The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-09
G. A wi | l. L A.
Official Report Of the Massacre
The Riot Created by a Drunken
Mam-The Killed and the
Wounded.
The Civil Authorities Make
No Efforts to Bring the
Offenders to Justice.
FROM WASHING TON.

Special Despatch 10 The Evening Telegraph,
Omcial Report of the Camilla Riot
WASHINGTON, Oct 9.-General Sibley's report
OF the Camilla massacre was received to- day by
General Howard, who Immediately transmitted
1t 10 the Secretary or War.
General Sibley says:-"No action whatever
has been taken by the civil authorities at this
date October 81 towards bringing the guilty
parties TO punishment, and no inquest was held
upon the bodies. nor investigation had, except
by this Bureau and Captain Mills by order o,
the commanding officer of the District of Geor-
gis. whose report has been forwarded to the
commanding officer of tile Department of the
South"
He further says "It is not believed possible
to bring the guilty parties to punishment
through the civil authorities of Mitchell
county, they being engaged in the affair and
justifying it, and no unbiased jury could be
found in that county"
General Slbley makes no further remarks
which relate to this riot, but simply submits
the affidavits, together with q private letter
from an officer in that county, who makes q
special request Of him that 1t be not published.
The following is Sibley's report
Mcpherson Barracks, Atlanta, Georgia, Sep
tember ~, lS6S-Brevet Brigadier- General n. q.
Atlanta Georgia.-GeheralNI have AZ tn the iUai honor
10 report that In compliance with Special
Orders NO: "A, from Aesdquarters Department.
county, Georgia, on the 23d instant. to investi.
gate the occurrences at that place on the 1sth
Instant. respectfully report as follows-
A few days previous to the 18th inst notices
were circulated In Dougherty and Mitcnell
counties, that Republican meeting would be
held at Camilla, Georgia. ON that day, and that
w. p. Pierce, candidate for Congress for that
that district. Putney. and others, would ad-
dress the meeting. That pursuant to that
pSss of San the
neighborhood of Camilla, proceeded in q body
that place. sGcomp MED 6y musicians ans aud 3
colored people, about one. half of whom may
have carried firearms OF different descriptions
miia MIL shey were met by W s. Poore resi- sheriff sri Of
Mitchell county, accompanied by four or fve
entering the town with arms, claiming tha at,
In accordance with late proclamation of the
they do not enter the town with arms.
This demand of the Sheriff was replied to by
Messls. Pierce and Murphy. on behalf of the
| lied body. and in no way under the control of
any leader, that the persons with arms carried
Sheriff, and citizens of Camilla with him, that
they were going to Camilla for the purpose Of
atte lending meeting. and that their Intentions
were peaceable and Without intent to disturb
the peace OF the place. would respectfully
Pierce, John Murphy. r. f. Putney, and w. s.
Poore, Sheriff OF Mitchell county, for full un.
Sheriff and the freedmen at tnis time. s"''A ''o
From the affidavit 1t will be seen that he con-
S1dered the altitude oil the crowd approaching
the town, of such character as to induce MIN
to return to The town and prepare the citizens
sagainst sh.aSE by aideotng them h as posse to
upon them TO assist him in preserving the
peace.
that these colored people going to Camilla on
that day were either instructed or advised by
any one to carry arms with them, either for
purposes of defense or violence, or that they
seriously expected interruption from holding
Closed close afidasits It is alleged that one ia James @
Johns, white citizen OF Camilla, had fire.
quently said thatno Republican meeting should
| man Johns, armed with gun, met the crowd
| some three miles from the town. and told them
| that they should hold no meeting or speaking
| at Camilla, and If they came in they would be
hurt. Upon the crowd entering the town en-
man Johns, who was intoxicated and armed
with gun. He was boisterous and angry In
wogon to cease playing. His orders were not
Obeyed. In some OF the enclosed affidavits 1t
stated that he then fred his gun at the people
| in the wagon; by others that his gun was dis .
| charged accidentally. and not IN the direction
of the wagon. However this may be. the result
| of the discharge OF the mans gun was an i'm
| mediate fire from both colored people and citi
| zens of the place. ...
gun was the first one fired, and that 1t was dis
charged without provocation. In conversation
was described to me as q drunken and danger
| GUS man and frequently In difficulties, and one
whose acts they deprecated, and that on that
Under these circumstances It cannot but be
| considered neglectful on the part of the Sheriff
| in u OF seeing that this man Johns was kept out
| OF the way on that day, particularly as he was
drunk, and as he 0he sheriff appears 70 have
| apprehended go much trouble from the ap-
| preaching crowd and the excitement existing
| among the citizens OF the place.
ns on % s6e roaG to 70 sn until rlSs
enclosed afidayiss of bon citizens q Camilla and
persons who went there TO att nd the meeting. So
lar possible 10 learn the casualties that
from twenty-five 10 thirty woun9ed lcolored) seve
rel slightly, citiiens OF Camilla wounded White''
From he Enclosed statements of parties present It
will be seen that firing 10 town did not continue
many minutes but that the colored people He'd 70 the
oansd e ana on
SsY 'Hs Ths
cQoEed men were killed % one anal %hs from r The
cSOred people who nv went %ss that day 10 Camilla ws.s
Ssm aa SS any to address
TO go armed for defense or violence; but
ssoG sse that s ssars Pierce. n0SS %arphy snd
Puiney ali advised and Impressed upon them
ali their acts as they were meeting a Camille n the
,S sHsps @ s % Sd Se UHssd
way Implicated connected with the occurrences at
Il is explained In the affidavit Of the Sheriff
OF Mitchell county. that notice Of some colored
people having left Albany on & tas rSeiu eyeniIag g UI
him through o person living In the adjoining
town of Newton This is in no way denied, as
| by reference to the affidavit OF Peter Hines the
leader of the band, 1t will be seen that the
| musicians, with other freedmen, left Albany on
syeni1gsn Of sas iS,h the proceedings of
| meeting OF the citizens of Albany. Ga. held on
the 26th. and wiz state that information was
panied by Brevet Major A.. II. Howard. sub
| Assist. Com. b. r., F.. and A. a., from Albany.
Ga, TO Camilla 4as' nna snn ana wSs hs, cou,u ra