Wilmington journal., 1876-07-14
A WAR OF RACES.
A Pitched Rattle ia Hamburg.
From the Augusta Chronicle u Sentinel,

A Pitched Rattle ia Hamburg.
from the Augusta Chronicle u Sentinel,
July 9TH.
The readers of the Chronicle & SEN
tinel doubtless pcrused in its columns
yesterday the following item:
"On the Fourth, while two young
men were riding through Hamburg on
their way home, they were detained
on the streets by the colored military
company winch was parading. When
they desii ed to pass, some of the sol
diers TIN eatened to keep them eli
night. Yesterday they appaed TO
Prince Rivers to have the matter in
vestigated, as to whether the military
had the right TO ohstruct the highway.
Daring the examination of the first
witness. the captain. Doe Adams, be.
came so insolent as to compel the trial
Justice to arie est him for contempt OF
court, ana continue the case until
o'c!ock this afternoon.
The two young men referred to were
Messrs. Thomas Bltler and Henry
Gettsen. Mr.. Robert Butler, father
of Thomas Butler, employed Gtneral
NJ. @. Butler to prosecute Adams.
General Butler reached Hamburg yes
terday afternoon and proceeded to the
Office of Pril ce Rivers, trial justice,
where the trial of Doc Adams was to
take place. The General asked Rivers
whether he intended to try Adams in
his military capacity as ma jor general
or ir his civil capacity as trial justice.
Rivers replied that he could not tell
| until he had examined into the case.
About O'Clock, the hour designated
| for the trial, Doc Adams failed to put
| in an appearance. After waiting some
time, General Butler told Rivers that
he must procaed. The constable then
went to the door and called Adams,
who, however, failed to answer. It
was then ascertained that Adams, with
his company, was up the street in a
defiant attitude.
General Butler thereupon informed
| Rivers that this sort of thing had
gone on long enough, anG it was about
time that it was put a stop to. The
negroes must give up their arms at
once, and he would give the names of
twenty of the best citizens IN EdgefeId
as security that they would be turned
over to Governor Chamberlain. Rivers
tn, asked if Gsneral Butler, in case
the arms were given up, would see
that the town was protected during the
night The General answered in the
affirmative. Rivers assured him that
he would go III. mediately to Adams and
persuade him to give up the arms.
He accordingly went to that worthy
and talked with him for some time.
| Upon his return he told General But
Ter that the mayor. Gardner, and the
officers of the company would confer
with him at the council chalnb ber.
General Butler accordingly went
thither and had conference with the
negro leaders. He told them that the
arms must be given up, there was no
necessity for them in that place and
they had no business with them. As
for the Adams case Mr.. Butler would
be satisfied # Adams would make
AN APOLOGY.
This conference accomplished moth
ing. The negroes still hesltated about
giving up the arms. In the meantime,
however, q number of white citizens OF
South Carolina had assembled in the
town and matters began to look squal-
ly. General Butter rode over to Au-
gusta and told several young men that
he might need their services in Ham
burg during the afternoon. He then
returned to .he town. Just after cross
*
Rivers who SAID lie would make one
more effort to induce he negroes to
give up their guns, and if they would
not yield they must take the conse-
quences. Accordingly he conferred
with the officers of the company. and
shortly returned to General Butler
with the announcement that the be-.
groes said they would not give up
their guns; they intended to fight. In
the meantime the news of the trouble
had spread i'll Augusta and caused
much excitement. A large number OF
young men hastily procured arms and
ammunition and hastened to the res.
cue. Many others waited at the foot
of the blidge anxiously awaiting the
result. By seven o'clock there was q
large crowd at that point.
Upon learning the result of Rivers,
efforts, General Butler determined-to
accomplish by force that which could
not be done by peaceable demands.
The negroes had entrenched them
selves in a large brick structure,
known as Sibley's building, on a cor
ner, and detied the whites. The latter
surrounded the house and at half past
seven o'clock opened fire upon it. This
was returned by the negroes and a
constant fusillade was kept up for over
two hours. About s O'Clock a young
man named L. Mackey Merriwether,
who was standing near the trout of the
| Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta rail-
road bridge, was struck in the head
! BY minnie ball fired from one OF the
windows of the Sibley building, and
ALMOST INSTANTLY KILLED.
His body was placed on a litter and
! brought to the city by a number Of
young men. Mr.. Joseph Merriwether,
father of the unfortunate young man,
| also accompanied tile body to the city
The deceased was in the twenty.third
year of his age. His father lives in
! Edgefield county, about fifteen miles
! from Augusta. Soon after the death
! Of Merriwether several men were sent
| over to Augusta for piece of artillery.
This was procured and carried to
Hamburg as soon as possible. The
| piece was stationed on the river bank,
| a short distance from the house where
| the negroes had taken up their posi-
ton and fire opened with canister.
Four rounds were fired. Little dam
age was done to the building, but the
ire had the effect of completely silenc-
ing the negroes. During the evening
| eight negroes wero captured, two of
them members of the company.
A negro named Gilbert Muller, who
| works in Augusta, said that he knew
nothing about the origin of the diff
Guilty. All he knew was that when he
got home from his work that afternoon
his captain ordered him to get his gun
and 'fall in" with the company. He
obeyed orders and was with the COM
| pany in the house while the firing was
taking place. He declared, however,
he did not fire a single shot, Each
member of the company had two