Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-10-25


AIKEN, s. c., September 81, 1876
To the Assistant Adjutant General Department of
the South, Louisville. Nv, through the com
manding officer of United States troops, Aiken,
South Carolina:
SIR have the honor to report that in compli-
ance with the telegram Of the general command
ing department, dated Louisville, Ky, Sept. 49,
1870, directing me to proceed Immediately with
the bulk Of my force to Silverton, S. c., and re-
port the condition of things and facts to any
trouble at that place, was received at nine O'Clock
Z. NJ, on the 18th inst.
/ left the camp at or about 10 80 p. NJ. of the
same date, with Lieut.. G. b. Hinton and 80 men
of companies + and |, 18th infantry, and three
days ratiols,, and ~ arehed about twenty miles to
R0use's bridge, 5. c., arriving there about 30
O'Clock in the MOI ming on the 18th inst.
Seven miles from Aiken were challenged by
a detachment OF fiiteen or twenty men on the
road mounted and armed, and apparently organ
lied as regular company of cavalry. There
were other men secreted in barn near the DAD
On questioning the man who had charge of the
party, be stated he had been within few miles of
Rouse bridge, and found road picketed, and
there had been some skirm shlng, and that he had
orders to report there IN the morning. On arriv-
ing at Rouses bridge, we found body of about
100 negroes, some armed with old patterned
muskets and shot guns. They were much excited
and seemed to possess no organization.
We had scarcely arrived at our camping ground
when we heard shots fired and saw the negroes
were arming. They afterwards acknowledged
that nobody had been shot, and the shots bad
been fired by themselves.
z short time after a body of some 800 white
men all mounted and well armed, and under COM
mand of one A. 2. Butler, were seen coming up
the road from the direction in which the negroes
had been fired upon. Lieut. Hinton and myself
went down the road TO meet them, and on ap-
preaching the party found that they had thrown
out a skrmish line in the woods almost surround
the while the main hp1N marrhpd II n
! the road. As soon rs we were recognized as L
5. officers, we heard the command given TO the
skrmishers 10 halt, by man who rode in the
woods, evidently to give the skirmish line infor-
nation Of our presence
There WAS undoubted evidence Of a well digest
ed plan of attack which, if carried out, would
have resulted in the slaughter of nearly all the
negroes in that place. hstv ~,
This man Butler has regularly organized body
of men known throughout this country as But
ler's cavalry" well drilled aud organized COM
pany.
Besides this force there were other men from
this vicinity, and some from Atlanta, Gas. all I'M
der the command Of Butler. From what can
learn the party which | interce pied at Rouse s
bridge, was the largest that had got together and
includes almost all those which had been raiding
through the country for two or three days pre-
vious.
After finding that there were L. S. troops on
the grouId, these men proposed to dsband and 20
b me- provided the negroes would do likewise.
An agreement to that effect was made. The ne
eroes were already much sflighlened and both
parties left the vicinity. n a q
On the morning Of the Goth instant, we marched
from Rouse's bridge to Ellenton, a distance OF
five or six miles. On the road saw at the house
where stopped for water, the bodies of three
negroe, who had been killed. Two of them had
been dead since Sunday. The negroes were
afraid to bury them, as they said the white men
who were there on Monday had ordered them not
to. saw two negroes at Rouse's Bridge, who had
been wounded and have positive Information of
four others who were killed in the vic nifty of FL
lenton.
As far as can learn only one white man has
bee D killed during the four days riotiug.
On our arrival at Eenton | found i, party of
twenty five or thirty mounted white men, who
left town soon after our arrival with the avowed
Intention OF going to their homes. 1 sent Sun III
detachment in light wagon TO the bridge,
which returned in the evening and reported
all quiet there, and no armed parties any of the
roads in the vicinity, 1t was reported to me in
the afternoon thatihere we're disturbances down
on the Barnwell road. was requested to send
down to inform the people in that vicinity of the
agreement which had been made ~ sRolse )
Bridge. Lieut. Hinton, with one OF the ~cltzens
rode down to Robbins about tx miles, and found
there a body OF twenty OF thuy1men, who saabcd
that they were detachment from Gen. Hay
goods command, who we're at Steel Creek.
They stated that Haygood had authority from
Judge Virgins to make arrests and disarm ne
! groe., and that they had been sent there to pro-
tect the negroes, while bulying the body of Simon
/ Cocker, coloted member OF the legislature, who
had been shot near Elenton, Tue day morning
Lieut. Hinton saw Cookers body. TINS man wa,
brought from his home at Robbins to Ellenton
and deliberately shot. ta-t 81 ~ RI =
| | estimate the total number of white men en-
gagged in this not not less than eight hpndred
I coming from Edgefeld, Aiken and BarnwelI, S
| c.. The negroes at aud about Ellenton were com
! Tletely cowed. -tFS
/ Many of them came in from their hiding places
! in the woods while we were there. & They were
afIaid to 60 to work, saying they were afraid Of
! h5rg shot down IN. the cotton fields.
The Port Royal railroad was torn up about ter
miles above Ellenton during the riot. The gener
/ al Superintendent said his were afraid tC
wol on the road, and requested me to leave hin
q small guard. Six men were left at Ellenton fol
that purpose, and were withdrawn and jeinedihe
companies next day. The road was almost en-
tlrey repaired when the detachment returned
The detachment left Eihnton at IL 80. r. NJ.
/ Sept. 81 on an extra car and engine, connecting
with the go o'clock train ON Augusta and al
! rived at Aiken, at p. NJ.
| Very respectfully 4sff'eh
Your obedient servant
.uNisHlT'A f1HoMAsI. LLOYD,
Captain 18th infantry, commanding detachment