The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-09-08
TIE MASSACRE Ar HdMBURGH,
SOUTH C1ROLIN.4.

garding the massacre at HamburSh,
South Carolina, were made by Hon.
Robert Smalls, NJ. c., from South Car
olina, in the House of Representatives,
July Is, 1876:
'sThe origin of the difficulty, as I
learn from the best and most reliable
authority, l. as 10 lows: On the Fourth
of July the colored people of the town
were engaged i'll celebrating the dav.
aud part Of the celebration consisted in
the parade OF the colored militia COM
pany. After marching through the
principal streets OF tile town, the &C M
panY came to halt across ore OF the
roads leading out of the town While
| resting there two white men drove up
in buggy, and with curses ordered The
| company To break ranks and let them
pass through. The captain OF the com
pany replied that there was plenty of
room on either ;ide OF the company,
and they could pass that way. The
white men continued cursiirg and re-
! fused to turn out. So the captain Of
the militia, to avoid difficulty. ordered
his men to break ranks and permit the
| ON'SS=I ~ pass
he order was obeyed, and the white
men went on their way uttering threats.
The next day colored trial justice is
sued process against the officers of the
company, based on the complaint of the
two white men, citing the officers to ap-
| pear and answer to a charge of obstruct
ing the public highway. They obeved
| the writs. aud after slight examina-
ton the justice adjourned the trial nm
! til saturday, tie Sth inst. On that
day, at an early hour, the Gown com
me.iced to till up with white men armed
| to the teeth with repeating rifles and
revolverS. The colored people had no
| idea OF the bloody tragedy which was
soon to take place, aud consequently
made no preparations to resist an attack.
and were almost deienseless.
Late III the afternoon Gen. NJ. q
Butler, one OF the most malignant OF
the tni-reeonstructed rebels, rode into
town accompanied by 8 score of well
armed white men, and stated to tile
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 conpauv
should give up their arms and also sur
render their officers. This demand the
militia was ready to comply with for
the purpose of avoiding a difficulty if
General Butler would guarantee them
entire safety from molestation by the
crowd OF white deSperadoeS. This But
Ter refused to do, and persisted in his
demand Tor the surrender of the guns
aud the officers, and Threatened that If
the surrender was not immediate V made
he would take the guns and officers by
force OF arms. This threat aroused the |
militia company 10 q realizing sense OF
their impending danger, aud they at
once repaired to n large brick building /
some two hundred yards from the river, !
used by them for an aTmory, and there |
took refuge. They numbered about 40 t
men, ana had very small quantity OF I
ammunition. During this time, while the |
militia were taking the refuge in the |
armory, the white desperadoes were
coming into the town in large numbers. I
not only from the adjacent county of T
Edgefield, but also from the city OF Au- +
guSta, Georgia, until they numbered /
over fifteen hundred welI-a1med and /
rGtfiahy " men who were under the i'm I
mediate command and direction of the t
ex-rebeI chiet NJ. c. Butler. After the T
entire force had arrived, the building |
where the militia company had taken |
refuge wsEs entirely surrounded aid a |
brisk fire opened upon it. This fire I
was kept up for some two hours, when T
finding that the militia could not be I
dislodged by mall arms, a messenger /
was seut to Augusta for artillery. Dur |
ing all this time not single shot had I
been fired by the militiamen. The. ar
tiliery arrived and was posted on the +
bank OF the river and opened fire on
the building with grape and canister.
The militia now realized that it was
necessary to evacuate the arfnorv at
once. They proceeded to do SO, getting
emit of back window into a corntfeid. I
They were soon discovered by tie ruff
fans, and rush was made for them.
Fortunately, by hiding and hard fight
ing, portion of the command escaped
but twenty-one were captured by the
bushwliackers and taken immediately to
q place near the railroad station.
1ere quasI-drunhead court-martial
was organized by the blood hunters.
and the last scene of the horrible drama
began 1t must now be remembered
that not one Of the twenty-one eolored
men had pistol or gun about them.
The moment they were captured their
arms were taken from them, and tbey
were absolutely defenseIess. The or
derly sergeant of the militia company
was ordered to call the roll and the first 4
name called out to be shot in cold blood
was Allan I Attaway, the first lieu
tenant OF the company, and holding the
position OF county commissioner of
Aiken county, in which county Ham
bargh is situated. He pleaded Tor his
life as only one in his position could
plead, but his pleadings were met with
curses and blows, and he was taken
from the sight of his comrades aud a
file Of twelve men fired upon him. He
was penetrated by four balls, one enter
ing his brain, and the other three in the
lower portion of his body He was in- /
stantly killed and after he was deal the
,fcS inh .I,r L