The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-12-25
NEGROES AS SOLDIERS.
incidents Of the Recent yichsburg
Fight.

tvicksburg Letter, December II, to the New
York Times
II has frequently been remarked that
whenever fight takes place between the
whites and blacks large numbers of the |
latter are killed and wounded. while |
their opponents escape almost I'M |
harmed. This was the case during the |
Brooks Baxter war in Arkansas. when in
one day ut Pine Bluff the wild rider.
King White. and a few of his men routed
not less than 100 negroes. killing thirty
of them. During the election riots Ut
Eufaula. in Alabama, it will be remcm-
bered that several armed negroes
were killed, while the white men escaped
with only a few slight wounds. More
recently here in Vicksburg a small army
! of 600 10 500 blacks are met by not more
| than $50 white men, and are forced
to retreat In disorder, dying in all direc-
| tons, and leaving from fifty 10 sixty
| of their number dead on the field. In
| all the fights I have mentioned the ne
procs were not so well armed rs the
whites. but | do not think that their de-
feat is to be attributed to that cause alone.
| am thoroughly convinced that they have
a natural fear of white men, and the re-
cent battle here has demonstrated that
they are ignorant of even the first princi-
ed in all directions by steep clay hills,
which were fortified during the war.
The old breast-works still remain. and
had the negroes been properly led they
could have stationed themselves behind
these and deiled the small body of whites
that came to meet them. Instead of do
ing this, however, they took up their
stand on low ground, and the more
adroit whites, firing from the
cliffs above, killed them by the
dozen. Most of the fighting took
place at the Pemberton monument, and
near this spot. where Gen. Grant re-.
ceived the sword of a rebel commander
upward of twenty black men wcrC
killed. They were ireemen, but did moi
know how TO use their freedom. Dur
ing the engagement many interesting'in
cidents were noted. Among them Wa
the following: When the largest body
OF negroes was seen approaching the city
Col. Miller, well-known lawyer, wa
ordered by the mayor To take cOmmant
of squad of volunteers and 20 out I,
meet them. When just outside the cit,
lines, Miller, seeing that the negroes la,
stationed themselves some distance in nd
vance, ordered his men To halt. lie thcl
walked forward alone and asked the ne
groes why they came into the city will
arms in their hands. Their commander
well-known and desperate mulatto
named Owens, was about L
reply to this, when hali-drlmko
negro drew pistol, and with an oath
exclaimed. "I'll show yer what we
come for" at the same time hc levele
the pistol at Miller, and was about to fir
upon him, when Owens, seeing what Ii
was doing, ordered him TO the rear an
swore he would shoot any man who fire.
gun without his order. Miller was M
able to convince the negroes of the foil
of their course, and Il fight cnsucd. Dun
ing the engagement, Owens, who Tough
bravely. was set upon by two men, am
would have been killed had not Mile
come to his rescue. When the fight wa
/ over. the colonel took the black con
mander under his personal protectio
and brought him to place of safety.
have already stated that, after
thorough investigation, ! am of the opil
J ion that the white citizens of Wick,
, burg were justified in resisting the atlac
of the negroes. At the same time ! ~
assured that this could have been don
with but little bloodShcd. Scores of III
fortunate black men were shot dow
{ while they were rctreating from the city
Ii must be said to the credit of the whit
leaders that they did everything possibl
to stop this cruel butchery. but the
We're unable to restrain their men
: The whites who came in from III
\ plantations were particularly dc'
perate and blood-thirsty. The
must have known that the ignorant ne
groes We're misguided and miSled. but
blinded by passion, they had no mere
for them. While this is true, however,
, must not forget to state that every blac
man who threw down his arms and ash
ed for protection was allowed to go I'M
harmed. Gov. Ames, in letterpublishe
in the New York Herald, says that m
coming from town. Nothing of the kin,
occurred.