Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-07-28
TbeDtrmont 9Benir.
BRATTLEBoRo;
FRIDAY EVENING, JULY %, 1876.
The Hamburg Massacre.
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR CHANBERLAIN
OLE SOUTH CARoLINA.

ter careful investigation of all the facts
in the case and cannot but be accepted as a
trustworthy official report OF the whole az
fair. 1t differs very little from the accounts
previously forwarded, except that it brings
out in somewhat stronger relief the unpro-
voked character of the assault, and the afro
cious conduct of the whites. 1t makes
clear tho fact that the negro company at the
time of the first alteration were engaged
in their ordinary rights OF parade on the
Fourth of July; that two young white
men from Augusta came up and insisted
ON driving through the ranks; and that
the negroes, after some words, parted their
ranks aud the young men drove through
1t makes clear the fact, also, that on the Sth
inst, the day set for the trial of the negro
captain on the charge of obstructing the
highway, hours before the hour appointed
for the hearing, bands of white armed men
began to assemble from the surrounding
country. When these armed white men
had gathered to the number Of two or three
hundred, they demanded of the terrified
negroes that they should give up their
arms, and their refusal to surrender their
only means of defense was made the pre-
text for commencement Of hostilities.
Governor Chamberlain's letter makes it
clear that the whites began the firing, and
that the murder of the negro prisoners oc-
Cured as indicated in previous accounts,
several hours after their surrender, and
was deliberate and cold-blooded:-
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, !
Executive Chamber, \
Columbia, July Is, 1876.
Hon, 7. Robertson, United States Senator,
Washington, ID. c.:
Dear Sir-Your request for a statement
from me Of the recent bloody affair at Ham
burg, in this State, was duly received. l
have waited before replying until official
reports and statements should be received
There are now before me the official re-
ports of the Attorney General aud the Adj
utant and Inspector General, the testimony
taken at the Coroner's inquest, and the
written statements of several other per-
sons who were present and witnessed the
whole or parts of the affair. Twill present
to you as briefly as possible the leading
facts as they appear from the evidences 10
which have referred.
THE STORY OF THE AFFAIR.
On the 4th of July inst, company OF
the State militia (eolored) were marching
along one of the streets of Hamburg. The
street was over one hundred feet wide, and
the company was marching in columns OF
four. While SO marching they were met
by two young white men in buggy, who
insisted on keeping their course in the
street without regard 10 the movements OF
the military, and drove upon the head oil
the column, which thereupon halted. Some
parleying took place, which resulted in the
company yielding, opening their ranks and
allowing the young men TO proceed on
their course. On the following day the
young men referred to took out warrants OF
arrest against some of tho officers OF the
military company who were brought be-
fore trial justice for trial.
THE WHITE MEN ARM THEMSELVES.
The trial was aflerward adjourned till
p. NJ. of Saturday, the Sth inst. Before that
hour arrived on Saturday, many wnite cit
liens from the country around Hamburg
began TO gather in the town, and armed
themselves with guns and pistols. The
militia company in the meanwhile had as
semblod at their armory i'll the village, and
at the time set for trial the defendants did
not appear.
At this point it has been stated in dis
patches and newspapers that the militia OF
ticers having dehed the authority OF the
Trial Justice the citizens were called TO as
sist the Trial Justice by acting as his posse
Nothing of the kind, in fact, occurred. Inc
militia failed TO appear because OF then
white men and the Trial Justice after for
mally calling them took no further steps tt
cause their presence in his court on account
of the excitement and the evidence of al
impending conflict.
THE ARMS OF THE CoLoRED MILITIA DE
MANDED,
While affairs were in this condition, there
being according to all accounts, from 2OO
to 800 armed white men from the surround
ing country in the town, demand wa
made by the whites for the surrender t
them of the arms of tho militia. An hou
or two passed in negotiations concerning
this demand, the whites informing the mil
itia company that if the arms were not Civ
en- up in a short time, most OF the witness
es say in a half hour, the whites woult
open fire ON the militia. The mil lila re
fused to deliver up their arms, saying tina
the demand was wholly unwarranted am
illegal, and that they had reason 10 fear fo
their lives If they gave up their arms.
TIE ATTACK BEGUN BY THE WHITES.
A brisk fire was then opened by tn
whites upon the building in which the mil
itia were assembled, and soon aller one o
the attacking party was killed by sho
from the militia in the building. A piec'
of artillery was thereupon brought acros
the bridge from Augusta, loaded with can
lister, and fired several times at the build
ing in which were the militia. This hat
the effect to cause the militia to endeavo
TO make their escape from the rear OF In
building. The town marshal of Hamburg
a colored man who was living in the build
ing, was instantly shot by the altackin;
party while thus endeavoring to escape from
tho building.
OoLoRED MEN CAPTURED AND SOME OF
THEN SHOT.
Twenty or twenty-five of the militia wer
captured by the attacking party and KEEP
under guard for several hours. Final,
about two o'clock on the morning of tn
9th of July Sunday afler consultation
among the captors and with complete ap
parent deliberation, five of the captures
militia men were called out one by one ant
shot TO death in the presence of larg
body of their captors. The rest OF the cap
tured party were either turned loose o
broke loose and ran. They were fired up
on as they ran, and three of them severed.
wounded, one of them probably MORALLY
Attorney General Stone thus succlntl.
reports this part of the affair:
DETAILS OF THE KILLING.
Six men took A. 4. Attaway out of th
ring, He and his mother begged for hi
life, but in vain. lie was told to turn round
and was shot to death by the crowd.
David Phillips was next taken and wa
similarly killed. Pompey Curry was mex
called out He recognized among the by
ISLANDERS Henry Getzen and DIR. Pierce
Butler called on them to keep the othe
men from killing him. He ran and wa
shot as he ran, one bullet striking him o.
the log below the knee. Afterward ALDER
Myniart, Moses Parks and Hampton Stew
ems were killed. Stevens did not bolon
TO the company.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS COMMENTS.
The Attorney General, who has person