Description
(See also 12/05/1857: Capture of Runaway Negroes)
"Mr. J. R. Davis, a highly respectable gentleman and merchant of Princeton, Missouri, has just related to me, in person, the particulars of the bloody and mortal rencontre which occurred with some runaway Negroes in Nebraska, on last Saturday evening.
Mr. Davis owns a store at Brownsville, Nebraska Territory, where he arrived on Saturday last just after dinner. His clerk, Mr. Clark, informed him that 3 runaway Negroes had been seen in the brush, about a half mile from town.
After dinner, Mr. Davis, Mr. Hanly, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Myers, went out to look for them. Davis, Williams, and Myers were armed with pistols, and Hanly with a double-barreled shotgun. They proceeded cautiously into the ticket, Davis in advance.
Just as Davis stepped over a branch of a fallen tree and was pushing the brush aside, a stout Negro sprung before him and placing a pistol against his breast exclaimed, ”Damn ‘um, shoot ‘um.” Davis knocked his pistol up as he pulled the trigger and the ball passed over his head; then presenting his own pistol he fired twice, each ball taking affect in the right arm of the Negro, just below the elbow and breaking it. The Negro then tried to seize him with his left hand, but Davis knocked him down with his pistol. The Negro then rose and ran towards the river. Davis pursued. The Negro jumped in and was near drowning. Davis with difficulty drew him out and secured him. Just then Mr. Williams came up, and leaving this negro in his charge, Davis returned to see what had become of the other Negroes.
After passing the place where he had first encountered them, about 80 yards beyond, he again saw the two Negro men standing over the prostate body of Myers. As he advanced, one of them deliberately fired at him twice with Myer’s revolver. Davis’ revolver had been broken in two by the blow he gave the first Negro and he was now wholly unarmed but had the presence of mind to advance resolutely upon them, as if he was resolved upon their capture and had no fear of them.
This conduct created a panic, they both turned and fled before him. When he reached Myers he found him dead, with 3 bullet wounds through him (entering at the back, as if he had been shot when retreating) and a large gash across his head. The Negroes had taken his pistol.
As they passed out of the brush they came upon the horses of Williams and Myers, which they mounted and rode off at full speed up the river bottom. Mr. Davis had ridden a mule, which he neglected to fasten, and that too scampered off after the two horses. As Mr. Davis started back for town he had the vexation of seeing these Negroes on the two horses, and his mule close after them as they crossed a clear piece of ground not far in advance of him.
Mr. Davis met Mr. Clark and Mr. Hanly coming out from town. It appears that Mr. Hanly fired one shot and then dropped his gun and hastened to town and informed Mr. Clark that Mr. Davis, &c were killed. The Negroes got his gun. The Negro who Mr. Davis shot was taken to town and his wounds were carefully dressed. Some 40 persons started in pursuit of the other Negroes, and it is supposed they are taken, or shot before this.
A number of Abolitionists started after, from Nemaha (Kansas) declaring that they would see that the Negroes were not mal-treated, some say to rescue them, if captured by the whites.
Mr. Myers lived in Atchison County, Missouri, not far from Brownsville, where he happened to be on business. He was about 50 years of age, a worthy, respectable farmer, and a good neighbor. He leaves a large family to lament his sudden and shocking death.
The Negro who was captured belongs to Dr. Todd of Platte County, Missouri. One of those who escaped belongs to Mrs. Bloomfield near Atchison, Kansas Territory, and the other to a gentleman in Jackson County, Missouri, whose name I cannot now recall."Date(s) of Creation
9/18/1857
