Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-10-11
RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER ., 1866,
The New Orleans Massncre--,Re.
port OF the Military Com
mission.

tthe riot in New Orleans July in last has al
last been given To the public, and adds
ten-told to all the charges of oaroarity
hitherto made against Mayor Monroe
and the rebel State aud city officials,
aided by the blood thirsty police and
thugs of New Orleans, and clearly proves
that it was preconceIted plan TO muir
der all the members of the constitutional
convention and afterwards burn the res
licences and places of business Of North
ern men and negroes in the city and in
stitute such reign OF terror that the
Unonists of Louisiana would be Com-
PEELED to remove from the State in order
TO preserve their lives
The report is signed by Gems, Mower,
Gregg Quincy and Badly, VINO consti-
tute the only commission that has taken
evidence in the case, and their report is
made up exclusively from evidence taken
in .he discharge of the duties which they
were sworn to fulfill to the best Of their
ability Gen Sheridan, in his dispatches
OF last August to the War Department,
which the President so skiNully en-
Geavorcd to conceal from the public,
said the affair was not d riot but a mas.
gacr. and now the commission declares
that it was a preconcerted plan by
Mayor Monroe and his rebel coadiutors
TO attack and murder the members Of
the convention if plausible excuse
could be found. The commission aver
a.so that evidence in their possession
conclusiyely shows that "but for the
declaration OF martial law and the pres
ence OF troops, fire and blOOdshed would
have ragged throughout the night in all
negro quarters Of the city, and the lives
and property Of Unionisls and Northern
men would have been at the mercy of
the mob" Three-fourths of the mob
were rebel soldiers, under the lead of a
noted thug, self appointed in command,
and the remainder were regular and
special police appointed by Mayor Mon
roe, Tor the avowed purpose of murder
iLg the Numbers Of the convention and
the negroes Of the city.
OF the attack on the Convention, and
the sickening massacre which followed,
the report says:
At a little before one o'clock, a signal
Of L. strokes was struck upon the city
fre-bells. The Chief Engineer testites
that he had been warned on the day pre-
vious, that such would be the signal for
q concentration of police in case Of a
riot. The signal is not tlre-alarm. as
there are but nine districts in the CITY,
and for general alarm the number of
strokes is 20. Nevertheless, two engines
turned out and repaired to the scene of
the riot Firemen were seen acting as
and with the police, making the arrests
as special police, and lending the assist
ance Of their iron wrenches in the con-
genial occupation of dispatChiDc the
wounded Whether this was in pursu-
ance Of any previous orders, private or
otherwise, the board regard as inmate
rial. There can be no doubt that the
signal was recognized throughout the
CITY as indicating that the attack had
commenced, and as a call to arms to all
who might desire to participate therein.
"I,oOk out for hot work now" is the cry
Of the streets as the first strokes of the
bells resOund. 1t is in evidence that in
one distance orders were given to stop d
saw mill on hearing the signal. 1t Is
understood that, during confederate &C.
cupation, this number of strokes was
the alarm signal to the military in case
Of anticipated attack, and it would al
bD ha OF n
not yet lost its power, since, according
to the testimony of one witness, it
evoked at least one confederate officer in
full uniform and side arms to report for
active duty.
The condition of affairs, and occur
rences in the inside of the building, are
described by great numbers OF those who
were present. The witnesses cOrrobO-
rate and support each other on all essen
tial points, the differences being such as
must be expected in the accounts given
by the actors in scenes of excitement
and terror, and which variations, in
fact, strengthen the general case, by
showing the absence of any comparison
or Encouragement of testimony. The
important facts are, that when the trs1
fighting in the street had ceased, and the
fire of the besiegers was directed at the
window, prominent members of the con
vention requested and ordered all spec
tators, white and black, to come at once
within the railing or bar of the house
This was affected. Those who could mo-
find seats seated themselves on the floor
and the doors and windows were ordered
to.be closed. Before this was effected it il
probable that the return shots, so vari
ously estimated, were fired from the win
dows. This, however, was soon stopped
by orders from those of the whites WIFI
retained their presence of mind. TIL
police then made their first entrance, b.
breaking lopen the doors, and, accord
ing to almost universal testimony ex
cept their own, opened indIscriminat
fire into the room. This was instanta
neous and preceded by no demand or cal
for surrender. When they had emptie,
their revolvers they were driven GU
with chairs by the negroes and an at
teapt made to barricade the door, but un
successfully,as they again and repeatedl