Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-10-23


aud addressed to his brother in this city:
CHARLESTON, S. G., Oct. IS, 1876.
have just returned from Cainhoy, slightly
sounded, and have just witnessed the most
larbaric brutali,ies Inflicted by black demons
% dcicncylcss oli men and children aud on the
wounded who fell into their hands.
Both political parties agreed TO hold meet
og It "Brick Church" near C:inhoy, and it
was further agreed, on the suggestion OF the
republicans, that neither party should carry
arms. How the negroes kept faith when they
got he dem ocrats into a trap you will sec.
,ihc democrats chartered the steamer POGO
siu to take them to taluhoy, and courteousy
took Bowen aad the republicans with them,
the beautiful day attracting large numbers OF
boys. who did not even own weapon. At
Ganh1y We met the whites from Hell Hole
Swamp, with 10 other weapon than here and
there a cattle whip, such as they usually ride
with. The music started the negroes dancing
;hr celebrated 'Ioo-la-!oo, Ioola-luo, and as
vc lnoecd of from Cainhoy everything seemed
- pa2cctul that The men from that village lett
al their arms at holue.
i!. William Veuuirg role'o ahead Of the
proccss:ou (Father knows we'll his father,
William L. Veuning). On his arrival at the
church he found large body Of negroes, well
armed with nu>kcls aud rifles. e. e. Bowen
had also arrived in advance. Mr. Vcnuing
heard the negroes say that they would not sui
i.r Ilelauy colorcd democrat, to address the
ueetng. G. &. Bowen then said, Hide your
saus," and they did So The procession ar.
r!ved aud the speaking began, aud | now state
what saw, uni,ss expressly state that it is
ca information. n coiored man named Nc
kcniay was put on the stand by the repubi-
alns--hc was mistaken by the negroes for De.
liny-aud the row began.
1t was discovered that the negroes had con-
ccalel weapons in the chimney of au old house
ucar at hand and news OF it was brought to me
on our arrival. am sure that il was part Ola
mot to make the whites seize these arms as an
excuse for bringing or a row; but at the time
advised that the guns be watched but not mo-
lcsted. Suddenly the whites by the old house saw
erucreing from pines and swamp at the back Of
tbs stand" dctachmcnts Of negroes armed with
iauskcts which they pointed toward us. At the
same moment confusion was raised on account
Of the supposed Delany taking the stand, this
c,mmoti0n probably being the signal for the
detachment to appear.
give the respectable rapu5lcana credit Tor
believing truly that the whites began the row
hy sci2ng the guns, for they were mostly be-
hand or on the stand faclug the church, and
hal their backs turned 10 this detachment and
,iii not see Why the whites seized the guns.
;lr. Haane tells me that he directed the guns
II the chimney to be scizsd but not until the
negrocs were advancing toward him with guns
At full cock Then the whites made rush for
the chimney filed with guns, loaded, as | am
nll BY all, with powder oaIy. Nlr. Vcnuug,
Mr. Eoyco ard Mr. Llmble have sworn to me
t.s \ uo,ary) that they saw the negroes fire the
tlGst Shot. | saw the negroes pouring vollcys
iato these uaarmed boys, though cannot from
personal observation say who fired first.
Bored by the political speaking, vas staUd-
ing alone by the church. Tic negroes were
between the stand and the old house, and the
whites were between us running for the ives
try \ lev couragcously returned the Grc with
HuaIl pocket pistols, but, OF courSs, against
vocys OF buckshot, 1slugs and brokeu pieces OF
behind the pines the pistols were useless.
moved over from the church in front OF the
ve%;ry through hail storm Of bullets 50 that
ny example should encourage the whites to
stand aud defend themselves. had. | may
>aY, no weapon; Tor though | was lent an Old
pistol, it would not shoot, aud | did not fire
shot. John Ficken, though armed with only
aslight cane, did the same. When | got be.
tween the ''vcstry. and the stand saw
Abram Smith, ntgro trial justice, on the
stand firing at some boys and men who were
running away and d;ieucelcss | did try to
stop hm, but the old iron | had could not snap
cap. moved on to the vcstry. having hrst
warncl Smith that lwould kill him if he fired
again, Though | had nothing to do it wlth,)
and he stopped while vas looking at him.
At the yestry met Z. &. Bowen. The ne
groGs, having tired their volIcys, had run back
among tn, piues to reload, and there was a
cc>sluon or lu for few minutes. Bowen
called out for q white to go with him to make
peace | voluuctred and he said, Stop the
democrats firing" There was about corpc-
r!l's guard OF them only left. | said:
democrats, reserve your fire while go
With alr. Bowen aud they strictly obcyed
me- walked arm-in arm with Bowen into
The ranks Of the negroes. here wish to rcu-
'icr full justice 20 Mr.. Bown, aud, therefore,
though have no doubt of his original rcspon
>ltlhty (that is merely my cpinion), yet the tact
IS he did endeavor to stop the negroes renew.
lns the attack. The effort was for some miuu
tcS crowned with complete success, but sud-
denly Cyrus Galliard. ~ inccndlary negro,
pushing ilr. Bowen and myself aside, called
out to the negroes, Mister BoHcUS, We can I
>tcu to you now Come on. boys; we've got
en-, now lets Kill the sous of D., aud,
rushing past US, he incted them to recon.
mencc; and | solemuly swear that they fired
again on the whites without provOcatlon, and
without q shot being first fired by them.
Just then |, the messenger o! peace, invited
Iato their ranks by their leader, &. Z. Bowen,
heard negro say, 'Shoot that son Of D..
Jumped behind pine tree as heard bang
bang, baug behind me, then behind swami
cyprus, and then spraug from tree to tree iol
ABOUT 200 yards back TO the ycsiry, the negroe:
all turning their guns on mc. On my arrlva
said to the whites. who, without RETURNING
the tire, were 10 shelter behind the "ycStry,
that 1t only remained Tor them to defend them
selves. They tried to do SO ior moment; bu
ii: ram OF shot was too hot to be met Will
tat a dozen pistols 1T 4 two hundred yard
sage, aud the few q. Us who remained sullenl
rrnrcd 10 Calnhey. There .hc boys and uu
aimed men took the beat to town. Abou