Wilmington journal., 1876-07-14

They were armed with revo!Vers, stot
guns al rifles. and were under the |
leadership of General Butler.
At eight O'Clock force of
CRY POLICE
Arrived with police guns, was mar ched |
to the S'outh Carolina end of the city |
bridge. and drawn up in line across
tie structure, in order to protect the
latter, as it was understood that
threats i'll regard to it had been made
by the negroes. There Was no demon
stration in that direction however.
Just after the firing began kerosene
oil was poured on a small wooden
structure next to the Sibley building,
and the torch applied to 1T lnforma-
ton of the fact was conveyed to Gen
eral Butler. who Immediately .oda to
the spot and ordered the fire exsin-
guisned, peremptori9y furbidding any
such attempt in the future
The coudnct of the 'colored citizens
of Augusta was admirable during the
evening. They remained perfectly
quiet, and very few even went any~
where near the river.
When the negroes first fired from
the windows of the Sibley building.
they set up loud yell. The fire and
the yell were both answered at one
by the whites. A number of the latter
were stationed on the river bank and
kept up rapid fire at the building.
LATEST.
About IL O'Clock O general search
was made throughout the town, and
resulted IN the finding of fifteen more
negroes, making twenty-nine in all. \
negro who attempted to escape was
shot in several places and badly
sounded. The negro lieutenant, John
Thomas, who as stated above, was
shot in the back, was expected to die
from the wound.
A young man named Morgan was
| accidentally shot in the leg by one of
his comrades, while pursuing a fleeing
negro. He was firing at the negro,
together with others ut the time. His
wound, while painful, is not considerr
ed dangerous.
hhe negroes who we've last captured
| were discovered hid away in cellars and
under floors.
| The prisoners were kept under
guard last night and will be turned
over to the civil authorities of South
Carolina to-day.
1t is said that the ammunition i'll
the possession of the negroes was fur
nishod to them by white man named
! Schiller who came over to Augusta
and purchased 1T yesterday morning.
At one O'Clock the Augusta boys re
turned home and left the South Caro-
linians in possession of the town.
| ANOTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RIVERS.
THOUGH CHIEF OF THE STATE MILITIA
AND TRIAL JUSTICE BESIDES, CANNOT
ENFORCE HIS ORDERs-MODERATIo
BY THE vICToRs.
AUGUSTA. July 8.
The magistrate ordered the com pany
to deliver up their arms, as under the
state of feeling which then possessed
them, it was possible that trouble
might arise. This they peremptOrilY
refused to do, and furthermore threat
ened to assassinate Rivers at night for
having given it as his legal opinion that
they were liable to fine for obstruct-
ing the public highwry. The -coiored
company, numbering about fifty mnu,
then repaired to an old brick house IL
the town AID fortified themselves and
defied Rivers and his posse. Rivers
at once summoned Ii numter of per
sons tD asst t him in upholdIug The
| law aud vlnulcatlng Its mr1eHty. Inls
occurred at little before shutdown.
Some two hundred men. mostly
from Edgeheld, surrounded the build
! ing and demanded surrender, which
was refused, when general firing was
opened on both sides. The firing from
the ehtreDched negroes OH the be5Ieg
ers was kept up pretty lively for halt
hour or SO, within PLAIN view of the
hundreds on this side, who had as
sembled.
Two young men were firing from be
hind an abntment of the &. g. aud A.
railroad bridge, then two negroes
slipped through the tall weeds on the
edge of the river and coming up un-
perceived in the rear of them, shot
and killed Mr.. Merriweather. son of
DIR. Me. riweather of Edgefeld, strik-
ing him behind the ear, and killing
him instantly. The young man who
was with Merriweather turned and
fired at the negro and killing one dead.
the other threw down his gun and
made an effort to escape, but was pur-
sued and captured by the young man,
and brought IN as a prisoner at this
iunctLre.
After the three discharges from the
cannon a lull of an hour occurred,
when it is reported four negroes rush
ed from the belea cured house, and af-
ter firing attempted to escape. A vol
ley was poured iDto them, killing one
outright The other three escaped.
At 10 clock they were firing from the
cellar of the building, and the besieg-
! ing party were acting very cautiously
and calmly. At one O'Clock & sharp
rattle of musketry was heard. The
arms held by the company have been
ordered returned to the Governor, and
they are held contrary to law. The
negroes positively refused to give
them up when ordered to do SO by
Rivers, who is also chief Of the State
militia, III addition 10 his position as
trial justice. Rivers has fled to this
| .;ity for safety.
At half-past eleven o'clock this morn
ing the firing had ceased, and most if
not all the rioters under arrest. Most
OF their arms were captured with them.
About thirty prisoners are under
guard, some with arms in their hands,
while others secreted or destroyed
them. Thus far everything has been
conducted in as orderly a manner as it
could possibly have been done under
the circumstances, and the capturing
parties has been very forbearing in
treatment of the murderous crew.
DIsARMING THE MoB-sHERIFF JORDAN
TO THE SCENE OF BATTLE.
Especial to the journal of Commerce.
AIKEN, July 8.
The people of Augusta and Edge
field last night took possession of
Hamburg, and made the negroes de-
liver up the arms with which they had
haali thrant ntanninncr tho