Under a Senate resolution 5/6 Dec 1876, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections appointed a subcommittee of three members to visit the State of South Carolina: Angus Cameron (WI), Isaac P. Christiancy (MI), and Augustus Summerfield Merrimon (NC). This subcommittee took testimony in Columbia in December and January and produced a three volume report. There is occasional sharpness between the senators but this did not have a great effect on the report's quality, as there is no attempt to draw conclusions, but rather to simply record whatever anyone said.
In the first two volumes, 36 witnesses including Dock Adams and M. C. Butler were tirelessly interrogated on the Hamburgh [sic] massacre. Dozens if not hundreds more were interrogated regarding Ellenton and general election fraud and intimidation. The testimony is presented without obvious redaction.
Volume 3 comprises a further hundred depositions regarding Ellenton, as well as reports, affidavits, statistics, papers, press clippings, roster of the Hamburg militia company, and laws such as the 1866 Black Code and state Militia Laws. The full report runs some 2500 pages.
Being the only place where both sides got to tell their story, this is by far the most important primary source for the Hamburg Massacre. The Bloody Shirt is the first book making full use of this source.
The following excerpt gives an idea of the graphic detail. Warning: viewer discretion is advised. If you are offended or disturbed by historical racial hatred, please do not read past the list of witnesses.