The enquirer southerner., 1874-12-18
A Clear Statement Of the Vicksburg
Troubles.
To the Editor Of the New Yol
Herald

| Aue uIuCuity ucEe MAS Ueeu CAileu
a riot, but that was a misnomer.-
1t was an attack in three separate
columns by negroes upon the city.
The caus, of this attack can be sta
ted in a few words. For six months
sheriff Peter Crosby (colured) has
been excising the functions Of the
office without having given legal
bond. The Board Of County Su>
pervisors refused to order him to
give the regular bond and the time
drew on to pay the county taxes
some 5000, 900. The chancery clerk
was without any bond whatever, and
under an indictment for embezzle
ment aud forgery, as was his pre-
decessor, Cardoso the present State
Superintendent of Education.
CHARGES AGAINST THE SHERIFF.
| notwithstanding his indictments,
the sheriff was notoriously packing
juries, and three weeks ago the
county records, bearing evidence of
the guilt of the officials, were stolen
from the courthouse. The Tax,
payers Association, composed of
the best citizens and property hold
ers, held meeting last Wednesday,
and in body went to the cour,.
house and demanded ithe resigna>
tion of the sheriff, the chsncery
clerk, the treasurer, and the coro.
ner. The sheriff only was found,
and he resigned. The Sheriff then
went TO Jackson to consult with
Governor Ames. On his return on
Saturday card appeared on the
streets, and WAS circulated through.
out the county, signed by Crosby,
calling on Republicans, white and
black, to come to his aid and sus
tain his position. Crosby publicly
and through the papers denied the
card yet on Sunday rumors came
that negroes were srning and gath
ering at different points to march
ON the city, but little credence was
given to the report then.
THE ATTACK.
On Monday morning at 5 o'clock
the alarm was given that the negr9sss Pr
rections. The white citizens armed
and organized in companies. AT
9 o'clock general alarm WAS given,
and a detachment Of oitiz n SOL
iirry marched out of Grove street,
r and, near Point Lookout. just insid.
the city limits, met body Of 2OC
negroes. The commander of tn.
, itizens warned them to dlspersr
/ when the negroes replied, "Wc have
t come for a figh, and We are goiue
to have it" Firing then commenc
h ed. The negroes were soon routed
with a loss of six killed, severa
wounded, and some prisoners taken
Among the latter was Andrev
Owens, the negro commander.
u FIGHTING ON THE OLD GROUND.
a few minutes after this engage
Il ment detachment of citizens, sen
- out on the Jackson road on tn,
northeast side, encountered larg
: body OF negroes strongly entrench
ed in the old Federal breastwork
Z! Just west of the monument wher
Pemberton surrendered. The igh
here lasted on hour, and was tn
: most sanguinary fight of the day
The Infantry in front engaged tn
e, negroes, while the calvary charge
r. their fanks. The negroes fed j
'e wild disorder, and twenty-five killet
k and wounded. Oliver Brown white
l. was also killed.
THE THIRD BATTLE.
, About the same time three com
panies of citizens met $50 negroe
on Cherry street, south, and with
i yell, charged on them, driving the,
\ a from their strong position on tn
u J. hill with light loss. The calvar
- ~ at other points dispersed the ne
"a groes, and by noon the war Wa
over.
u Sheriff Crosby was arrested eal
: ly and put under guard at the cour1
- house. On Monday night an effol
1' was made to lynch him, but tt
~ deed was prevented by the viii,
~ II guard. On Tuesday afternoon tt
, funerel processisn Of Oliver Brow
while passing Snyder's Bluff, ne;
the city, was fired into by negroe
7 and WIN. Vaughan, a citizen, Wi
killed.
To- day everything is quiet, ar
-. business has been resumed in Il
:" city. The Board of County S.
=, pervisors held a meeting and accep
" ed the sheriff J resignation ar
ordered an election to fill the v.
cancy.
THE CASUALTIES.
:, were three VII te citizens killed al
j, three wounded. Of negroes the
nfi were about seventyofve kitle ar
re wounded and thirty or forty takt
mr. prisoners.
n, Owens the negro commsnde
,w who was captured, says he was O
- dered by Crosby to some to the ci
,er on Monday morning with all t
y armed negroes he could gather t
or gether. Stackhouse, another pri
he oner, says the same order was re
AZ in a negro church in the lower pa
a. of the county on Sunday.
in A MILITIA FORCE.
,p. has been organized to-day und
an the command of Colonel Fren,
ac~ and no furth r. trouble is appreher
4 \