The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-14
THE DARK DAYS
Tlllman Tells the Story OF the
Struggles of 1875
IN SOUTH CAROLINA

An Address Delivered by Senator
Tillman at the Red Shirt Reunion
! at Anderson, S. c., on August 25,
in the Presence of Several Thou
sand Enthusiastic People.
The Leaders in 1876.
There will always be difference
of opinion among South Carolinlans
as to which of the three men, But
Ter, Hampton or Gary, is entitled to
the most cerdit for the redemption
of the State in 1876. I, who an
entirely familiar with all Of the
principal events which led up to
that struggle and was modest
actor in some of it's most stirring
scenes, desire to put on record my
estimate of the work of these three
men. They were all cavalry leaders
in the army Ds iiortnnrn Virginia,
Hampton, lieutenant general; But
Ter, a major general, and Gary, a
brigadier general. The last had
been captains in the famous Hamp-
ton Legion and all three went to
the front together. They have all
crossed the river and are sleeping
with Jackson and Lee. Hampton,
shortly after the war went to Mis-
sissippi to look after his large
planting interests in the Yazoo Del
ia. He returned to South Carolina
in 1876 at the earnest solicitation
of the other two men.
Butler and Gary resumed the prac-
tice of law at Edgefeld while both
of them had large farming interests.
l met Gen. Hampton only two or
three times casually. was on the
most friendly terms with Gen. But
ler until I entered the race against
him for the senate in 1894. He in
suited me grossly and wantonly in
that campaign and we never spoke
again, though after my earnest ef-
fort to have Mckinley appoint him
general in the volunteer army in
the Spanish-American war he made
advances which I did not feel will
ling to accept.
With Gen Gary Twas intimate and
was one of his trusted 1ieutenants
in the red shirt campaign in Edge
field in 1875.
l express it as my deliberate judg-
ment after careful consideration
of all of the facts as know them
that Buffers work at Hamburg was
more far-reaching in its consequence
es and valuable in its results than
any act of either of the other two
men. The qualities possessed by all
three of them, differing in many re-
spects, were all essential to the final
success of the white mans cause in
that supreme crisis. Hampton's S
calm determination, his poise, his
moderation, his good judgment in
dealing with the perpleXing con-
ditions produced by the dual gov
ernment which existed between the
assembling of the legislature in No
vember and the withdrawal of the
troops in March, were absolutely
necessary to the success We achiev-
ed. He blundered egregiously in
urging the policy of persuasion and
of convincing the negroes by argu-
ment to vote with us. He always
maintained that sixteen thousand ne
groes voted for him in 1876, but
every active worker in the cause
knew that in this he was woefully
mistaken.
Gary preached the only effective
doctrine for the times, that lone
ounce of fear was worth pound
of persuasion" and was prepared
and did ride rough shod over the
negroes and their carpet bag leaders,
while his daring refusal on the day
of the election to obey Gen. Ruger'S
order to have the whites vacate the
court house at Edgefeld really gave
us the victory. His exhortation to
the white men was to put the bal
lots in the boxes, l will see that
they are counted" He organized
the red shirt regiment which on the
18th of August captured the Cham
berlain meeting in Edgefeld and
gave the negroes to understand that
the white men were resolved to take
possession of our own again and
drive out the thieves and scoun-
drels whom they had been follow
| ing.
Butler, in 1874, had led the forces
at the Second Ned Tenant riot,
which struck such terror into the
hearts of the two companies Of
militiamen that by night movements
and devious paths through the
swamps and pine thickets they had
marched to Edgefeld and delivered
up their rifles to Lawrence Cain.
Butler, Gary and George Tillman
had, to my personal knowledge
agreed on the policy OF terrorizing
the negroes at the first opportunity
| by letting them provoke trouble and
then having the whites demonstrate
| their superiority by killing as many