Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-20

7 the Iact that they visited the buiIdin
may have given rise to the report
the CALCULATIONS Of the negro wome.
e The guns were found sometime befol
the firing commenced. It is tolerab
certain that somewhat later there Wi
a QUAR- Il between two men, a colore
@ Republican and q white Democra
n One informant asserts thst the Repul
lican had denounced what Mr.. Jerve
!, had said as ga pack of lies" TIL
" Republican struck the Democrat, an
: the blow was returned. At this me
: ment colored man seized a muske
and fred at the whites The full al
q tent1on OF the meeting had not ye
been caught. A number of uegroe
edged down towards the swamp, ant
d few seconds later volley was fire.
at the whites from the swamp. Th,
negroes who were left near the stanl
ran at once to the bushes, whore. q:
was then seen, their guns were hid
deu. From the bushes they fred a.
the whites, while the negroes in the
ravlne continued their fire It should
be noted here that not one of the
Democrats had rife, musket or shot
gun that it was agreed that 70 such
weapons should be taken to the meet.
1ngs; that the Republicans, most OF
them members of the militia, bad their
guns close at hand that the firing
from the swamp vas too quick and
steady to have been the work of any
other thin au organized body.
THE WHITES UNDER FIRE.
AS soon as the firing began party
OF Democrats ran o the old brick
building whore the guns were secreted,
and took several of them. These were
fired, apparently without effect. at the
miiitiameu in the ravine. The Demo
Gratis, white and colored, in front OF
the stand were in pititul plight. Not
more than a third Of their number
were aimed, and they with piston
only. These they vuiuly fred at the
negroes, who held positions fifty aud
a hundred yards away. Being prac-
| tlcally defencelss, the whites rapidly,
| and III some disorder, retreated down
| the road towards Cainhoy. At the
Church small party rallied, and pre-
| vented any pursuit that might have
been contemplated. Ball and buck
shot cut the leaves aud sung around
the ears of the rear guard. Sullenly
and steadily they withdrew, the ne
Sroes salnting them with farewell
volley. The engagement was soon
over, but the Casualties were heavy
and distressing. Is is wonderful
that so many escaped unhurt.-
The negroes, sGuattirg among
the scrub oaks, took pot~shota
at ever Democrat whom they
could draw bead on MIR. O'Connor
escaped an ugly wound by being
pushed aside ut the Church, as a ne
gro fred at him, and Mr.. Jeryey was
deliberately shot at. although he had
not even drawn his pistol. The etand
at the Church, among the gravestones,
was certainly the salvation of the party
and the gallantry of Messrs. Wescoat,
w. Hampton Smith and Jervey is
highly praised. Their names are
mentioned especially, with no idea OF
detracting from the me1it of their |
brave comrades.
WHERE WAS BOWEN
What became of Bowen is not pros
itiveIy known. 1t is said be called out |
for some one to accompany him aud |
try and stop the firing, and it is known |
that Mr.. G. r. Walker, q Democrat, |
did at once walk with Bowen up to the |
muzzles of the militia muskets, and |
tried to pursuade the militia TO lay |
down their arms. But Cyrus Gilliard, |
BOwen's right hand man, was extreme
ly violent and urged the negroes to |
continue the fight. Giiliard is reported |
to have said: "Now's the time; we've |
got en-" and che eyewitness informs I
US that Giliiard himself fired Eve shots |
at the whites. The negroes paid no
heed to circumstances, and removed |
the firing. One of them, pointing to |
Mr.. Walker, who, being on {. mission |
OF peace, had not drawn his pistol.
cried out, ''shoot that white man"
By stragetic movements from tree to |
tree, the brave young Democrat man
aged to rejoin his comrades. Bowen
himself had very narrow escape. 4 |
wounded Democrat put a pistol TO the |
beck OF bis head and was about to |
blow his brains out, when his arm WAS |
thrown up by another Democrat who |
wa. near by. Bowen did not come up !
to the city last night, but remained at |
Cainhoy.
STAMPEDE.
The horses and mules used by TIE
Democrats in going 10 the meeting
were stan peded during the fight, and
most of them were taken off by tho
Republican negroes. The Democrats
who had gone to the church in wagons
and other vehicles returned painfully
to Oainhoy on foot. There was dead |
set at the colored Democrats. Mr..
Leslie was wounded, so were Mr..
Bennett and his son. Col. Delany
was in request. but was one Of tho first
men to leach the steamer, and is safe.
AT oAINHoY.
The small community at Cainhoy
were terribly alarmed at the fight and
it's result. It was evident that the
Republican negroes were masters of
the peninsula, and it was feared that
they might attack the village itself
Two OF the Democrats were discovered
to be missing, Mr.. Mcneil, and Mr..
Whitaker. 1t was decided, therefore,
to leave forty or fifty men at Cainboy
to protect the place, and to send the
Pocosin at once to Char lesion for re-
Inducements and such other aid as
was required.
THE SCENE IN THE CITY.
The Pocosin cached Charleston
about 7 O'Clock, and arrangements
were at once made to send a strong
body of men to Cainhoy. About
o'clock she cast off. having aboard
from seventysfve to one hundred
men, under tho direction of Major q.
L. Bust, of the Palmetto Guard. AL
the members of this company who had
attended the meeting remained at
Cainhoy, excepting Mr.. Smith, who
came up to the city to report, and
Mr.. Couch who, being wounded, ac-
companied him. There was intense
excitement in the city, and five humid
red men could have been bad if de-
sired. 1t is not thought there will be
any further trouble, and the Pocosin.
when she re urns to-day, is expected
to report that all is quiet.
THE CASUALTIES.
From the nature of the fight, which
Woo nrootiool1v oil on ono si1o