Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-04


furnished by prominent gentleman 3
Union District, whose assertions can b
fully relied upon. 1t is dated Unicuyille
S. c., August 27, 1868:
MIR. EDITOR, The contemplated armot
demonstration upon this place, few week
since, under the leadership of radical ne
gro namdd John Bates, which was f.ustra-
ted, by the prompt and peaceful action O
Our white citizens, is fresh In tho minds 0
most Of our people. :
John Bates, who then gave his orders tt
his armed bands, announced then, as one
with authority, and assigned by his Excel
lency Governor II. K. Scott, that armed
preparation was made by hundreds of ne
groes from this and adjoining Districts, to
march upon this place, break open the Jail,
1t loose negro charged with high Grim
ira! ci!ence, pillage the stores, is we'll known
here. la the object of peace, and to avoid
>o''.s:on Of races, our citizens appealed to
Governor Scott, as the should. be great con.
servator ..of the peace of the State. IIo
considered the matter, and sent up young
man, one Of his clerks, to see John Bates.
and have the anticipated di ifIiculty stopped.
AT the first depot in this District, the
messenger Of peace met negroes armed with
muskets, and, through some Of them, Bates
's was notified to meet him at Unionyille tho
next day. lie came, private conference
was held i'll tie room of the young man,
and Bates consented to 90 to Columbia.
With this, and other reasons, the expected
raid was averted.
Alter the return Of John Bates, our peo-
pie hoped that quiet would prevail, and,
instead of armed guards and armed men
treadlng down the products Of the field.
We would have quiet and order, and would
sec peaceably.disposed men cullivating the
crops, which they had contracted to do.
Bat: instead of a ,naage, Bates has risen
a: NiaJor O.: battalion to Commander
i-''-.:..' I. e. :'.:i.:a:y forces Of this Dis
t'st A.liW "a: s..o, while going to Co.
ldmbia, he told Il co!orcd man that he could
raise 1000 men in twenty -four hours.
Bates lives on tho premises of widow
lady; keeps his armed guard; las his pub
lie meetings on her lands, where armed
negroes congregate, contrary to her wishes.
10 these meetings his men gather, passing
through cultivated fields.
Last Friday, he marched out with ab out
sixty or eighty men, a portion armed, 10
hold q meeting in another portion of the
District. They marched through cultivated
fields, contrary to tho orders of the owners.
When demonstrated with, they replied,
what can Que mau do with a hundred2
They took possession ola church, used by
White people, on tho way, where the night
was nude lldeous to the neighborhood, by
their loud noise and Dois!erous conduct.
On their return next day, their behaviour
was such, in passing houses, as 10 he amen>
able TO the criminal courts for riot, if We
had law OF judges.
The fruits of such procedures may be
soon in the ncighborhood, 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, week or so since, wien one Of
them was pelted by stones tlown By ne
gro. and received severe blow on the side
of her face.
:, Bates is preacher, as veil as politi-
: clan, and military officer. Says be is to
csecive $500, if the radical ticket is success
rull i'll this District. Visits Columbia very
frequently, and has impressed the negroes
with his Importance and power, by the
general orders lie gives aud reads from the
Executive Department of the Stale, (as he
says and other important papers which he
distributes.
The writer has heard negro saw that
lie 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 lis arrival. During the day, and
some time before the arrival of the train.
a difficulty occurred between a white man
and negro, in which the former was cut
with kuife. The white persons present
succeeded in stopping the fight and restor-
'ag order. Mhon the train arrived, the
negroes ~erc close by, the armed ones with
thols. guns at ia shoulder
another gun. A white man who was hit
then opened the fire with pistol, on the
part Of the whites, repeating as fast as he
could, when the firing became general on
both sides, the whites advancing. There
were about twenty-five white persons pres
ent, with but one CUR, (loaded with small
shot) andten or Twelve pistols. Bates was
soon foremost, by many PAGES. in leading
the flight Of his party, and it is said came
near supsetting horse in his hurry to leap
: adence. The blacks soon made their escape
! through" the woods and fields. Three
), whites were wounded, slightly. Ten ne
grces are heard of who are wounded; two
seriously.
=, Fortunately, for the cause of truth, tue
ARRAY occurred while thetrain was standing g
az the station and was witnessed by both
white andscolored passengers.
: =. Bates left his wounded TO take care of
themselves, and made, Il seems, a bee1ine
tc. the Charlotte Railroad. Before you re-.
es'rs MS, i Gro,s ~ is in Columbia with
tsrr;h:4 s.'d:-a::d-Laii story, and probably
hgures as oLe OF the martyred heroes of
radicallsm. The wounds Of the pegro dis.
abled were dressed by = aamocraties pb ysi.
clan, on the spot, and he was otberwise
kindly cared for. Before he Governor: de.
= ,f1dAn xf1S snaao. fxfS,r,. 3,4x L