USA > Mississippi > Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II > Part 79
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full citizenship. After the surrender in 1865, it seems that the first official to accept negro testimony was the mayor of Vicksburg, and his action was widely censured. On account of this situation, the military authorities of the United States authorized the re- moval of all cases in which negroes were involved, to the tribunals under the management of the Freedmen's bureau. September 20, Col. Samuel Thomas, assistant commissioner of the Freedmen's bureau, proposed to Gov. Sharkey to transfer all such cases to the civil courts, provided that negroes might have the right of bring- ing suit and giving testimony. Gov. Sharkey replied that in his opinion the negro already had those rights in any court of the State, under the constitution of the United States, since the action of the State convention prohibiting slavery.
The governor accordingly issued a proclamation, September 25, announcing his construction of the law, and requesting that the freedmen's courts be closed and their pending business transferred to the civil courts. This was, of course, unpopular with a large part of the white population, by whom it was called a "bargain" between Judge Sharkey and Col. Thomas. Negro testimony be- came the issue in the election ordered by the convention. The Jackson News expressed the fear of the opposition: "If the privi- lege is ever granted, it will lead to greater demands, and at last end in the admission of the negro to the jury box and ballot box." So serious was this opposition to negro testimony that it was a reason urged by some for emigration to Mexico, where several Confederate generals, as well as Robert J. Walker (q. v.), were interested in creating an American colony. Gen. Wood, formerly of Natchez, was the promoter of emigration to Brazil, whither sev- eral families actually moved. But this movement was opposed by the more judicious. Pursuant to an ordinance of the August con- vention, an election was held October 2, for congressmen and all State, district and county officers, the officials in office when the Confederate armies surrendered being considered as losing all of- ficial status with the collapse of the Confederacy.
Judge Ephraim S. Fisher, of the High court, was the favorite of the convention as a candidate for governor, but Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys was the choice of his army comrades who disliked Fisher because of his indifference to the Confederacy. Another candidate was W. S. Patton. The result of the election was that Humphreys received 17,814 votes; Fisher, 14,528; Patton, 9,422. The opposition to negro testimony secured a majority of the legis- lature, though some of the ablest men elected were of the oppos- ing policy. "Original secessionists" were elected to the High court, but the congressmen were all men who had opposed seces- sion.
When the legislature met, in October, for the first time under the United States government since 1860, Governor Sharkey briefly addressed the two houses. "He remarked," says the jour- nal, "that he had not prepared any formal address or message, and that he did not consider it his province as provisional governor to
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do so. He did not consider himself the constitutional governor of Mississippi; but he thanked the legislature for the compliment implied in their resolution. He alluded to the distracted condition of the State for the past four years; how that the work of reor- ganization fell to his lot, and how distrustful he was of his abili- ties in assuming the great responsibilities which thus devolved upon him. He had done the best he could-had labored faithfully to bring order out of chaos; and notwithstanding the embarrass- ments which had crowded around him from every possible direc- tion, he felt that he was in some degree successful. He was proud to say that Mississippi had taken the lead in the work of reorgan- ization, and that, without any lights for her guidance, she had set an example to her sister States that is being deemed worthy of emulation, and with the most beneficial results to the South." He spoke gratefully of the cordial and unfailing support of President Johnson, and of the pleasure he felt in transferring his powers as provisional governor to the governor regularly elected by the peo- ple.
The writ of habeas corpus was restored, but Governor Hum- phreys was not for some time fully recognized by the president of the United States. Governor Sharkey was notified November 17 that his services as provisional governor were not yet dispensed with, and he continued to be the medium for official communica- tion between the United States and the State of Mississippi, until he was notified December 14, by Secretary Seward, that the time had come, in the judgment of the president, when the care and conduct of affairs in Mississippi might be remitted to the properly constituted authorities, chosen by the people thereof, without dan- ger to the peace and safety of the United States. (Garner.) He was ordered to transfer his papers and the property of the State in his custody, to Governor Humphreys, and was commended for his fidelity, loyalty and discretion. (But, for events following the election see Humphreys' Adm.)
Sharon, an incorporated post-town of Madison county, about 8 miles northeast of Canton, the nearest railroad and banking town. It was so named because the Sharon seminary for girls was situ- ated here at an early day. It has three churches and a non- sectarian school. Population in 1900, 173.
Sharp, a hamlet of Amite county, about 8 miles northeast of Lib- erty, the county seat. The postoffice at this place was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Liberty.
Sharp, Jacob H., was born in North Carolina in 1833, reared from infancy in Lowndes county, Miss., and educated at Athens, Ga., where he was a class-mate of Gen. John B. Gordon. He en- tered the Confederate service as a private in Blythe's regiment, the Forty-fourth Mississippi, and was elected captain of his company. This regiment was part of Chalmers' infantry brigade, with which he served at Shiloh and Munfordville, Ky., gaining commendation for gallantry. After the Kentucky campaign he was elected col- onel, to succeed Blythe, and after commanding his regiment at
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Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Resaca, where General Tucker was wounded, he took command of the brigade. He was promoted to brigadier-general for gallantry on the field of battle at Atlanta, July 22, 1864, and within a week won new distinction for gallantry at Ezra Church. He led his brigade through the North Georgia and Tennessee campaigns that followed, fought his last battle at Bentonville, N. C., and was paroled with the army of General Johnston. After the war he returned to his home in Lowndes county.
Sharpsburg, a post-hamlet of Madison county, 10 miles north of Canton, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 74.
Shaw, an incorporated post-town in the southeastern part of Bol- ivar county, on Porter's Bayou, and on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 25 miles southeast of Rosedale. It was named for the owner of the land through which the railroad passes. It has a money order postoffice, and telegraph, express and banking facil- ities. Its two banks are both prosperous institutions. The Bank of Shaw was established in 1902 with a capital of $30,000, and the First National Bank was founded in 1904 with a capital of $30,000. A large cotton-seed oil mill was established here in 1903, and there are three large cotton gins, which annually gin about 9,000 bales of cotton. It supports separate schools for white and colored, which are efficiently conducted. There are four churches, two white and two colored. The Christian Plea (colored), is a semi-monthly, religious publication, established in 1902. The town has just in- stalled an excellent electric light and water works system. It is situated in a fertile cotton growing district, and the people are wide awake and enterprising. Its population is increasing at a rapid rate. It had 422 inhabitants in 1900, and in 1906 the population was estimated at 1,000.
Shawnee, a postoffice in the western part of Benton county, 10 miles east of Holly Springs, the nearest banking town.
Sheba, a postoffice of Webster county, 12 miles east of Walthall, the county seat.
Shelby, a post-town of Bolivar county, on the main line of the Y. & M. V. R. R., 16 miles by rail north of Cleveland, one of the county seats of justice. The town was named for the Shelby family, who were the first settlers in this part of Bolivar county. It is a prosperous, growing place, and annually ships a large amount of cotton; in 1904, 8,500 bales were shipped from here, all grown within 31/2 miles of town. Shelby has an international money order postoffice, excellent public schools, and seven churches, three white, and four colored. There are two banking institutions-the Shelby Bank was founded in 1902 with a capital of $10,000, which has since been increased to $23,000; the Citizens Bank was estab- lished in 1904 with a capital of $10,000, since increased to $12,300. Among the industrial enterprises of the town are a large cotton-seed oil mill erected in 1903; two spoke factories; a heading mill and three cotton gins. Arrangements are now being perfected whereby
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the town will have a water works system. Its population in 1900 was 250, and was estimated at 1,050 in 1906.
Shelby Creek, a hamlet of Tippah county, 4 miles northwest of Ripley, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from Ripley.
Shellmound, a post-village of Leflore county, situated on the Yazoo river, 8 miles northwest of Greenwood, the county seat, and nearest banking town, and 3 miles west of the station of Money, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 150.
Shelton, a post-hamlet of Jones county, 12 miles southwest of Ellisville, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 46.
Sheppardtown, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Leflore county, on the Yazoo river, 12 miles southwest of Greenwood, the county seat and nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice, a church, several stores, and a saw mill. Population in 1900, 78.
Sherard, a post-hamlet of Coahoma county, on the Riverside Division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 8 miles west of Clarksdale, the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 56.
Sherman, an incorporated post-town, and station on the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R., in the extreme northeastern part of Pontotoc county, and 8 miles northwest of Tupelo. It has a money order postoffice, a bank which is a branch of the Tupelo Bank & Trust Company's bank. Sherman has three churches, a good school, and a cotton gin. The population in 1906 was esti- mated at 500.
Shields, William Bayard, prominent among the lawyers of the Territorial and early State periods, was a native of Delaware, kin of the Rodneys and Bayards. He was appointed major on the staff of Governor Williams in 1805, and he and Poindexter were the escort of Aaron Burr to Washington town in 1807. He was mar- ried in 1807 to Victoire, daughter of Gabriel Benoist. He succeeded Seth Lewis as attorney-general, west of Pearl river, in 1808. He was a representative in the general assembly in 1808 and again in 1813-14 from Adams county. In January, 1818, he was elected judge of the supreme court of the State for the first district, defeat- ing Joshua G. Clark for that honor, but on April 20, of the same year, he was commissioned the first judge of the United States court for the district of Mississippi, a position he held until his death in 1823. Judge Shields was a man of popular qualities, a leader of the Jeffersonian party throughout his career, and as a judge, "patient, laborious, discriminating and scrupulously impar- tial." It was at the home of his widow that S. S. Prentiss (q. v.) made his home when he came to Mississippi.
Shiloh, a hamlet of Issaquena county, situated on the Missis- sippi river, about 15 miles south of Mayersville, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 72.
Shiloh, Battle of. This battle was fought by Gen. Albert Sid- ney Johnston's Army of the Mississippi (q. v.), advancing from Corinth, with the purpose of attacking Gen. U. S. Grant's army,
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which, after capturing Fort Donelson and 14,000 Confederate troops, had moved up the Tennessee river, and encamped at Pitts- burg Landing, about 18 miles from Corinth. Gen. Buell was ad- vancing from Nashville, and the Confederate plan was to over- whelm Grant before he could be re-inforced. Heavy rains delayed the movement just enough to prevent success. Hardee's corps was the Confederate advance force, and the fighting began about day- light Sunday morning, April 6, on the skirmish line of Hardcastle's battalion. The Sixth Mississippi charged with Pat Cleburne, drove the enemy from their tents, and pushed on to meet a bloody repulse. "It was only when the regiment had lost 300 officers and men killed and wounded, out of an aggregate of 425, that it yielded and retreated over its own dead and dying." Col. Thornton and Maj. Robert Lowry were among the wounded. Chalmers' Missis- sippi brigade, on the extreme right, drove the enemy before them until they nearly reached Pittsburg Landing and came under the fire of the gunboats. Then turning toward the center they struck the flank of Prentiss' division about the time it surrendered, at four in the evening. Some of Prentiss' officers surrendered to the Mis- sissippians. After that Chalmers attacked another position but was held in check until darkness stopped the carnage.
Gen. Ruggles claimed much of the credit for the surrender of Prentiss' division for the Mississippi batteries of Swett, Burns and Stanford. Smith's battery was commended for "splendid service." Their six-pounder guns were exchanged for 12-pounder Federal guns. Miller's cavalry battalion captured a Michigan battery of six guns. Blythe's regiment drove a battery from position, but as they pushed on, Col. Blythe was shot dead from his horse and Lieut .- Col. D. L. Herron and Capt. R. H. Humphreys were mor- tally wounded. Statham's brigade was in the front with Breck- inridge through the day. Martin's 2d Confederate regiment, in the same division, fought against Prentiss, and lost 100 men, among the killed Sergt .- Maj. White and Capt. Davis, Lieut .- Col. E. F. McGehee severely wounded. Martin commanded the brigade after Bowen was wounded, and advanced until stopped by the gunboats. Gen. Johnston was killed in the evening, but there was hope that a renewed attack in the morning would have compelled the sur- render of Grant, if Buell had not arrived in the night. The second day's fight was against fresh troops and the Confederate army was driven back. That day Stanford sacrificed his battery; losing nearly all his horses and 20 men, holding the enemy in check. Harper was wounded and Put Darden commanded his guns in a fierce artillery fight. Hardcastle's battalion was in the thick of the desperate struggle. The 2d Confederate, under Maj. T. H. Mangun, checked the victorious enemy with repeated charges and captured a battery. Chalmers' brigade was again distinguished, but lost Col. W. A. Rankin, of the Ninth. Maj. T. E. Whitfield was badly wounded. The brigade went into battle 1,740 strong, cap- tured 1,600 prisoners and lost 82 killed and 343 wounded. The
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Confederate loss in battle was 10,699 killed and wounded; the Fed- eral loss 15,000 killed, wounded and captured.
The battle of Shiloh, so-called from the old church of Shiloh, round which the struggle raged for two days, was in many respects the most desperate of the war. Only the rough and wooded char- acter of the ground, and the timely arrival of reinforcements under Buell, saved the Federal army from utter defeat. When the ex- hausted Confederates were finally forced to retire, an eye-witness of the retreat says that in a ride of 12 miles he saw more of human agony than he trusted he should ever again be called to witness. The long line of wagons, packed with wounded like bags of grain, and drawn by mules plunged belly deep in mud and water; the groans of the wounded and dying; the cold drizzling rain which turned to hail at night, from which the wounded had no blankets to shield them, made a sight never to be forgotten.
Ship Island. This island was first called "Surgeres" by the French, in honor of Compte de Surgeres, commander of the frigate Le Marin of D'Iberville's expedition, who discovered it February 9, 1699. They afterwards called it l'Isle aux Vaisseaux or Ship Island. On the original expedition of D'Iberville to the Missis- sippi in 1699, his ships lay at anchor in the harbor of this island for many weeks, while the commander was engaged in fixing upon a place of settlement for the colony. When the headquarters of the colony were removed to Mobile Bay in 1701, Dauphine Island, then called Massacre Island, was used as the general naval rendez- vous for a number of years. In 1717, the harbor at Dauphine Island became chocked up with sand, and Ship Island was selected as the future place of anchorage, and deposit by MM. D'Epinay and De Bienville. Ship Island was always the first point on the coast where vessels anchored on coming from France. A fort was built there with convenient accommodations for troops, besides warehouses for the storage of goods and supplies for the colony. In the report of M. Hubert on Pensacola, Mobile, and Dauphine Island in 1721, he recommends "Ship Island" as the best harbor on the coast of Louisiana, and the best harbor for a naval station and ships of war (His. Coll. of La., 2nd ser. p. 44).
The island is low, flat and sandy ; is about two miles long by half a mile in breadth, and lies about twelve miles off the coast of Har- rison county of which it forms a part. It is now a United States military reservation and contains a total area of about 50 acres. As a part of the public domain it was reserved for military purposes by Executive Order dated August 30, 1847. Federal jurisdiction was ceded by an act of the State legislature in 1858, "for the pur- pose of enabling the United States to carry into effect an act of Congress of March 3, 1857, providing for the fortification of Ship Island, Coast of Mississippi, by building and maintaining such forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, wharves, and other struc- tures, with their appendages, as may be necessary for the object aforesaid." The State, however, retained concurrent jurisdiction over the island for the service of its civil and criminal process. The
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United States government maintains a quarantine station here. See Gulfport and Harrison county for description of the great modern ship harbor at this point.
Shipp, Barnard, was born near Natchez, April 30, 1813. His grandfather, Richard Shipp, moved to Kentucky from Fauquier county, Va., in 1784, whence William, son of the latter, moved to Natchez in 1802. He was successful as a merchant, and married a daughter of Joseph Barnard, a Londoner who had settled in 1784 on a tract of land five miles north of Natchez, making a plantation called Elysian Fields. After the birth of Barnard Shipp, the family moved to Kentucky, but they returned to Natchez in 1817 on the steamer "Vesuvius." Barnard was educated in the Partridge mil- itary school at Norwich, Vt., taught school at Lexington, Ky., and made the latter place his home 1828-48. In 1902 he was a resident of Jacksonville, Fla., and contributed reminiscences to the Gulf States Historical Magazine. He is the author of two volumes of poems, 1848 and 1852, but mainly known for his works: "The History of Hernando de Soto and Florida," 1881, and "The Indians and Anti- quities of America," 1897.
Shivers, a postoffice in the southern part of Simpson county, on the Columbia Branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., about 14 miles south of Mendenhall. It has a money order postoffice, tele- graph, telephone and express offices, two stores, two saw mills and a cotton ginery. The population in 1906 was estimated at 150.
Shoccoe, a post-hamlet of Madison county, 8 miles east of Canton, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. Popula- tion in 1900, 25.
"Shoestring District," Sixth Congressional District (1876-1892). On March 8, 1876, the legislature, which was Democratic, passed a bill redistricting the State for congressional elections. The ob- ject of this bill was so to "gerrymander" the districts that not more than one colored representative could be elected. This was ac- complished by throwing all the counties on the Mississippi river, where the negro vote was largest, into the sixth district, composed of the counties, Tunica, Coahoma, Bolivar, Washington, Issaquena, Yazoo (later transferred to the fourth), Warren, Claiborne, Jef- ferson, Adams, and Wilkinson, to which Sharkey was added on its organization later in the year, and Quitman when it was orga- nized in 1877. Gov. Ames allowed the bill to become law without his signature, March 18, 1876, ten days after it was sent to him and eleven days before his resignation. The shape of this district, which was the whole western side of the State, about 250 miles long and in many places not more than 20 miles wide, gave origin to the name "shoestring" by which it was known all over the United States.
Shongalo, an extinct village in Carroll county, near Vaiden, in- corporated by the Legislature in 1840.
Shongelo, a post-hamlet in the north-central part of Smith county, 6 miles north of Raleigh, the county seat. Population in 1900, 20.
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Short, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Tishomingo county, 1 mile from the Tennessee river, and 10 miles due north of Iuka, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. Pop- ulation in 1900, 50.
Shraderville, a postoffice of Sharkey county.
Shrock, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Attala county, about 24 miles from Kosciusko, the county seat, and 6 miles east of Goodman, the nearest railroad station and banking town. Pop- ulation in 1900, 46.
Shubuta, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Clarke county, on the Chickasawhay river, and a station on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., 39 miles south of Meridian. It has tele- graph, express and banking facilities. The Bank of Shubuta was established here in 1902 with a capital of $25,000. A Democratic weekly newspaper, the Mississippi Messenger, established in 1879, is published here by C. A. Stovall. It is an important cotton ship- ping point, and also ships wool and naval stores. It has a money order postoffice, and a high school. There is a large saw milling plant, a large oil and fertilizer plant and a cross-arm plant. The town is growing and had a population in 1906 of 750.
Shuford, a postoffice of Panola county, 12 miles southeast of Batesville, one of the seats of justice for Panola county.
Shuqualak, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Noxubee county, on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., 10 miles south of Macon, and 53 miles north of Meridian. It has telegraph, express and banking facilities, a water works system, and a good school. Cotton is the chief crop of the surrounding region, and a large amount of that staple is shipped from this point. The Bank of Shuqualak was established in 1900 with a capital of $15,000. It supports a Democratic weekly paper, the New Era, established in 1898, E. B. Hamilton editor and publisher. The population of the town in 1900 was 600, which had increased to at least 800 in 1906.
Shute, a postoffice of Panola county.
Sibley, a hamlet of Adams county, situated on Second creek, 9 miles south of Natchez. It has a money order postoffice.
Sibleyton, a hamlet of Montgomery county, on the Southern Railway, 14 miles east of Winona, the county seat, and about a mile north of the Big Black river. Kilmichael is the nearest bank- ยท ing town. It has a money order postoffice.
Sidney, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Carroll county, about 14 miles from Carrollton, the county seat. Grenada is the nearest banking town. A portion of Carroll county is called "Little Texas," and the leading citizen of that section, who is styled the Governor, resides at Sidney.
Sidon, an incorporated post-town in the southeastern part of Leflore county, on the navigable Yazoo river, and a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad, 8 miles south of Greenwood, the county seat and nearest banking town. It was named for the ancient city of that name in Palestine. It has two churches, a steam grist mill, a bank, two public gins, and a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 148; estimated in 1906 to be 250.
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Sierra, a post-hamlet of Neshoba county, 7 miles southwest of Philadelphia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 23.
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