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0580

5
language.  I knew none of the men personally who were engaged in the work of destruction- one of them (a large man) was pointed out to me as being Joe Ales or some such name - a blacksmith at Laurel, Prince George County. A colored man who has a good character, a former slave of my fathers - named Geo. W. Allen was shot in the foot late in the morning the colored tent holders returned. I went down to see them and found them setting these very much distressed - one of them told me that his loss would amount to about one hundred dollars.  Seated with these colored people was a young white man, with whom I engaged in conversation, and who told me that he had fired three shots - when asked why he did it - he asked me, if I supposed he was going to see white men shot and beat by negroes and he not interfere - he also said he was all through Maryland with the Confederates. I learned subsequently that his name was Fairbanks. 
I had never known a more orderly encampment up to the time of the riot. 

Summerfield Baldwin