Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-07
A Full and Corrected History of the Out
RACES near Savannah.

RACES near Savannah.
Prom the Savannah News Of the 3lst ult.
In the Morning Neps of to day we gave
detailed account of Sheriff Dooner' s
trip to the Ogeechee river plantations, to
arrest party of negroes against whom
warrants had been issued for larceny and
assault with Intent to murder. The
Sheriff and his officers barely escaped
with their lives, and the scenes which oc.
cured while they were down in that
country among the negroes they state to
be indescribable. The negroes acted like
q pack of demons; they could scarcely
refrain from staying the party, and
shouted, yelled and conducted themselves
in most outrageous manner. They
appeared to be thoroughly organized,
armed with new muskets, with bsyonets,
and to have regular leaders or captains,
who directed all their movements. Ne
groes whom the white gentlemen present
had never seen before, and whom they
did not know, suddenly appeared and
were recognized as leaders by the ne
groes.
The Sheriff and bis posse were accom-
panied to the plantations by Capt j. +.
Tucker and Major Mott Middleton. These
gentlemen also went back to station No.
l and then returned to their own planta-
tions. Finding that there was some
trouble brewing, and hearing threats
against their lives, they started on horse.
back to leave that section and return to
the city. Knowing that the negroes were
in the vicinity of station No. /, they
struck of in another direction, reached
the river, were ferried across, and arrived
at No. IL just as the train was leaving
there for Savannah. They were taken on
board, and arrived at this city early this
morning.
Having driven off the sheriff and his
officers, the negroes appear to have di-
yided themselves into companies, each
under command of d captain, and they
thus marched back to the plantations.
On their way they met George Baxley,
one of Mr.. Middleton's overseers, whom
they surrounded in the woods and robbed
of his gun and everything that he had
about him. One of them struck him with
the butt of musket, and they threatened
to kill him. The negro women appeared
particularly anxious to have him mur.
dered. Finally, however, they released
him, and he started off through the woods
to Soutbfeld PLANTATION. When near
there he heard shots fred and shouts and
yells. He met his brother, lad twelve
years of age, who had aed from the place,
and who told him that gang of negroes
had keen theres sacked the houses, and
driven his father away. The two then
turned in an opposite direction, sscer-
tanned the route taken by Messrs. Middle
ton and Tucker, and proceeded to follow
them. Arriving at the river they found
an old canoe, and met a fisherman who
was also endeavoring to escape. The
latter and the boy got into the canoe and
started across. 1t was not large enough
to contain the whole party, and George
Baxley had to swim the river. Having
nut the stream between themselves and
the negroes, they proceeded to make their
way TO this city. They we're pursued all
the way to the river bank by a gang oi
the blacks.
About four o'clock in the afternoon
one company Of negroes, numbering
about twenty, with nuskets and fixed
bsyonets, headed by a captain, with a
sword, came marching up the rosd TO
the South6eld plantation. Mr.. Reddin
Baxley, R. c. Winn and James Douneli
were in the barn yard. The negroes
came into the inclosure and proceeded to
attack two colored men who were en-
bloyed as watchmen on the plantation.
These men, Fortune Brown and George
Buuyan, ran, and shots were fred ct
them By the party. One negro Was seen
10 run up to Fortune aud make lunge
at him with the bayohet he fell, bot
whether be was killed or not is not