Blacks who openly sided with (Wade) Hampton often found themselves persecuted. Some were expelled from their churches, shunned by family, or abandoned by wives. The Republican press denounced black democrats as “jail birds” or “lackeys”. Physical threats were common. In Marion County, two black democrats were fired on. Their assailants, also black, were quickly released. Hampton supporter, Tom Elsey, was badly injured by buckshot in a night ambush. His attackers were never arrested. Another black Democrat, William Black of Yorkville, left his horse at a local stable while he traveled to a political meeting. He returned to find the animal strangled with a rope. White friends collected money to buy a replacement. In upper Orangeburg, County, a black democrat was beaten severely and his home burned.
- Wade Hampton, Confederate Warrior, Conservative Statesman, Brian Cisco, P. 233

“Kill him, Kill him!”, cried negroes when at Hudson Station, Virginia, a negro cast a Conservative Ticket. ....Even the negroes wanting to vote with us dared not. One of my old servants, who sincerely desired to follow my advice and example in the casting of the ballot, came to me on the even of the election and sadly told me he could not. He said he was told he would be drummed out of his church if he did....”A negro preacher said “Mars Clay, dee’ll take away my license tuh preach ef I votes de white folks’ ticket…..I did not cease to reproach myself for inducing one negro to vote with me when I learned that on the death of his child soon afterward, his people showed no sympathy, gave no help, and that he had to make the coffin and dig the grave himself. I would have helped him myself had I known, but he was too terrorized to come to me….”
- Dixie After the War, Myrta Lockett Avary, Page 285

...I knows myse’f dat dis way we niggers is a-doin an a-votin’ ain’ de bes’ way fu de country – anybody kin see dat. But den I got tuh vote de ‘Publican tickewt, suh. We all has. Las’ ‘lection I voted de Democrack ticket an’ dee killed my cow. Abum, he vote de Democrack ticket; dee killed his colt.’ …………Monday counted off the negroes who had voted the “Democrack” ticket and every one had been punished. One had been bombarded in his cabin, another’s rice crop had been taken – even the ground swept up and every grain carried off, leaving him utterly destitute………. ““I tell you, suh”, said Monday, “I got tuh do it on my ‘count, an’ on you’ ‘count. You make me fo’man and ‘ef I didn’t vote de ‘Publican ticket, I could’ make dese niggers wuk. I coul’ do nothin’ ‘tall wid ‘em”. -
Dixie After the War, Myrta Lockett Avary, P. 347

....Complaints against black troops alleged not only mistreatment of whites but harassment of fellow blacks as well. A freedwoman in Norfolk, considered to be a violent and “bitter Rebel”, was put to work sweeping the streets, more for humiliation than for legitimate punishment.
- The Day Dixie Died, Thomas and Debra Goodrich, Page 155