New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-01
THE VICKSBURG RIOT.
THE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION
BEGIJN

STATEMENT OF THE ORIGIN AND ELIMINATION
OF THE TRoUBLE-rHE BATTLES NOT FOUGHT
ON THE COLOR IINE-No BITTERNESS BETWEEN
THE FORMER SHAREHOLDERS AND THE BLACKS
VICKsBURG, Dec 31.-The Congressional In
yestgating Committee arrived yesterday. and met
to-day in the Courthouse the full Committee being
present, with the Chairman Mr. Conger, In the Chair
number OF prominent citizens were present.
TESTIMONY OF MAYOR o'IEARY
Mayor O'Leary was the first witness examined lie
stated that police force OF the city not increased
until after the fight OF Dec T. and that his proclamation
issued that day. and heretofore sent In these dis
patches published at o'clock, p. III. In reply to
question by Mr. Conger. he said the proclamation was
issued because the Issued by Gov Ames was Unfair
and calculated to excite the people, On Sunday, Dec
g. Crosby the coored Sheriff, to hIm aud told him
mat the colored people In the country were
very much excited about hts being put OF
Office, aud asked him to assist him In
preserving the peace which he promised
to do. About o'clock xt morning DR.. Shannon and
two other gentlemen came TO his house. woke him up,
aud told him that armed bodies OF negroes were march
ing the city He told Dr. Shannon to have the Court
house bell and rebels rung as e arouse the people,
though he had heard many such rumors that he
thought little OF them; but about o'clock Dr. Hunt
him and reported that 900 400 armed negroes
were marching on the city by the Grovest road lie
then issued his proclamation ordering tbem to disperse
and retire their homes and sent Policemen Welsh aud
Hayes to the negroes and read the proclamation
10 them They had white handkerchIefs on sticks. They
returned at abou: % o'clock, and reporei that'-he
negroes had fired them, and would not allow them to
approach.
BY DR.. COnger--were they both sent on the same
road A. 4 negroes reported approaching on
BIldwIns Perry and HANS Ferry road Welsh went on
the former and Hayes the latter; they had the
proclamation printed on posters.
q. d d they make Official report A. Did not zee
| UoIah hat lad
fired him also that the negroes seemed to be light
lug among themselves, and were in confusion
After Issuing the proclamation the Mayor rode around
town cautoning the people who had arms 10 repair 10
the Courthouse. TIL company that went out on the
Jackson urued and reported that they had had
fight and had killed 10 or % negroes but he atterward
learned that many had been killed. He then sent
five cIuz,us on scout on the WdrrentOwn road, and
fearing an outbreak in the town. returned and told the
uo,ce uoC to leave their beats The WaTrentoWn road
scouts returned and reported enemy but about tine
same time he received report Of fgnHug on
the Jackson road, and that the negroes had
been routed with rs OF 80 killed. The
renort was not official. While at the
Court House Pster Crosby, the colOred Sheriff, was
br usht there under arrest by order of Col Miller, who
was I'm command the citizens Crosby was kept there
until every thing had become quiet and was thea sent
10 jackson. The third fight occurred on the Jackson
road near Pemberton Monument, and lasted half an
hour hut was principally at long range. Tnid was tle
hardest n of the day lie heard that 80 or 40 negroes
had been killed, and one white man, named Brown,
killed and another white man wounded This was the
= ,t and occurred between aud 10 o'clock Brown,
tina white uau killed, was coming into town from the
co.ltry, ana ana not belong TO tue citizens inrce;
A Aoout noon, alter ne hGhtng was over IT.. o..,
O. Were these lights in tue city limits A. inc nrst
o. on Gruv -si, just at the corporation line, Whc
the one at he PemDerton monument was half mile
O. 3D. YOU make any deposition Of the bodies OF the
k'ral A. They wore OUTSIDE o. TIC Guy ll.' Dut
burl.d He sald 1 would sign paper to the county
undertaken Lc would, which dIl 50, -,
O d yOu feel you had any more rlght 10 XIII mem
structons Col Miller were to eeeud the CITY; did not
e Cr t,. By Mr. Conger-Could not tell how
many were buried could Tomorrow irpm tue ohlcld
buTied: mad heard vi cO1rel men neng kllei since
tnaf " txccpt one, named Mack, killed near lllYntss
ma - mir, 9taut where tue funeral procession was
n Ell lnto and Vaughan, white man, kled; crosby
w. brougnt 70 the COurr-hOuse about the ume or TIE
first fight by order or Col Miller dll hoC eau upon
any OF the county officers 10 ana Nun III Maintaining
ur9cc because he benpyed they were Interested wth
- ,,,grors m inc movcm' wnen first saw Crosby
mat dAv he was under arrest; had no conversation
win han OF any OF his deputies 10 regard 10 preserving
uc.rr Crnsby was off red hiS liberty, but II Was sug
rsted TO nIm that he was safer ~ m IMAM III the Court
L,use but was taken there t AFTERNOON mex ddf
re"n,,neI there TIL the following week. wnen he was
I5Ken out and to Jackson; had nothing 10 90 win
uutting MIN aIl Thought hai no rghI 10 RESTRAIN
pi. 1,i ,pr mat negroes killed IN the Grove
At night 30 on Jackson aud about IA or 10 on the Cherry
r MIR Hrrlburt-Co. Mier's command was OF armed
Citizens without any regular organ Iaoa I"p., ,owan
aiso acted as au officer; was Gown ON the 'Vee WncD
line he IL rang; Col Miner acted under orders rom me-
bnI WAS not present wen tue command started OUT
thew were called under the spur OF the monIn ana
vryoi.ly armed some nUrSeDlCk, nut mostly on IO0t
~ AZ 'snacr-iTlp last ccusus showed the population
-. " nm, to he 1850 with majority OF blacks
majority OF tie Latter III Warren was three to oue the
r,gng Of the citizens 10 repci attack only II was
nnnse1 mat the negroes acting under orders or
Crospy aud Gov. AUc- those on GrOVe-st were com
m ,nded ~ Andy owens; cannot remember the names
of me Their commanders; those on 1lONtst had come
from Baldwn's Ferry, 2j miles out 10 an there were
about 400 armed blacks those Ia ine Guy lsd arps
some that their purpose was TO eiustaCe CrOsDY
others said 10 plumber the town. !hey nau wagons ana
sack, for this purposei that was Tie apprehension Of
TINS Geson gave rise to considerable discussion
among tue memOerf OF the Committee, bns was hnaly
Tue Mayor contnulng-Mler's orders were simply to
d.feud tnp city; ali there were ABOUT 10 men en-
paced in fighting; after the negroes were driven back
business was resumed usual there has been no dis
order since fight did not arise ON the color line, hut
from CrOsbys resignation, ana the attempt OF the ne
groes reus1te HIM few days before ne had issued
ma proclamation, wlHcl mas also Oeeh puDIspeu, ana
the PRISONERS statcI that Crosby had sent runners
through the country with IT, ana &c was read py tue col
not call Crosby TO ali him III preserving Tue peace
because Crosby had Resigned to the Board OF Supery
sOrs and his Resignation had been accepted.
TESTIMONY OF GEN. MILLER.
Gen Horace Miller, lawyer, age AZ, who commanded
the citizens In the fight, was the next witness, who
being sworn. deposed as follows: Early on Sunday
night Dec G, owing to rumOrs OF an Invasion ny the
negroes On informal meeting Of citizens was held and
IL yas agreed TO establish guards and the ringing of the
bells be signal for assemblng between and an
alarm fuu TO the courthouse no near that
the negroes were approaching; also that Crosby,
ijen. Packer, aDd Col. Lee OF Gov Ames's
slaG had leave town short time before In
haste found the driver who informed him he had been
employed by that party during tue night aud mad
driven them out OF town short distance, and had
brought them back at o'clock just as sat down 10
breakfast DIR. Hunt and the Mayor came in the former
WAS No uch agnate1 he said ne had gone IA scout
tue Baldwlns Ferry road and ridden into crowd OF
armed negroes, who began to shout, Kill hnn shoot
10 ia hand nd s.I