Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 3

[472] the president's chair, while Sumner was below him at or near Collamer's seat, which was just in front of Wilson's.¹ No word was spoken by either, except Brooks's brief address at the beginning. Words and blows occupied only a few seconds,—ten, thirty, or from thirty to sixty, according to the varying impressions of the witnesses.² There were several persons in the chamber, most of whom saw nothing till they heard the first blow. The first to reach the spot were Edwin B. Morgan and Ambrose S. Murray, members of the House from New York, who were standing in conversation by Clayton's seat, No. 1, near the south door, perhaps fifty feet from the scene. Hearing a strange noise, and turning, they saw the blows, and ran rapidly in different ways toward the spot. Murray went by the passage outside of the bar or rail, back of the desks, and coming behind Brooks caught him by the body and right arm, as with one hand on the collar of Sumner's coat he was in the act of striking with the other, and turned him about and away from Sumner.³ Morgan coming, on the other hand, through the open space in front of the president's desk, and then by the main aisle, reached the spot at the same time with Murray, and caught Sumner as he was sinking, and saved him from falling heavily.⁴ Crittenden, sitting in conversation with Pearce, another senator, whose seat was No. 23, heard the noise, and was on the spot immediately after Sumner had fallen, and was active in efforts to stop the assault, openly and emphatically condemning it.⁵ Holland, a doorkeeper, came up at the same time with Crittenden, and as an officer of the Senate commanded the peace.⁶ Foster of Connecticut, sitting in his seat, No. 42, ran as soon as he heard the noise, and did what he could to prevent further violence.⁷ Gorman, governor of Minnesota, was standing with Toombs in the space in front of the president's desk; the