In honor of Black History Month, the U.S. Marshals Service, in 2021, discovered the first known African American federal officer killed in the line of duty. Up until this point, that distinction had belonged to William Henderson Foote who was killed in 1883. Foote, who had been the constable and town marshal in Yazoo City, Mississippi, had been appointed as a deputy collector for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Internal Revenue Service. The agency was a predecessor to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). In 2012, his descendants were in attendance during National Police Week as his name was put on the wall 128 years after his death.
Now the distinction belongs to Special Deputy U.S. Marshal Augustus “Gus” Harris. Harris was born into slavery in 1845 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. He was the son of David Harris, who became a black leader in Edgefield during Reconstruction. His father served as a delegate to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1868 representing Edgefield County. South Carolina was the only state in the Union to have a black majority legislature.
During Reconstruction, freed blacks were able to vote and hold elective office. Blacks outnumbered whites in Edgefield County. Augustus Harris served as a constable for Edgefield County and sergeant-at-arms in the South Carolina legislature. In 1876, Robert Wallace, marshal for South Carolina, appointed Harris as one of his deputies.
On June 18, 1878, Augustus Harris had an arrest warrant for Brooker Toney, a white resident who was wanted for killing a black man in 1874. As Harris was attempting to arrest him near the Edgefield County Courthouse, a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Harris pulled out his revolver and fired at Toney but missed. Toney fired back and struck Harris in the stomach. As Harris fell to the ground, he attempted to fire a second time. However, Toney, standing over him, shot him two more times, one round striking the heart.
Toney was arrested for the murder of Augustus Harris, but he would never see the inside of a courtroom. The judge released Toney from jail on his recognizance. While he was out of jail, he attended a political rally outside the Edgefield County courthouse, about two months after he had killed Harris. There were over 2,000 people in attendance. In the crowd, there were individuals from the Booth and Toney families. These families had a grudge against each other since a murder of a Toney by a Booth in 1869. During the rally, a melee ensued between members of both families. When everything had calmed down, three people were dead and seven wounded. Brooker Toney was one of those killed, shot six times. In ironic fashion, he died a few steps away from the spot where he killed Augustus Harris.
Augustus Harris, born into slavery, became a free man, rising to positions of authority. He died executing the office of the U.S. Marshals Service. He left behind a wife and five children. He has since been honored with his name engraved on the National Law Enforcement Memorial. Although it took 143 years, Augustus Harris’ sacrifice is finally recognized and upholds the highest traditions of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Multiple people are credited with compiling the information that led to the discovery of Augustus Harris. David Turk, historian for the U.S. Marshals Service, was responsible for confirming Harris’ status as a deputy marshal and submitting his name to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The Edgefield County, South Carolina, Archives are credited for their research.
About the Author
Robert Bowling is a retired police officer from Fishers (IN) and Durham (NC) police departments. He has served in a variety of roles to include, Field Training Officer, Honor Guard, Evidence Technician, Traffic Crash Reconstructionist, Hostage Negotiator, School Resource Officer, and Crisis Intervention Stress Management team member. His true passion is history and he became the first historian and curator for the Fishers Police Department.
After retirement, he has continued his passion for history focusing on law enforcement and fallen officers. He is an historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page. He is the author of the book Wicked Fishers and serves on the boards of a few historical organizations. He currently teaches Criminal Justice for a local high school.
Recently Fallen Heroes
Here are just some of the brave officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in late November and early December of 2021:
Deputy Sheriff Frank Ramirez, Jr.
Independence County (AR) Sheriff's Office
End of Watch: Nov. 18, 2021
Deputy Sheriff Frank Ramirez was killed in a single-vehicle crash while responding to a call for assistance in the rain when his vehicle left the roadway on a curve and became airborne.
Police Officer Henry Laxson
Clayton County (GA) Police Department
End of Watch: Nov. 30, 2021
Police Officer Henry Laxson was shot and killed as he and other officers responded to a domestic violence and shooting call in which a body was shot in the face when a man opened fire from inside a residence.
Detective Antonio Valentine
St. Louis County (MO) Police Department
End of Watch: Dec. 1, 2021
Detective Antonio Valentine was killed in a head-on crash with a fleeing suspect at a high rate of speed while he and his partner were responding to assist fellow narcotics unit detectives in the pursuit.
Constable Madison "Skip" Nicholson
Wilcox County (AL) Constable's Office
End of Watch: Dec. 1, 2021
Constable Skip Nicholson was shot and killed while he and the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office chief deputy responded to a domestic disturbance call after a woman had reported that her estranged husband had threatened to kill her and left to retrieve a firearm.
Police Officer Richard Houston, II
Mesquite (TX) Police Department
End of Watch: Dec. 3, 2021
Police Officer Richard Houston was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance in the parking lot of a grocery store when a man produced a gun and opened fire.
Deputy Jailer Robert Daniel
Graves County (KY) Jail
End of Watch Dec. 10, 2021
Deputy Jailer Robert Daniel was killed when a large tornado struck a building he was working in while supervising inmates on work release at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory.
Robert Bowling
Robert Bowling is a retired police officer from Fishers (IN) and Durham (NC) police departments. In retirement, he has continued his passion to honor fallen officers. He is an Ambassador for the National Law Enforcement Memorial, as well as an historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page. He also has a passion for history, focusing primarily on law enforcement history. He is a member of the Police History Society and is the author of the book Wicked Fishers. He currently teaches Criminal Justice for a local high school.
