Anonymous, "Great Riot," Ohio Statesmen, September 16, 1851

Awful Loss of Life in an Attempt to Capture Fugitive Slaves.

We announced yesterday morning that a painful rumor had reached the city, to the effect that Messrs. Edward Gorsuch and his son Dickinson Gorsuch, of Baltimore county, had been murdered in Pennsylvania, whilst endeavoring to arrest some runaway slaves. We regret to be called on now to announce that the rumor has proved but too true, and that the matter is still more serious than was at first supposed. A slip furnished us from the office of the Baltimore County Jacksonian gives the followingp:-

The citizens of this county were yesterday shocked with the thrilling intelligence, brought by the passengers in the cars from York, that two of our most estimable citizens were killed on Thursday morning last, by a negro mob, near Lancaster, Pa. The most intense excitement now prevails throughout the county, and yesterday morning a large body of people from the neighborhood of Monkton and the vicinity, proceeded to the scene of the outrage.

The particulars, as we learned them yesterday from one of the party, who reached home on Thursday night, by way of Philadelphia, were as follows. Mr. Edward Gorsuch and his son Dickinson Gorsuch, who reside on the York road, some six miles above Cockeysville, accompanied by Nicholas Hutchins, of Joshua, Nathan Nelson, Dr. Thomas Pierce, Joshua Gorsuch, and some others whose names we have not obtained, proceeded to a place called Christiana, between Lancaster and Philadelphia, to recover some runaway slaves who belonged to Edward Gorsuch, who ran off about a year since. They discovered the house in which the negroes were secreted, and, upon entering it, the negroes rushed up stairs, and with loaded muskets in their hands, prevented the party from ascending.

A horn was blown from the windows, and in a few moments a large crowd of negroes and whites surrounded the house. The Marshal, who was in company, commanded the whites to assist them, but not a man complied with his order. Mr. Gorsuch and his friends, finding themselves thus overcome, retired from the house, and as they did so, they were fired upon from the upper windows of the house, and attacked by the crowd outside. Edward Gorsuch was shot in the breast and fell dead. His son was shot in the arm and shoulder, and is reported this morning to have since died from his wounds. Both of them were beaten with clubs after they were shot. Joshua Gorsuch, a nephew of Edward Gorsuch, was shot, and though still living, is considered to be in great danger. Dr. Thomas Pierce was shot and badly beaten, and it is feared he cannot survive. Messrs. Hutchins and Nelson escaped, and got off to Philadelphia.

Two or three of the negroes were shot, it is said, by some of the officers in the company. Dr. Pierce and Dickinson Gorsuch were still in the care of some white peoples, near Christiana, and up to the hour of our going to press none of them had been brought on. Such was the violence of the attack that none of the survivors could remain with the wounded, but had to escape as best they could. The crowds of blacks and whites, it is said, numbered over two hundred in a few minutes after the blowing of the horn, none of whom interfered to save the lives of our citizens.

Neither time nor space allows us room for comment, and were they both ample, our feelings are too much excited to enable us to speak further of the matter,- Edward Gorsuch was one of those men who are the pride of the community. All the parties with him were our most respectable, intelligent and useful citizens. It is an outrage of no ordinary character, and one that has filled our community with a melancholy gloom. The law of the land—the very statute upon which hangs our destiny as a Union—has been wantonly and openly violated, and the death of one, if not more of the best citizens of Maryland, has been the consequence.
Further Particulars.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer of yesterday, we extract the following additional particulars:

It appears that Mr. Gorsuch, the owner of two fugitive slaves from Baltimore county, accompanied by his two sons, the Deputy United States Marshal, from Baltimore, two U. States officers from this city, and several policemen, also from this city, proceeded, on Wednesday evening, to Christiana, about 21 miles this side of Lancaster, for the purpose of arresting the fugitives.

After a consultation among the officers, it was deemed inexpedient to make arrests until yesterday morning. From the last reports, we learned that the colored population in the vicinity, having been informed of the nature of the visit of the officers to Christiana, held a meeting and asked the opinion of the leading abolitionists, as to what course they should pursue.

The answer was, as one of the most current reports state, that they should stand their ground. Accordingly about 80 negroes assembled with guns, & c., and secreted themselves in the neighboring woods, and cornfields. The signal of attack on the officers was the blowing of a horn.
When the officers came upon the party, they were surrounded on all sides, and deadly fire poured upon them by the negroes. At the first fire, Mr. Gorsuch, and elderly gentleman, and the owner of the Fugitive slaves, was instantly killed, and one of his sons mortally wounded. Another of the party, said to be a United States Deputy officer from Baltimore, was also much hurt.

A Philadelphia officer was fired at five times and missed. He was in the midst of the fight at the time. At the time the five o’clock train passed through Christina they were holding an inquest on the body of Mr. Gorsuch.

The wounded Baltimore officer was in Columbia when the line came through, waiting for the cars to York.

The information to the Fugitive slaves that their master and the officers were after them, is believed to have been given by two negroes from Philadelphia, who dogged the pursuing party to Christiana.

A telegraphic dispatch received at the office of the Marshal of Police, dated at Lancaster, asking that officers might be sent to West Philadelphia to intercept the murderers, who had fled in the slow line.

The line arrived at five, and the dispatch did not reach the police office until a quarter past 5, and then gave no description of the suspected parties.

The Marshall telegraphed back for a description, and was answered that Mr. Charles Brady, agent, would furnish him with one. Mr. Brady did not come down in the line.

A number of the Marshall’s officers proceeded to West Philadelphia, and all other western deports, but were too late.

Two suspicious looking negroes came down in the five o’clock line. Several white men in the garb of Friends, also came down, who were heard by the agent conversing the affair. One of them said when he heard the firing he rode over to the scene.

Every effort will be made to arrest the murders if they come this way.

We saw at a late hour last night, a letter hastily written, to a gentleman in this city, by a person who was an eye witness of the riot, fully confirming all the above facts.

Since the foregoing was in type, we learn that the body of Mr. Edward Gorsuch was brought down on the Susquehanna railroad yesterday morning. He had received a load of shot and slugs in his left breast, causing instant death. Dickinson Gorsuch, the son, was still living, at the latest accounts, and some hopes were entertained of his final recovery.

It will also be seen that our Philadelphia correspondent gives some further details of the horrid affair, and says that Dickinson Gorsuch has also since died.