New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-18
GOV. CHAMBERLAINs LETTER.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO ThL TklhUNE.I

pfr
eIA'h COLUMBIA, July Is, 1876. }.
n, Hon. r. j. ROBERTSON United States Senator WASH
ington. d. Q.
mn sIr; Your request for q statement from me OF
80, rocert bloody affair at Hamburg in this state was
W. W., roce3ved l have waited before replying until
49,, reports and statements should be received.
Tho ara now before the official reports OF inc AtOr
- General and the Adiutant and lnsoector-Gehefals'
A., ,os.;mony taken at the COroners inquest, ana tho
,,ten statements OF several other persons VINO were
sot and witnessed the whole or parts Of the affair
n nroseut TO YOU as briefly as possible the leading
, as thew appear from the evidences to which have
referred - ~, A. c.o+o
ON the 4th OF July instant company OF the STATE
u,io coloro were marching along one OF inc streets
~ uauburg The street was over 100 feet vice. ana
th comnany was marching in columns OF fours While
40 marching it was met by two young White men lii
-, who insisted in keeping their course in the street
.ha,t regard TO the movements of the militia, ana
aov AGAINST the head Of the column when thcreuPoh
halted some parleymg took place, when resulted Ill
The company Yielding, opening their ranks ana aio"S
.h orpo men to proceed their course On the l"i-
rowing day the young referred to took out warrants
=, against some Of the officers Of the militia COM
- Who were brought before trial justice for trial.
tn ti,l was afterward adjourned till T. n. on satur-
dav the sth instant. Before that hour arrived on
saturday many white citizens from the country
oropnd Hamburg began to gather in the town, armed
With euns and pistols The militia company 10 tho
mean while had assembled at their armory in the vii
LACE ana at the FOR trial the defendants did not
pppear At this point 1t has been stated in dispatches
and newspapers that the militia Officers, having dehed
the authority of the trial justice, the citizens were called
on TO assist the trial justice by acting as MS posse
Nothing Of the kind. in fact, occurred Tie mhua
failed 10 appear because Of their fear OF injury al Ie
hands OF the armed white mon. and the trial justice
sitter formally calling them, took no further steps TO
caus, their presence his court account OF the ex
element and the evidences Of an impending coniilct
While affairs were in this condition, there being ac-
cordng to all accounts from 200 TO 500 armed "Ie
men from the surrounding country In the Iowa. de-
mand was made by the whites for the surrender TO thc
OF the arms of the militia An hour or two passed in ne
potiatiops concerning this demand the whites informing
the militia company that the were not given mp
in short time most Of tie witnesses say III hat mourn
the whites would open fire on the militia The militia
refused to deliver up their saying that the demand
was wholly unwarTanted and Illegal, and that they h"d
reason to fear for their lives they gave up Their arms
Abrisk fire was then opened by tho whites upon the
building in which the militia were assembled, and soon
after one Of the attacking party was killed by shot
from the militia in the building a piece OF
artillery was thereupon brought across the bridge from
Augusta loaded with canister and fred several times AT
the building This had the effect u cause the militia 20
epdeayor 10 make their escape from the Of tho
building. The town marshal OF Hamburg-a eol0red
man-whO leaving the building, was Instantly shot
by the attacking party. While thus endeavclns TO cs-
cane from the building twenty or twenty-five or TIE
militia were captured by the attacking party and Eeps
under guard for several hours. Finally about o'clock
on the morning of the 9th Of JUlysnnday-ai con-
station among their captOrs, and with complete an
parent GelberaOn five Of the captured militamen were
marched out by and shot to death in the pres
ence OF large body of their captOTs The rest OF the
captured party either turned loose or broke loose
pnd ran They fired upon they ram and three OF
oly OF
Acknowledgement Stone thus succinctly reports this
part OF the affair: Six took A. T. Attaway out Of
the ring He and his mother begged for his lic but in
vain lie told 20 turn around and was shot death
by the crowd. David Phillips was next taken out ara
was similarly killed. POmpey Curry was next called out
He recognized among the bysanders Henry Gezen and
DR. Pierce Butler and called them 10 keep the other
men from killing him. He ran, and was shot as he ran
sne bullet striking him in the leg below the knee After
ward Albert Myniart Moses Parks and Hampton Stevens
were killed. Stevens did not belong TO the company"
The Attorney General, who has personally visited
Hamburg thus concludes his official report 10 me:
"Making due allowance for errors in minor details the
facts show that the demand the militia to give up
their made by persons without lawful authority
10 enforce such demand to receive the had they
been surrendeTed that the attack the militia 20
pei a compliance with this demand without )ustfca-
ton excuse and that after there had been 20
Is prisoners captured and completely in the power Of
their captors, and without Of making further
sisance FIVE OF them deliberately shot 70 death
and three more severely wounded" Such wasithe affair
at Hamburg. II you find words TO characterize Its
arocy and barbarsm, the trvialty OF the the
murdeIous and inhuman spirit which marked ii in all its
stages, your power Of language exceeds mine II pre-
darker picture OF human cruelty than the saug
ter of Custer and his soldiers for they shot open
battle The victims at Hamburg murdered In cold
blood after they had surrendered and utterly de
fenseess No occasion existed for causing the presence
Of single armed citizen Hamburg the day OF this
No violence offered threatened TO any
one 1t IS indeed said, usual that " the niggers
tmputet" but the evidence shows that all the actual
physical aggression the part OF the whites that
they made demand which they had no night TO make,
and that when that demand refused, as il should
have been they proceeded TO enforce it by arms and
crowned their in enforcing their demands by
brutal murders.
Shame and disgust must FL the breast Of every man
who respects his human he reads this
tae 10 me In my Official capacity, wherein as you viii
testuy nave done utmost, little risk OF per-
sonal and political deracton from my political friends,
10 remove abuses and restore good government and haf
mony 70 people, tho occurrence Of such APPALLING
example OF human passion and deprsyity comes
deep modification and Encouragement. What hope
We nave when such cruel and bOOdthirsty spirit waits
10 our midst for its hour OF qualification Ii cyiliza-
uon so shalowi IL our wantonly cruell Such
nc" call for condemnation ana punishment-for cos,
cemnatioh bloody blot on the record Of your race
ana mlne as cruel afront TO a whose ongsuIcr
ing patience, and forbearance challenges the admira-
uOn aud gratitude Of tho world, and shameful dis
honor TO the OF South Carolina; for punishment as
sNoiaon of the laws OF the State and a wanton blow
al the peace and happiness Of State. am glad 20
testify 10 the horror which this event has excited among
many here who have not been wont 10 heartily condemn
many Of the past bloody at the South Moth
ing however, short OF condgn aud ample punishment
can discharge the obligation OF society and our State to-
ward The authors OF such causeess and cruel Dasss-
Gre Very respectfully. your Obedicnt scrvant
ID. IL. CHAMBERLAIs, Governor OF South Carolina