Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-17
AlexsmAria 9asettf,
WEDNESDAY EVENING. AUG IL, 1855
DUFF TELLS HIS STORY.

DUFF 1ELLS his S1ORS.
Thomas F. Duff, Of Danville, vino is
a member of Company H, Third Vir-
GINA Regiment (Danville Blues, and
whose difficulty with negroes at Camp
Alger caused the excitement which il
now being Investigated, has sent the
following account of his share OF the
disturbance to the Danville Register
DUNN LoRING, Va, Aug. IS.
AS the speculative genius has had
abundant opportunity (of which he ha-
taken due advantage to ply mis- quill
concerning the Afro-Amerlcan engage
ment OF the Il instant, which gave
birth to many india rubber newspaper
articles of the past few days, ! beg
SPACE to introduce 10 the reading pub.
lie semi-o5solete, but sometimes re-
freshing, practice known as truth tell
ing. We have, or to be more definite,
had in the employment of this depart
rnent-First Division Hospital Corps
A negro teamster. named William For
rest, short, chunky specimen OF Ebo,
as black as tar, who, by his persistent
efforts at familiarity with myself anc
many other men, rendered himsel
very obnoxious. had requested hin
on the day previous to the difficulty
10 either address me properly wheu
meeting me or not at all, at which
he seemed as much surprised "a
incensed, on account CT the encour
agement he met from other white
men. He also had another grievance
against me-for reprimsnding him for
wantonly Furnishing his mules, 1promis-
ing him corporal punishment for re
petition Of the same.
On the evening of the encounter
came into the grounds about I O'Clock
on my return from visit 10 my regi-
ment. The negro, Forrest, and two
others, together with four or five white
men, were congre gated under the shade
OF the trees just Wlthia the lines. l was
hailed by young man OF the Sixty
fifth New York, who wished 10 engage
in q friendly boxing bout. l accepted
his challenge, and in q few seconds
finding himself closely pressed, in an al
tempt to retreat he broke through the
crowd of negroes. The negro Forrest
became a1gered at this and turning to
me insolently said You had bet
ter 20 away from here" l again ad
v.sed him that the least be had to say
10 me the better, whereupon he re
piled I'll damned soon make you
20 when l get my gun, and quickly ran
under wagon, which served him as
tent. At this time the young mai
with whom l had been boxing, was
standing about ten feet away, holding
q club in his hands. told him to fetch
1t to me. He seemed not to hear, 20 l
approached him ard repeated my re-
quest.
He refused, and as the matter re-
CURED prompt attention, Rrasped il
and wrenched it from MIN. then rer
back to the tent and looked in, just il
lime 10 zee the negro secure s
razor. He started out, and right
there Cervera's attempted rush from
the bay of Santiago was re-
peated on q small scale, as our rels-
tive positions were about the same
About the time | was putting on th,
finishing touches one OF the white men
grabbed my stick, and in moment
after I felt It's force across the side o.
lay head and face. This lick, the only
one | got in the entire encounter, by 1t
means put me out OF the game, for in 8
minute | had forced the club from III,
negro, and holding him with one hsno
severely punished him:wth the other.
At this stage the other two negroes
took a hand, and forcing me few
s,eps back to where there was STUMP
about two feet high, pushed me over ii,
head down and feet up, one negro try
ing to strike me with the stick and the
other trying TO kick me. Neither Of
them succeeded in doing me any
harm, for l had been in this position
but a minute, when young friend
came to my aid aud the affair was al
over, as the negroes ran. About hall
an hour after this some genius of +
Washington Post reporters magma
ton went over to the Third Virginia
Regiment and reported that l had bee!
killed by negro. After receiving this
report, several Of the men came over II
learn if it was true. met some o.
them in the field and acquainted then
of the untruthfulness OF the report
and thanking them for their solicitudt e,
we retired 10 our respective quarters.
THOMAS +. DUFF,
First Division Hospital, Second Army
Corps, Dunn Loring, Va.