lie was boisierous aud angry IN
his manner, aud ordered the musieia MS
in the wagon to c.ase playing, but his
orders were not obeyed. ln some of the
inclosed afiidavits tits stated that be then
fred his gun at the people IN the wagon;
by others, that his gus was discharged ac.
cidentally aud IN the direction OF the wag
on. However this may be, the result of
, the discharge OF this mans gun was im
mediaieiy followed by the fre from both
colored people aud citizens of the place.
1t is admitted by all persons that this
mans gun was the first one fired, aud
that i, was discharged without proyoca-
ton.
in conversation with the citizens of
Camilla, this man, John was described TO
me as drunken and dangerous man, and
frequently in difficulties, and one whose
acts they deprecated, and that on that
day he was intoxicated.
Under these circumstances il cannot
but be considered DegleclIul on the part
Of the Sheriff in not seeing that this ma u
johns was kept out Of the way on that
day, particularly as he was drunk aud as
he, the sheriff, appears TO have apple-
hended trouble from the approaching
crowd aud the excitement existing among
the citizens of the place.
For full understanding Of tho occur.
renee from the time the Sheriff met the
crowd advancing on the road to town un.
til the firing commenced, and its results,
respectfully call attention to the inclos--
cd affidavits OF both citizens Of Camilla
and persons who went there to attend the
meeting
So far as il was possible to learn the
casualties that day they were as follows:
Niue colored killed, and from twenty
five TO thirty colored wounded. Several
citizens of Camilla we're slightly wounded
but none severely.
From the inclosed statements of parties
present il will be seen that the firing on
the town did not continue many minutes,
but that the colored people fed to the ad
joining woods. aud that they were pursued
! by the citizens as a posse of the Sheriff,
soms Of them mounted aud some on foot,
and that the firing of guns through the
woods was heard during the balance of
the day.
] The Sheriff, in his affidavit, states that
three colored men we're kill one mile from