Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-12
The Town and People Besieged-
Several Attacks by the Infuri-
ated Negroes Repulsed.
Appeals for Men, Munitions and
FOOd-Hemphis Responds
NObly-TrOOps to
tue Rescne.
Over Three Hundred Armed Men
En- Route to the Beleaguered
TOwn-Scenes in the City
Incidents. Etc.


Eleven o'clock last night three ladies
and two gentlemen arrived from Aus
tin in a skiff and report considerable
fighting late yesterday evening. The
commander of the post, whose name we
do nOtlesrn, dispatched scout Of twen-
ty-five men on the road to Coldwater and
captured a picket Of twenty negroes,
who were stationed about two miles
from town, and brought them in as
prisoners and disarmed them. One of
them as they were putting them into
the courthouse yard tried to make his
escape, when he was fired upon and
killed, and in the melee another black
man was wounded, but not fatally.
Later in the evening a large body of
negroes advanced from the south and
attacked the town, driving in the white
skirmishers to the courthouse, when the
main body of the whites made charge
from the courthouse, and repulsed then,
with loss OF several killed and wound
ed. The fight was going on when our
informant left, and they were fired upon
as they crossed over to Ship Island.
/ special to the Appeal.
HELENA, Ark, August IL, ll:25 a.
ma passenger from Austin by the
steamer st. Francis reports the follow
ing: 1.-THE negro mob around Austin
was charged this morning by party Of
mounted white men. About twenty
negroes were captured and four or five
killed.
The negroes are assembled in force,
supposed to number about seven hun
dred. Austin is defended by about two
hundred and fifty white men. Both
parties expect reinforcements. AT
present the white men have the best of
the fight.
The negro hands on the plantations
opposite Helena have armed themselves
and are marching on Austin in large
numbers.
The following dispatches were receiv-
ed by Mr.. Thomas H. Allen at an early
hour and were published in the Ledger,
being alluded to in the APPEAL Extra,
of which the above dispatches formed
the substance, and which had the effect
of arousing the Memphis public TO a
sense of the necessity for immediate ac-
ton:
To Thomas H. Allen:
HELENA, ARK, August Il, IS74-I
left Austin at four o'clock yesterday.
They commenced fighting before / got
out Of hearing. Thousands of negroes
are going up from Coshoma county. II
we dom. help them we are lost and
ruined. There was big fight last night.
The negroes swear our town must be
burned. Send US help quick.
SECOND DISPATCH.
To 7. H. Allen q Co.:
HELENA, ARK, August 11.-FOr
Gods sake send US men, arms, smmu-
milton and provisions. The negroes are
marching on Austin from every quarter.
We have the town garrisoned with
about two hundred white men. They
have repulsed the negroes so far, but are
bound 70 have reinfoTcements or we are
ruined. Our sheriff is absent.
J. y. NEBLETT,
Deputy Sheriff.
J. NJ. PHILLIPS,
C. w. DUNNAWAY.
THIRD DISPATCH.
To 7. H. Allen & Co.:
HELENA, ARK, August l1.-Yours
received. Have steamer leave as soon
as possible. We fear our men will be
overpowered before night.
NEBLETT,
- DUNNAWAY,
NELSON,
PHILLIPS,
The reading Of the above dispatches
had the effect Of arousing our people,