United States, Georgia, Mitchell County, Camilla, 31.23129, -84.21046Howard, O. H.1868-09-19Freedman's Bureau subassistant commissioner O.H. Howard writes this report at 7P.M. on September 19, 1868, a day notable in Georgia history as the date of the event that came to be known as the Camilla Massacre, or the Camilla Riot, an incident that occurred in Camilla, Georgia when Republicans and freedemen came to the town to hold a political rally and met violent opposition from the townspeople. Howard's report gives details of the day as they became known to him that evening when witnesses, among them Ishmael Lonon, a freedman who was to be elected to the Georgia Legislature in 1880, began gathering at his office in Albany, Georgia. Howard reports that Lonon gave his account of the group's several encounters on the outskirts Camilla prior to the initial violence in town, between both a mounted white man who advised Lonon not to go into town and Mitchell County Sheriff Mumford S. Poore. Lonon rode ahead of the group of Republicans and freedmen, which included Republican party candidate for elector John Murphy, Republican congressional candidate William P. Pierce, Republican plantation owner Francis Flagg Putney, and ousted Republican Georgia state legislator Philip Joiner. They were accompanied by a bandwagon carrying bandleader Peter Hines and other musicians. As the group entered Camilla they encountered a "mounted man", who began firing into the wagon. Most of the freedmen, "Being unarmed" fled. Howard's report also includes details of the escape of Joiner and Murphy as given to him by Lonon, as well as a list of those known to be wounded or killed at that time. Howard states that a number of freedmen have gathered at his office and that he has advised them to remain peaceful, as the matter will be investigated and the guilty parties brought to justice. At the conclusion of his report, Howard makes mention of J.W. Armstrong Jr.'s recent purchase of a number of weapons for the Young Men's Democratic Club. Howard thinks that they were taken to Camilla and used there.Digital image and transcription created by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2001 of a photocopy held by DeSoto Trail Regional Library of an original record held by the National Archives.image/jpegtext/htmlcam013Forms part of United States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Records held by the National Archives.http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/African Americans--Georgia--History--19th centuryAfrican Americans--Georgia--Social conditions--To 1964Freedmen--Georgia--Political activityFreedmen--Georgia--Violence againstReconstruction--GeorgiaPolitical violence--Georgia--CamillaMitchell County (Ga.)--Race relationsMitchell County (Ga.)--Politics and governmentUnited States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned LandsReport of Colonel O.H. Howard: [Albany, Georgia], 1868 Sept. 19Text