A Ku Klux Raid, and What Came of It, Federal Troops

The following data is extracted from Trinity College Historical Society .

Sunday morning we decamped, reached Raleigh about eleven o'clock, passed through the city, and halted in the old fair grounds, which had been converted into a military post for resident Federal troops during those reconstruction times. Here we were kept under guard in the open porch of a long, low building for some hours during midday. The arrival of nine captured Ku Klux was a notable event. The tidings spread through the city, and vast crowds of Negroes gathered about the enclosure of the barracks to see how we looked and to express their joy at the prospect of seeing speedy justice meted out to the "Negro killers." About three o'clock we were placed under a strong guard, and, attended by the howling, hooting, jeering mob, composed seemingly of the entire black population of Raleigh, we were escorted to the courthouse. After a short pause here, in the vain effort to be allowed to remain under military guard, or to give security for our appearance, we were taken out of the court house by the west door, into the jail enclosure, into the jail, up the stairway to the second floor, and safely lodged in the room on the northwest corner. It was a foul den, occupied by a youthful jailbird, with his straw bed and blankets upon the floor. At last we were in jail-a solid fact and no fancy about it. The thick walls, the small grated windows, the strong iron door, ourselves on the inside, and the turnkey, armed with the proper implements of his office, on the outside---all this was evidence indisputable that we were in jail. Up to this time we had regarded our arrest as a huge joke, and had deported ourselves much as a lot of young fellows out on a picnic. But this was carrying the joke a little too far, and the flood of emotion that was experienced by our little company was too great for utterance. We stood by the windows, or sat on the floor, and silence reigned for half an hour. Then one of our number recovered his equilibrium and wonted good humor, and said, "Boys this will never do; it's no use to sulk and pout; let's have a good time, even in jail." And we did. Soon friends arrived, and were admitted to see us; among them I recall my father, George W. Pegram and his faithful old friend and neighbor, A. H. Dewar; W. C. Norris, of Wake; and Maj. R. S. Tucker and Geo. T. Stronach, of Raleigh. Their presence gave us good cheer, and a box of provisions sent from our homes served for our refreshment. About nightfall we were transferred to an adjacent room, where with an abundance of blankets sent in from other parts of the jail we spent the night in refreshing sleep. In the morning our host supplied us with an elaborate breakfast, which, for each one, consisted of a piece of boiled beef and a large chunk of coarse corn bread, made from unsifted meal, with seemingly a due proportion of baser material commonly known as dirt. We politely received the tin platters with the above named contents, placed them on the floor, and with a twirl of the foot sent them gliding to the remotest corner of the room. From Cook's Hotel, with compliments of our friend, George T. Stronach, was sent to us an elegant breakfast for three or four men, which, with the remaining contents of our box, furnished us all an ample repast.

Source: Trinity College Historical Society

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