Meade, George Gordon, 1815-1872 Major General Meade's report on the Ashburn murder

Inscribed by Meade to Spencer Miller on a blue bound-in title page: "Spencer Miller Esq compliments of Gen. Meade." Contains an errata slip opposite the title page. Report on the murder of George W. Ashburn, a prominent white supporter of reconstruction and African-American rights, in Columbus, Georgia. Report outlines the attack on Ashburn by a group of "thirty to fifty" men who were "disguised in masks, and with blackened faces;" based on their style of dress, "there is no doubt that the party...belong to the better class of citizens." The report opens with a statement written to Ulysses S. Grant from Major General Meade, dated 21 July 1868, which summarizes the attack on Ashburn and the reluctance of local authorities to investigate and apprehend the guilty parties. Under Meade's direction, Captain William Mills was placed in charge of a military investigation to "ferret out the guilty." Mills's team found "it was utterly impracticable to obtain any testimony from any party in Columbus, as their lives would be forfeited if they dared to disclose what they knew." Mills recommended that Meade move witnesses and suspects to a secure location where they could disclose information in safety. Meade instructed that these prisoners should not be ill-treated, but faced accusations that investigators abused them. Argues that these claims are wildly exaggerated. He adds, "My conscience is free that throughout the whole transaction I have been animated by but one purpose, which was to secure the ends of justice and vindicate the law. " The rest of the report contains correspondence between Mills, Meade, Grant, and other key parties as they discuss the investigation of Ashburn's murder.