Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-17

move at moments warning. One OF the co.ored
military companies is located i'll Hamburg. 1t
numbers some sixty men, and is commanded by
Doc" Adams, who was formerly republican
| politician Of some local note in Georgia, but who
| moved to Hamburg two three years ago. The
whites have always assumed that the blacks had
| no right to bear arms have persisted in regard
| ing the colorcj militia a standing menace to
| themselves and to their families, and have never
| failed to di.arm them when favorable opportu-
nifty presented itself.
On the heights overlooking the town of Ham
| burg is the residence Of Mr.. Robert Butler, bet
| ter known, perhaps, as Butler on the Hill"
| Last Tuesday, tar Fourth of July, two young men
| one the son of Butler and the other named Gett-
| son, were returning from visit to Augusta. Ia
| the street Of Hamburg they found the way OBJ
structed by Doe Adams company, which was
drDg and celebrating the day. The soldiers
| did not get out Of the way Of the young men, and
some hot words passed between them. On We'd
ne lay "Butler on the Hill" sent for Gen. H. c.
Butler, who lives in another portion of the coun-
| tv and is pracicing lawyer, and retained him
to prosecute the captain and his company for cob
stiucting the public highway" Gen. Batter was
IN me tODIcdefate AFluN luot III oiiS VI
numerous battles of the war; and rose to the rank
| Of Major General of cavalryD Gen. Butler went
to Prince Rivers, a colored trial Justice or Mag
! istrate of Hamburg, and commenced his prosecu-
ton but for some reason the hearing of the cause
was postponed until Saturday afternoon. Iester-
| dag evening Gen. Butter again made his appear
ance, but the defendants were not in court, and
when called failed to respond. Gen. Butter then
said to Rivers that the negroes must give up their
arms lie sought Adams, who had in the mean
| time gotten his men together, and made the same
demand. Adams declined to comply, but asked
| Butler to confer with his men in the chamber of
the Town Council. OF this conference nothing
came Rivers, who is Major General in the
State Militia as we'll Magistrate advised the
negroes to surrender their rifles, bat his words
made no impression. Gen. Butler then came over
| to Augusta and told some OF 1.-THE boys that he
| might need their assistance after while to dis
| arm the negroes
| 1t soon became apparent that he was perfectly
in earnest, aud that force was to be employed in
| the Accomplishment Of his purpose here while
| people in Edgcfeld county were apprsed OF what
| was going on and soon armed men began to as
| semble in the streets of Hamburg The Sabre
Club from Curytown arrived. and the Sabre Club
| of Beech Island was sent for, and came in soon
| after dusk. A number of young men of Augusta
hastily gathered up their arms and, crossing the
| river, Joined the Carolinans, aud placed them
| selves under the command of their leader. In
| the meantime Doc Adams and his men, conscious
| of the approaching storm, went into their amory
and determined to defend it to the last extremity.
When Gen. Butler returned, Rivers said he would
make q last fort to obtain the guns, provided the
| former would protect the town during the night.
| The protection was promised, and K'yers had an
other consultation with Adams and the Mayor of
| the town, Gardner, colored, who was also in the
armory. The negroes still refused to surrender
the guns, saying that they were the legal militia
OF the county and had been armed by the proper
authorities of the State. This closed the nego,a-
tons. 1t was now o'clock in the evening, and
an order was given to commence the attack.
BUTLER BEGINS THE NIGHTS SLAUGHTER.
The armory in which the militia had shut them
selves up with the determination to defend it. il
an ordinary twostofy bick building with a cellar
and parapct wall surrounding the
roof. 1t is situated on corner street which runs
parallel with the savannah river. There are no
houses between it and the river, and the stream
is about hundred and fifty yards from the
house-the intermediate space being gieensward
sloping gradually to the waters edge. AT a point
nearly opposite the armory the bid &c of the
hailottc, Columbia and Augusta Railroad crosses
the stream-a fine structure with piers and abut-
mentS Of solid masonry. Some of the whites
were posted behind the abutments of the bridge
while others took position IN rear OF the bedding.
At 80 O'Clock fire opened on the arulory from
front and rear. The windows were aimed at and
were soon rlded with bullets. The beseged re-
turned the fire with spirit, some shooting from the
windows when occasion presented, while Others
who clambered upon the roof shot from the cover
Of the parapet wall The firing was tolerably
rapid and well sustained, and the sounds brought
to mind a sharp skirmsh on the picket line. Most
of the white people had been warned of what was
coming and left the town 10 the afternoon. The
colored people now began to retreat to the woods
In short time most of the houses in the town
were deserted, and the combatants had it all to
themselves.
About o'clock the beseigers sustained their first
loss. A young man from Edgeteid county-T.
Mackey MerrIwether-who had been firing from
behind the stone abutments Of the railway bridge
exposed his person too much. and was shot By one
of the the roof. The bail entered the
BRAIN and he fell dead almost without groan.
His death added to the evaporation Of the WHITES
ard it determined to take the armory at all
hazards. Seeing that small arms made no i'm
preston upon the brick walls, it was determined
TO bring heavier metal to bear against them.
squad of men sent across the carriage bridge
to Augusta to procure piece of artillery with
which to batter down the fortace. A volunteer
artillery company of this city promptly loaned
them an iron six-pounder belonging to their or
ganzation, and furnished them with some grape
shot, the only ammunition they had. The cannon
the iron hail sent bursting into the upper story of
the atmory. Again it was loaded, and again dis.
charged, but while the shot tore the windows to
pieces, the walls stood firm, and the besegcd re-
fused to surrender. But their fire slackened, and
Gas was afterwards dscovered) the negroes sought
safety IN the cellar-some slipping through the
lines and making their escape either to the woods
or to other houses The grape-shot had now Civ
en- out and the gun was loaded with dumb, bells
and old pieces OF metal and fired twice again.
Everything quiet now, and negro who came
out and gave himself up informed the whites of
the real state of affairs. The latter however, did
| lot care to risk assault, and contented them
selves with surrounding the premises as to pre-
vent escapes. AT O'Clock party of five emerged
from the building and successfully ran the gauntlet
| returning the fire when fired upon, and reach
| ing the woods in safety AT 10 negro attempt
| ed to jump fence in the of the buiid-
| ing, but was seen, and in instant fell
| dead, his head being literally honey combed
! with bullets. His was James Cook
and he was the Marshal of the town, and
leading man among his people. second negro
| was killed near the same place. A few minutes
| later another party was taken prisoner while en-
deavoring to get through the gordon, and brought
| baa t. ter IIa u