The New Orleans crescent., 1869-01-10
The ogeechee Troubles.

The following dispatches were received at the
headquarters of the army on the 9Th:
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 4, 1863.
"To General o. g. Grant, Washington:
al transmit the latest dispatches received from
Gen. Sibley, comm andng in Georgia, IN relation
to the repO'ed difficulties on the Ogeechee. Gen.
Sibley has been instructed not to permit the or
ganiZstion OF any armed bodies of men, whether
white or black, in eontraventon of law; TO pre-
serve the peace at all hazards to cooperate with
the civil authorities in case he finds the same are
acting in good faith and that their action is neces
sary for the preservation of the peace. At the
same time be is ordered to dsarm and dsperse all
assemblsgss of the negroes, and require them TO
submit TO the legal action of the civi authorities.
"GEo. G. MEADE Major. General"
Telegram received at Washington. January 4:
1869. from the headquarters Of the district of
Georgia
"SAvANSAH, Ca, Jan. A, 1869.
'To Major General George G. Meade, Phiiaaelphia:
al have the honor TO report my arrival at this
place. and TO report the following statement by
Col. Williams The troubles on the Ogeechee are
confined 10 Middletown's and Lucker's plantations.
Mddletown accused the negroes Of stealing rice.
and got out warrants TO arrest them. The sheriff
a. piled for the military to make the arrest.
but was refused, and was furnished with copy
Of the circular of September IS. 1868, for his
information. He went with two deputies to
make the arrest, but got frightened at the
negroes assembling and ran OF. He called
Tor posse, and went out WIN nundreu d1u
twenty men. When they got near the station,
they saw boy about fourteen years old, and
shot him through the leg. They saw some other
ne egToes at the station, and they ordered them to
give up their arms. The negroes ran, and they
fired on them, woundng two or three. All this
time the sheriff was in the cars, away from his
posse. They were then advised to return to the
city, which they did. The citizens then called
a meeting and organized three battahons COM
manded by generals and colonels, etc;
kov tod from To nj
are still organizing. / ordered Mayor Perkins
TO 90 out and see the negroes, and went with
him myself. We arrived at night and found the
negroes very much frightened; but when we
made known our intentions, not to trouble them,
they became pacifed and gave us their side of
the question. We found the newspaper accounts
totally incorrect. There were about fifty men
there. Three guns and one bayoDet on g stick
were all The arms ! saw, and if they had others
we would have seen them. There are no fortih-
cations and no hostile demonstrations further than
10 watch for their own safety. The negroes
against whom warrants were issued were anxious
TO come in and surrender themselves, and wanted
to come with Us, but were afraid TO
They deny having resisted the posse, and
| think they tell the truth. ! remained
with them all night, and made arrangements for
them 10 come in tonight and surrender them
selves TO the sheriff under the military protection.
They are TO come tonight, they afraid TO
come IN by daylight. To day the sheriff reported
ofcislly that he could not enforce the laws. aud
called upon the military 10 do it. think no more
troops will be required here at present. Official
report will he sent TO the department headquar-
ters by mail.
&C c. SlBLEY.
Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. A, Comd'g.
Telegram received at Washington, y. c., Jan
uary Alb. 1869, from Savannah, Georgia, January
{" To Dfdj. Cen. Geo. @. Meade: Fourteen o
| tie men against whom warrants have been issued
| and who live on the 0geechee plantation, have
voluntarily surrendered to the military authorities
| Four are Of the original number Of warrants thai
the sheriff had to execute. 1 understand that l5C
| or 200 additional warrsnts have been taken out
but as the sheriff has made no effort to execute
them do hot feel justified, under present instruc
tions, to aid him, until he has made an effort tC
| execute them.
These warrants ere for insurrectiOn and melting
/ to insuTrectOn. ! would advise the use of tht
military, as | think it would be almost sure TO re
suit in conflict il the sheriff were TO go out witt
/ a posse Of the people.
'Tbere is much excitement here, and many o.
| the people would not be sverse to 6gLt
| &C. G. SIBLEY,
| " Brew. Brig. Gen. U. S. A, Cong"
| Forwarded from Philadelphia Jan. 4, lSGJ.