Report on Services of Machine Gun Company, 1st. Inf., N.C.N.G. at Graham, N.C., 13 August 1920

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
RALEIGH

13 Aug. 1920.

From: The Adjutant General, North Carolina,

To: The Governor and Commander-in-chief N.C.N.G.

Subject: Report on services of Machine Gun Company, 1st. Inf., N.C.N.G. at Graham, N.C.

1. Pursuant to instructions contained in Special Order #200, The Adjutant General's Office N.C. N.G., the Machine Gun Company, 1st. Infantry, proceeded from its home station, Durham, N.C., to Graham, N.C. to guard the jail against attack of mobs, and reported to the Sheriff of Alamance County about 6:30 P.M. Sunday, July 18th., 1920.

2. The Military organization was ordered to Graham upon the request, by telephone, of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and E. S. Parker, Esq., County Attorney for Alamance County, made to Col. Santford Martin, Private Secretary to the Governor, in the absence of the Governor, and communicated to Major Gordon SMith, Asst. Adjutant General, in the absence of the Adjutant General from the office. The action of Col. Martin in calling on the troops was immediately confirmed by the Governor.

3. Attached hereto and as a part of this report is a full report of Capt. Marion B. Fowler, Commanding Officer of the Machine Gun Company, and marked Exhibit "A".

4. About 11 o'clock on the night of July 19th., 1920, Capt. Fowler called the Adjutant General on the telephone, stating that his troops had been fired upon from the direction of a corn field adjoining the jail, and it had been necessary for the Machine Gunners to fire. That a civilian had been killed and one or two wounded. That it was rumored that the populace was incensed and that the Company would probably be attacked. Capt. Fowler requested that additional troops be sent to Graham. A few minutes after my conversation with Capt. Fowler I was called by phone by Mr. E. S. Parker urging that I personally come to Graham at once, by special train, and requesting that I not send any additional troops. Mr. Parker stated that the situation was grave, that the citizens were much excited over the killing of one Jim Ray and that the feeling was very strong against the troops, that he believed that matters could be worked out satisfactorily if I would come to Graham without delay.

5. In view of the information at hand, the 4th. Company, Reserve Militia, Durham, N.C., was ordered to assemble at its Armory to await orders to proceed to Graham, and to perfect arrangements to make the trip by automobile or special train if called.

6. In the absence of the Governor I requested the Secretary of State to go to Graham with me. I then left Raleigh by automobile, accompanied by the Secretary of State, about 12:10 A.M., July 20th., and at Durham, on account of hard rains and bad roads, we boarded the regular train for Graham, arriving at Graham about 2:50 A.M. We then proceeded by automobile to the office of Mr. E. S. Parker, where were assembled Mr. E. S. Parker, The Sheriff, The Mayor, Col. Don Scott, and two or three others. Mr. Grimes and I immediately went into conference with the gentlemen mentioned whereby it was agreed that the three colored prisoners would be removed to the State Penitentiary at 6 o'clock A.M. by special train, accompanied by the Military Organization. This action was deemed necessary on account of the intense feeling of the citizens of Graham against the prisoners and the troops and to avoid further loss of life

7. I communicated by phone with Major Gordon Smith, Assistant Adjutant General, in Raleigh, who according to instructions arranged with the Southern Railroad for a special train to arrive at the station at Graham, N.C. at 6 o'clock A.M. Two trucks were secured and the prisoners in charge of the Sheriff and the Military as an escort were loaded and proceeded to the station, arriving there at as the train pulled in. Prisoners and troops boarded the train and immediately left for the penitentiary at Raleigh.

8. The prisoners were delivered by the Sheriff to the State authorities at the penitentiary.

9. The troops, after breakfasting, returned to Durham on the special train, which necessarily returned to Greensboro, N.C. from whence it came.

10. Though it was unfortunate and is to be regretted that the life of a good citizen of Graham was taken, I wish to commend most highly the officers and men of the Durham Machine Gun Company for the loyalty, alertness and efficience with which this, a hard and disagreeable duty, was performed.

J. Van B. Metts,
Brigadier General.