Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-13

From Our Special War Commissioner.
kilograms having been received t.
the effect that the negroes of Tunic'
county had risen and were numbering
burning and pillaging in the town o
Austin, the county seat of Tuniea, an
expedition numbering near three hun
dred left Tuesday at pm. on the A. j
White for the scene of the disturbance.
The arms carried embraced everything
from single barreled shotguns to needle
guns. After getting fairly under way
the recognized leaders of the expedition
proceeded to company and regimental
organization, and after great exertion
succeeded in getting order out OF the
Babel-like confusion that existed.
THE ORGANIZATION.
OF the company's organization the
most important was the Bluff City Greys,
which embraced some of the Somerville
veterans, and was composed of the fol
lowing officers and men: Captain, W. 6.
Cannon; First Lieutenant, F. A. Tyler,
jr.; First Sergeant, A. D. Allen; Second
Lieutenant A. F. Hals'ead, and privates
Alsup, Bacchus, Bartlett, Belts, Bing-
ham, Carr, Coleman, Conway, Cum.
mings, Catron, Carson, Duff, Dennis,
Force, Fenis, Jackson, Horson, Hayden,
Hammock, Martin A. C. Lake, Daniel
Lake, Mcdowell, Marsh, Morgan, DR..
Nuttall Nance. Murphy, Ben Powell,
VIM Powell Postal Phillips, Rayner,
Smith, Specht, Winchester, Woods,
White, Williams, VIM. The balance
of the force comprised ME companies of
Captain R. H. Taylor, Pamela county,
Mississippi, II men; Captain j. M.
Walker, Tate county, Mississippi, 20
men; Captain Sam Finley, 60 men,
Captain Elliott Oliver, DeSoto county,
Mississippi, So men; Captain Hamilton,
so men; Captain S. NJ. Williams, 40
men, the whole under command Of Col.
j. B. Morgan, of fernando, Mississippi
with Captain G. D. Stands as Adjutant
and Captain s. c. Pierce Quartermaster.
AS precautionary measure against any
interference on the part of civil author
ties the expedition was subject to the
orders of Colonel j N. Walker, of Tate
county, Mississippi, to whom an appea
for assistance had been been made b.
the citizens of Tunica county.
At BENEFITS Landing q report was re
ceived that the negroes had driven thu
whites from Austin and were about t.
fire the town. Below Benefits we me
the St. Francis, which was filled witt
refugees from Tunica county, few o.
whom zane on board the White to join
the expedition, and who coa 6rmed the
report received at Benefits Among
others that joined US from the St. Fran
els was General Chalmers When the
two boats came together scene of great
confusion ensued-women crying and
men huzzaing-and had the enemy been
in sight or hearing then be would have
imagined from the noise made that a
force of thousand was marching
against him. On parting from the st.
Francis
COUNCIL OF WAR
was held in the ladies' cabin OF the
White, and various opinions expressed
as TO the expedieney Of attacking the
town that night or voting until morn
ing, and the recognized leader of the
expedition, Colonel Morgan, was in
favor of abandoning the enterprise alto
gether and returning 70 Memphis. A
more formidable policy prevailed, how
ever, and when the Colonel discovered
that the sentiment Of the expedition
was to proceed and give relief TO Austin,
he threw up the command, and with
some thirty other Mississippians deter
mined to remain on the boat By uni
versal consent General Chalmers then
took command, and by his orders we
we're landed at Shoe Fly, about four
miles below Austin. Contrary to ex.
peotation, a landing was effected with,
out any opposition, and the command
at once commenced its march to Austin
with Captain Sam Finley's command il
front. On reaching o. X Landing
Deputy Sheriff Niblett, OF Tunica
county, Joined the expedition, and with
a body-guard from Captain Cannon 5
company, proceeded in advance to de-
mandthe surrender Of Austin and the
army of blacks that we're supposed to
be in possession of il The Sheriff
aud his guard entered the town
about two o'clock Wednesday morning.
and marched to the cour. house without
meeting any Of the enemy On the way
however, they were halted at Aiexan-
der's store By guard OF five negroes