Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-12-23
HAMBURG RIOT.
Graphic and Accurate Account
of The Hamburg Riot in
1876 by Senator B. r,
Tillman.

As there has sappeareda recently
aeveral accounts of thesa Hamburg
riot which contained some un:
intentional errors, we publish the
following account which has been
taken from Senator 1'illman's
speech at the Red Shirt reunion in
Anderson:
Judge Aldrich told you last
night that he could tell more about
the Hamburg riot than | could be-
cause he would not have to crin.i-
nale himself. As for that ] have
nothing to conceal about the Ham
burg riot. / told the republicans in
the sena.e that we had to shoot ne
groes to get relief from the CALLING
tyranny to which we had been sub
jected; and while my utterances
were used in tie Republican cam
paign book for 1900, l think my
very boldness and the frankness
With whieh l explained conditions
did more TO enllghttn and disarm
the fanatics than anything else |
could have said. Even Senator Hoar
was so impressed thath became my
warm personal friend in his later
years.
Because of its potent influence
in arousing the white men of the
state to their duty | 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 at Hamburg in
July, 1876, and this tragic episode
in the struggle for white suprelna-
cy caused more widespread COM
ment throughout the north, and
was more farsyeac ia VI ii ii fflps
people of South Carolina than any
thing of the kind which ever occur
ed in the state. Congress appointei !
an investigating committee to take
testimony; and the bloody shirt was
waved by the northern press and
politician from one end of the coun-
try to the other. The two preceding
disturbances of which l will speak
hereafter, while causing great ex-
citement and uneasiness, had result
ed in no bloodshed other than the
wounding of two negroes nea: DR..
McKie's; but the Hamburg riot
caused the death of seven negroes
an one white man, while two ne
groes and another white man were
seriously wounded.
's'The cause Of the trouble as in
th two Ned Tennant riots "as the
negro militia. The town OF Ham
burg, opposite the city of Augusta
and thirteen miles below where l
was born and reared and was then
living, had been prosperous mart
Of trade between 1910 and 1860. At
one time it had a population of be.
tween 5000 aud 1900 and did an
immense business with the South
Carolina planters. Owing to its
liability to overflow by the Savan.
nah river it had begun to decline,
and at the time Of which | write it
was occupied almost entirely by ne
groes. The white population con-
sisted of few families. The num-
Der of stores was small. The negro
population in 1876 probably num-
bered 1900 and it had become an
harbor Of refuge for all of the COW
thieves, cotton thieves, house burn
! ers. and other types of criminals
among the negroes from the sur
rounding country. Owing to the
fact that the municipal government
was composed of negroes, the town
marshal was a negro. Gen. Prince
r. Rivers, an nex-union soldier, com
mander of the negro militia, state
Senator from Aiken county and
Trial Justice, lived there; the ne
groes were exceedingly insoient,
and it was dangerous for white men
to 90 through the town unless they
we're we'll armed. A negro militia
company Of about one hundred men
had been organized in this lawless
den and one Dock Adams was cap
tain. On the afternoon of the 4th OF
July, 1876. this company was drill
ing and parading on Main street
and as was usual a very large pro
portion of the negro population
were admiring spectators. Twe
young men, Henry Getzen anc
Thomas Butler, both of whom liv
ed within two miles Of the town
returning home from August
| whittier thew had been on business