Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-10-12
REPORT OF HE COMMISSION ON
THE NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE.


The following extracts from the Report
tells it's true story Of the New Orleans mas
sacre;
At - o'clock, Sunday night, the night
watchmen are drawn-of their beats, and
held al the various stations. In the morning
the whole uniformed police are called out
and so massed and held in readiness, wheth-
err by orders, Or without orders, nearly every
man is armed. They are not sent 10 the con-
vention, for its protection, advised by Gen.
Heron on the contrary, they scrupulously
kept from appearing on the streets, the May
or, at ne states, relying on mis- proclamation
to keep away the whites, and on the troops,
which, as he states, Gen, Baird had promised
to send, to keep the negroes in order. lie
fears that the appearance OF the police might
oyerawo the Convention.
Mayor Monroe well knew that before the
excited passions Of the mob, it would be as
barrier Of straw to fire; that no troops had
been asked for, and without the presence OF
] police, violence was inevitable. When, there
fore, he withdrew and massed his armed POI
lice, and on the breaking out Of the riot, pre-
cipltated them upon the scene, the Board are
compelled to conclude that he knew what
their action would be, and that he intended
the inevitable consequences of his own acts.
Finally the assailants obtain full posses
sion Of the whole building. Tho negroes in
hiding are brought out and dispatched; 9th.
ers perched for safety on beams and
raiters are picked off like game by well aimed
shots, the whites taken 10 the station-house
with blows and abuse, and at last, Just as
the advancing bayon are seen to glisten
, on the Levee, the "riot' is over, for lack VI
: victims.
, Whether the organization known as "Brig-
ade Association" which was ordered TO be
, dissolved by Gen. Sheridan, was present as
, a body, or merely by the common impulse OF
its members, cannot be ascertaned but Of
its actual presence there can be but little
doubt. Many of the police were members,
B and such expressions as "Ihere goes Hays
1 Brigade ) Damn you, you are fighting Hays
Brigade ;" "ls all Hays Brigade ups" "No,
II 1t had been not one would have escaped =
plainly show where the strength of the sup
porting force to the Police lay.
OF the further occurrences Of the day Of
, riot, the Board would respectfully call atten-
tion to the brutal treatment, and almost in
e human neglect of the wounded and dead pris-
oners, at the various station. houses, before
, they were, by military orders, removed to
, the hospitals. The evidence of Lieut. Col.
Crosby, Major Sheridan and Dr. Avery on
this point, shows as horrible scene of suffer
, ing and neglect could have been presented
on lost battle field
: The Board are reluctantly compelled to
discredit the Mayor and to believe that he
knew that not a soldier had been asked tor,
and that, when he msssed his armed police
and held them aloof from the building, no
barrier remained between the convention and
: negroes and the Infatuated citizens with
whose threats the city was still ringing, ex-
cept his paper proclamation. He states,
however, that he knew that the hatred Of the
mob toward the convention and the negroes
was shared by the police. In this state Of
affairs, should the negroes assemble in any
number, coils ON might be considered in
, eyitable, and an attack by the mob upon the
|, convention as sure to follow. Then the po-
} lioe-massed, armed and read --are let loose
upon the scene to "Quell the riot" How
! they did qaell It will appear from the evil
dsnce.