The Battle of Athens, Tennessee, aka The McMinn County War

1946: returning Tennessee war vets used rifles, Thompson submachine guns, Molotov Cocktails, and dynamite bombs to oust criminal county officials who refused to be voted out, and who also had hit an elderly black would-be voter in the face with brass knuckles, then, as he fled, shot him in the back.

This is one of the lesser known events where a heavily armed citizenry came in handy. National news companies covered it, but were not amused.

Funny that it doesn't get more press... I guess they are still considered a Bad Example of what armed citizens can do to corrupt Democrats.

American Heritage Magazine has the story.