, 1876-07-16
THE GID REBEL SPIRIT.
One Way Of Reducing the Negro-Vote
in the South.
How Republicans Are Assassinat-
ed in South Carolina.
4 Foretaste Of What WonId Happen We're
Tilden to Be Elected.

1udeu 10 be Elecleus
| Correspondence Ne,o Tork 31mks.
AUGUSTA, Ga,, July 9.-The murder OF nc
| groes last night was sorry affair for this sec
tton OF the South Eight men are lying deaf
this morning, another is barely alive, and tWt
others are seriously wounded. The eircum
stances surrounding
| TIRE so-oA1LED ssnAr71B"
| areas follows:
Augusta Is o city OF some SO, eco Inhabitants,
and stands on the left bank Of the Savannah
RiVer. Hamburg, s. c., town of about 500
Inhabitants, Is situated on the right bank Of the
same stream, and Is directly opposite Augusta.
The places are connected hT one carriage and
two railroad bridges. Fifty years ago Hamburg
was honrishing little city doing large inland
cotton trade, and looked upon as the CONNER
cial rival Of its neighbor. The railroads, how
ever, vera Its ruin. The cotton business all
came to Augusta, and since that time Hamburg
has been going rapidly into decay. Most Of
the white residents have left since the War,
aud the town is inhabited principally BY
colored people, who have exclusive control Of
the Municipal Government OF course the col
ored men are all stanch Republicans, and OF
course nineteenth Of the white people OF the town
and Of Eagof1eld County, In Hhich Hamburg is
situated. are equally IS stanch Democrats.
BAD BLOOD HAS EXISTED
between the two races in Edgef1eld County, as
elsewhere In South Carolina, for several years,
and it has ut any time only needed spark to
produce an explosion. Two years ago, 4 difficult
ty occurred in another portion OF the county;
armed bands confronted each other and
q conflict was prevented only by tho
timely appearance gpptas se,., 81 detachment ot
since, & white. man and bis wife were
robbed and murdered by negroes near the Alb
beYilc line, and the whites, catching the negroes
incontfnently put them to death. The colorcd
men have control Of the militia, and there: are
two Or three companies In the county, well
armed with Winchester rifles, furnished BY the
6tate Government. The whites have as strong
OF stronger force ln tho sabre and rife clubs
volunteer corps, Mll armed and well mounted,
and ready and willing to move at a moments
warning. Que Of the colored military comps
ules Is located ia Hamburg. It numbers some
sixty men, and Is commanded by "Doc'' Adams,
who was formerly a Republican politician Of
some local note in Georgia, but who moved to
Hamburg two or three years ago. The whites
have always assumed that the blacks
HAD NO H18HT TO BEAR ARMS;
have persisted in regarding the cnlored militia
as standing menace to themselves and to
their families, and have never failed to disarm
itself.
On the heights overlooking the town Of Ham,
burg DIS the residence OF Mr. Robert Butler, bet
ter Known, perhaps, as Butler On the Hill.' |
Last Tuesday, the Fourth OF july two young |
men, ono the son OF Butler and the other named I
Gettsen, were returning from yisit to Angus
ta. In the street Of Hamburg they found tic |
WAY obstructc1 by Doen Adams COMPANY, |
which was drilling and celebrating the day: I
The soldiers did not get out Of the way OF tic
roY,I,ct n>1Ib f~,%r
tween them. On Wednesday, "Butler on the
Hill !" sent for Gen. n. c, Bntlcr, who lives in
another portion Of the county, and is q prac-
ttcing lawyer, and retained him to prosecute
Tbs a9a MS dor o6stnctiPs
Confederate army, lost leg in one Of the nu-
merous battles OF the War, and rose to the rank
of> Major.General of caralry}. Gen. Butler
1cnt to Prince Rivers, colored Trial Justice OF
Magistrate Of Hamburg, and commenced his
but for some reason the hearing Of
The cause va, postponed until Saturday after
1oon. Yesterday evening Gen. Butler again
made his appearance, but the defendants we're
1ot in court, and when called failed to respond.
,roes
Musr GlYB Up THEIR ARMS.
Ie sought Adams, who had in the meantime
'otten his men together, and made the same
,utler to confer with bis men in the chamber Of,
he Town Council. Of this conference nothing.
ame. Rivers, who Is a Major-Gencral il the
tate militia as Fell % a Magistrate, advised the
cgrocs to surrender their ri1es, but. his words
aade no impression. Gen. Butler then came
Ter to Augusta, and told some Of "the boys''
hat he might need their assistance after awhile
0 disarm the negroes.
It soon became apparent that he was perfect
in earnest, and that force was tobe employed I
! the accomplishment OF his purpose here. I
'hile people in Edgcfeld County we're appriscd | :
what y a. going on, aud soon
ARMED MEN BEGAN TO ASSEMBLE :
! the streets Of Hamburg. The Sabre Club !,
eerh Island was sent for, and came in soon
tier dusk. A number Of young men Of Au-
usta hastily gathered up their arms and, cross
e the river, joined the Carulinians, and placed !
,e!nselTes under the command Of their
en-, conscious OF the approaching storm,
ent into thcfr aru1ory, and determined to de-
nd it to the last extremity. When Gen. But
7 returned. Nyers said he would make q last / :
fort to obtain the guns, provided the former
'otection Was promised, and Rivers had an | Z
her consultation with Adams and the Mayor | h
the town, Gardner, eolorcd, who was also in | q
g armory. The negroes still refused to sur +
ilitia Of the county, md had been armed bV
c proper authorities OF the State. THIS closed t
{ negotiations. It WIS now z O'Clock IN the y
ening, and an order was given to i
0oAAENEE TIE ATTACK. 4
The armory in which the militia had shut ] -
emsclges up With the determination to defend X
is an ordinary two-story brick building, with tt
cellar, and parapet wall surrounding the
Of. it is situated on 4 corner of the Street | r.
lich runs parallel witt. the Savannah River :,
lcrc arc no houses between 1t aud the river, - -
q tho stream is about $50 yards from tho 3
use,--thc intermediate space being green !.
ard slipping gradually to the waters edge. ! 4
point ncArly opposite the nrnory, tie | u
(dge Of the Charlotte, Columbia d Augusta
ilroad crosses the strean1,-a fine structure,
th piers aud 1butmcnts Of solid masonry.
me OF the whites were posted behind the ubut-
mt Of the bridge, while others took position bt
rear OF the building. At 7:D o'clock firc was II
cned on the armory from the front and rcar, t.,
u windows Were aimed at, and were soon y,
died with bullets. The bcsicseo returned y, v
. fire with sptrit,-somc shooting from the ~
ndows when occasion presented, willie others, G.
70 clamhcred upon the root, shot from tho
'er Of the parapct-wall. The firing was tplcr- +,
y rnpid aud Scllsustaincd, and the sounds -
'ught to mind 4 sharp slzirmish on thu picket m ~
c.. Most Of the white people had bccn warn 8!
OF what vas coming aud left the town in the
crnoon. The co!oIed people now began to Ct
rcat to the woods. III a short time niost of 7c