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Washington City Sept. 17th 1866
Genl De Witt qr
Dear Sir
Yours of the 13th inst. came to hand last Saturday evening, requesting me to furnish you with a statement, under oath, of what I know in regard to the riot which took place at the camp meetting at Shipleys' woods near Hanover Switch Anne Arundel County Maryland on Thursday 30th August 1866.
About midnight, of that date, I was standing near when the col'd people were singing & praying, while there a member of white men came up and began to push each other against the col'd people; calling them, God dam black sons bitches, I immediately turned to the white men, expostulated with them, that they ought not come there and disturb them in their religious devotions, as they were, as I thought, conducting themselves with decorum, and beged & urged them to leave, and not be the means of a disturbance on the ground, they disregarded my admonitions, I immediately left them, with the conviction, there would be trouble, there was not, I think, ten minutes intervention before there was a great rush and retreat on the part of the white men towards the preachers stand, within the circle of tents occupied by the whites, the greatest consternation ensued, especially with the Ladies & Children, the retreating party calling out, rally boys, arm yourselves