The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-15
vICKsBURG

THE HISTORY OF III AFFAIR AS TOLD BY THE
HOME PAPERs-AN ACCOUNT OF THE EN-
A special to the Chicago Tribune from
New Orleans, the 9th inst, gives the follow
ing version of the whole affair, as given by
Vicksburg papers: The Herald states that
Crosby resigned at the demand of the tax
papers meeting last Wednesday; that he
left town the same evening, and Thursday
morning took a freight train for Jackson at
Bovina, asmall station outside of Vicksburg.
Arrived at the capital, he obtained an inter
view with Gov. Ames, to whom
he gave an account of the proceed
ings of the previous day. The result of
the conference was that Ames ordered
Crosby to return and call out an armed
posse, and reinstate himself in the office of
sheriff. Crosby returned, says the Herald,
and Immediately ordered Andrew Owens, a
leading negro, to collect all the negroes in
the Bovina neighborhood, and gather all the
arms to be found, and march them into the
patched messengers to every por-
ton OF the county with similar
instructions, and on Saturday Crosby
gave written orders to his subordinates to
this effect, these arrangements being made
by the advice and counsel ofGov. Ames and
Z my OOnCAdl 11dlIlcs l&llO " bnCSO
facts were spread around the street on Sun
day, and on Monday morning the fire-alarm
bells were rung at 3 o'clock, and again at 5,
calling the citizens to arms, but, no enemy
appearing, they returned again to their
homes. At 9 O'Clock, however, the bells
under Col. Horace Miller, marched out
Grove street and met a party of negroes
under Andrew Owens inside the
city limits. Col. Miller rode forward
and ordered the negroes to disperse,
but Owens replied that they were there in
response to orders from Sheriff Crosby, and
would only disperse at Cr0sby's orders.
Owens was permitted to visit Crosby at the
court house where he was confined, and re-
turned with orders from Crosby to retire
to their homes. The Vicksburger describes
this affair as follows: "There appeared
much reluctance to 60, and Col. Miller, find
ing this the case ordered an advance.
A few shots were fired on the more advanced
ones by the negroes, which were returned. :
negroes then broke and fled up the
and a general but desultory fire was
commenced by our men, driving the
negroes OF rapidly, and resultingin killing
six or eight negroes and wounding about as
many. Fifteen or twenty prisoners were
AIKEN. No white men hurt" The Herald
gives this account OF what it terms the
most sanguinary engagement OF the day,
where only one white man was hurt, and
he outside of the regular fight, while twen-
tY-hve of their opponents were killed:
About 10 o'clock the negroes were encoun-
tered, strongly entrenched In the old federal
b~reastwOrks, just under the brow of the
hill, Immediately this sid of the Pemberton
The citizens opened a Skin
mish fire upon them, which was kept up
tor more than halt an EOur without any
effect on either side. While this skirmish-
ing was going on, Capt. John Hagar, with
several white men from the neighbOrhood of
Snyder's Bluff, en- route for the city, came
up on the opposite side of the hill, and
fired upon from an ambush. Mr.. Oliver
Brown, a son-in-law of Mr.. Snyder, was
shot through the head and almost instantly
killed. Capt. Hogan's company and the
citizens then made a terrific charge upon
The negroes, who took refuge in a cane
brake, after a short and bloody fight. About
twenty-five of the poor dupes and wretches
we're killed and wounded here. After their
irst volley upon Capt. Hogan's company
hey fired wildly, and although their loss
heavy, no other casualty was reported
On the side of the whites. Two or three
'ther minor fights were reported, but at 11:30
were to be found, although the
own was in arms and under great excite
nent throughout the day. During the morn
ng
IAYoR o'LEARY ISSUED A PROCLAMATION
.ontradicting the proclamation of Gov.
Ames, averring that certain citizens of
Vicksburg and Warren county were riotoas
md disorderly, and that the officials had
been obliged to flee for their lives. The
mayor declared that the meeting of the tax
ayers was quiet and orderly, and that the
,ity government of Vicksburg was able to
maintain the peace, and warming armed
bodies of colored men to disperse to their
homes. and calling upon all good citizens to
hold themselves in readiness to respond to
my call ne might make upon them for the
OF enforcing his proclamation. The
andNicksburger unite in d~enOuncing
Governor Ames in the most unmeasured
as a murderer, assassin, etc., and
calling for swift vengeance to be dealt to
him. 1t has been impossible thus far to OBJ
more than one side of the Story. TIL
lbsurdity OF that side is apparent when
ierce engagements are described, whose cas-
lalties are all on the part of the negroes,
orty or fifty of whom, and perhaps a
greater number, have been killed, against
)ne white man. II