Wm. T. Sherman to enroll as militia, companies of 150 men of the highest
standard and to have them report to him, Sherman, for duty. The response
was light and the order looked upon as a joke and little or no stock
taken in it. So on the 7th Sherman tendered his resignation as Major
General, claiming that no plan of action could be determined upon
between himself and the Governor. The action taken by the Governor in
this move was by virtue of the constitution of the State, his duty to
enforce the execution of the laws, he claiming that the Vigilance
Committee had no right to arm and act without respect to the State laws.



Terry and Hopkins Affair.

On the 2nd of June, 1856, the city was in great excitement at an attempt
by David S. Terry to stab Sterling A. Hopkins, a member of the
Committee. Terry was one of the judges of the Supreme Court. Hopkins and
a posse were arresting one Rube Maloney when set upon by Terry. Hopkins
was taken to Engine House No. 12 where Dr. R. Beverley Cole examined and
cared for his wound which was four inches deep and caused considerable
hemorrhage. The blade struck Hopkins near the collar bone and severed
parts of the left carotid artery and penetrated the gullet. Terry and
Maloney at once fled to the armory of the "Law and Order Party" on the
corner of Jackson and Dupont streets. The alarm was at once sounded on
the bell at Fort Gunnybags and in less than fifteen minutes armed
details were dispatched to and surrounded the headquarters of the "Law
and Order Party" where Terry had taken refuge, and in less than half an
hour had complete control of the situation, and by 4:15 o'clock in the
afternoon Terry and Maloney and the others found there had been taken to
the Committee rooms as well as the arms (a stand of 300, muskets) and