Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-17
Louisiana Intelligence.

From the Lafayette Echo of Saturday, 10th
inst, we extract the following account of the
difficulties in that and adjoining parishes be-
tween the Vigilance Committees and the
'.Moderators'': &
A stranger coming into our town early
last Saturday morning, would have been con-
siderably surprised at seeing armed horse
men coming from all directions and hurriedly
passing through, taking a westerly direction
There was a fixed determination in the face
of each man as be hurried by. which plainly
told that he had some serious Object in view
The facts are simply these: nrs
About ten days ago, the Vigilance Commit
tees of this parish were informed that power
full and well organic, d company of despera-
does, headed by an individual named John
Jonas or John Baptisie Chiasson. and sup
posed TO number about three hundred men,
were in about twenty miles of this place, and
prepared 10 give the Vigiiants battle The
committee OF ST. Martin, Vermillion. ST.
Landry and Caicasieu, were Immediately
appriZcd of-the fact, and on Saturday MORN
ing the Sd inst. each was promptly at the
place previously agreed upon a. rendezvous.
! After the necessary arrangements had been
made, the Vigilance, numbering about five
hundred men. took up their line of march for
the place, where it was known that the enc
u.
two or three men were taken prisoners all
armed with double-barreled guns which they
said they carried with them to shoot birds
but on drawing the charges from their guns
they were found to contain bullets instead OF
shot.
About O'clock, the Vigilants came in
sight OF the house of one Emilien Lagrange.
where the the desperadoes had fortified them
selves-cutting holes in the walls of the
all he
which they intended to fire on their enemy.
When the Committees got within short dis
lance OF the Notifications. they halted and
prepared to batter the building down. having
with them piece of cannon. but just then,
they learned that there were several women
and children in the dwelling-house, which
caused them to hesitate about firing not
wishing 20 harm them. As soon as the bellig-
erenss saw the cannon pointed towards them
they became greatly confused, and the whole
number left their forts, and part of them ran
OH INTO the woods. pursued by company of
the Vigilance. who overlook and captured
several OF them. The balance remained
near the houses, but made no show of resis-
lance. A deputation of four men was sent
10. order their instant surrender. which they
promptly did. each man coming and deliver
ing up his arms. Seventy-one were taken
prisoners. and it is supposed that about an
=
flag and 6fty-three double-barreled guns fell
into the hands of the Vigilance, together with
a number of pistols and knives.
One of the leaders of the desperadoes fin
ding that all was lost. shot himself through
the head with his revolver, thereby putting
an end. with his own hands, 10 his worthless
life. This, so far us we could learn, was the
only life that was lost.
AS soon as everything was quieted, regu-
lar trial was gone into, on the spot, and the
whole number were condemned to receive
the lash, and given five days to leave the
State, under the penalty of being hung if
caught at the expiration of that time.
There is not the least doubt but that few
of the unfortunate wretches above mentioned
were misled by some black-hearted scoun-
DIR. Is, who bad induced them to believe that
the Governor had ordered them, in his proc
lamation, to oppose the Vigilance Commit
tee, and that too with arms in their hands;
but most of them were there for some mean,
rascally purpose. More than two-thirds Of
those captured had never in any way been
molested by the committees.
From disclosures made by some of the
desperadoes. it is evident, that if they had
iriumphed over the committees, they would
have excited the negroes to revolt, and God
only knows what would have been the CON
sequences.