At Somerville, Fayette county, on Thursday, the negroes appeared at the polls several hundred strong, armed like soldiers, although a detachment of Regulars had been sent there to prevent riot. They stacked arms, voted the radical ticket, and marched away. This is one of the methods of conducting a free election.

The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 10 Aug. 1867, Page 1. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.