The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-11
THE DARK DAYS
TiIlman Tells the Story of the
Struggles of 1875
I'M SOUTH CAR0LILA

An Address Delivered Dy SENATOR
Tillman at the Red Shirt Reunion
at Anderson, S. O., on August 25,
in the Presence of Several Thou
sand Enthusiastic People.
The Hamburg Riot.
Judge Aldrich told you last night
that he could tell more about the
Hamburg riot than I could because
he would not have to criminate him
self. AS for that have nothing to
conceal about the Hamburg riot. l
told the Republicans in the senate
that we had to shoot negroes to get
relief from the CALLING tyranny to
which we had been subjected and.
while my utterances were used in
the Republican campaign book for
1900, think my very boldness and
the frankness with which l explain
ed conditions did more to enlighten
and disarm the fanatics than any
thing else | could have said. Even
Senator Hoar was so impressed that
he became my warm personal friend.
Because of the potent influence in
arousing the white men of the State
to their duty, 1 shall give you the
story of the Hamburg riot in full,
not dealing at this time with the
two Ned Tenant riots and the
Ellenton riot.
The third of these disturbances or
riots occurred in Hamburg in July,
1876, and this tragic episode in the
struggle for white supremacy caused
more widespread comment through
out the north and was more far
reaching in its influence upon the
fortunes of the white people of South
Carolina than anything of the kind
which ever occurred in the State.
Congress appointed an investigation
committee to take testimony and the
bloody shirt was waved by the
northern press and politicians from
one end of the country to the other.
The two preceding disturbances, of
which l have spoken, while causing
great excitement agd uneasiness,
had resulted in no blood shed other
than the wounding of two negroes,
near DR.. NcKies, but the Hamburg
riot caused the death of seven ne
groes and one white man, while two
negroes and another white man were
seriously wounded.
The cause of the trouble, as in the
two Ned Tenant riots, was the me-
gro militia. The town of Hamburg,
opposite the city of Augusta, and
thirteen miles below where I was
born and reared and was then liv-
ing, had been prosperous mart Of
trade between 1910 and 1850. At
one time it had a population of be-
tween 5000 and 1000 and did an
immense business with the South
Carolina planters Owing to hts
liability to overflow by the Savannah
river it had begun to decline and at
the time of which I write it was
occupied almost entirely by negroes.
The white population consisted of a
few families. The number of stores
cn,on Tho nnnn1l tinn
in 1876 probably numbered 1900
and it had become an harbor of
refuge for all of the COW thieves,
cotton thieves, house burners, and
other types of criminals among the
negroes. Owing to the fact that
the municipal government was COM
posed Of negroes, the town marshal
was negro. Gen. Prince R. Rivers,
an eX-Union soldier, commander of
the negro militia, State Senator from
Aiken county and Trial Justice, lived
there and the negroes were exceed
ingly insolent and it was dangerous
| for white men to go through the
town unless they were well armed.
A negro militia company of about
one hundred men had been organic
ed in this lawless den and one Dock
Adams was captain. On the after
noon of the 4th of July, 1876. this
company was drilling and pdraIing
on Main street and as was usual
very large proportion Of the negro
population were admirin% specta-
tors A young man, Thomas But
ier whose father lived on the Ei.,ir
hill two miles away, retErnins home
from Augusta whittier he had been
on business found the street blocked
by the negro militia company. the
militia were marching company
front" and the line extended from
sidewalk to sidewalk. AS young
Butler approached, instead of throw
ing his men into column of fours
or column of platoonS' or wheel
ing them out Of the way, Dock
Adams gave the order to charge
bayonets" with the view no doubt
of showing off before the assembled
negroes and to compel the young
white man to turn his horse around
and fee. But he was not of that
kind. and knowing he had right
TO the highway. as the approaching