Affidavit of George Thomas, Peter Massey, Gabe Jenkins, Harrison Clements and Henry Byrd: Albany, Georgia, 1868 Sept. 26

author: Howard, O. H.
date: September 26, 1868
extent: 2p
summary: In this affidavit of George Thomas, Peter Massey, Gabe Jenkins, Harrison Clements and Henry Byrd taken in Albany, Georgia, September 26, 1868 by Freedmen's Bureau subassistant commissioner O.H. Howard, these freedmen, all employees on Francis Flagg Putney's plantation, give their account of the Camilla Riot. The riot occurred September 19, 1868, when Republicans, including Putney, together with freedmen attempted to hold a political rally in Camilla, Georgia and were met there with violent opposition from the townspeople. These men, none of them armed, state that they all saw a man advance from Maples's store and fire on the gathering. As they fled, they all saw the white townsmen with guns pursuing on horseback.
subjects:

• United States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands
• African Americans--Georgia--History--1863-1867
• African Americans--Georgia--Social conditions--To 1964
• Freedmen--Georgia--Political activity
• Freedmen--Georgia--Violence against
• Freedmen--Georgia--Personal narratives
• Reconstruction--Georgia
• Political violence--Georgia--Camilla
• Mitchell County (Ga.)--Race relations
• Byrd, Henry, fl. 1868
• Clements, Harrison
• Jenkins, Gabe
• Massey, Peter, fl. 1868
• Thomas, George, fl. 1868
• Camilla (Ga.)
• Mitchell County (Ga.)
• Affidavits

repository: DeSoto Trail Regional Library (Camilla, Ga.)
collection: Civil Unrest in Camilla, Georgia, 1868

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Georgia State
Daughtery [Dougherty] County

Personally
[deleted text: [illegible text]] appeared Peter Masse Massey & Gabe [added text: Gibson ] Jenikins [deleted text: Henry [unclear text: Byrd]] [added text: George Thomas] & Harrison Clemens all of whome [whom] being duly sworn deposes & says that, they went to Camilla on the 19" inst [instant] to hear a political speach [speech] from [illegible text] Capt Wm P Pierce & others, that none of them took their guns. that they all live with Mr Putney, laboring for Putney on his plantation, that Putney nor no one else told them to take their arms to Camilla, that they did not expect a difficulty at Camilla that as the music accompanied with quite a number of freedpeople entered town they all ( Deponents ) Saw a man advance from towar [toward] Maples Store & fire at the band, that then the man near the store fired at the freedmen

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all this shooting was done before the freedmen fired: that as they [deleted text: [illegible text]] escaped from Camilla they saw white men following up the freedmen on horse-back & shooting them,

Peter [added text: His] X [added text: mark] Massey
George [added text: His] X
[added text: mark] Thomas
Gibson [added text: His] X
[added text: mark] Jenkins
Adison [added text: His] X
[added text: mark] Clements
Henry [added text: His] X [added text: mark] Bryd
Sworn to and subscribed before me, at Albany,
Ga. [Georgia], this 26th day of September, A. D. 1868 .

[Signed] O. H. Howard

Brevet Major U. S. Army,
2nd Lieut [Lieutenant] . 5th Artillery, S. A. [Sub Assistant] Commisioner Commissioner,
Bureau Refugees, Freedmen & Ab'd Lands [Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands] .

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