Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-01

bluff. That we fred into the Pitts
burg militia-which, posted on the
bluff, stood idly looking at our
danger-is utterly false. The only
man hurt among them was struck
from behind while he was facing
us, and by a pistol shot, while we
had muskets only. Their own
papers have since contradicted the
story.
The tracks were clear. The peo-
pie came yelling back, but except
those that were carrying the dead
and wounded no one was allowed
to stand upon or even cross the two
main tracks of the railroad which
we had been ordered to clear, and
General Brinton reported to the
military and railroad authorities
that he had executed his orders, TO
send him their trains, and he would
protect them through.
Then followed q long wait for the
promised train, of some two hours,
the mob in the meantime growing
larger and larger; their jeers and
abuse changed to bitter curses and
violent threats, pointed by occa-
sional pistol shots in the distance,
which the men bore with disci-
plined, calm Indifference and i'm
passability which could not be OK
celled.
They had fired in self-delcnse, in
discharge Of a duty and not in re-
yenge for insult, and it was to be
noticed that the mob understood
the distinction, for while they
pressed closely to the prescribed
line, none ventured to cross it, and
while their abuse was fearful, they
restrained their pistol shooting to
the far distance.
Finally Gen. Pearson ordered us
into the "outer depot" near Twenty
eighth: street, consisting of a round
house and machine shop, with. .ad,
joining lumber yards and a yard
between them, in which was situa.
ted. the main offices of the Pennsyl.
vania Railroad Company in Pitts
burg, and in which place General
Pearson had already, and without
consultation with General Brinton
placed "a detachment of our men.
We took up position by throwing
bodies Of men in the round house,
machine shop and company Office;
threw out pickets through the lum.
Der yards, and covered the two gates
opening from opposite sides into
the yard between them with oul
four guns. One of these gates
opening on to the tracks was high
and solid, but could not be tightly
closed; the other was of open rail.
ings, opening on a street. At each
we placed two sentinels, and al
each the mob congrogated, utterine
the vilest language and most violent
threats.
The mob went on from bad tc
worse, but restrained by orders we
made no reply, although twice oul
Sentries were struck with pistol
shots deliberately aimed and fired
within twenty feet of them through
the railing Of the street gate, but
fresh men were put on as the first
were wounded and their steady de.
meanor prevented the mob from
entering the yard beyond the line
which the sentry marked out fol
them. Nothing could better exem.
plify the undaunted flrmness O.
our troops than this.
1t had now become dark, and
General Pearson informed Genera
Brinton that he would go himself
to secure the needed supplies, but
would be back in an hour, and or,
dered him to hold his position. Hc
left the building and never return
cd, as he was compelled to flee fol
his life.
The individual courage Of some
of the rioters was remarkable, and
there were many exhibitions ol
reckless daring that we could moi
refrain from admiring. On one side
of the round house, where there
was but little danger of an assault
no order to fire was given, and the
mob, after pelting it with stones
and pistol shots, probably thinking
from our silence that we were moi
guarding the point, deliberately
hauled up one of their cannon and
trained it to make breach in the
walls OF the 0lllce building, cover
ing the movement by surrounding
it with large crowd,
Our watch was too strict, how
ever, to allow such u movement to
escape us. When they were about
ready to fire it off we drove then
away by q volley of musketry (Which
they probably mistook for Gatling
gun, and gave rise to the ridiculous,
story that we had occasion to use i
during the night, but after that
and whilp several of their number
lay dead around the place, no less
than five men deliberately advanced
from behind pile of boards to lir(
it off, and IN utter disregard b