The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-07-27

animation the Justice adjourned the trial until Sat-
urday, the 8th instant. On that day, at an early
I hour, the town commenced to I'LL up with white
men, armed to the teeth with repeating rifles and
| revolvers. The colored people had no idea Of the
bloody tragedy which soon to take place, and
consequently made no preparations to resist an at
tack, and were almost defenseless.
Late in the afternoon Gen. NJ. G. Butler, one of
the most malignant of the unreconStructed rebels,
rode into the town, accompanied by score of we'll
armed white men, and stated to the leading colored
men that he came for the purpose of prosecuting
the case on the part of the two white men, and he
demanded that the militia company should give up
their arms ana also surrender their officers This
demand the militia was ready to comply
with for the purpose of avoiding a diff
Guilty if Gen. Butler would guarantee them entire
safety from molestation by the crowd of white des
peradoes. This Butler refused to do, and pers sted
in his demand fol- the surrender of the guns and
the officers, and threatened that if the surrender
was not immediately made he would take the guns
and officers by force of arms. This threat aroused
the militia company to realizing sense OF their
impending danger, and they at repaired to a
large brick building, 200 yards from the river
used by them as an armory, and there took refuge
They numbered in all about forty men, and had a
very small quantity of ammunition. During this
time, while the militia taking refuge in their
armory the white desperadoes were coming into the
town in large numbers, not only from the adjacent
county of Edgefeld, but also from the city of Au-
gusta Ca, until they numbered over 500 we'll
armed and rufhanly men, who were under the I'M
mediate command and direction of the ex-rebel
chief, M. G. Butler. After the entire force had
arrived, the building where the militia had taken
refuge was entirely surrounded and a brisk fire
opened upon it. This fire kept up for some
two hours, when, finding the militia could not be
dislodged by small arms, messenger was sent to
Augusta for artillery. During all this time not a
shot had been fred by the militiamen. The artil-
lery arrived and posted the bank of the river
and opened fire on the building with grape and
canister.
The militia realized that it neces-
sary to evacuate the armory at once. They pro-
ceeded to do so, getting out of back window into
a cornfeld. They were soon discovered by the
ruffians, aud rush made for them. Fortu-
nately by hiding and hard fighting portion of the
command escaped, but twenty-one were captured
by the bushwhackers and taken Immediately to
place near the railroad station.
Here a quasi drumhead court-martial Or
ganized by the boodhunters, and the last scene OF
the horrible drama began. It must now be remem-
bered that not one OF the twenty-one colored men
had pistol or gun about them The moment they
were captured their arms were taken from them,
and they were absolutely defenseless. The Orderly
Sergeant of the militia company was ordered to call
the roll, and the first called out to be shot IN
cold blood Allan T. Attaway, the First Lieuten-
ant of the company, and holding the position OF
County Commissioner of Aiken county, in which
county Hamburg is situated. He pleaded for his
life as only in his position could plead but his
pleadings were met with only curses and blows,
and he was taken from the sight of his comrades
and file of twelve men fired upon him. He was
penetrated by four balls one entering his bran and
the other TIN lee the lower portion of his body He
was instantly killed. and, after he was dead, the
with their guns and stabbed him in the face with
their bayonets. Three other men were treated in
the same brutal manner. The fifth man when taken
out made a dash for his life, and luckily escaped
with only slight wound in his leg.
In another portion of the town the Chief OF Police,
a colored man, named James Cook, was taken from
his house and while begging for his life, brutaly
murdered Not satisfied with this, the inhuman
fiends beat him over the head with their muskets
and cut out his tongue.
Another colored man. one OF the marshals of the
4oxu and
through the body and mortally wounded. He has
since died. So far as I have been able to
learn, only white man was killed. 1t will
thus be seen that SIX colored men were bru-
tally murdered, and one wounded. while on the side
of the whites only man was killed. After this
holocaust of blood was over the desperadoes In
large bodies entered the houses of most of the
prominent colored men of the town and completely
Quilted them. They stole all they possibly could,
and what they could not steal they destroyed Fur
niture smashed, books torn to pieces, pictures
cut from their frames and everything that could be
destroyed given up to the demon OF destruc-
ton. Such scenes my eyes have never before wit
messed and the distress and suffering among the
poor people was heartrending to behold. The town
is desolate and the inhabitants have taken refuge in
Aiken Columbia and other points. The civil au-
thorities poWerless or too Negligent TO 90 any
thing and peace and order cannot be preserved un-
less United States troops are sent to this point at
once.
The scenes during the massacre were fearful to
behold-the moon shining down upon the horrid
scene lighting up the whole with CHASTITY light the
popping of the small arms the screams of fright
ened women and terrified children; the loud re-
ports from the artillery, all tended to make scene
terrible and more than fearful to behold. And now
what was the provOcation given for this hell1sh
slaughter? The answer is, nothing. Legally the
militia had the right of way over the public road.
The day the nations holiday The militia had
perfect right to parade, and vehicles OF all kinds
required to keep out Of their way, and not in
terfere with their marching. Again, Gen. Butler
had not the shadow of right to demand the arms
of the militia. They were organized under the con-
sttution and laws of the State and were part and
parcel of the armed force of the Commonwealth.
No private citizen had the slightest right to modest
them. Such nnolestation direct blow at the
power and authority of the State. 1t was reVolu-
tionary step, and should be thus punished.
Are the Southern colored citizens to be protected
they to he left at the mercy of such rutians
as massacred the poor men OF Hamburg! Inc
murdered AtJaWay man of considerable prom
jnence in the Republican party OF the county. lie
a law-abiding citizen, held responsible office,
and was well thought of by very many people,. Inc
other murdered men good citizens and nave
never been known to infringe the law. The whole
affair well and secretly planned scheme to de-
stroy all the leading Republicans OF the county OF
Aiken living in Hamburg. M. q. Butler, VINO IOsI
leg while fighting in the ranks OF the rebels, and
who is to-day the bitterest of Ku-Klux Democrats,
was the insgator of the whole affair and the blood
thirsty leader of the massacre He boosted IN Ham,
burg during the fight that that only the begin
ming that the end would not be until after the
elections in November. Such man should be
dealt with without pity and without hesitation Inc
United States Government is not pOwer]ess, and
surely she will not be silent in an emergency like
this the parallel of which pen cannot describe In
this centennial wear will she stand idly by and see
her soil stained with the blood of defenseless clti
zens and witness the bitter tears OF women and
children falling upon the murdered bodies OF their
loved ones? God forbid that such an attitude will
be assumed toward the colored people Of the South
by the "best Government the would ever saw"
Something must be done and that quickly, or South
Carolina will she'd tears of blood and her limbs be
shackled by Democratic chains.
What have written in this letter are facts which
voueh for entirely, and are not distorted in any
degree. It's 81 plain, unvarnished" narration OF
painful and horrible truths
Mr.. Cochrane-I understand that the name
attached to that communication is erased. l
ask the gentleman from South Carolina Mr..
Smalls] whether he erased the name?
Mr.. -SThis is letter written by
gentleman who was an eyewitness of this
transaction to me, and l. sir, had that letter
published in the paper. I am responsible for
the name.