Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-07-25
The Hamburg Massacre.
Gov. Chambserlain's Report Of this fe"'
full Tragedy.

Gov. Chamberlain Of South Carolina furnishes
Senator Robertson with the following account "
the massacre of colored men Mt Hamburg o v
On the Ith of July inst company OF me s' ;,,e
militia (colored) were marching along one ~, t w
streets of Hamburg The street was over IvIoes
wide and the company was marching IN coIuin ~,
of four While SO marching they were ue' ~
two Young white men in buggy, WHO hsieteu 49,. ~
keeninp their course in the street without lesaiu
10 the movements of the militia, ana drove asnlns'
the head Of the column, which thereon hii,ou;
Some parlcying took place, when iesultea ~ VIZ
company yielding, opening ther ranhs anu IN
ing the Young men to proceed on their course. oh
the following day the young men referred 10 tooA
out warrants OF arrest against some si the ohcers
of the militia company, who were brought oeIore
n iustice for trial The trial was Afterwards hd-
iourned IN T. NJ OF Saturday, the Ssh inst.
Before that hour arrived on SATURDAY may
white citizens from the country around Hamburg
began 10 gather In the town and armed themselNes
with guns and pistols. The militia company IN
the meanwhile had assembled NJ thelr afmoTy IN
the village and at the hour set for ifa tue aeieh
dants did not appear.
and newspapers that the militia officers having lie.
He'd the authority of the trial justice the ciuLens
were called upon 10 assist the trial justice oy act
ing as his posse. Nothing Ot the Kind IN TACT DC.
CURED The militia failed TO oppear because Of
fear of injury at the hands OF the armed white
men, and Ind trial justice, after formally calling
them, took further steps to cause their presence
evidences Of an impending conflict,
While affairs were In this condition, there being
according TO all accounts from 200 10 800 armed
white men from the surrounding country IN the
town, demand was made by the white for the
surrender TO them Of the arms oil The militia. An
hour or two passed in negotiations concerning
this demand, the whites informing The militia
company that II the arms were not given up in \
short time-most OF tho witnesses say In half an
hour-the whites would open fire upon the militia
The militia refused 10 deliver up their arms, say
ing that the demand waslwholy unwauauted and
Illegal, and they had reason TO fear for their lives
II they gave up their arms.
A brisk fire was then opened by the whites upon
the building In which the militia was assembled,
and soon Hfter one of the attacking party was
killed by q shot from the militia in the building
piece OF artillery was thereupon brought across
the bridge from Augusta, Ga, loaded with CAMS
ter and fired several times at the building In which
were the militia, This had the effect 10 cause the
militia To endeSvor 10 make their escape from the
rear of the building. The Town Marshall OF
Hamburg, coiored man. who was living In the
building WAS instantly shot by the attacking party
while thus endeavoring 10 escape from the build.
lpg. Twenty or twenty hve Of the militia were
captured by the attacking party and kept under
guaTk for several hours,
Finally about two O'Clock on the morning OF
the 9Th OF july Sunday amer consultation among
their cAptoTs and with complete apparent deliDer.
alton, hye Of the captured militiamen were called
out one by one, and shot 10 death In she presence
OF large body Of their captor-. The rest Of the
captured party were either turned loose or broke
loose aud ran. They were fired upon a. they ran,
aud three OF them severely wounded one Of them
probably mOrtally. Attorney General Stone thus
succinctly reports this part of tie arair.
six men took 4. T. Attavay out OF the ring. lie
aud his mother begged for his lie, but in vain
lie was told 20 turn around and was shot dead by
the crowd. David Philips was ne ~ taken out and
was similarly killed. POmpey Curry was next
called out. lie recognized among the By ISLANDERS
Henry Getzen and DR.. Pierce. Butler called on
them 10 keep the other men ifom killing him. lie
ran and WAS shot rs he ran, one bullet striking
on the Lex below the knee. Afterwards Albert
Myniart, Moses Parker and Hampton stevens
were killed. stevens dill not belong 10 The cow
pany.
The Attorney General who has personally visit.
cd Hamburg, thus concludes his ondcial report to
me-
Making due allowance for errors in minor de.
tails the facts show the demand on the militia to
IEe up their arms was made by persons without
lawful authority 10 enforce such demand or 10 re.
cciNe the arms had they been surrendered: that
the attack on the militia 10 compel compliance
with this demand was without Justification or
excuse and that after there had been some twenty
or twenty-five prisoners captured, and completely
IN the power OF their captors and without means
Of making further resi.tance, Ave OF them were
deliberately sho: 70 death and three more severely
wounded.
such was the AFFAIR at Hamburg. II you can find
words 10 characterize its atrocty and barbarisn,
the trivaliy OF the causes, the murderous and in
human spirit which marked It in all it stages your
power OF language exceeds mlae. IL presents a
darker picture of human cruelty than the slaughter
of Custer and his soldiers, for they were shot ia
open battle. The victims ut Hamburg were muir.
dcTcd IN cold blood aitcr they had surrendered,
and were utterly deiensclcss. No occasion existed
for the presence OF a single armed citizen at Ham.
burg on the day Of the massacre. No violence
was offered or threatened To any one.
IL t., indeed, said, as usual, that the niggers
were impudent,' but the evidence shows that all
the actual physical aggrcs -iOn was on the part Of
the whites; that they made demand which they
had no right 10 make, and when that demand was
refused, as IL should have been, they proceeded to
enforce 1t by arms, and crowned their success in
enforcing their demands by brutal murders
Shame and disgust must IN the breast Of every
man who respects his race or human nature as hr
reads the tale. 10 me In nv Official capacity
wherein, rs you Will testify, have done my ut
most, NJ no little risk of my personal and pOlit.
cal detractiOn from political friends, To remove
abuses and restore good government aud harmony
10 our pcople-the occurrence Vt such an appalling
example vt human passion and deprayity comes
- deep modification aud disappointment.
What hope can We have when such cruel
blOodthrsiy spirit waits ia our midst for lis hour
Of qualification: Is our civilization - shallow
Ia our race so wantonlY cruel! such acts call for
condemnation and punishment. For eOndemna.
ton u bloody blot on the record OF our race aud
name, AS cruel alront to u race " hose long sui.
fcTlng and patleR. lOrbeargnce challenges the sd.
miration ol the world; As "A shameful dishOR0r to
The name OF South Carolina. FOR punishment as
u violation OF tho laws of The State, and a uauton
slow at Tie peace aud happiness OF our state.
am glad 10 testify 10 the horror which this
event has excited among many here who have not
been wont 10 heartily condemn many Oi tue past
bloody occurrences At tue south. Nothing, how
ever, short OF condign and ample punishment can
discharge the obi CATION Of society and our State
toward the authors Of this causciess and cruel
massacre.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
ID. IL. CHAMBERLAIN
Governor Of South Carolina
RoItpn Ecco A, npa of onr faeI;ox