Vicksburg, Mississippi, is known to many as the place where somebody got a whooping… namely the Confederates during the Siege of Vicksburg from May 25 thru July 4, 1863. Now Vicksburg, Mississippi was the last major campaign of the Civil War and winning it from Confederate control meant the Union forces had control of the Mississippi River, which was the primary way the Confederates moved their troops and supplies. The siege lasted 40 days… and forty nights. I said it like that because it was biblical. Grant cut that city off from everything. I’m surprised that they could even get the breath of life in there. After their supplies ran out, it was only a matter of time… first they were reduced to eating horses… then dogs… finally somebody put a large rat on the table and that’s when they said faque this. Racist: “Let them Nigras go on about their business.” On July 4, 1863, Vicksburg surrendered.
Vicksburg is also known as the place where they first started bottling Coca Cola in 1894. Before that you could only get the beverage at a soda fountain. The first vending machine were invented in Paris in 1898 and dispensed water. The first modern vending machines in the U.S. weren’t patented until 1928, they were followed two years later by electric vending machines which kept the drinks nice and cold. The rest is history. Coca Cola started dispensing its products from their iconic vending machines and racist all over the south could go to the general store and buy a nice cold Coca Cola, sit on the front porch, spit “tobakee,” and plot on disrespectful nigras.
So, there’s a lot of history in Vicksburg, Mississippi…
Getting It Good…
Our story begins just before the end of Reconstruction and the beginning of the “White League” and the White Liners movement. I was looking to see if I had written an article exclusively about Reconstruction, but it looks like I have only referred to it in my articles. We will take care of that in our next “exorcism…” Anywho, let’s start out by cutting a brand new one for the White League and the White Liners Movement. So, the White League or sometimes known as the “White Man’s League,” was quite different from other white supremist groups. They didn’t put on hoods or robes or costumes. It was straight up in yo’ face bare skin racism. I even heard some of them walked around butt hole naked so you would know they were white racist… from head to toe… okay no I didn’t… but I did say we were going to cut them a new one… Now as I mentioned in other articles, Reconstruction started right after the Civil War in 1865 and ended in 1877 or so. Some historians have it ending in 1878, but I can’t agree with that because of the Compromise of 1877 also known as the “Great Betrayal.” Something else about the 1877 Compromise that I recently learned was that it was an informal agreement… A bunch of Dixie Democrats and Racist Republicans went into a back room and said, “what nigras…?” They removed the remaining federal troops from down south and left Black Americans at the mercy of some very bitter and salty white folks… you know the one’s… the one’s like those that were eating the rats in Vicksburg…
Racist: “Boy… you see that soldier on the horse down yonder riding out of town?”
Black man: “Yes suh…”
Racist: “Well, when he gets to the edge of town, and you can’t see him no more… Yo’ name is Platt…”
Black man: “But I’m the mayor!!
Racist: P. L. A. T. T…
Yessiree, they had us back then, and you know something? That black man could have well been the mayor. After African Americans were set free and with the help of federal troops stationed down south, we were making gains economically, socially and politically. Some of us were even walking around with white women right in front of them. Black man: “Hey Mr. Charlie!! Look at me!!” Racist: “Yeah, okay nigra… you got it…,” but all that changed after the troops left. Some of the defeated southerners started to organize into racist and violent vigilante groups, whose aim was to claw back the progress we made after we whooped and stumped it into the red Georgia mud of the Civil War.
So, we know about the Ku Klux Klan, the racist who covered their bodies from head to toe in white sheets and pillowcases. They emerged right after the Civil War and quickly adapted the camouflage wardrobe because the troops were still down there. The days of shooting nigras and hanging them from the tallest trees they could find and everybody knowing who did it was over. The Civil Rights Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, meant that if we identified you as a person depriving someone else of their civil rights, well then, we would also deprive you of your civil rights… starting with your right to breath the breath of life. So yeah, that was the reason they started wearing sheets and pillowcases. Anyway, after the troops left, there was no reason to wear a disguise. White supremacist quickly formed groups, militias and organizations to get it good… Racist: That’s right nigra!!! We gonna get it good now!!” The White League (WL) and the White Liners (WI) were two of these groups.
Come on Out…
So, the White Leaguers were a paramilitary group made up primarily of Confederate soldiers whose motto was “Not One… But Both of Them.” The organization had chapters in many states, including Louisiana and Mississippi. It came on the scene around 1873 when they started slinging ropes in an event known as the Colfax Massacre. They killed around 100 black militia men “during Reconstruction, “ after a Republican gubernatorial win. Numerous black representatives also won and were being seated at the state capital in New Orleans. The capital of Louisiana at the time was in New Orleans, but it moved to Baton Rouge in 1879. The black men were guarding the republican state representatives who had won, both black and white. They did manage to send a few White Leaguer’s to “yahoo heaven,” but all in all we lost that one. That was in April of 1873. A year later in September of 1874, they were at it again in an event called the “Battle at Liberty…” barefaced and all. Similar to the Colfax massacre, they were trying to overthrow the elected republican legislators of Louisiana. They were protesting the seizure by the government of arms held by private citizens. There was a slight difference in this event. They weren’t after the nigras this time. Racist: “If ya’ll want to get home and enjoy that fried chicken and grape Kool Aid tonight… than ya’ll better “STAY OUT OF IT!!” Well, they didn’t say it like that, but the word was put out that blacks and their homes would not be touched. It was estimated that around 4000 White Leaguers (WL) took part in the coup. Since they outnumbered the police and city militia, I guess they didn’t want to bring race into this fight, because we owed them something from the last time when they “messed” around in Colfax and this time our participation might tip the scales. Anyway, the WL manage to hold the capital for three days, until the governor sent for federal troops, and in a mutual agreement, the WL left the city without violence. The federal troops remained in the city until you know what… the “Great Betrayal,” aka the Compromise of 1877.
So, I mentioned another paramilitary white supremist group known as the White Liners, (WI) who also participated in the Vicksburg massacre… did I say participate? They started the shat. So, when you think about the White Liners, think Ku Klux Klan on steroids binging on Red Bulls and acid. These racists were straight up bat shat crazy! Their motto… “Peel Him First…” They were from Mississippi where General Tecumseh Sherman practiced his famous “March to the Sea” tactics. The march to the sea was a scorched earth policy. If it could burn, set it on fire. If it couldn’t burn… pee on it. Back and forth across Mississippi he went… burning and peeing on shat… and telling the enslaved population “Ya’ll can come on out now… ya’ll free!!” It was Sherman who burned Atlanta down to the ground and which was re-created in the racist epic, “Gone with The Wind.” Anywho, the “WLI” was PISSED OFF!! to the tenth degree that he started that shat in Mississippi… and when the federal troops left? Racist: “Yeah… ya’ll come on out now… we free too!” Free to do whatever they wanted and they did. They organized into rifle clubs and militia groups and began drilling. Guess where they drilled at? Right in the middle of black communities! Yep… They drilled and paraded right in the middle of black communities! Racist: We said, “COME ON OUT OF THERE!! YA’LL FREE!!” They were bodacious with their stuff! Anyway, it was these two groups who would go down in history as the initiators of the Vicksburg Massacre.
Poor Little Baby…
So, the Vicksburg Massacre started off when the (WLI) demanded that the duly elected black sheriff resign or else! I told you they were bodacious. The sheriff’s name was Peter Crosby and he told them “MAKE ME RESIGN AND BRING HANDS WITCHA!!” Okay… he didn’t say that… but he refused to resign. Now I don’t know what those black folks were thinking when they went to the jail to defend the sheriff without any weapons, but I’m sure it was a great service. Them racist opened fire! Republican Governor, Adelbert Ames saw what was happening and ordered the racist to fall back and submit to the to the legally constituted authorities. In addition, he sent another militia to aid Crosby in regaining his office. Not only did Crosby have the Warren County militia on his side, but he put out a call to organize a posse. Those racists had broken the law and needed to be bought in and held accountable. Me: “Crosby… Crosby… Crosby… poor little baby…” Anyway, I was surprised to learn how organized and loyal African Americans were to Crosby. Throughout the Mississippi countryside, blacks gathered by the hundreds owing to the churches, political clubs, and other institutions of the Black community. Even Crosby was overwhelmed. As several hundred blacks marched to Vicksburg in a column of threes, he tried to turn them back. I mean he was expecting maybe fifty or so, but this was a regiment of nigras. Now I wasn’t even born in 1874 in Mississippi, but I could tell you right now… ain’t no way them racists was going to let several hundred armed black men come into Vicksburg, Mississippi and install a black sheriff… and that’s how they looked at it. It didn’t matter if Crosby was duly elected. To them, the nigras were coming to the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, deep down in the heart of the confederacy, where the lily was still fresh, and where the darkies longed to be… to appoint a black king! Crosby’s fears were realized. Those racists opened fire with everything they had…
Ninety Years…
Initially there were some successes, but eventually the blacks had to flee. For ten days the racist of Vicksburg, Mississippi, were joined by other racist from Louisiana and went on the (Real Bad Cuss Word!!) WAR PATH!! After it was over, more than 25 blacks had been killed, and scores had been wounded. Some estimates put the death toll as high as 300!! Even those who had not participated in the posse were terrorized…
Racist: “Boy, I saw you in town shooting at a white man… didn’t I ?”
Black man: “No suh… I ain’t even leave the house today suh…”
Racist: “Are you calling me a “BAREFACED LIAR BOY!!?”
Black man: “No Suh!! “
Racist: “Smack me across my lips…”
Black man: “NO SUH!! DON’T ASK ME TO SMACK YOU ACROSS YO’ LIPS SUH!!”
Racist: “I Said Smack Me Across My Lips Boy!!”
Black man: NO SUH!! NO SUH!!
Racist: “So first you call me a liar boy… and now you refusing to obey a gawd fearing white man… Tell me why I shouldn’t shoot you and burn yo’ house down…”
Yessiree… they subjected them brothers to some terrorizing psychological bull shat!!
Anyway, Crosby was briefly held prisoner, before being asked to resign again. Did I say asked? History used the words. “They tried to compel him to resign…” That’s Klan speak for them telling him…” If you don’t resign, Ima tell him to kick the horse…”
For real though… Crosby didn’t resign and was killed by a bullet to the head. Just as Crosby’s days were numbered when he refused to resign, so too was the Republican political stronghold on Mississippi. Then Governor Adelbert Ames, called a special session of the state legislature and they convinced President Grant to send federal troops to Vicksburg to put down the insurrection, but it was too late for Crosby. For several months afterward, the WL and WLI engaged in torchlight processions, paramilitary drilling in black neighborhoods, the disruption of Republican political meetings, the harassment of Black sharecroppers, the intimidation and assassination of Black leaders, the driving off of local officeholders, white and black, and the disabling of armed Black resistance. All to reinstate the Dixie Democrats back into power. Remember, Reconstruction ended in 1877… all this happened in 1874… before it ended. As for Governor Ames, the Dixie Democrats made up some false charges and threatened him with impeachment. Ames eventually gave in and left the state. A year later, the Republican Party in Mississippi dissolved. Two years after that in 1877, the Great Betrayal was agreed upon in Washington DC and Black Americans would be thrust into the darkness of Jim Crow for the next 90 years.
Join us next week, when Hill1News will cover the Reconstruction 1865 -1877.
Thanks for reading ©Hill1News.
Be the first to comment