New-York tribune., 1868-10-10
THE CAMILLA MASSACRE.
GEN. sIBIEYs OFFICIAL REPORT.

GEN. SIBLEY'S OFFICIAL REPORT
NO INOUFsT-NO ACTION BY THE CIVIL Az
THORITIFs-ORIGIN OF THE RIOT-CAPI
MILLs's REPORT-LETrER FROM CAPT. NM'
X. PIERCE, THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDAih
rhs Hon j. NJ sCHOFIELD. Secretary Of war;
SIR: | have the honor to forward to you an
affidavit sent to me by Gen. sbley, with regard 10 the
Camilla not The General says that no acuoh Whatever
has been taken by the civil authorities at TINS date oct
g. toward bringing the guilty parties 10 punishment ana
no inquest was held uponl the bodies nor investigation
had except by the Bureau ana capt NILS Dy order OF
tho commanding officer Of the District OF Georgia, whose
report has been forwarded 10 the commanding officer Of
fhe Department Of the South He further says it is not
believed possible to bring the guilty parties 10 punish
Eent through the civil authorities of Mitchell County
and unbiased jury could be found in that county Ihe
general makes no further remarks which relate TO TINS
not but simply submits the afdaYlts, together with
private letter from an officer IN that county who makes
special request Of hn that II shall not he puDlshed
Very respectfully, your obedlent servant
o. o. HOWARD, Major-Geueral Commissioner.
The following is the report from Capt. Mills;
MCPHERSON BARRACKS. ATLANTA, Ga, Sept %, 1868
Brerei Brig.Gen. r. Q. Dram, a. A. g., Department
Soitth Atlanta, Ga:
GENERAL: 1 have the honor to report that, IN com
pance with paragraph NOI44, from Headquarters De
parment OF the South proceeded 10 Camilla hhcheil
County Georgia the 2d inst and respectfully report
as follows: A few days previous TO the lOth instant
notices were circulated in Dogherty and Mitchell Couh-
ties that a Republican meeting would be held at camilla
Georgia ON that day. and that W. p Pierce, candidate
for Congress for that District and John Murphy caud
date for Eector for the district and Others would au
dress the meeting; that, pursuant TO that notice mum
ber OF cOlOred people from the plantations between
Albany Ga and the neghborhOod Of Camilla proceeueu
in a body TO the place, accompanied by musicians
and a wagon This crowd numbered 200 or 500
coIored people. about Onehah OF whom may nave
carried firearms Of different descriptions Mhen MIthiu
Two or three miles OF Camilla they were met by NJ ;.
PoOre the sheriff Of Mitchell County accompanied 10y
their entering the with claiming, IN accord
Ance with late proclamation OF the Governor that he
Was empowered to demand that they should not enter
the toNn with This demand OF the Sheriff was re-
piled to by Pierce and Murphy on behalf OF the crowd
They said not organized BODY, ana lh no
way the control Of any leaders. ana that the per
sons with arms carried them Of their own accord and
they assured the Sheriff and citizens OF Camilla WIN
him. that they gong TO Camilla Tor the purpose u
attending political meeting. and that their intentions
were peaceable aud without intent TO disturb the peace
of the place would respectfully call yonr attention 10
the inclosed afdayts Of W. r. Pierce, John Murphy T.
f. Putney, and W. G.. POOTe. Sheriff Mitchell COun-
ty fun understanding Of what took place between
the Sheriff and the freedmen ~ tS ume rro" ,le
daYit il Will be that the Sheriff considered the ain
tnde Of the crowd approaching the town OF such cha3c
citizens against attack, by directing them as posse 10
nave theit arm teau! ~ .se csc ny % Ire I ,,gbc
20 assist nm III preserving tu3 PedCe It D5e & ~
g. obtain erdeHce that these eoiored people gpgO
any one 10 carry arms ,ri heD either fO purposes Q de-
Jense on ri0lcace N0 Meg seriously cPeced interruption
afhdavts 1t is alleged that one james johns HhHe
eli-ea 81 oaJ5@ ; M s aS ~ 'edasty 'u Sd oi on N 6
ms man Johns armed trih gD. met te crolrd about
no eetinq or speaking at Candle and that II hey came
into he tocn ney cOad be hurt Upon the crowd enter
,na 6y has nan J0AHs cho intoxicated and armed
li g He was bOisterous IN bis manner ana or0eIe1
the musicians the wagon to cease play lis orders
were not obeyed In some OF the nclosed atdavs II Is
stated that he fired lis gun at the people IN he wagon D
Others that has gun was GlschaISGq aCCluen' % U ' m
in the direction OF the wagon: However that may De'
he result Of he discharge Of Hs mans g0s ,cdS d tn'aie
daie drC from boh ne co!ored people o'd tte e%is o.
ne place IL admitted by all persons that tins man
was the first gun fired, and that II was discharged Win
out provOcauOn In conversation WIN Cl'ilens 49,, VI
milla this Johns described 20 me as drunken
one whose acts they deprecated and that that day he
was intoxicated Under these circumstances q cannot
not seeing nat his man Johns Kept 0a Of the ieay
on hat d0y, particularly as he CGs d'1tk and as the
Sheriff appears TO have apprehended 80 much trouble
from the apprOachng crowd and the excitement exist
iny aronn he IzeHs of the place For fun understand
ing of the occuIfnces the time the Sheriff met the
crowd advancing the road to the town. until the hng
eommenced and IT'S results respectfully call attention
20 the iDclosed affidavit Of both citizens Of Camilla and
persons who there 10 attend the meeting 20 Ia as
day were as follows: Nine killed cOlOred), and from
Is TO 80 wounded coloredl Several persons were slightly
severely From the inclOed statements OF parties pres
ent IL VIII be that the firing IN the town did not con
tnue many minutes but me colGred Prone yea 70 me a
ioing ,coods ad es pursued 6y ne ca ;e5s & as e pCsse
were on foot Firing Of guns through the woods was
heard during the balance Of the day The sheriff in his
mile from town. have been unable to find any proof
that the eolored people who Went TO Saiila Ino IaS
the men who address them, either to armed
for defense violence but that the contrary the in
closed affdays show that Messrs Pierce and Murphy
advised and impressed upon them that they should Dc
peaceable and lawabdng IN all their acts as they were
meeting az this place iCamlla) in the exercise OF
their rights az citizens Of the United States
That the citizens OF the town OF Albany were 300
any way implicated or concerned with the occurrences
at Camilla on the 18th, Is in way proven II is eX-
plained In the affidavit Of the Sheriff Of Mitchell County,
that notice Of some coiored people having eft Albany on
the Of the 18th inst for Camilla was received 10y
him through person living IN the adjoining town OF New
ton. This way denied as by reference 20 the ad-
Wit Of Peter Hines leader Of the band, 10 will DE seen that
the musicians with other persons left Albany on the
evening OF the 18th inst herewith transmit the pro-
Ceedngs a meeting Of citizens OF Albany, Georgia,
held the 9th inst. 1 viii state that information WAS
freely rendered by all parties. | was accompanied by
Breyet Major Howard, SubAssistaut COmmiss Oner OF
the Bureau of Refugees and Freedmen, from Albany,
Georgia, 20 Camilla, and from what could learn the
blacks and whites peaceably disposed toward each
other In my investigation IN tins matter was mater-
ally assisted by Major Howard and upon arrival az
Camilla the citizens OF that place appeared desrous tat
the occurrence the 18th should be investigated Up
20 the date Of my visit action had been taken ID the
matter by civil authorities Of the county nor any IN
quest been held the bodies Of those killed.
Very respectfully, your Obedieut servant,
NN Mills, Sergt. 10th L. :, Infantry
IA true copy. L. q. DRuH, A a. Gl