Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-01
VICKSBURG.
The Congressional investigating
Committee at Work.
Damaging Revelations In Regard
to Ames and His Negro
Cohorts.
The White Ticket Triumphs In
the Election.
Testimony Of Mayor OIefy.

EItocltudi lukbSLlsdltlll8 OOLlllblcc dINAAGt
yesterday and met to-day in the court
house, the full committee being present
with Chairman COnger in the chair. Quite
a number of prominent citizens of the city
were in attendance. Mayor Olefy was th'
first witness examined, who stated that tbs
police force Of the city was net increased
until after the fight of Dec. Z, and that hil
proclamation, issued that day, was pub
hshed at A. Il. In reply to question BY
Mr.. Conger, he said the proclamation was
issued because the one issued by Gov
Ames was unfair and calculated to excite
the people. On Sunday, the 9th Of Deem
Der, Crosby, the colOred Sheriff, came to
him and told him the cOlOred people in the
country were very much excited about his
being put out of office, and asked him TO as
sist him in preserving the peace, which hs
promised 10 do. About 3 o'clock nexi
morning DR.. Shannon and two other gen,
tlemen came to his house, woke him VI
and told him that armed bodies Of negroes
were marching on the city. He told Shan
non to have the courthouse and fire bells
rung, so as to arouse the people, though he
had heard so many such rumOrs that he
thought little of them. but about 8 O'Clock
DR.. Hunt came to him and reported three
or four hundred armed negroes marching
on the city by the Grove street road. He
then issued his proclamation ordering them
to disperse and retire to their homes, and
sent policemen Welsh and Hays to meet
the negroes and read the proclamation to
them. They had white handkerchiefs on
sticks. They returned about $50 and re-
ported that the negroes had fired on them,
nd rrrnrrlH mo- alIovr than, to ar,nr0aa1.
By Mr.. COnger-Were they both sert on
the same road?
Answer-The negroes were reported ap-
preaching on Baldwin's Ferry and Halls
Ferry roads. Welsh went on the former
and Hays on the latter. They had the
proclamation printed on posters.
By Mr.. COnger-Did they make Official
report?
Answer did not see them till the af-
ternOOn, when Welsh reported that they
had fired on him; also, that the negroes
seemed to be fighting among themselves
and were in confusion.
After issuing the proclamation the Mayor
rode around town cautionlng the people
VINO had arms, TO repair to the courthouse.
The company which had gone out on the
Jackson road, returned. reporting that they
had fight and killed fifteen Of twenty
negroes, but he Afterwards learned there
were not that many killed. He then sent
gve citizens on a scout on he WaTTentOn
road, and fearing an outbreak in town, re-
turned and told the police not 10 leave
their beats. The WarTentOn road scouts
and reported no enemy, but
about the same time he received a report
Of fighting on the Jackson road, and that
the negroes were routed, with twenty
five or thirty killed. These reports
were not official. While al the
Peter Crosby, the cOlOred
sheriff, was brought there under arrest, BY
order Of Col. Miller, in command Of the
citizens. He was kept there until every
thing had become quiet, and then sent to
Jackson. The third fight occurred on the
Jackson road, near the Pemberton MOnu-
ment, and lasted half an hour, but was
principally at long range. This was the
hardest fight Of the day. He hearG that
thirty or forty negroes had been killed, and
one white man, named Brown, and anoth-
sT wounded. This was the last fight, and
occurred between nine and ten o'clock.
Brown, the white man killed, was coming
into town from the country, and did not
belong to our forces.
By Mr. COngsr-Were any persons killed
in the city that day?'
AnSwer-NO, sir. ! heard that a cOlOred
nan had been shot in the jaw, who refused
% leave the street when ordered. heard.
Early in the morning, that FIVE negroes took
1 gun from a man on the street, but did
lot see it. Mr.. Genella saw it.
By Mr.. COnger-What time was the see
)nd proclamation issued?
Auswer-AbOut noon, after the fighting
was over.
By the same Were these fights in the
,ity limits?
AnsTer.-The first one on Grove street.
vas just at The corporation line, while the
me at PembertOn monument was half a
nile outside.
By the same-Did you make any dispO-
itiOn Of the bodies of the killed?
Answer-They were outside the city
limits, but l went to the Warren county
Treasurer to have them buried He said if |
would sig; a paper TO the county under !
aker he would, which did.
BY Mr.. COnger-Did you feel YOU had |
my more right to kill them outside the |
ity limits then TO bury them2
Answer-My instructions to Col. Miller |
we're to defend the city. did not tell him |
where to 90.
Cross-exGnlned by Mr.. CoEger: He |
Ouldn't tell how many were buried; could |
O-mOuOw from the official books of the /
Indertakers; had heard Of none left I'M /
Iuried: had heard Of no colOred |
kept one, named Mack. killed near /
Haynes. The procession was fired into /
nd Vaughn, a white man, was killed /
,rosby was brought 10 the courthouse
bout the time Of the first fight, by order
f oil. Miller. Didn't call upon any of
he county officers to aid him in maintain
Nc the peace, because he believed they
we're interested with the negroes in the
movement. When he first saw Crosby
hat day, he was under arrest. Had no
with him or any Of his depu-
les in regard to preserving the peace.
}IOsby was offered his liberty, but he Sug-
ested to him that he was safer in Jail than
n the courthouse, but was not taken
here till the afternoon Of the next day.
lie remained there till the following week,
7hen he was taken out and sent to Jack
on. Had nothing to do with putting him
n Jail. Thought he had no right TO re-
train him. Had heard that seven negroes
we're killed in the Grove street fight; thirty
n the Jackson road, and about twelve or
fteen on the Cherry street road.
To Gen Hurlburt-COl. Miller's COM
1and was armed citizens, without any
ocular organization. Capt. COwan also
Cted as an officer. | was down on the
ayee when the bells rung. Col. Miller
cted under orders from me, but | was not
resent when his command started out.
they were called out under the spur Ofthe
and variOUsly arranged, some on
.Orse back, but mostly on foot. Col. Baird
ad no regiment. The armed citizens /
7ere from Nicksburg. About 100 came /
rom Louisiana the next day, but had no
art in the fighting. Col. Baird was ap-
Ointed by the Tax Payers'L League to take
barge Of Crosby, which he did Col. Mil /
srs men were adopted as part of the police
Orce.
To Mr.. Speer-The last census showed
be population Of Vicksburg to be 1000,
With a majority of blacks. The majority /
# the latter in Warren county was three to |
ne. The armiug Of the citizens was to re-
vel the attack only. He supposed the ne
rOeS were acting under orders Of Crosby /
ND Gov. AInes; those on Grove street We're
commanded by Andy Owens; can't re-
member the names Of the other command
IS. Those on Grove street had come from
3aldwin's Ferry, twenty-three miles out. I
D all there were about ], 400 armed blacks.
Those IN the city had arms then ard now.
They stated thai their purpose was to re-