Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-03
CNEGR6 MdNEARMEs IN UNION DIST


+ The following comm muIicstiou has beenfurnished
The, Columbia Phaaiir, BY prominent gentleman
Union District, whose assertions can be fully re.
He'd upon 1t is dated Unonville, s. C., August
9th, 1868: lr.,... ~ 20,
| ., MrasEditor: The. contemplated armed demon
[stTation upon this place. few weeks since, under
the leadership Of aradicalnegro named John Bates,
which was frusernted, blythe prompt and peaceful
action of our white citizens, is fresh in the minds
of most of our people. -. '.,...' -.
- John Bates, who then gave his orders to his
armed bands, announced then, as one with author
ity and assigned BY his Exeellency Governor R. K.
Scott that armed preparation was being made by
hundreds of negroes, from this and adjoining Dis
/ tricts, TO march upon this place, break open the
tjai, let loose negro charged With high criminal
offence, piage the stores, is well known here. In
thsobiect Of peace and to avoid collision Of races,
our citizens appealed to Governor Scott, as the
shonld-be great conservator of the peace Of the
State He considered the matter, and sent up a
young man, one of his clerks to see John Bates,
land haYeth anticipated difficult stopped :.
l. at the first depot in this District, the messenger
Eef peace met negroes armed with muskets, and,
through some of them, Bates was notified to meet
him st Unionyille the next day. He came; a pri-
lYate conference was held in the room of the young
msn; and Bates consented to 60 to Columbia. =
With this and other reasons, the expected raid was
After che return Of John Bates, our people hoped
that quiet would prevail, and, instead of armed
guards and armed men treading down the products
of the field, we would have quiet and order, and
would see peaeeably disposed men cultivating the
crops, which they had contracted to do. But in.
stead of chaBge, Bates;ha risen from Major of
battalion to Commander Chief Of the. military
forces Of this District. A few days ago. while 60
ing to Columbia, he told colored man that he
could raise 1000 men in twenty-four hours.
Bates lives on the premises of widow lady
keeps his armed guard has his public meetings on
her lands, where armed negroes congregate, con-
gather, passing through cultivated fields.
!. Last FGdaS he marched out with about sixty
|or eighty men, portion armed, to hold meeting
in another portion Of the District They marched
through cultivated fields contrary to the orders Of
the owners When demonstrated with, replied,
what can one man do with a hundred
They took possession of church, used by white
people, on the way, where the night was made
hdeous to the lneighborhood, BY their loud noise
and boisterous conduct - ,
-, On their return, next day, their behavior was
such, in passing houses rs to be amenable to the
criminal courts, for riot if we had law or judges.
-
the neighborhood, in worthless crops, and by the
number of stock stolen from the plantations.
A few miles from Bates headquarters, two
white ladies were riding along the highway, a week
or so since when one of them was pelted by stones
thrown by negro, and received a severe blow on
the side of her face. ]. i --.g..'g- Ezg.- 49,
Bates is a preacher, as well as q politician and
military officer. Says he is to receive $500, if
the radical ticket is successful in this District.
Visits Columbia very frequently, andhas impressed
the negroes with his Importance and power, blythe
general orders he gives and reads from the Execu-
tive Department of the State, las he says,) and
other important papers which he distributes
The writer has heard negro say that be joined
the league, because Bates said that if he didn't, he
would have his head.
Yesterday, Bates was expected to arrive from
Columbia, and about sixty or eighty negroes,
many Of them armed with guns, were at Santuc
Depot, in this District, awaiting his arrival Du-
ring the day, and some time before the arrival of
the train, a difficulty occurred between white
man and negro, in which the former was cut
with asknife The white persons present succeed
led in stopping the fight and restoring order When
the train arrived the negroes were close BY the
armed ones with their guns at "a shoulder"
b. When Bates stepped outs his men moved. up
towards him. IA gentleman approached Bates,
showing him that be was unarmed and that IBIS IN
tentions were pacific, and asked why this demon
stration was NADER at the same time alluding to
bis fBates) having his hand on his pistol One of
|the armed guard stood with his weapon at pre-
sent and cooked. :, Bates replied that he was
commsnder-in-chief of the militia of Union Dis
[trict; that he al#ayscaHied his pistol. Peace was
urged, and the negroes we're asked if they were for
peace, to 60 off. The parties separated, and were
moving of, the whites being satisfied that no fur:
ther disturbance would be offered, when one of
the negroes fred into the crowd Of white persons,
land Immediately thereafter fired another gun. A
white man, who was hit then opened the fire with
a pistol, on the part of the whites, repeating as
fast as he could, when the firing became general
both sides the Witt Whites advancing There ere were St
one gun, Qoaded with small shot, and ten OF
twelve pistols. Bates was soon foremost, by many
naoes leading the Aiaht of his and II is