Full Particulars

Title

Full Particulars

Source Type

Newspaper

Publisher

The Weekly Advertiser

Publication Place

Montgomery, AL

Publication Date

9/23/1874

Transcript

Bragg, Chairman Executive Committee: I left Eutaw yesterday evening and found the people of Forkland much excited this morning. Last night Dr. Minor of Forkland, passed the Rowe place about five miles from Forkland, and found a large number of armed negroes there, beating drum and very turbulent. He informed the people of Forkland of what he had seen and they sent down a Justice of the Peace and three citizens, all of whom were armed, to ascertain the cause of this hostile demonstration. On reaching the place they were greeted with the cry of "shoot them," and received a volley of buckshot, which brought down one their number, supposed to be mortally wounded, and severely wounded the horse of another. The party immediately retreated to Forkland, leaving their wounded friend where he fell. About day the citizens, to the number of about twentyfive, procured a warrant for the arrest of the offenders, and went with a constable to execute it. When they reached the neighborhood of the former attack, they were fired upon from ambush by about forty negroes, and one of their number probably mortally wounded, and one or two others wounded. They returned the fire and killed one negro, when they all fled. The posse pursued them and captured nine, two of whom are wounded. Before the posse went in pursuit of the negroes they sent a messenger to Eutaw for aid, which did not arrive until after the fight, about half- past eleven o'clock, a.m. Archie Threat, the colored United States mail rider, arrived at Forkland and informed the people that he saw about two hundred negroes drawn up in the road, just below the Rowe place, on what is known Ag the Cole place; that many were armed, and he met about twenty-five more, most of whom were armed, going in the game direction. This produced intense excitement and in a short time Captain Cole, a special deputy sheriff, with a posse of twenty-five armed men, arrived, and he summoned about the same number from the citizens of Forkland, and proceeded to arrest these armed disturbers of the peace. When he reached the Cole place he found a number of the armed negroes, who do retired to a thick wood and formed a line of battle Captain Cole got negro, to go to them and request a parley, and several came out to meet him. He told them if they would lay down their arms and surrender that no one should hurt them. This they refused and retired to their former position. Cole with his posse dismounted, advanced on"them and on entering the woods I heard several shots fired. saw one of the posse come to the edge of the woods and call for the horses to be brought forward, which was obeyed, I then came on home without learning the result. W. B. Jones, the U.S. Commissioner bere, went over to the Cole place today, before the posse arrived, and endeavored to induce the negroes to disperse, which they refused to do, and threatened him and said they would not lay down their arms till they bad killed white person on their side of the river.

Sources for

063-18740909-001