Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-13
The Hamburg Disturbance.


following item:
Ca the Fourth. while two young men we're
riding through Hamburg on their way me-,
they were detaiu, on he strert< hy the color
ed military company wh'ch vas paraulhg
" hen they desired 10 pass some OF tie soldiers
threatened ~ keep III, III ali night. s'tiuaS
they Applied t. Prince Rivers to have the mat,
ter investigated as TO whether he military had
the ri<ht to ob~truct the hlg! way. During he
examination of the first witness the captaa,
Doc Adams, became SO iusoleut as to compel
the Trial Justice 10 arrest him for contempt OF
Court, and CONTINUE the case ultll u cl'ck
this afternoon.
The two young ID u referred t. were Massr-.
Thomas Blu Ter and Herry Gettsen. Mr. 10 t:
Butler, father of rhoDas Butler, employed
General NJ. G.. Blu Ter to prosecute Adams
General Butler reached Hamburg yesterday
afternoon, aud proc .eded TO the cthce Il Plluce
Rivers Trial Justice, where the trial OF Dec:
Adams was to take place. The General a,kcd
Rivers whether he intended TO try Adams ~
his military capaci as Major General or III his
civil capacity as Trial justice Rivers replied
that b.. could not tell until he had examined
iuto the Gaze At o'clock, he hour desls.
nated for H. trial, D5c Adams failed 10 put
in an APPEARANCE. After wa"lrg some tune,
General Butler told Rivers that be mus FRO.
ceed The constable then went 70 the door
and called Adams, who howvver, falled 10 40
swcr. 1t was then ascerlalncd that AdamS,
With his company, was up the street ~ a DE
| fan, attitude. General Butler tncrcup ~ 10
| formed Rivers .ha; this sari Of thing had soac
| on long enough, aud it vas about tlme it was
rut stop 10. The negrde, must give ny their
arms at once, and he would give he uane- OIL
l Il La,. ,E,lH uSs
curity that they would be turoed over to Gov
ernor Cham berain. Rivers then asked II Gen.
Butler, 10 C Use the arms We're given up. Would
see hat the town was protected during the
0ight. The General answered 10 the attlrua
tive. Rivers assured him that he could 20 In
medistely to Adams and peru d. him 20 give
up the arms. He accordingly went to tha'
worthy and talked wi him for SON" time
Upon his return he told General Butler ma:
the Mayor, GARNER, and the of6c IS OF The
company would confer with bin al the C"uocli
chamber Gen Butler ac,ordiogly went thlth"r
and had conference with the oegrp leaders
| He told them that the arms must DC gIveu up
there was 40 necessity tor them 10 that place,
and they had 90 business with th"m. As + r
| the Adams case, Mr.. Butler W uld be satisfied
if Adams would make an apology.
This conference accomplished nuthloe. The
negroes still hcsl;ated about glviog up the arm .
10 the meantime, however, number OF Whl'e
citz=ns of South Carolira had assembled 10 the
towo and matters began to look squay. Zen.
| Butler rode over to Augusta and told severa!
young men that he might need their services
10 Hamburg during the afternoon. He then
returned to the town. Jusl after or sslng the
bridge he was met BY Pince Rivers, who SAID
be would make one more effort to induce the
negroes to give up their arms aud lftbey w uid
not yield they must take the consequence. Ac'
cordipgly, be conferred with the officers OF the
company, and shortly returned 70 Gcuera! But
Ter with the announcement that tn: nerroes
said they would not give up their guns; Ihey
| intended to fight. La the meantime ih= news
of the trouble had spread in Augusta, and
caused much excitement. \ large uuDbtr Of
young ,ueu hastily procured arms ADD annual
ton and fastened TO the scene Many others
waited at the foot Of the bridge, aux'cusly
awaiting the result. By : o'cI, ok there Was a
large crowd at that point.
Upon learning the result Of Rivers efforts
Geueral Butler determined to accomplish BY
force that which could DOT be done by peace
able demands. The negroes bad lntreuch"d
themselves in a large brick structure, known
as Sbley's building, on a corner, ADD dehsd
the whites. The latter surrounded the house,
and at 100 o'clock opened fire upon it. This
was returned b. the negroes, ard Constant
tusiIade was kept up for over two hours. Ab, vi
s clock young mao named L. Mack : Ner-
riwether. who was standing near the front OF
the Charlotte, Columbia and August. Railroad
bridge, was stru k 10 the head by mioe ball
fred from one OF the windows of the Slblcy
building, and almost instantly killed.
His body was placed 90 litter and brought
to the city by number of young men. Mr..
Joseph MerrlWether, father OF the unfortunate
young man, also accompanied The body TO the
city. The deceased was 10 the twenty third
year of his age. His father lives 10 Edgeneld
county, about fifteen miles from Augusta.
Soon alter the death of Mrri8tther seVera!
men were sent over to Augusta for piece OF
artillery. This was procured aud carried to
| Hamburg as soon as possible The piece was
stationed on the river bank, short distance
from the house where the negroes had taken
I'D cir position, and fire opened with csuls
ter. Four rounds we're fred. Little damage
Was done the building, but the fire had the eff
tect of complet :ly sieDciug the negroes. Dur
log the evening eight degrees were captured,
Two OF them members of the company. \ re-
porter of the Chronicle aud Sentinel convecsed
with one OF them, negro uamed Gitcctt Mui-
Ter, who works in Augusta. He said chat be
Knew DotElDg ABOUT the origin or tne uimculty
All he knew was that when he got home from
his work that afternoon his cap'aia ordered
| him to get his gun and fall in" with the com
pany. He ob-yed orders, and was with the
comraoy 10 the house while the firing was tax
ing place. Fl declared, however, that be dlu
not fire single shot. Each member of the
company had two r1unds Of amuunltloo. Tn y
had all gone into the cellar of tbe building
when the csnnoo commenced firing, aui be
supposed they we're there now. For his part
be considered it best to give himself up aud
he therefore did SO.
About $50 or o'clock party Of FIVE escap-
ed from the building aud ran across an open
field. They were fred upon by the white meu,
and two of them returDed the fire. bu without
effect Abou 10 o'clock negro jumpei over
the fence in rear Of the house aud attempted
to escape, but he was instantly fired upoo aad
foIl do.d r;djio1 ho hnllats It uax m, asrnr.