W. M. Spencer to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-003-0123

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Military Correspondence, 1863-1867

Item Location

BR5-214 to BR5-215

Place of Creation

Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

20 September 1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-09-20

W. M. Spencer to Thomas E. Bramlette, 20 September 1865, Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Military Correspondence, 1863-1867, BR5-214 to BR5-215, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-003-0123, (accessed November 4, 2025).

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Lebanon Ky Sept 20^th 1865
His Excellency
Thomas. E. Bramlett

sir a knolledge of your Character warrents me in addressing you this Communication It is prompted from haveing witnessed the perpetration of outrages upon our citazens by negroe soldiers beyond the bounds of endurance on sabath afternoon the 17 past our citazens were aroused from their usual sabath quiet by a verry extraordinary uproar & on looking out it was discovered that about Thirty of Forty negroe soldiers were pursueing a white man a discharged Federal soldier useing the most vociferous & profane language crying out Kill the damned scoundrel ~~shall~~ shoot the damned son of a bitch they caught him & in the most Rude & violent maner draged him through the streets and with his hand in his collar & another holding him by the arms this thing was enacted without the orders or knolledge of their Commanding officer & for no other offence according to the
version of the negroe soldiers themselves than insulting one of their private soldiers on that occasion they declared it as their purpose to wipe out this damned chebang meaning the Town that they had come for that purpose & that the damned whites had had their day & now they intended to pay them off & give them hell this was the introductory scene & it occured on the afternoon of the 2^nd day after their arrival we waited on their commanding officer ^and he promised a more Rigid dicipline^ but as it appears without avail but a few hours after the above was enacted another of our citazens Recd a like Rude treatment & still later in the afternoon [...] Mr Riffe a worthy citazen was collared & pushed about ~~the~~ with a pistol pointed at his head for no other Reason than haveing expressed his disapproval of their conduct on last monday night week several went to the house of a citazen & ordered the ~~lady~~ lady of the house to hand them watter she pointed them to the well in the yard & declined to do their biding for which she
and her daughter were insulted by their useing the most vulgar & profane language you damned bitch was freely used in Reference to the lady & her daughter on yesterday they whiped a white lad in our streets in hearing & sight of divers citazens to day they with loaded arms in their hands menaced the life of a white man a [ teamster ] causing ^him^ to flee & leave his wagon and team they pursued him caught him & Kicked Knocked & cuffed him so severely that he is unable to pursue his ~~busi~~ business this latter scene was inacted in part in the presence of their commanding officer he made some feeble effort to enforce dicipline but he evidently has no controuling influence over them we are here sir subjected to the unrestrained Brutality of a negroe ~~soldryy~~ soldiery with arms in their hands they are to be seen & heard at any hour within the 24 night is made hideous by their drunken yells now sir this state of things cannot continue long in Kentucky without some outbreak I do all I can to Keep it surpressed tell us what to do & we will endeavour
to do as you suggest in the mean time we earnestly appeal to you to Relieve us from this great curse is this Reward Loyal men are to Receive for their devotion to our Countries Cause if it be then may god save us from it

I am sir yours with devotion
W. M Spencer

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Lebanon Ky Sept 20^th 1865
His Excellency
Thomas. E. Bramlette

Sir a knolledge of your character warrents me in addressing you this Communication It is prompted from having witnessed the perpetration of outrages upon our citizens by negroe soldiers beyond the bounds of endurance on sabath afternoon the 17 last our citizens were aroused form their usual sabath quiet by a very extraordinary uproar & on looking out it was discovered that about Thirty or Forty negroe soldiers were pursueing a white man a discharged Federal soldier useing the most vociferous & profane language crying out Kill the damned scoundrel ~~shall~~ shoot the damned son of bitch they caught him & in the most rude & violent maner draged him through the streets and with his hand in his collar & another holding him by the arms this thing was enacted without the orders or knolledge of their commanding officer & for no other offence according to the
version of the negroe soldiers themselves than insulting one of their private soldiers on that accasion they declared it as their purpose to wipe out this damned chelang meaning the the Town that they had come for that purpose & that the damned whites had had their day & now they intended to pay them off & give them hell this was the introductory scene & it accured on the afternoon of the 2^nd day after their arrival we waited on their commanding officers ^and he promised a more Rigid dicipline^ but as it appears without avail but a few hours after the above was enacted another of our citizens Recd a like Rude treatment & still later in the afternoon Mr Riffe a worthy citizen was collared & pushed about ~~the~~ with a pistol pointed at his head for no other Reason than having expressed his disapproval of their conduct on last monday night week several went to the house of a citazen & ordered the ~~lady~~ lady of the house to hand them watter She pointed them to the well in the yard & declined to do their biding for which she
and her daughter were insulted by their using the most vulgar & profane language you damned bitch was freely used in Reference to the lady & her daughter on yesterday they whiped a white lad in our streets in hearing & sight of divers citazens to day they with loaded arms in their hands menaced the life of a white man a [...] causing ^him^ to flee & leave his wagon and team they pursued him caught him & Kicked Knocked & cuffed him so severely that he is unable to pursue his ~~busi~~ business this latter scene was inacted in part in the presence of their commanding officer he made some futile effort to enforce dicipline but he evidently has no controuling influence over them we are here sir subjected to the unrestrained Brutality of a vulgar ~~soldryy~~ soldiery with arms in their hands they are to be seen heard at any hour within the 24 night is made hideous by their drunken yells now sir this state of things cannot continue long in Kentucky without some outbreak I do all I can to keep it surpressed tell us what to do & we will endeavour
do as you suggest in the mean time we earnestly appeal to you to Relieve us form this great curse is this Reward Loyal men are to Receive for their devotion to our Countries Cause if it be then may god save us from it

I am sir Yours with devotion
W. M Spencer

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