Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-08-07
The Vicksbmrg "Reminiscences
Which Led to the Call for
TrOOns

A correspondent of the of the Louis
vile Courier Journal writing from
Vicksburg, Miss, under date Of July 20,
says:
II desire to make known through your
columns the cause and extent OF the trou-
bles here upon which Lieutenant Govern
OF Davis has called for federal troops: A few
weeks ago negro man, who was the chief
waiter in the dining room OF small hotel
in Port Gibson, Miss, eloped with the
daughter of the landlord, and came to
Vlcksburg, where a late marriage was Gel
ebrated in one of the negro churches: Tie
negroes here were so much elated that a
white woman should publicly acknowledge
one of their race as paramour OF husband,
that they commenced specializing upon the
probability of them all being able to get
white women to degrade themselves by
union with them One negro named Da-
venpCrt, the chanceIy clerk OF this county,
made a speech at the court house, in which
he announced the negro as the coming
man in this country, that many OF the
most respectable ladies of NlckSDurg would
gladly wed with negroes, but that they
were afraid of the white men; that if he
was a single man he would win him a
white wife despite all the fathers and
brothers of the lady he would honor with
his addresses. For this and many other
offensive remarks in said speech the news
papers denounced him, and many gentle
men said on the streets that he ought to
be hanged to a lamp post, but no actual
demonstration of violence was offered or
determined upon by any one. lie however
became very much frightened, had himself
locked in Jail all night, and the next night
left town under an armed escort for Jack
.lTn n
themselves with muskets, dlilling in the
streets, and marching i'll column on the
| sidewalks to the great discomfort and fear
of lady pedestrians. After Il few days
| they telegraphed to the fugitive negro that
| he might return, they were prepared to
protect him. Davenport returned next
morning, and quartered himself in the
| court house, which became barrack dur
| ing the day, as was his house during the
night. Gangs of forty and fifty negroes
armed with muskets, paraded the streets
| during the night, stopping citizens who
| were passing, and in one instance car
riage containing a gentleman returning
| from an evening entertainment.
1.-The white people determined to stop
this thing, and they did it by arming them
selves and sending out patrols during the
night The negroes finding that these pa
! tient people had really a limit to their for
bearance, became frightened, and then
armed troops disappeared from our streets:
but a few nights after a physician who
was answering a call was fired upon from
behind close fence, and the horse of the
messenger who came for him was killed.
The day following the negroes were noti-
fled that if that occurred again it would
be signal for retaliatory measures which
might exceed their anticipations. This
warning has had the desired effect. Our
town is now quiet. No EARNED men, white
or black, are to be seen oil the streets night
OF day.
Il have given you the ostensible cause
of the Governors call for troops. The real
| cause is that the registration now going
on for an election to be held on the 4th
proximo indicates that the whites will
carry the city. The robbers do not will
| ing give up their prey"
| 1t may be added that the white woman
in the case was a poor unfortunate in very
humble life, as is the case i'll all such affairs
| that occurs in the South