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Records of the Assistant
Commissioner for the State of Tennessee
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1869
National Archives Microfilm Publication M999 Roll 34
"Reports of Outrages, Riots and Murders"
Special Report on the late riot at Franklin,
Tennessee
List of citizens wounded in
riot at Franklin, Tenn. on Saturday July 6th, 1867
Selected affidavits before Esquire J. L. Burch, Justice of
the Peace, in regard to the riot at Franklin, Tenn. on Sat. July 6, 1867
Bureau R. F. and A. L.
State of Tennessee
Assistant Commissioners Office
Nashville, TN July 15th, 1867
Major General O. O. Howard
Commissioner &c
Washington, D. C.
General:
I have the honor to submit the following report on the affray that occurred at Franklin,
Williamson County, on the 6th inst. between the colored Loyal League on the one
part, a body of Conservatives so called composed principally of ex-rebel
soldiers & Negroes on the other. For a correct understanding of the causes which
culminated in riot and bloodshed on the 6th at 8 o'clock p.m. it is proper to
refer to a series of occurrences which took place a few days previously.
The Colored League had recently procured drums and a fife,
and was had been marching around about the outskirts of
the town after supper for several nights without disturbing anyone. On different occasions
they were interrupted by colored Conservatives (Dick Crutcher and A. J. Gadsey passing
through their column while marching, firing shots &c). In consequence of this
interference some members of the League consulted a lawyer and prominent citizens to
ascertain if any legal steps could be taken to protect themselves against these
disturbances. Finding that there was no legal remedy for these annoyances
the League armed some of its members for protection. They were again disturbed and fired
on, and returned the fire without injury to anyone. The occurrence taking place out of
town was perhaps not known to many citizens.
A general feeling of insecurity seemed to seize upon the
members of the League and the idea prevailed that their procession and marching were
objected to by many persons and fears were entertained that attempts might be made to
prevent their continuances. There is no doubt that the Conservatives viewed the marching
and displays of the League as a military demonstration and feared that it might result in
strife. Impudent remarks and foolish boasts were made by individuals of both parties, and
each had come to regard the other with a jealous eye.
On the 6th instant there was a political meeting
which was addressed by Mr. John Trimble & Mr. Elliott, Republican candidate for
Congress & State Legislator respectively. This meeting passed off quietly &
amicably. In the afternoon a colored Conservative named Joe Williams passed through the
town and was prevailed upon to return & speak. After he had spoken a short time, the
Radicals became dissatisfied with his style & attempted to withdraw from the meeting.
A Mr. J. C. Bliss who was a member of a member of the League, was
assailed by Col. John House & a party of armed men who seemed to be acting under his
orders. He was struck by this Col. House & assaulted by abusive epithets. Mr. Bliss
then went among the members of the League in a very excited condition & attempted to
get a pistol with which to defend himself or to attack Col. House. This altercation
between Bliss & House & the efforts of the Conservatives to prevent the Radicals
from leaving the meeting created great excitement among the members of the League. They
were marched away there from the point where the speaking occurred & fired a few shots
in the air as they moved off as a salute as they claim. Their white friends urged them to
disperse & go to their homes, which they seemed unwilling to do, feeling that their
liberties were infringed upon; however they were prevailed upon to march out of town to a
grove where they were addressed for an hour & a half by Mr. Elliott & Mr. Clifton,
both of whom again urged them to disperse & go to their homes. They seemed to object
to this for two reasons - the first was that the Conservatives would attribute their
retirement to cowardice; the second that they had planned a torchlight procession for the
evening which they were unwilling to abandon, but they finally decided to march in to the
public square & there break ranks & disperse to their homes, giving up the plan of
a torchlight procession. This was about half past eight o'clock in the evening. In the
meantime it was manifest that a collision was expected - and the Conservatives were
preparing for it by gathering arms and ammunition into the store of Col. John House --
& perhaps other places around the square. During the afternoon also the number of arms
also seemed to have increased among the members of the Loyal League,
numbering perhaps ten muskets & a few pistols, the number not known. At half past
eight, the League marched towards the public square and the party of Conservatives
estimated at from 25 to 30, apparently under command of Col. House, formerly of the Rebel
Army, took position under corner of the wall of House's store facing the square.
Abou As an indication of the feelings
of the Conservative Party about this time the following evidence is copied from the
original deposition of Matilda Ann Fennell:
"I saw the procession coming down the street from the
grove. I started to go up & meet the procession. I wanted to let them know that the
rebel darkies wanted to kill them. I heard them say so & I told them it was wrong. I
heard L. Gadsey, Frank Johnson & Martin Bowley say they were going to fight for their
own side, damn old Brownlow's niggers, they were going to have more of them doubled up on
this corner than a little (it was House's corner). I then went up to meet
the procession in order to tell them to be well armed, for my husband was in it. They
would not let me go up, and I was stopped at House's corner by L. Gadsey, Frank Johnson
& Martin Bowley, who had muskets in their hands. They told me to go on back or they
would put some of there lead in me. I went back."
Just at this time any efficient officer of the law could
have interfered and prevented bloodshed, all that was necessary was for either party to
disperse and go to their homes or to refrain from firing. The acting Mayor of this city
was well aware that a conflict was imminent, in fact he stated to me that he knew it would
take place, but made no effort to prevent the outbreak. There was no police force in the
town, no indication whatever of the presence of a civil government. It seems that the town
had been given up willingly and without a struggle to the mob.
The Colored League seemed fully to expect a conflict on
reaching House's store, they had probably been informed of the assembling of the armed
party of Conservatives. They marched on, however, past this party of Conservatives at
House's corner, and until the with, perhaps, ten armed men at the head of
the procession. When the In the meantime Col. House & his party had
been notified by a N. A. O. Williams, a prominent member of the Colored League, that they
were merely marching into the square for the purpose of breaking ranks & dispersing to
their homes.
When the rear of the procession had come about opposite the
left flank of House's party a white man advanced from the Conservative Party ten or
fifteen steps toward the Colored League and fired two pistol shots towards the league.
There is now a conflict of testimony as to the party which fired the first volley
succeeding these pistol shots. Many witnesses testified that these pistol shots were
followed by a volley from the entire Conservative party, and that that was returned by the
armed men of the Colored League, while others testify that immediately on the firing of
the pistol shots the armed men of the Colored League faced about & fired a volley,
killing Michl. H. Cody Jr. and wounding six white & several black Conservatives.
No doubt that the firing of the Colored League was very
deliberate & very accurate as nearly as many Conservatives were killed or wounded as
there were arms in the hands of the colored men and it was evident that none of the arms
were reloaded and fired a second time. It is worthy of remark that the 27 now
colored men whose wounds were dressed by Dr. D. B. Cliff of Franklin were all wounded in
the back or in the back part of the limbs sowing clearly that they were fired upon from
the rear & flank by the Conservative party while marching in procession, or after they
had broken ranks and were running away from the Conservative mob.
There was nothing in the conduct of the League or any
member of it to justify the murders and or assault on it. There is no doubt that some of
the banners borne in the procession were in bad taste. For example on one was inscribed
"Remember Fort Pillow when you go to the polls;" on another "The Radicals
build school houses, the Conservatives burn them." These inscriptions were doubtless
the work of some of their white friends. The procession of colored men marched under the
flag of the United States and the man who carried the flag was wounded in the head. The evidence
testimony does not show that there were any particular objection to the banners carried on
the 6th, though at a meeting some days previously the Sheriff had forbidden the
League to take their banners into the Court House where a Republican meeting was to be
held. The flag of the United States was one of those banners.
On the 8th inst. I visited Franklin and found
the town quiet and the people apparently very sorry that the affray had occurred. All
parties, especially the white Conservatives, seemed very solicitous that the company of U.
S. troops sent there by Genl. Duncan on the 7th should remain. The Circuit
Court met on the 8th at 10 o'clock and there was consequently no occasion for
the Military Authorities to interfere further than to prevent another outbreak. The courts
of Williamson County have heretofore been noted for their impartial administration of
justice where colored people were concerned. Though (illegible) proves that trial
by jury is a farce in Tennessee when party politics or sectional prejudices can be brought
to bear on the judge It is perfectly safe in this case to leave the whole matter
of the Franklin affray to the action of the Circuit Court of Williamson County, believing
that the judge and District Attorney will do all that should be done to bring the guilty
to justice. I am informed that the wounded have been well provided for and that
Conservatives as well as Radicals contributed provisions and money toward providing for
the sufferers.
I am General, very respectfully
Your obdt. Servt.
W. Martin
Bvt. Maj. Genl.
and Comr.
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