The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-10-23
The South Carolina Massacre.
An Intelligent COIOred Mans
Statement Of the Affair.

Charleston News aud Courier.
STATEMENT or 9. l.. BENNETT


STATEMENT or 8, l.. BENNETT.
Mr. S. l.. Bennett, a prominent col.
ored citizen Of Charleston, formerly
County Auditor and now planting in St.
Thomas and St Denis parish, who was
present ut the meeting yesterday, gives
the following account Of the difficulty.
He says We reached the landing at
Carnhoy and dsembarked peaccabIy and
proceeded TO the spot where the meeting
was to take place, This spot was near
the old Brick Church, and the stand
from which the speakers we're to address
the crowd, was situated on the top of the
hill, at the foot Of which was gully
hedged in on the other side with bushes.
A joint discussion was arranged for, and
whites and blacks assembled around the
stand, mixed promiscuousIy together,
aud all apparently without arms. The
Hon. NJ. I. O'Conner was appointed
time keeper and Mr.. St Julien Jervey,
the Democratic candidate for Solicitor Of
the Circuit made the opening speech,
which was listened to with attention and
respect, We were just congratulating
ourselves that we were going to have a
nice, peaceful meeting, when w. j. Nc
Knlay, (colored) registrar of mesne
conveyance, who, it was agreed should
follow Mr.. Jervey in behalf of the Re
publicans, took the stand and commenc
ed his speech. He had spoken probably
for about two minutes, when perceived
commotion or kind of stampede on
the outskirts of the crowd. | do not
know what caused the panic, and heard
at this time no shots. thought perhaps
that horse had broken loose. | was
looking TO see what caused the excitement
when | saw about forty or fifty colored
men moving Off down the hill. On reach
ing the bushes they stopped, and, as they
rose again, every man Of them had
a gun in his hand, and moment
later they raised the guns, took aim
and fired directly into the crowd.
The Democrats were then completely
surrounded and enfhded on every side,
and ut once general rush for the boat
followed, The firing ceased long enough
for the negroes to load, and they then
poured another volley into the crowd.
The firing appeared to be promiscuous.
The white men had no guns, and | did
not see single white man fire shot. |
heard two or three pistol shots, but don't
know who fred them, In retiring with
the crowd from the stand with my son,
A, G. Bennett, and Just as we assembled
a little bank, two negroes came out of
the bushes on the top ola little HILL and
took deliberate aim at myself and son
and fired. Was wounded in the instep
of the left foot with a small ball, appa.
rently buck or u large duck shot. Ny
son was shot in seven places, two shots
entering the hip, twoin the calf of the
leg and three in tue foot The negroes
were armed with muskets, and some ten
or fifteen were picked up in the road |
where they had been dropped The |
party reached the boat as best they
could, and the negroes held undisputed |
possession of the field. No attempt was
made to 90 back for the missing, as it |
was as much as our lives we're worth. II
do not know the names of the killed or
wounded, except from hearsay and other
particulars of the difficulty | have also
only by hearsay. | conscientiously be.
lieve that the whole thing was precon.
certed plan, by whom | cannot say, TO
take advantage of the slightest pretext
and fire upon the unarmed crowd, for
the moment the disturbance started the
rushed to the bushes in every di.
rection and began a promisouous firing
Mr.. Bennett was suffering considerably
from the wound in the foot, and his son
is badly wounded.
THE CASUALTIES.
From the nature of the fight, which
was practically all on one side, the casu.
alties were confined almost exclusively
to the Democrats. The following is be.
lieyed to be an accurate list of the Demo.
Gratis who were wounded
/. Mr.. Alexander Mcneil, of King
street, was certainly severely wounded, |,
and is reported to have died. This is
not certain, as he was missing when the
Democrats returned to Cainhoy.
2. Mr. Thomas Whitaker, of Charles.