1869 Ulysses S. Grant - Camilla Massacre

In 1868, Georgia had finally fulfilled all the requirements and rejoined the Union. They ratified a constitution that upheld the 14th amendment, elected a governor, and members of congress. But, then just two months later, the state legislature expelled 29 newly elected members because they were at least 1/8th black. On September 19th, one of those expelled Phillip Joiner led a 25 mile march of several hundred blacks and a few whites from Albany to Camilla, the county seat to attend a Republican political rally. Upon reaching Camilla, the sheriff and other area whites stationed themselves in various storefronts and opened fire killing about a dozen of the black marchers and injuring 30 others. As the marchers returned to Albany, they were assaulted for miles.

As news of this spread, Republicans were outraged and pushed for Georgia to once more undergo military rule and Radical Reconstruction. Newly elected President Ulysses S. Grant led the way. In his first annual address to congress, he urged congress to take action against Georgia.

"Seven States which passed ordinances of secession have been fully restored to their places in the Union. The eighth (Georgia) held an election at which she ratified her constitution, republican in form, elected a governor, Members of Congress, a State legislature, and all other officers required. The governor was duly installed, and the legislature met and performed all the acts then required of them by the reconstruction acts of Congress. Subsequently, however, in violation of the constitution which they had just ratified (as since decided by the supreme court of the State), they unseated the colored members of the legislature and admitted to seats some members who are disqualified by the third clause of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution--an article which they themselves had contributed to ratify. Under these circumstances I would submit to you whether it would not be wise, without delay, to enact a law authorizing the governor of Georgia to convene the members originally elected to the legislature, requiring each member to take the oath prescribed by the reconstruction acts, and none to be admitted who are ineligible under the third clause of the fourteenth amendment."

Interestingly, this massacre also played a role in the history of gun control laws.   In his report to Georgia Governor Bullock, General George Gordon Meade assigned blame for the massacre on the marchers’ refusal to obey the sheriff’s orders not to bring arms into town. Two years later in 1870, the General Assembly prohibited the possession of guns at “public gatherings”. As defined by the Law, this prohibition would only apply to the marchers, not the Sheriff and not to the residents ambushing the marchers.  

References

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2017). Ulysses S. Grant: First Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29510 [Accessed 28 Dec. 2017].

New Georgia Encyclopedia. (2017). Camilla Massacre. [online] Available at: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/camilla-massacre [Accessed 28 Dec. 2017].

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