Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-01

thous>nd, with q majority OF blacks
TIE majority of the latter in Warren
I was three 10 one. The arming Of citl.
zens was TO repel an attack only; sup,
posed the negroes were acting under or
ders from Crosby and Governor Ames;
those on Grove street were commanded
by Andy Owens; can't remember the
names Of other commanders; those Oh
Grove street had come from Bald Eyn's
ferry, twenty-three miles out; in all
there were about fourteen hundred
armed blacks. Those Ia the city had
arms then and now, and stated that
their purpose was 10 reinstaie Crosby,
but Others ssid TO plunder the town they
bad wagons and sacks for this purpose !;
that was the apprehension OF citizens.
This question gave rise to considerable
debate among the members of the COM
mittee, but was finally allowed.
Mayor continuing-Miller's orders
were simply to defend the city; In all,
about two hundred and twenty-five men
engaged in fighting after the negroes
were driven back; business resumed as
usual; DO disorder since the fight; 1t did
not arise on the color line, but from
Crosby's resignation and the attempt OF
the negroes TO Teinst&te him; Crosby, 8
nation, which has also been made pub
lie, ana the prisoners stated that Crosby
had sent runners through the country
with it, and it was read by colOred min.
listers on Sunday to their congregations;
did not call on Crosby to aid him in pre-
serving peace, because he had resigned
to the board of supervisors, and his re-
signation had been accepted.
| NJ t,o~o 81
1885, ;the Taxpayers league was composed
OF Democrats and Republicans, the most
substantial and Influential men of the
city; Mr.. Woodruff, the president, was a
Republican; the men who were armed
in the day fight belonged TO both parties; !;
prior to the fight taxation and rascal
ity had forced decent Re publicans to quit
the party.
On being asked to specify the raseaIs,
the mayor named Crosby (co!Ored
sheriff, and Dorsey (colored circuit
clerk; no co'Ored men of the city took
part in the fight.
To Mr.. Williams-Had heard since
that some country negroes were afraid
To- come here, but this feeling was not
general; about the time of the trouble,
Judge Hill and Chancellor Lee left the
city.
To Mr.. .Speer-Governor Ames's state
ment in his proclamation that the whites
wanted to deprive the negroes of their
rights because of their color was untrue;
no such thing was ever even limited at
To Mr.. Conger-The late meetings of
the tax. payers league was to make
Crosby give good bond or else resign.
To Mr.. Speer-An Injunction had
been gran ed few days before by the
chanceTy court restrai il & Crosby from
acting as sheriff, but did MT know
whether the notice had been served on
him.
To Mr.. O'Brien-The first fight took
place in the city limits.
General Horace Miller, a lawyer, aged
| forty-eight, who commanded the citi-
zens in the fight, was the next witness,
who being sworn depOsed:
Early Sunday night, December 9th,
owing to Tumors of an invasion by the
negroes, an informal meeting of few
citizens was held; it was agreed to es
tablish guards, and that the ringing of
the bells be a signal for assembling; be-
tween three and four O'Clock an alarm
was Tung; on going TO the courthouse,
heard that the negroes were appr zach
ing, also that CROSBY, General Packer
and Colonel Lee, of Governor Ames's
staff, had been seen to leave town a
short time before in hack; found the
driver, who informed him he had been
employed by that party during the
night, and had driven them out OF town
| shOTt distance and brought them back;
at three o'clock, just as he sat down to
breakfast, DR.. Hunt and the mayor came
in, the former much agitated; said he
q oil IHn1-
| ferry road and ridden into crowd OF
armed negroes, who began to shout,
"ShoOt him! kill himW He threw up
his hands and asked them what they
wanted to Shoot him for? Andy Owens,
the leader, ordered them to desist, and
said the obj sct of their coming into town
was in obedience to the order of High
Sheriff Crosby, who told them to come
in early and well-armed, and that simi-
lar bodies were coming in on the other
roads. Owens permitted him to return.
When DR.. Hunt had told US this, the
mayor told me to go to the courthouse,
ring the bell and take command, which
l did. l got about fifty or seventy five
armed men together, sent Captain
Cowsn to keep the streets clear, aud
moved out the BaldwiB's ferry road; at
the corner of Fist and North streets |
halted and formed my command across
it on the bill commanding the valley to
the eastward; on the apex of the Oppo-
site hill / saw q body of armed negroes,
and Geployed a line of skirmishers; l
then rode forward alone to where the
negroes were; on my approach there ap-
peared to be considerable confusion
among them aud much loud talking;
Andy Owen stepped forward saying he
was Colonel Owen, in command of that
regiment; l asked the object of their
movement, and he said it was in Obedi-
ence to Crosby's order; told him OF the
mayors proclamation, and warned him
to desist; Owens replied that he had
right TO come, and he be Cd id il
he didn't come; again urged him to go
nome; he then wanted t. see Crosby, TO
which / agreed, and sent a guard with
him by side street; l than rode back
toward my men; Owens returned very
much excited, saying he had seen
Crosby, and, said he, "the id SON.
tf-a-b-h that got US into all this
trouble, now goes back on us, and if
ever we,get him We will settle him. I
rode back with Owens to his men ard
told them to go home, for If they per-
sisted in going toward the city their
blood would be on their own hands. A
big negro, who called himself lieu
tenant, drew a pistol and threatened to |
shoot me but Owen interfeTed, and said |
if he hurt Colonel White he would shoot |
him; that he was not fit to be with gen.
uemen no how. Seeing the excitement |
increasing, we rode to his mel, and |
looking back saw the negroes approach |
ing and waving their guns and hats; |
about this time the firing began stimuli |
taneOusly on both sides; could not say
which fired first; ne then ordered
charge. aud the negroes soon broke and |
fed. Seeing the object accomplished,
ordered that the firing be stopped. In
this fight the bulk of the prisoners were
captured, among them Owens; ali were
sent back with orders to allow no one
to modest them, which orders were car
ried out; about twenty or twenty-five
were captured and then marched under
command, to the corner of Cher
~ and Grove streets, thence
out Cherry to the city limits, where
learned that small body of citizens
had dispersed column coming 10 on
that road; then heard OF the advance On
the Jackson road; proceeded there, and
heard firing in front; pushed forward to
the old Qualifications, and saw q running
fight; following half q mile he with
drew, and turned toward the y $500 val
ley road; rode forward, and found that
the enemy had been routed there also,
after making a vigorous stand in the old
earth works; be then returned and took
the command back TO the courthouse,
and sent out scouts on the different roads, |
who returned and reported all quiet: III