CCLHP: Deposition of James H. Briggs
I, James H. Briggs after first being duly sworn according to law, depose and say that I was in Charleston o the 28th last month and witnessed much that occurred in town that day. The Shooting commd I should think between three & four oclk P.M. A short time before the commed I saw John Frazier, Jessie OHair and James OHair, sitting Just outside of the West Court yard gate, when I came up to them John Frazier asked me if I was still in the army. I answered him that I was not. That my left lung was stopped on account of a spell of sickness which compelled me to resign – but that I expected to go back into the Army – Frazier remarked that I had better go down South and get a bullet shot though my lungs and will probely Curre me Soon afterwards Stephen Miller came up and there was something said about the difficulties between the soldiers and the citizens. Miller remarked that he supposed that it was a Military necessity and then stated that in his opinion the soldiers were agged on by such men as Ferguson, McLain & other leading citizens. About that time from twelve to fifteen men came up in double file from the direction of Chambers & McCroy’s store amongst whom I recognized Nelson Wells, Robert McClain & some other OHairs. As they came up Robert McClain remarked that they were all right, that h never felt finer in his life. Whereupon John Frazier told them to keep in side and keep together. This he repeated two or three times. These men then passed into the Court House yard. I then passed over to the Old Bank building north of the Court House – In a very short space of time thereafter I saw John Frazier on horse back coming from the direction of Briggs Stable, when he got west of the Court House a little north thereof he called to Robert McClain who attempted to go to him – but then went to the north gate where Frazier said something to McClain in a low tone of vice. McClain then went off but I did not notice where it was but a few moments then until the firing commd. I saw James OHair north of the Court house pistol in hand I saw several of the OHairs James included shooting but from my position could not tell who they were shooting at. I saw one man shoot at a soldier but don’t know who he was.
J.H. Briggs (signed)
Subscribed & sworn
to before me this 2nd day
of April A.D. 1864
M.C. McLain M.P.
