CCLHP: Deposition of Robert Leitch
I Robert Leitch after being duly sworne according to law depose and say that I was in Charleston on the 28th last month. About noon perhaps a little later on said say I was in company with James Hill and John Brown when the subject of the trouble between citizens and soldiers came up and whilst talking Frank Williams came up, there was a quite a large collection of men assembled in the Court House Yard – I should judge one hundred – all appeared to be very much excited. I remarked to Williams that these men appeared very much excited, and answered yes and requested that I should go over to them and try to influence them to quit, saying that he thought I could influence them to stop it. I then went over to the crowd of men and expostulated with and told them of the evils that would be sure to result from raising a disturbance with the soldiers, and told them that I had conversed with the Soldiers and knew that they intended to leave town and would not molest and person if let alone. Nelson Wells and Frank Tolen replied that they had been badly treated by them and were going to have revenge.
They also said that they blamed the citizens as much as the Soldiers, for they pointed them out to the Soldiers as Democrats and they intended to have revenge. I then remarked that revenge was a bad thing and then asked them if they had known any Democrat or any other man that had always been considered loyal, that had been interrupted or disturbed by a soldier, since their return. To which the made no answer. All these men appeared to be greatly excited but the talking was mainly done by Nelson Wells and Frank Tolen. I afterwards went down to the depot, where I found many soldiers as I supposed on the point of leaving and whilst there I heard some man say (said to have been one of the OHairs but can’t say if is so) the soldiers are all a damn set of cowards. I was on the west side of the public square when the shooting commenced and saw Nelson Wells raise his arm and fire a pistol. This was the first shot I heard. Immediately the shooting became general. I saw John Frazier into the Court House Yard. Near the close of the action I also saw some other man in the street on a gray horse shooting in the same direction. I also witnessed many others shooting at Soldiers, but did not know who they were. I afterwards saw many men pass out east in a crowd—but did not recognize any of them.
Robert Leitch (Signed)
Subscribed and sworn to this 2nd day of April 1864
M.C. McLain M.P.
