Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-07
On the Wing.

DEAR LEDGER: Some few nights since
a negro man, named Lewis Stegall, said
he was struck seven licks by men in dis
puise, about one mile from Chapel Hill,
Marshall county, Tennessee, and he also
stated that the men who we're whipping
him we're fred upon by some unknown
parties concealed near by, and that sew
eral shots were fred by both parties,
after which all hands disappeared.
A Yankee school teacher (of negroes),
by the name of Capt. Garrett. who had
been teaching about three miles from the
above occurrence, was seen the next
morning, about seven o'clock, in COM
pany with seven or eight negroes, oil
armed with muskets, rifles and pistols,
marching toward Chapel Hill, pressing
fifteen year old boys from the fields and
all the guns he could find, to the. terror of
the neighborhood. When interrogaled
by white men as to his object, he said he
intended to kill all the Ku.Kluxes, and
to continue his.march. By three o'clock
that evening, they numbered about eigh'
teen, still visiting houses and fields; fore
ing boys into service and taking guns
wherever to be found, and terrifying men,
women and children wherever they
would 90. The citizens, becoming con-
siderably annoyed at such unexplained
demonstrations, agreed to send out sew
eral citizens to confer with the lawless
band. but were unable to find them. They
then sent out an intelligent and infiuen-
tial colored man, named Nicholas Owen,
to confer with them. He saw them, and
they promised to come to Chapel Hill
and do what was right, but moved of In
different direction. A State warrant
was now issued and placed in
the hands of an officer, who sum-
moRed posse of men to ar
rest said lawless band; and when
arriving within one hundred yards of said
Garrett and his baud of negroes, the Off
GERS were fred upon, whereupon the
firing was returned, the negroes fed to
| the woods, and as night approached, the
officer with his men returned to Chapel
Eill The next morning the said Gar
rett with about forty negro men, all
armed, were marching on the Eagleville
nike, greatly terrifying the people. They
marched within about two miles Of
Unionvile, Bedford county, continuing
through the cedars, pressing all the ne
groes into service they could, until their
number that evening reached about
sixty, greatly alarming citizens
The older negroes would not join them,
and they told them that there were three
: men in Chapel Hill they intended tc
kill, and that night the rioters camped
within few miles of Chapel Hill, Mex
morning tn. officer and posse started
sgain, but the negroes had taken
hint aud gone far in advance, passing
Rover, and about twenty five of the ganl
going 10 the direction of Murfreesboro
at which place four of the gang we're 81
rested and delivered to those in pursuit
five others were captured, all of whom
are under arrest for irials and three
others who deserted and came back be
fore- any arrests we're made-makini
twelve-alI Of whom say the said Garret
pressed them into service against thei
will. This IS true statement Of th
facts, signed BY thiriy-fve or forty re
spectacle citizens Of Marshall county.
This detestable and lawless Garrett !
considered to be simply tool Of tb'
Radicals, who instigated the whole thing
pretending the cause to have sprunl
from The whipping Of said negro
You may look TO hear Of thes
negro riots and mObs all over Oh
country, bat It won't win, aud some o
|, these times these things viii cause th
honest, hard d-workinA iaw-abidihg ci,i
rens to open their batteries upon sncl