The 1876 South Carolina Gubernatorial election was very tight and involved paramilitary action by Benjamin Tillman's Red Shirts in an effort to defeat the Republicans.
The results were 50.3-49.7 with Democrat Wade Hampton III winning over Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain.
Republicans in the state did their own count and found 50.9-49.1 for Chamberlain. Chamberlain would order two companies of Federal Troops to block the Democrats from entering the legislature (with Grant's blessing) and the whole ordeal led to their being two rival governments for a time. In fairness to Chamberlain, without the violence of the Democrats he without a doubt would have won and there was fraud in at least two counties where there was violence.
So what if Chamberlain had won outright in 1876 despite the violence?
The results were 50.3-49.7 with Democrat Wade Hampton III winning over Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain.
Republicans in the state did their own count and found 50.9-49.1 for Chamberlain. Chamberlain would order two companies of Federal Troops to block the Democrats from entering the legislature (with Grant's blessing) and the whole ordeal led to their being two rival governments for a time. In fairness to Chamberlain, without the violence of the Democrats he without a doubt would have won and there was fraud in at least two counties where there was violence.
So what if Chamberlain had won outright in 1876 despite the violence?
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