Hamburg massacre facts for kids

The Hamburg Massacre was a violent event in Hamburg, South Carolina, in July 1876. It happened during the Reconstruction Era, a time after the American Civil War when the United States was rebuilding. This event was part of a plan by white Democrats in South Carolina to stop black Americans from using their civil rights and voting rights. They used violence and threats to break up meetings held by the Republican Party.

The massacre started with a small argument about using a public road. But it quickly grew into a bigger conflict because of strong racial hatred and political goals. White groups, sometimes called "Red Shirts", attacked about 30 black members of the National Guard at their armory. Two black guardsmen were killed while trying to escape. Later that night, four more black guardsmen were killed while being held as prisoners. Several others were hurt. In total, one white man and six black men died. Even though 94 white men were accused of murder, no one was ever punished.

This event sparked more violence leading up to the important 1876 election. White Democrats eventually took control of the state government. They then passed laws that created segregation (keeping races separate) and "Jim Crow" rules. These laws also stopped black Americans from voting for many years, until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

What Led to the Hamburg Massacre?

Hamburg was a town in Aiken County, South Carolina, mostly settled by freed black people after the Civil War. It was located across the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia. Many black Americans moved to towns like Hamburg after the war. They sought safety and community away from violence in rural areas.

White Democrats wanted to regain power in the state government. Their leaders planned to disrupt Republican events. This plan was called the "Plan of the Campaign of 1876." On July 4, 1876, a group of black militia members were parading in Hamburg. Two white men in a carriage tried to pass through the parade.

The Events Unfold

The Hamburg militia was made up entirely of black freedmen. A white group called the Red Shirts, led by Benjamin Tillman, caused trouble. They claimed the black militia was blocking the road and stopping white people from passing. Other reports say the white men drove into the parade on purpose to cause a fight. After some arguments, the Red Shirts passed through the parade.

Court Hearing and Standoff

The Red Shirts then went to court. On July 6, they accused the militia of blocking a public road. The case was set for July 8. On that day, over 100 white men arrived at the court. They were armed with guns and farm tools. A lawyer named Matthew Calbraith Butler, who had been a general in the Confederate Army, spoke for the white men. He demanded that the black militia give up their guns and disband.

The black militia refused to give up their weapons. They went to their armory in the Sibley building for safety. About 25 black militia members and 15 other people were inside. The white militia surrounded the building. Gunfire started, and a white farmer named McKie Meriwether was killed.

Map showing the area of the Hamburg massacre.

The Killings

The black militia was outnumbered and running out of bullets. They also learned that the white group had brought a small cannon. So, they tried to escape the armory in the dark. James Cook, Hamburg's Town Marshal, was shot and killed in the street.

The white militia rounded up about two dozen black citizens, including some from the militia. Around 2 AM, they took them to a spot near the railroad. There, the white men formed a circle, later called the "Dead Ring." They decided the fate of the black men. They picked out four men and shot them one by one. These men were Allan Attaway, David Phillips, Hampton Stephens, and Albert Myniart. Another black state legislator, Simon Coker, was also executed. He asked to give instructions to his wife before he was killed.

Several other black men were wounded while trying to escape. An official report said that Moses Parks, a freedman, was also killed.

No Justice

A group of officials investigated the attack. They accused ninety-four white men of murder. These included important figures like M. C. Butler and Ben R. Tillman. However, none of them were ever put on trial or punished.

An official report from the Attorney General of South Carolina stated that the white men had no right to demand the militia's weapons. It also said that the attack was unjustified. The report highlighted that five prisoners were "deliberately shot to death" and three more were badly wounded. It also mentioned that some of the white crowd robbed defenseless people. The U.S. Senate later investigated the events.

How People Reacted

Republicans were shocked by the Hamburg Massacre. The event made it harder for Democrats who wanted to work with the Republican Governor. Instead, support grew for the "Straight-Outs," who wanted to take back control of the state using force.

News of the massacre spread across the country. It was reported in newspapers like Harper's Weekly and The New York Times. More violence followed in South Carolina. In September, about 100 black people were killed in Ellenton, South Carolina, also in Aiken County.

After the very violent 1876 election, white Democrats gained full control of the South Carolina government. They passed laws that created legal segregation and "Jim Crow" laws. In 1895, they adopted a new state constitution. This constitution effectively stopped black people from voting in the state for many decades.

What Happened Next?

Politics and Legacy

M. C. Butler's involvement in the massacre hurt his later career in the United States Senate. However, Benjamin Tillman, who led a "Rifle Club" involved in the massacre, became a powerful politician. He often boasted about his role in the "stirring events" of 1876. He even said in the U.S. Senate that white men were not sorry for taking the government away from black people in 1876.

In South Carolina politics at the time, participating in the Hamburg Massacre was seen as a heroic act for white men. In 1940, the state put up a statue honoring Tillman. In 1946, Clemson University named its main hall after him. However, in 2015, after a white supremacist attack, Clemson decided to distance itself from Tillman's violent past. In 2020, the university's leaders asked to rename the hall.

Fate of Hamburg Town

After the massacre, many black residents left Hamburg. The town began to shrink. In 1911, a flood led to the building of a levee (a wall to stop floods) for Augusta, but Hamburg was left unprotected. Big floods in 1927 and later years forced the last residents to leave by 1929. Today, there are no visible remains of Hamburg. A golf course now covers most of the area where the town once stood.

Images for kids

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  Benjamin Tillman, a leader of the Red Shirts.