The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-05-14
STATEMENT OF .COLFAX FIGHT.
CHENEYv1LLE, LA. ]
May l, 1881

J tn May !, 1901
DEAR Sir @ii
In compliance with you r request
will proceed to give you an account OF
the late unhappy affair at Coffax., For
several reasons did not wish to make
4 a written statement at this time, but on
reelection have concluded to do so in
full. as a future record of this affair as
it happened, if it should be needed. l
cannot promise you connected state
ment but will jot down facts as they
come up in my mind. Some few of the
incidents which follow did not come
under my immediate notice, and to give
every one that occurred l would have
to see other parties now out of my
reach. Being an active participant, l
was forced, from my position, to OBJ
serve chiefly the general routine Of af-
fairs, thereby letting some minor Incl
dents escape me. Still, for the general
run of my narrative | will vouch-in
some few points l am ready to stand
corrected.
We had heard before our arrival that
Sheriff Nash had summoned these men
as a posse comitatus to assist in enforcing
warrants issued by a magistrate on aft
daVits made by Judge Rutland. The
following military organization seems
to have been made in IN informal way.
Colonel 49,, who, as a man, demeaned
himself OH that day coolly and bravely,
retained a nominal command of the
whole, though not pretending to any
knowledge of military matters. Sheriff
Nash as second in command. with final
decision in amy matters pertaining to
his position as Sheriff Of Grant by dou-
bic title of election by the people and
appointment by Governor Kellogg
/ Men from each Parish were under res-
Pective commanders. In simlaf cir
cumstances (hoping they may never oc-
cur) | would recommend the idea hear
was Intended by Colonel but not
put in execution, of appointing Cap
Gains OF tens, borrowed, suppose, from
the Old Testament, which, With'the adj
dition Of an officer of their own selec-
ton commanding the detachment from
each Parish, would have been found of
service on that day, and is the only kind
Ut organization practicable in Il twenty
four hours campaign. Captain 49,.
acted, for time at least, as aid-de-camp
to commander-in-chief. While here.
the four-pound howitzer taken from the
John L. Moore was placed in the hands
OF Messrs. Parish and .. They inn
mediately took the body of a two-horse
wagon and dashed The gun on the hind
wheels OF the same with ropes. taking
off the fore wheels before going into ac- I
ton; to test it one blank shot was then
fired. After consultation ii was then
decided that Sheriff Nash should carry
in u flag OF truce to see whether the al |
fair could he settled without blooushed. |
1t was intended that approach should
be made in two directions, but upon |
suggestion that during truce it was not |,
advisable that the party should be sep;,-
rated, the whole moved together by the
main road and halted in line OF battle in
open field about three-quarters of q mile
from CoIfax, with right wing about 600
yards from the river. About IL O'Clock
A. NJ. Sheriff Nash, accompanied by DR..
go, OF CatallOula, rode to Smithtield
Quarter with white flag; they found I
negro pickets there and sent by them
for Captain l.. B. Allen, com,nander-in-
chief of the negro army of Grant. She
riff Nash then notified Allen that che
would be given thirty minutes to re-
move the women and childreu from the I,
Smithtield Quarter and Colfax, assuring
him than if during that time the negroes
would quietly disperse to their homes
that they would not be molcsted.'' AL
len nodded his head, had but little to
say, and both parties returned to their
respective commands. Soon after t h e
women and children could be perceived
leaving-thoSe from Colfax down and
IRON the smithiield Quarters up the (,
river. This interview occupied some i
time, and it was II o'clock or afterwh
the advance was ordered.
A line of skirmishers, IS in number. {
were thrown out, comprising all the i'm.
proved arms OF all descriptions-viz: I
several Spencer rifles, one Smith 81 Wes- L
ton, one needle gun, one Colts reyoly- I,
ing rifle, Sharp's rifle, etc., no Winches- '
ter or Henry DISCRIMINATION was
scant for these guns, one man HAVING
only SIX rounds Tor Spencer, and the
best gun, the needle, had eighteen, the t
last OF which was left at the time of the $
charge The remainder Of the men on
the ground were armed with shot guns t
ana revolvers, some having only III
me sklrmishers then moved forward to 1
Quarter, filing through Main j
street i'll the middle Of it and halted in
line about fifty PAGES beyond it. Ne s
sroes were found to be withdrawn in =
side OF tortitications and Court House. i
Mr.. was then. detached with two f
men from left of limo and fool, nos;+;o, ,