Abandoning the South

On July 4, 1876, there was a dispute between a negro militia company and two white men in a carriage. Five days later, six black men and a white man were dead as the dispute escalated out of control. Four of the six blacks were likely murdered in cold blood.

The New York Daily Herald called it a “War of Races” in their coverage from Augusta, GA which is across the Savanah River from where the dispute took place in Hamburg, SC. The negro militia “was out on parade” and would not yield for the two men in the carriage. M.C. Butler, a Confederate veteran was hired by another man named Butler to prosecute the blacks who were in charge.

A few days later a hearing was to be held with Justice Rivers who was an ex-slave and a Union army veteran. The Herald claimed that Rivers was also the major general of the militia. Captain Adams of the militia company and Justice Rivers had harsh words prior to the hearing. It seems Rivers was trying to get the militia to surrender their arms as the armed crowd that was gathering was demanding. M.C. Butler suggested (Wikipedia says demanded) that the company turn their weapons over to him.

Adams declined out of fear and went back to the armory in contempt of court. The white crowd said to number 100 made their way to the armory where shots were fired. A white farmer and two blacks were killed. The whites brought up a cannon and the militia fled. 25 or so were caught and four were murdered.

The governor at the time was a Republican and Union veteran from Massachusetts. There was an investigation and indictments, but no one was prosecuted. Modern analysis puts the blame on white supremacy and Southern democrats using violence to suppress black Republican vote.

That there was an all-black militia company, blacks outnumbered whites in the state by a wide margin, and a Republican state government shows it was a policy failure. The issue was that the federal government was putting in place policies with little recognition of the specific challenges in the South. When they saw it was getting tough, they let a few thugs win. This was the country’s failure, not just the South’s.

And you thought the US Government putting people in difficult situations only to abandon them began with Vietnam.

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog