Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-11-22

ALEXANDRIA, La, Nov. /, 1873.

ABOUT III O'Clock yesterday morning,
Colonel DeKlyne, with the entire cavalry
command, disembarked at the ferry land
ing, and. passing through the city, went
out about six miles on the Bayou Rapides
road for the purpose of making inquiries
concerning the whereabouts of certain per-
SONS in that neighborhood, for the arrest Of
whom warrants had been issued. In every
case it was ascertained that the parties had
left their homes, and, having congregated
at various points, had established perfect
system of communication. This was,
proven in the ease of one man who was
seen TO hastily leave the crowd upon the
levee, on foot, as the command took the
direction of the Bayou Rapides road and
was MT by the command, mounted, and
returning to the city. Also. in the ease Of
another man Oh the opposite side of the
river, this morning. who sat like q statue
upon his horse for over am hour and half
evidently watching the movements of
those on board the Ozark.
WHOLESALE DEPARTURE.
Your representative was a war cores
pendent Of the New York Herald from
1861 to 1865; vet, at no time, eitberin the
Department Of Virginia, the Department
of the Cumberland, or in the Department
of the Gulf, was there such a wholesale de-
pariure of citizens from their homes AZ he
has witnessed in the parishes of Grant and
| Rapidrs (more especially the latter since
the arrival of the Ozark in this neighbor-
hood. reterate the fact. as the Times
has seen proper to doubt my statement in
the first letter wrote from this expedi-
tion. in reference to this departure upon
the approach of the Ozark to Alexandria,
| by prefacing the published letter with
III \ I. n.
pressed that the account given of the
wholesale departure of citizens seemed
| little overwrought" So far from this he
ing the case, will state that fifty have
gone where represented one to have de-
parted. aud that of the scores against
whom warrants are held, not a single one
| of these persons in Rapides parish is now
| at his home or has been arrested, and of
those in Grant Parish. not another can he
| found to add To the six already arrested
there; having been notified to leave by
| their friends, who first received the news
overland from the mouth of Red River, as
have already inform d you.
| Yesterday afternoon one of the most
prominent citizens of Alexandria told your
correspondent that not one of those in Ra-
pides parish would be arrested against
whom warrants were issued; that the
Federal troops could arrest every one in
twenty -four hours, but that the Metropoli-
| tans might remain here month and
would not be able with all their efforts to
effect single arrest. The assembling here
and there in the country of citizens in
squads, aud the chief rendezvous or en-
campinent at Catalonia Lake. Of those en-
gagged in the Colfax affair. residing in the
parishes of Grant, kapiGes, NatcbitOches
and Catalonia, is literal fact and no
perturbed vision of an overwrought I"
brain.
| Reference was made by me, in that cor
respondence, to the hasty departure of
Judge Cazabat from this city, and o. a
young man about to be married. have
made inquiry of Col. DeKlyne concerning
these two, and am assured that Judge
Cazxbat may return unmolested, and that
the marriage of Edward David and Miss
POussin may proceed without any danger
of the banns being prohibited by an armed
band of Metropolitan cavatg-there being
no warrant for the arrest of Mr. David, and
no charges whatever made against him.
On Friday, during an overland ride by
the entire command. of fifteen miles, from
Coltax to Cotile Landing. but one white
man (Mr F. Z. Lizard) was seen, and he
was sought for for the purpose of answer
| ing certain questions relative to the route.
Not one of those for whom warrants were
| held, or were in any way suspected of be-
! ing concerned in the attack at Colfax on
| the 18th of April last. could be found. In
| almost every case their houses We're entire
ly deserted, their families having been re-
moved therefrom.
A few miles further on, the command
4 again ,isenlbarked and rode eight miles
| with the same result as represented above.
/ Ten OF twelve residences were visited, and
all were found deserted, except that Of
Col French.
ROi FOR CATAHoULA LAKE.
| From Private Davis, of Company C. 10Th
| U. 5. Infantry. learn the following inter
esti. < account OF the departure of seven OF
| the citizens OF Grant parish, toI the general
encampment at Catalonia Lake. The par
ty were under the guide and leadership of
one of the Hickman brothers, who, from
the description given, was undoubtedly
| Tom Hickman, represented as being one vi
| the leaders Tor whom Cot. DeKlyne is par
| tielllarly anxious to make the acq uainta zee
OF at this time.
The morning after the arrival of the
Ozark at Alexandria, and about two hours
after the departure Of the cavalry over
land for Coliax, the soldier met seven men
on horseback about a mile aud half from
the Federal camp. they were upon the
/ road leading to Caiahouli Parish. Hating
as Davis approached, one OF the men,
whom the others called Hickman" ad-
dressed him, asking how long was it since
the Police" passed. DAVIS replied,
About two hours" Hickman then said,
There's one man of that crowd I'll like to
catch" One OF the men enquired.
Who's that, Hickman ~ Hickman re-
piled, that damned fellow HUE. 1 could
have killed him this morning 1T had
wanted to, Us cooked my gun and took
sight at him three times Willie lay in the
bush they passed" Then addressing the
soldier, Hickman continued, What makes
me 80 damned mad is, that he lived near
me, went to school with me, that / board
ed that man when he had nothing, and
now to come mp her and hunt ME out of
my hole makes me lamued mad How
would you like to he hunted out of your
holef" Davis replied, We'll, would try
| aud protect my home before I'd LET any