The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-26
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VOL XILr-NO.,l5g

the negroes toward the bridge were tersi.
bly, excited, armed and defiant. Z A negro
Sidney Hmkenson) confirmed their
report, he having Seea at the bridge
himself. Sir. Brown and his posse-e
list Of which Is in my poasession-moved
quietly forward.
Ecuse's Bridge spans sn,all csesk,
and is fanked on the left aud left front
by an immense swamp. II is approached
by deep and narrow cut. Just as the
posse emerged from this cut-or, rather.
as the Grs. nien snoFged-tIiey aere met t
with
4 RAGGED AND SCATTERING FIRE,
from party cf negroes, who we're align.
ed on the very edge Of the swamp. No
one was Injured, q horse only being
wounded. The Possa promptly returned
the fire. 1t ia said that threa negroes
were wounded by this fire. From con.
vcrsation with two or three Of the blacks
engaged l can get the name of only one
wounded man-Henry Campbell, who
was ehOt In the arm. This, I believe, 10
the only casualty Of the first Rouse
Bridge fight. AZ the fire of the whites
several negroes issued from the swamp
and hurried to reinforce their friends,
who numbered originally about thirty.
The whites fearing the nwau,p was filled
with armed negroes, retired precipitately
to a neighboring open field, and the first
fight of the campaign was over It is
proven by the afiidavits Of more than q
dozen men, Including the colored Justice,
that the negroes made the first fire, open.
ing upon the posse in the deiIle, us ia de.
scribed above. The whites thon instead
of returning 10 the attack, determined 10
hold o parley. They procured o white
flag and Aent !. 5y : negro. woman into
the swamp, asking for conference with
the blacks. The woman returned short.
ly afterward. saying that the negroes re-
fused to hold any communication with
the whites. She was returned to the
swamp with more pressing invitation
for o conference. She did not return at
all, but q negro came out nnarmsd and
stated that if the whites would send for
ward six men named in list he held in
his hand, '''S 'fa -
THE BLACKS WOULD GIVE THEM A CON-
ii'ndi ~ 30 FERENCE. i-iils'itJr,.l .Aj
The whites ngreed and the ak mon
entered the swamp. This was at about 8
o'clock on Sunday. The whites showed
their warrant II arrest and demanded lie
negro Pope. The blacke replied that
Pope was not with them and had not
been. The, whites upon hearing this
agreed that they YotH disperse and go
home, If the negroes ould do the same
thing. This was arranged and the con-
ference terminated. IN .ra
The whites at once dispersed and
started home, Mr., Brown riding off by
himself, Mr. Stallings and Mr.. John VIII
lian,s taking another road, and thirteen
members Of the posto ridingin scattered
groups toward Double Bridge. rwhere
they expected to croes. ,{ ,,-, !.
These thirteen men were scattered
along the road, Messrs. Ashley and two
others riding some 800 yards In advance.
When these gentlemen npproached Il .
bridge, wading through, o dense swamp,
about o score of armed negroes jumped
up and seized Ashley. Three Or four
guns were raised toward him, when Bry-
ant Counsel, q captain of the negro cons
pany, knocked the. guns down with his
sword, crying "Don't shoot the man
don't shoot n He succeeded for q mo.
ment, and then cried to Ashley, = 'e 'e.
"YOU WILL HAVE TO SAVE ,YuURsRIB,
h "a siRi ICAS'T SAVE You2" ~,
Ashley at once put spurs to bis horse
and rushed off. Ife was fred on by sew.
ernl negroes and struck In the back by
several small shot. His companions foi-
lowed, one off, them losing bis gun aud
anpter having his ,trowsers' leg torn Oft
sy pggT9 f who ltte attempted to pull him him
In the meantime, the whites behind
Ashley, hearing theIi firing, galIopcd
sharply ,fnrwarann "A, they. entered the
swamp, eleven IN number, they were met
with a brisk Solley, and Jim Bush, James
Cochran, ID w. Grassland and Sid.
Hankera0niS7erenwou e Five Of. tho
whites stood firm .and leyeled- their guns,
The negroes rushed on them, Basil. ;Bry-
ant and wilkins Hamilton leading the
charge. The whites fired Steadily, and
Basil Bryant fell dead, and wilkins fell
sharply wounded. 4. The whites, then
hastily rstreatea, ,eseh, ane pluuging into
the swamp ct separate points.
Just one-h half hour later-this recontre
occurring at about sig O'Clock on Sunday
---the negroes opened tho ball in another
direction, some FIVE milss, distant, near
Silverton. Mr.. John Williama and Stall
lings, two members Of the dispersed posss,
who were quietly; riding home, were flfeti
on by three negroes vho Nere lying down
under; o large tree. Johpn Williams. fell
dead on tho Instant, and Mr.. Stalliags'
hdtse was killed He 7leaped on and
sprdng Into the woods ani. made his
cscape..g uBI7, -ls35a3GA3 ,4a! ~ IN
At just about this time the skies we're
Redeemed in tho direction Of ElIenton
By HEAVY AND VARIOUS FIRES,
caused by the burning Of a mill, giahouse
and barn on the piece Of DR.. Bailey.
These had been fired by the negroes, Il
Every point fthe above Is supported
by the fullest afIidavits from 10th whites
and blacks. It aPpsars t6at the negroes
which Tho Whites observed i in l'psesfsct pe.fsct
faith. broke the peace ia three Particular.
Eirat by firing on the eleven men at
Double Bridge, and Hwounding four Of
them SECOND by the firing on Willlams
and Stallings, by which tho former was
killed - third, by the burning of the
Bailey; .onthouses. It must be reHem-
bered that these events occurred within
two hours ofieach other. They covered
an area, Of twelve miles, proving concln,
siyely that several bands Of negroes were
at work with murderous intent. Occur,
ring in the night time aA' they did the
scattered h,etnbefs Of the pose believed
that Lhe whole negro raceGf the county
were in arms and bent on murder. rapine
and arson. They sped I'D different diJec-
tions, rallying the white people and ca.i-
ing for aid. This naoSenienS commented
At elaHen O'clock Bytwo o'clock pcssi-
blyl20Q mounted ,whita men were hurry
inO fovyarH Gylvoet1r ,stEa.o a. -.