Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-10-20
The Burning OF Brenham

The Burning OF Brenham.
The Legislative Committee, sent
to inquire into and report upon the
circumstances of the burning Of
largo portion of the town Of Brcn-
ham have discharged that duty
After a patient examination of wit
nesses-all of whom were oitizons,
as the military would not allow the
soldiers to be examined, the COM
mittee report as follows;
On Friday night party of L. S.
soldiers belonging to the command
of Major G.. w. Smith, stationed at
Brenham, being under the influence
of liquor, visited negro ball in the
town. created n disturbance, beat
some of the negro men, and ulti-
matcly broke up the ball.
About the same time, party Of
soldiers pursued negro, who was
endeavoring to escape them, to tho
door of the ball room up stairs,
where 4 party Of white ladies and
gentlemen were engaged in dancing,
the soldiers dragged the screaming
and terrified negro to the foot OF tho
stairs, and then commenced to beat
him, this disturbance alarmed the
ladies within and a small party Of
the gentlemen, the escorts and COM
panions Of the ladies at the ball,
among whom was Messrs. Wyatt,
Dickie, and McAlistcr, went out to
quell it. They stated to the soldiers
that this was private party of Ia
dies and gentlemen who did not
wish to be disturbed, and they re-
quested the soldiers to leave, this
the soldiers refused to do; but in
stead they used insolent and insult
ing language, and finally drew their
weapons and fourised them in the
fac s of some of the citizens and at
tempted to strike others; the citi-
izens were wholly unarmed, butdis.
persed to arm themselves for the
protection Of their female friends.
On their return armed, the quar-
rel was renewed pistol shots were
fired, and other weapons used; in
the course of the difficulty two of
the soldiers were wounded. Tho
wounded men were borne Off by
their companions, and no attempt
was made on the part Of the citizens
to stop them, or iniure them in any
way after they had left the immed-
late neighborhood of tho ballroom.
The wounded men were taken to
town and citizen surgeons were call
ed to attend on them. Meanwhile,
great excitement prevailed in tie
camp, and thIeats pointing to the
town were loud and frequent, as
Jwell as other injuries to the citizens.
Similar threats Of burning the
town and other violence were open
ly made throughout the night by
the soldiers upto the moment oithe
fire.
About IL o'clock Major Smith,
with mounted squad came in to
Brenham, arrested andscnt to camp
two beardlcss boys as hostages ac'
cording to his subsequent statement
to DR.. Bauer, but according to his
statement to the committee on
the ground that they were parties
to the shooting"
There was not particle of teSti-
mony introduced to show that eth
er of these boys were even present
at the difficulty. Major Smith, al
ter q fruitless search for Wyatt,
McAlister, and others, announced
to the clerk of the principal hotel
in Brenham that if these parties,
and Wyatt in particular were not
delivered up to him within one hour
according to the civilian witnesses,
or according to Major Smith and his
men, the parties named, would have
cause to regret it, and that lie would
be back before daylight.
Major Smith and his mounted
squad, then patrollcd The town and
visited several places, among others
Compton's store where he posted, ,an
armed guard of infantry, and then,
after announcing that the hour was
up, proceeded to Wyatts Saloon,
forced their way into itby breaking
down the doors and then commcnc-
ed wanton destruction Of the furn-
iture and other property the whole
company of soldiers had followed
Major Smith into the town and now
Joined him in front of Wyatt s.
After they had plunderod the estab.
lishment and destroyed or carried
away its most valuable contents, the
men were. ordered out and marched
about one huHdred yards in the di-
rection of their camp, where they
halted in front Of Redkick's Hotel
on the edge of the town here words
of command were given, the subject
ofburning the town was discussed, IL
quors stolen from Wyatt's saloon
were drank, and finally portion OF
the company were marched in tRe
direction of their camp, and a por-
ton back into town, proceeded di-
rectly to Compton's store, and, aftei
! firing SIX or eight shots into tht
binding, forced their way in by
breaking down the doors. and de
stroyed or carried OF quantity O
the goods. Within a.few minutes
their party, or another, returned tC
the same store and piled up boxe:
and other inAamable material and
fred it, gusrding hepremises unit
the fire had gotten beyond control
or until. as one Of them expressed
| it. ssll-h-n couldn't save It now.