Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-25
GEORGIA.
The Late Bloody Riot at Ca
miIIa.
Full Particulars from Private
and Public Sources.
The Legislature Knocked Out
of Time by the Riot.
No United states Troops TO be
Called For.

ATLANTA, September z.
Two accounts OF the recent riot are re-
eeived, one from q freedman, through
| Major Howard, Assistant Commissioner
of the Freedmen's Bureau, and one from
Sheriff Poor, of Mitchell county. Major
Howard says Ishmsel Lennon, freed
man, states he left Camilla on the after
noon of the 18th; that on the forenoon
OF that day he approached Camilla with
John Murphy, VIM. R. Pierce, candidate
for Congress Of the Second District, RRd
F. F. Putney, white, and about seventy
five colored persons, all en- route for Ca
milla, where Pierce and Murphy were to
deliver political addresses.
Upon approaching Camilla, the latter,
being in advance, wSs accosted by an
armed and mounted white man, who at
first stated that he was in search of
doctor for q freedman who was hurt by
falling tree, but who subsequently
stated that he was g courier, aud advised
the party not to go to town, that the
people were determined the Radicals
should not speak there. NOtwithstand-
ing the warning the party moved on,
when they were met by the Sheriff and
3 posse, who sccosted Capt. Pierce, and
who was assured by Pierce that he de-
sired and should speak in Camilla on
Radical subjects.
The Sheriff endeavored to dissuade him
from doing so, telling him the people
would not permit it. The Sheriff then
went back into Camilla, and again re-
turned, saying he had done ali in his
power to dissUsde the people irOun vio-
lence but with no avail that the party
moved on into the town that Pierce and
Putney entered the town, dismounted,
and hitched their horses st the court
house. AS the wagon containing the
music entered the town it was rred Oh
by the mounted white men, who had
first SccOsted them, and by several other
white men, spd that the freedmen then
started toward the woods, and Rierce
tried 10 rally them, telling them not 10
fly; that the coiorsd men, being Un-
armed, would not stop. The latter De-
ing mounted, dashed out of town, and
passed the freedmen on foot and the
musicians. who had abandoned their
wagon.
M-:",.-rsy -:,-iy and Philip Joiner, in buggy,
also drove rapidly away toward Albany;
! that Rector dashed ahead that when
| about seven miles from Camilla the bug
| gy containing Murphy and Joiner was
/ stopped by four or five armed men. Oae
| horse dashed riderless up the road toward
| Rector that he saw the pursuers around
| them, some of them dismOunted; that
he then came as rspidly as possible to
Albany.
The Sheriff states that Murphy had Sc
| creJly circulated circular among the
cOlOred men of the county, ordering
them to bring arms to the meeting ad-
yeTtised for the 18th. at the request Of
the citizens, Sheriff Poor, with COM
mittee OF six, met the leaders of the pro-
cessiOn when marching toward town,
| and assured Pierce and Murphy that the
! citizens had no objection to the meeting,
bat did object to their entering town
with arms. Murphy and Pierce said the
guns belonged to the negroes, who were
in the babit Of carrying them wherever
they went. The Sheriff replied thst, as
g peace officer, it was his duty to forbid
! the Assem- blage of armed men at political
meetings, and assured them that if they
entered town with their music and ban
neTs, followed by armed men, it would
be breach of the peace, sEd he would
not be responsible for the consequences.
| The procession, however, moved into
town, headed by Pierce and Putney In c
buggy, armed with g double-barreled
shot gun, aSpencer rifls, and two pistols,
with quantity ammunition, IS it was
Afterwards sscertained.
= four horse wagon containing band
and number OF armed negroes, next
followed. A column OF negroes on foot,
between 500 and 400, attended by about
two mounted outriders, and at least one
half if not two.thirds were armed with
guns and msst with pistols. The music
was playing and the crowd were noisy
and threatening in their conduct. Muir
ply and one Philip Joiner, q negro,
were in buggy in the rear. Jas. Joh1s,
an intoxicated citizen, ordered the music
to stop but ii did not.
Johns gan was discharged, but in an
opposite direction from the procession,
when the column fred a vOlley, many at
Johns, but mostly st Naples store,
where six UnRrmed citizens were wound
ed, Immediately about twenty OF our
citizens sprang to their arms and fired
into the column, by which two negroes
were killed and an unknown number
wounded. The negroes Immediately
broke for thick cluster OF timber, about
one hundred yards north of the court. /
house. At this point an attempt was
made by Pierce TO rally his routed forces. |
Our citizens, to the number of thirty, /
part OF them beiDg mounted, made 7
charge and completely routed the whole |
force, Pierce flying through the woods /
and fields, and Murphy and JOINER es-
Gaping in buggy up the road toward AL /
bany. Several negroes were killed, and, /
from the best information we have been /
able to procure, between thirty and forty /
were wounded, all of whom have been /
properly cared for.
The sheriff goes on to express the re- .
grets ghsL the citizens Of Camilla enter
tain at the necessity which brought /
about the occurrence and what vas /
done, and the citizens still think that il
wss their duty to obey the orders of the
sheriff to break up the unlawful assem-
oisge. While they say that the eonse-
quenees are to be regretted, they do not
boast Of what was done by our people.
We feel that they have but discharged
the painful duly imposed upon them by
wicked and corrupt men, now engaged
in leading into acts Of lawlessness the I
colOred people Of our country.
The blame OF the whole affair is put on
Pierce and Murphy, and the citizens ap-
peal TO the lsW-making powers of Geor-
gia and the authorities of the United /
States to check the progress of these
strOlliDg criminals that are prowlinp
about the homes and disturbing the peace
and quiet of our wsr-stricken people.
The above account of the sheriff Is ad- /
dressed to the members OF the Legisls-
ture.
WASHINGTON, September 2.
The following was received here to-day:
ATLANTA, September q.
NGjhr General HoOdrd T.: A delegation /
Of cOlored people, going to attend pub |
lie meeting at Camilla, were attacked by /
whites, because, as alleged, they we're |
armed, and ten or more were killed
probably fifty were killed and wounded. /
VIM. Il. Pierce, white Republican can
dIdate for CoARress, shot in the leg; John /
Murphy and +. +. Putney, white speak /
ers, wounded. AS far as known ONLY two
OF the attacking party were injured. No /
further difficulty has been reported.
c. G. slBLEY, Brigadier General.
ATLANTA, September q, 1865
The following report is from Judge |
Nsson and Dir. Johnson, who were re- /
1uested by Lieut.. Howard, OF the Freed I
mems Bureau, to investigate the matter |
70 the Committee of the Senate and the House |
OF Representatives of the stats of Georgia:
We left Camilla this day at noon and /
all was quiet. No apprehension is felt of |
further trouble. The citizens acted under
orders from the Sheriff They acted as
his posse in the whole affair.
The negroes of the county are all quiet. /