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The Freedmen's Bureau Online

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, Jan. 15, 1866 - Aug. 12, 1868"


Affidavits regarding the 1866 Memphis Riot


Alex McQuatters affidavit - states that a crowd of police came down South St. firing at the Negroes. Negroes were not armed. Dunn Esq., fireman, was shot from the rear.

Before me personally appeared the undersigned, Alex McQuatters who being duly sworn deposes as follows::

My name is Alex McQuatters. I live at the corner of Rayburn Avenue & Clay Street. On the 1st of May 1866 on my return from work I stopped at a public house at the corner of South St. and Rayburn Avenue, and while reading a paper a large crowd of policemen came down Rayburn. Everything was quiet, there was no Negroes armed nor any indication of a riot. No disturbance of any kind when the policemen arrived. They came down firing at the Negroes, the Negroes ran away without offering any resistance, the police following & shooting.

Dunn, Engineer or Fireman, was about twenty feet ahead of the police when he fell. No Negro fired a shot, the firing all came from the police in the rear of Dunn. When Dunn fell, the police all passed down Rayburn Avenue and South St., and I saw no more of the affair.

(signed) Alexander McQuatters

Subscribed and sworn to before me the 21st of May, 1866.
Signed Saml. Walker
Bvt. Capt. & A. A. Genl.