Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-09-22

a number sought refuge in ads
jacent houses.
Dancy told the soldiers to
make for town at double quick,
as they we're outnumbered, and
they began to trot towards the
city. The negroes became ene
couraged seeing the soldiers
fleeing and again charged in pur-
suit. A volley of Is pistols was
fred most of them coming from
inside the houses. Provost Dancy
was struck in the back by several
rocks.
He turned upon the pursuing
negroes and fred the only load
ed she'll he had in his Spring.
field. This checked them to a
certain extent and gave Dancy
an opportunity to get away. The
negroes followed for two blocks,
but the soldiers kept ahead, run
ming all the way. Dancy says
there were at least 800 negroes
in the mob, when he and the boys
began the fight to the city.
The story is best told in
Dancy's own words. He was
assigned to provost duty in the
eastern part of the city and was
the only one of the soldiers who
had a gun. He wss told by pedes-
trians that a riot was in progress
between soldiers and blacks and
hurried to the scene.
81 think there were about IS
soldiers engaged in the trouble"
young Dancy remarked Sunday
night Il noticed one of our men
was feeling his whiskey, but [
did net notice any others drunk.
There were several hundred ne
groes engaged and when 1 cane
up they, were hurting rocks and
palings and firing pistols on our
boys. I noticed that negro women
and children were active partlci-
pants. They vel engaged most
~ in carrying rocks and palings,
which they tore from fences TO
the negro men.
81 told all the soldiers to stand
back as soon as 1 arrived. Most
Of them obeyed my command but
the negroes rushed on US firing
pistols and throwing missiles.
Some Is or Is shots were fired.
I had only two shells, one blank
and one loaded. I aimed my gun
at the crowd and let go the blank
cartridge.
"This frightened the negroes
and they scattered like sheep.
They went for cover, craving
under bridges aud houses. I told
the boys then it was death or
move. They all agreed with me
and began to run to the city.
''Then the negroes began 10
fire on US again. [ was hit in the
back with a number of rocks. My
back is blue and bruised now.
The negroes were pressing upon
me and I turned and fred my
solid shot at them. They had al
ready fred more than a dozen
shots. I do not know whether !
hit anyone. I shot to stop that
crowd. They held up a minute
but followed us two blocks.
II went as far as the next
block aud sept the boys on to
town. While I was standing there,
three negroes came by and told
me they were after me aud they
were going to have me. / level
led my gun at them and told
them to stand off so yards. They
moved Oh. I kept all negroes at a
distance until help came.
Some of the boys had pistols.
They shot several times. They
had few cartridges and shot moths
ing like as much a. the negroes,
The greater portion of the ne
groes left before Col. Burgwyn
and Mayor Russ arrived on the
scene."
Several of the boys who were
in the thick of the fight spoke
highly of young Dancy, who die
his full duty and acted with great
bravery.
Mayor Russ was communicated
with at once and notified of the
trouble. Col Burgwyn was also
informed of the disturbance ano
he FASTENED to the city with sevs
era, officers and a detachment OF
sixty men. These were stationed
in the capitol square and held in
waiting pending further devel-
opments.
Col. Rurpwvn and Mavor Russ