United States, Georgia, Mitchell County, Camilla, 31.23129, -84.21046Howard, O. H.1868-09-24On September 24, 1868, Lewis Smith, a twenty-four-year-old laborer, gives this affidavit to O.H. Howard, subassistant commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau at Howard's office in Albany, Georgia. In his affidavit, Smith recounts the events of September 19, 1868, when freedman and Republicans were fired on by townspeople in Camilla who were in opposition to the Republican political rally to be held there. Smith also notes that this was not the first incidence of violence against freedmen in Camilla and cites an earlier episode in April 1868 when Camilla residents fired at freedmen despite the presence of government troops.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/htmlcam031Forms 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 againstFreedmen--Georgia--Personal narrativesReconstruction--GeorgiaPolitical violence--Georgia--CamillaMitchell County (Ga.)--Race relationsMitchell County (Ga.)--Politics and governmentUnited States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned LandsSmith, Lewis, fl. 1868Affidavit of Lewis Smith: Albany, Georgia, 1868 Sept. 24Text