The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-06
The New Orleans Massacre.

tC1i lASIi own SkOI
"NEW ORLEANS, Aug. l, 1866.
az. s. Grant GENERAL You are :
doubtless aware Of the serious riot which 7
occurred in this city on the 30th a
political body, styling itself the Conven-
ton OF 1864, met On the Both, for, as it !.
is alleged, the purpose of remodelins the
constitution Of the State. The leaders |
were political agitators and Revolutionary
men, and the action of the convention was |
liable % produce breaches of the public
peace.
81 had made up my mind 20 arrest the /
head men if the proceedings OF the con /
veation were calculated to disturb The
tranquility Of the department, but [ had
10 cause for action until they committed
the overt act. Ia sbe meantime, Official
duty called me to Texas, and the Mayor
OF the city, during my absence, suppressed /
the convention by the use 0f The police
force, and in so doing attacked the mem
bcls Of the convention and party of two
hundred negroes with firearms, clubs aud
knives, IN manner so unnecessary and
atrocious as 10 compel me to say that Il.
Vas murder. About forty whites and
blacks we're thus killed, aud about one
hundred wounded. Everything is now
quiet. but l deem it best TO maintain
military supremacy for a few days, until
the affair is fully investigated.
~ believe the sentiment of the general
community IS great regret at this unnoc-
essary cruelty, and that the police could
have made any arrest they saw fit without
sacrificing lives. 2. H. SHERIDAN,
'.NIai. Gen. Csnmendinr1
"NEW ORLEANS. Aug 2, 1866.
." To T. s. Grant:
"The more INFORMATION I obtain Of the
affair Of the 30th, in this city, the more
revolving it becomes Il was no riot ii
was an absolute massacre by the police,
which was not excelled in murderous
cruelty by that Of Fort Pillow it vas
murder which the Mayor and police OF
the city perpetratea without the shadow
Of necessity; furthermore [ believe it
was premeditatad, and every Indication
points 10 this [ recommend the reno
wing OF this bad man. believe it would
! be hailed with the sincerest qualification
by two-thirds OF the population of the
city. There has been q feeling of iase-
curitg on the part Of the people here on
account Of this man, which is now so muah
| increased that the safety of life and prop
| erty does not rest with the civil authority,
out the military. 2. Il. SHERIDAN,
Maj. Gen. Commanding
FNEW ORLEANS, Aug. 3, 1866.
To Z. S. Grant:
Unless good judgment is
! exercised there viii be an exodus Of
northern capital and Union men which
will be Injurious to the city aud the whole
country. / will remove the Military
Governor in day or two [ again
strongly advise that some disposition be
made 70 change the present Mayor, as [
| believe II would do more to restore conf
dence than anything that could be done.
| Ii the present Governor could be changed
also it would net be amiss.
"F Ii. SHERIDAN,
| ''Maj. Gen. Commanding"
NEW ORLEANS, aug. 3, 1866.
:" To 1Rdreic Johnson, President of'the T. S.
! The remote cause was
| the bitter and autagonistic feeling which
/ has been growing in this community
since the advent OF the present Mayor, who
in the organization of his police force Sc
| lacted many desperate men, and some Of
! them known murdcrers People Of clear
views we're overawed by want Of conf
dence in the Mayor and fear Of the
Thugs" many OF whom he had selected
! for his police force. : It Is use-
less to attempt to disguise the hostility
that exists on the part Of 4 great many
| here towards northern men and this ua-
/ fortunate affair has so precipitated mat
! ters that there is now . test OF what shall
/ be 7 stains Of Hha \ 0-f 1,.rt rg,oy --har b
cT they cah live here without being IN
| constant dread or not, whether they can
| be protected in lie and property, and
| have justice IN the Courts
! From the testimony of wounded men and
others who we're inside the building, the
! policemen opened an indiscriminate IRE
/ upon the audience until they had emDtie6
their revoivers, when they retired and
those inside barricaded the doors The
door was broken IN and the firing again
/ commenced, when many OF the colored
and white people either escaped through
the door or were passed cut by the police
men inside, but as they came out the Pc
lcemen who formed the circle nearest the
building fred upon them, and they were
again fred upon by the citizens that
formed the outer circle. : Nauy
| Of those wounded and taken prisoners, and
others who were prisoners a0d not wound
ed, were fred upon by their captors and
! by citizens. The wounded were stabbed
/ while lying on the ground, and :heir
! heads beaten with brick bars. To the
YARD of the building whittier some Of the
coored men had escaped, and partially
! secreted themselves, they were fred upon