The Avoyelles pelican. [volume] (Marksville [La.]) 1859-186?, 1862-08-02
LETTER FROM AN EXU.ED T.
NIONISI.
A ,INFUL STORY.

To the Editor Of the Delta:
Many, no doubt, have heard of the,
unfortunate affair which took place. in
the parish of ASoXtlles on the llth of
May last, bat very few know the real
facts nf the case. L would have, made a
general statement Of the facts soon er
had L not feared that no immediate ac-
ton could. have been taken iii the pre-
misses by the United States authorities,
thereby endangering the safety of my
relatives and friends at home. Reluc-
tantas now am to do so, am compelI-
ed to lay before the proper authorities
the causes which induced me to leave
home a refugee. I deem it necessary to
call the attention of the United States
authorities to the state of affairs as they
existed i'll the parisl of Avoyelles, after
the capture Of New Orleans by the Union
troops. and Of the manner in which l be-
came involved in. my present embaras-
sing position. As soon as it was known
that New Orleans had fallen, made it
my duty to. visit several parts of the pa
rlsh Tor the purpose Of preparing the
minds of the people to return to their al
lrglance to the United States govern
lnent was generally successful in
this, with t.'e exception of a few sugar
and cotton planters, and also few de-
signing political delnagogurs who had
lo property at.all, and who We're obsti
nate III their opposition to the United
States notwithstanding, (as mat
ter OF c"urse,) in case the so-called Con
trdtrate Sta'es,suoceeded in dividing our
Umon. to gain. important positions. 1t
being well known fact to. the parties
lastly named that I and. all my family
and frlrnds,weEe opposed to the destruc-
tiDn OF cotton, &c, we were often threa-
tened with arrest and hanging for our.
manly opposition to their nefarious de.
signs. Muskets had been Sent up from
New Orleans previous to its capture to
overawe and keep us in suhiection.-
Armed bands of mrn had been sent to
burn our cotton by the militia colonel,
which were promptly resisted BY us aud
compelled to return home by our de-
termination to defend to the last our
property. They employed all means to
oring about conflict with the supposed
Union men Of our parish. in order, if pos
s'ble, to crush out the rising Union feel
ing which was rapidly gaining ground
IN our community. In this we baff1rd
them, for time, until the 18th day of
May last, when party Of. sever,l mill
tia'nen. armed witt shot guns, pistols
and bowie-knives. had been detailed by
the militia colonel to arres1 a certain in.
dividual. known to us ar u. Union man,
with the intention Of hanging him be-
Cause he S" far recognized the United
States authority as to take passport
from New Orleans. Hearing Of this,
to defend him from injustice,
not so much as personal friend, but be-
cause wished to evince to them my
determination to uphold the United
States authority, come what might. Ac.
ting on this impulse, Immediately on
hearing Of his arrest proceeded, in com
pany with my father, VIM. Edwards, p.
Battell and A. Denis to his assistance,
and upon, our arriving we: were imme-
liately attacked by the militiamen, who,
however, fled after firing some fifteen or
twenty shots at us. which unfortunately
killed my father, VIM. Edwards. re-
ceived dangerous wound, in the right
breast. Mr.. Denis received three shots in
The left arm, and Mr.. Battell escaped un-
hurt, though several shots,passed through
his clothes. On theirside enc was killed
and one wounded. ....Fs,,
I ascertained afterwards that the Col
onel had ordered out the militia to cap
ture us for having resisted his assumed
and of up'olding that of the
United States, and had they been suc-
cessful in taking us I have reason to be-
lieve that we would have been inne-
diately hung as traitors to the so-called
States Of America. So, on
the night Of the l. 1th Of May last, I left
Landing. on Red River, in
with Mr.. Battell and Mr.. Dem
is. Nv uncle, F. Edwards, and one Of