Pitchfork Ben

Racist Democrat and Murderer

Ben Tillman of South Carolina was not quite old enough to become a Confederate soldier. He had a cranial tumor removed which resulted in a loss of his left eye. As a Democrat, he would become the Governor of South Carolina and eventually a US Senator. His “pitchfork” name was the result of his aggressive rhetoric.

What is stunning is most people have no idea how spectacularly racist he was in favoring white supremacy (https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/benjamin-tillman).

He was member of the Red Shirts, a paramilitary arm of the Democrats to bring Democrats to power while intimidating Republicans and free black men. But the Red Shirts were murderers and responsible for the Hamburg Massacre. Tillman was part of the event (https://theclio.com/entry/130362).

The Company A, Ninth Regiment National Guard of the State of South Carolina, an all black unit, was part of the July 4, 1876, centennial celebrations in Hamburg, and two white farmers attempted to break ranks. This would result in escalating exchanges until July 8, when massacre ensured and eight people would be dead (https://www.scpictureproject.org/aiken-county/the-hamburg-massacre.html). While over 90 were indicted for murder, including Ben Tillman, no one was ever prosecuted (https://genealogytrails.com/scar/aiken/aiken_hx2.htm).

A monument would be established for Meriwether, the only white man killed that day.

Eventually, in 2016, all eight killed men were recognized with a memorial (https://mississippitoday.org/2024/07/08/on-this-day-in-1876-seven-black-men-killed-in-hamburg-massacre/). Notice to the reference of the massacre as an “incident”.