Freedmen's Bureau Records: W. Storer How to Orlando
Brown, January 8, 1866
Summary:
How reports on outrages committed against blacks in his district. Most of the
incidents he describes happened in Augusta County.
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned
Lands
Head Quarters, Sixth District, Virginia
Colonel O. Brown
Assistant Commissioner
Richmond, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
January, 8th 1866
Winchester, Va.
Colonel
I did not receive the communication relating to outrages until Thursday January 4th and as it was dated
Dec 27th and the report desired by the end of that week I
simply dismissed it as an impossible thing to do. Generally, the air is full of
outrages on the Freedmen by the Whites, and will be until just laws are made and
executed, but I understand you to mean violence, personal assaults, cruelty,
of which very few cases have come to my knowledge, and then the facts were not
clearly established, because the freedmen dare not testify through fear of yet
greater violence. Sam Crawford, black, 60 years, living
with Andy Crawford near Mt. Solon, Augusta County,
says that in May 1865 Pat McCarly, white, living with A. Crawford, struck him
over the head with a corn-knife for [unclear: sacicing] him
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while at work in the barn, he shows a large scar. Jane Walker, black, 20 years was living with Thompson McClure near Greenville
Augusta County who beat her with his fists,
and kicked her, and that his mother threatened to beat her with a shovel because
she said she wanted to visit a place instead of "Lucy" and that "Lucy might stay
at home that day," which was on or about September
1st 1865.
Mary Ann Jackson, black, 35 years lives with Joseph
McCoomby near Stuarts Draft - Augusta County says he, McCoomby beats her children,
and about the 1st of September he rode a horse over her
boy of 12 years who now bears the marks of the horses
hooves on his head, she is afraid to return, as
McCoomby has threatened to shoot her if she went away and came back. Jacob
McCord, one of the town police of Winchester on finding some freedchildren
making a noise in front of his house threw a stone which struck Emily
[unclear: Baumgartine], freedchild, in the forehead causing it to
bleed freely. This about November 13th 1865. Milton J. Crabill, white of New Market, Shenandoah County on or about December 1st 1865 while taking a
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freedman, Howard Johnson
to jail on a charge of theft, and while Johnson was tied hands, and feet upon a
horse, shot him three (3) times, but not fatally. At Staunton and at Harpers
Ferry on Christmas day December 25th 1865 there were several cases of supposed outrages but investigation
disclosed the facts that all the parties were more or less intoxicated through
the free use of Whiskey, and a sober witness could not be found to establish the
guilt of any of the parties implicated.
No other cases of the kind indicated are within my knowledge.
I am Colonel
Very Respectfully
Your obedient servant
(signed) W. Storer How Captain & Assistant Quartermaster
Superintendent
Sixth
District
Virginia
Offical copy [signed]O. Brown
Colonel and Assistant Commissioner
