Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-19

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" wounded.
About one hundred negroes escaped, but
it was reported that the whites were still
pursuing them. All of the leaders of The
riot escaped, especially the white men. Tht
negroes ambuscaded themselves in tht
Courthouse, and the whites, finding tia
thare was no other mode Of attack lef
them, set fire TO the building. The white:
numbered in the neighborhood of one hun.
bred and fifty men. The fight lasted from
II A. NJ. to nearly 5 p The whites arc
now in possession of Colfax, and when
left, late last Sunday night, everything was
very quiet.
STATEMENT OF MR.. HILL.
From the New Orleans Times, April Is,
From Mr.. R. G. Hill, of Marshall, Texas
who reached town Tuesday, at l P. NJ, by
steamer Southwestern, (from Red river,)
which laid at Colfax two hours on Sunday
evening, we gather the following informa.
ton:
The trouble in Grant parish, La, come
to rather bloody termination last Sunday,
18th inst, and as happened to be one of
the passengers on the steamer Southwest
ern, am enabled to give you some account
of the fight.
Sunday night, shortly after dark, the
boat loaded at wood pile about a mile
above Colfax, Grant parish, and a young
fellow, armed to the teeth and very much
excited, came aboard and requested the
captain 10 land at COlfax and take some
wounded white men to Alexandria, about
% miles further down the river.
On arriving at Colfax, we found about a
hundred aimed men on the bank, and most
of the passengers, myself among the num-
Der, went ashore to view the "battle
ground" for our young friend, who came
aboard at the wood pile, informed us 'that
if we wanted to see dead nigeers, here was
a chance, for there were hundred or so
scattered over the village and the adjacent
fields" and he kindly offered to guide Us to
the scene of action.
Almost as soon as we got to the top OF
the landing, sure enough, we began to
stumble on them, most of them lying on
their faces, and, as could see by the dim,
light of the lanterns, riddled with bullets.
One poor wretch, a stalwart looking fell
low, had been in the burning courthouse
and as he ran out with bis clothes on fire,
had been shot. His clothes to his waist
were burnt of, and he was literally broiled.
We came upon bodies every few steps,
but the sight of this fellow, who was burned,
added to the horrible Smell of burning hui
man fesh-the remains of those who we're
shot in the courthouse, which was still on
fire sickened most of us, and caused q
general cry of diets go back"
] counted eighteen of the misguided DIR
kies, and was informed that they were not
one fourth of the number killed; that they
were scattered here and there in the fields
around the town, besides several in and
around the burning courthouse. This,
however, was probably an exaggeration.
To show how terribly ineensed the peo-
pie were against the negroes, l relate the
following incidents:
We came across one negro whose clothes
were smoking, and who had probably been
in the fire. Some Of our party remarked
that he was alive. Instantly one Of our guides
whipped out six-shoOter, saying an finish
the black dog" OF course we remonstrs-
ted, and he put away his weapon. Some
one stopped down and turned the negro
over. He was stiff and cold.
A few minutes afterward we came on a
big black fellow, who was reclining on his
elbow, and, to all appearances, alive. g The
man with the six-sh0oter hit him a fierce
kick with his boot, and then stopped down
and examined him, saying, "Oh, he's dead
SIS HI" 1t was so; the darkey died that
way-in a reclining position.
When we came back near the landing the
boats crew were carrying aboard the two
wounded white men, a MIR. HadnOt and
another whose nameI did not learn.
In a store-house near the landing were
some twenty or thirty negro prisoners, all
huddled together in corner, with a strong
guard over them. asked one of the
guards if | could have some talk with the
negroes, but was rather roughly refused.
Mr.. Hadnot was wounded in the abdo-
men; rot seriously, however, fol | was in
formed by one of the surgeons who had
him in charge, that he extracted the ball,
and that he did not think bis intestines were
cut. The other white man had a flesh
wound in the shoulder.
Several other white men had slight flesh
wounds in different parts of their bodies.
The two wounded men, the surgeon, aud
a son of Mr.. Hadnot, came down as FIR as
Alexandria, where we landed aSrly Monday
morning.
1t appears TIKI storm has been gather
ering il. Grant parish for the past two
weeks, and three or four days ago the ne
gres got too numerous for the whites, and
they were compelled to seek refuge in the
surrounding country. Meanwhile the ne
groes plundered the town and threw up
rude Notifications all around, boasting that
they would drive every white man out oil
the parish. But the white men had not
been idle all the time, and had been rein
forced from the adjoining parish, and Sum-
day morning, headed by the Sheriff Of Grant
parish, they advanced in a body toward
Colfax. On arriving there they sent in a
flag of truce, asking the negroes to surren-
der, but at the same time, if they meant to
fight, to take care of their women and child
rem.
The negroes refused to come to terms,
and the whites charged the breastworks,
wbereupon the negroes retreated and took
refuge in the courthouse, from which they
kept an incessant firing for some time.
Finally a negro was bribed by the whites
to set fire to the Courthouse, which was
done successfully, and after vainly attempt
ing to extinguish the flames the negroes
hung out white flag in token of surrender.
Two white men, Mr.. Hadnot, and anoth-
or whose name l could not learn, immedi-
stely advanced, and on reaching the door Of
the Courthouse were shot down, and the
NEGROES rushed out in body.
The whites, who were now terribly in
furiated, fred into the mass as they came
ont, and following them up, killed them
wherever they could find them, and for q
short time, as far as l could learn, no quar-
ter was given, but finally the sheriff cot the
men under control and tolerahle order was
restored.
The number Of negroes killed viii proba-
bly amount TO between twenty-five ana
thirty. The people were so excited over
the events of the day that nothing very &C
curate could be gathered from any of them.
Some said hundred, and the lowest num-
Der heard mentioned was forty or fifty.
The negroes had improvised several rude
cannon out OF cid cast iron pumps. These
were loaded to the muZzle With slugs OF
their own manufacture. was shown sew
eral of the bullets, and they had the appear
snce of being made 10 3 wooden mould.
They were ohlcng liz shape, with q rough,
uneven surface. None Of these cannon
were fred, however.
The negroes were instigated by white
man and negro named Ward, the latter a
desperate rascal, it is said. Both Of these
escaped.
Calhoun left the neighborhood few days