The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-04-18
The Forrest Tragedy.
SOME PARTICULARS CONCERNING IT..


A correspondent Of the Memphis Post, an
abolition sheet, gives the following report
from correspondent at Sunfower Landing,
Miss. It shows a bad state of things
among the freedmen in that locality:
General Forrest had just returned, about
four o'clock. from the landing, and noticing
from the paper that the cholera was report
ed in Mobile, went out to the quarters and
set the freedmen (who had been allowed to
ulit work at noon) at work cutting drains
about the houses and cleaning up the
premises inhabited by them. A freedman
by the name of Tom Edwards passed along
and was told by the General to fix up
about his quarters He made no reply,
hut passed into his room, and with his
knife in his hand, commenced curSing and
abusing his wife. The General followed
him and told him he must not abuse and
whip his wife; that he would not allow it.
Tom replied he would whip his wife when
he pleased. The General said: II You
don't stop and shut up I'll fail you with
this broom;" giving him, at the same time
light stroke on the shoulder with it,
when Tom replied by striking at the Gen
eral with his knife, cutting him on one of
his fingers The General then grasped an
axe standing by, and struck Tom a blow
on the head which instantly killed him.
arrived at the scene about 6 o'clock,
and found about a hundred of the freedmen
greatly excited, and disposed to mob VIC
lence.
Afterward the general came out and
made them a speech, deploring the affair
and stating the particulars, and promising
to await legal examination. While some
of the negroes exhibited audacity that not
two white men in thousand would show
the others were controlled by the efforts OF
some of the most intelligent and better OF
the freedmen, and they finally dispersed to
await the future. These are the facts as
saw and heard them.
The General has sent for the deputy
sheriff, who passed here to-day. The cltl.
zens Of the neighborhood are being mott.
fed, and will assemble tomorrow, when
an investigation will be had and an inquest
held. From the circumstances Of thecase
it will merit and attract much attention
| That it is most unfortunate is felt by all
and by none SO deeply as the General him
self. 81
Being somewhat conversant with the
existing relations Of affairs here for some
time past, I would most respectfully re-
quest a suspension of opinion on this case
both North and South, until the facts are
elected by judicial proceedings.
| Twill now add some transactions which
have previously occurred here that had
proposed writing, but have had no oppor
tunity to mail you. On my return from
Memphis, on the 18th ult., I learned that
during my absence Gone week) one of the
freedmen in my employ, his wife and son
had deserted, and, as supposed. lee.. iol
the freedman's Mecca" Memphis. I,ht
second day after | bed gone he refused tt
work, and for two hours cursed, threaten
ed and abused by partner and assistant
both ex-United States officers, Not wish
ing q difficulty during my absence, the,
suffered his insults for two hours, for which
ttliey would have knocked down Whit
man, or been severely whipped in the at
tempt. Mrs. Diffenbacker then undertook
to pacify him, when he insulted and abus
ed her, calling epithets thatwoula not lool
well in a respectable newspaper. Tha
night the negro went over to FORESTS
plantation, and the next day returned witt
/ two more men and four women; the. tire,
men armed with a revolver, a Spencerrifle
and a double-barreled shot gun. The,
again threatened the white men, and thel
entered our premises and commenced car
rying away our property. On being re
monstrated with, they brought the Spence
rife to "charge bayonet" position, ant
cooked it. The white men finally got
dead aim a little ahead, and made then
ground arms" Isl
/ On drawing the load from one barrel Q
the shot gun, which l now have in my pos
session, found it to consist Of a full charg
Of powder, a heavy charge Of duck sho
). and five common bullets. As he said /
meant to shoot Mr.. Tam, / judge he load
ed to kill. The negroes name is Johr
: Wilson; heavy set, peck marked, formerl
lived in South Memphis. He is wearin
good clothes belonging to me, and hop
the freedmen's bureau may arrest him, fc
which | will pay fifty dollars, if justice
J done to both parties.
! found such growing audacity towar
white people among the baser Of the freed
men, backed by mobbing together frol
adjacent plantations, with fire arms loade
to kill white people, and noticing such a
increasing disposition among some to idl
ness and vice, that felt that the good an
order, the peace and quiet of this section
both white and black, called for the pre-
ence Of an officer of the bureau. !,
As-x.--<>o~>>S.