Local Matters

A fight between federal soldiers and a party of blacks results in the soldiers calling for back up and attempting to kill off all the blacks. One of the of the blacks is killed and drowned.

Row Between Federal Soldiers and Negroes- A Negro Knocked Into the Canal and Drowned.- Last Friday night at about 9 o'clock a row took place, on the corner of Cary and Eighteenth streets, between three Federal soldiers and a party of negroes, which resulted in the severe beating of one of the soldiers. He went off with his comrades, and obtaining about a dozen more, returned with the intention of attacking the negroes. The negroes dispersed rapidly, followed by the soldiers, who swore to kill every one they could catch. Several of the negroes were knocked down, but escaped before receiving further injury. A party of the soldiers pursued some of the negroes up the dock, and seeing one setting on the side of tile dock with his feet over the water, they struck him on the head just back of his ear with a slung-shot or a pair of brass knuckles. The negro fell into the water and was drowned. The soldiers made their escape. The body of the negro was fished out at about II o'clock the same night. An inquest was held over the body yesterday morning at 9 o'clock. In the absence of witnesses, the inquest adjourned over until 9 o'clock in the afternoon.

“Local Matters,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed March 30, 2023, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/197.