The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-04-19
WAR IN GRANT PARISH.
Official Report Of the Disturbance.-Hor-
rible Massacre Of Colored Men.---Sixty
Bodies Found,

VA0AaA 0opOft Ol tno U1SCQTDanCe.-dOr.
nble Massacre Of Colored Men.--Sixty
Bodies Found.
For some reason, which is at this
time unaccountable to us, Gov. Kel-
]ogg appointed two sets of officers fo,
the parish Of Grant. The parties hold
ing the later commissions applied to
the incumbents of the offices for pos
session thereof, but being refused,
they raised a posse Of colored men
and captured tie Court House, ir the
town of Colfax, driving the earlier ap-
pointees therefrom and installing
themselves. The posse was under the
leadership Of Ward and Flowers, the
former member of the House of
Representatives, and the latter, we
believe, Parish Judge Of Grant parish
by virtue Of o commission from Gov.
Kellogg. The elected parties soon
succeeded in getting together small
band of white men who attacked the
Court-House aud endeavored to re-
gain possession thereof, but were
driven of. Receiving reinforcements
from the neighboring parishes, the
white men, under the leadership of
Hadnot and Nash, the former men,
her of the Fusion Legislature, the
latter one Of the Governors appointees
to the Office Of Sheriff, again attacked
the party holding the Court House,
but after a brisk fight in which one
man was, killed and three or four
wounded, they were for the second
time defeated and driven away. This
last battle occurred OH Sunday,
April 9th. .+s-.4- .
Thinking no further disturbance
would occur, Ward and Flowers came
to New Orleans, leaving their party
in possession of Colfax, and headed
by a 'colored man named Lev. Allen.
Hadnot and Nash visited adjoining
parishes and raised force of about
two hundred men, well armed and
and esn Sunday last, April
18th, these successfully besieged the
party holding the Court House, and
after setting fire to the building
shot down the colored
men as they endeavored to escape.
From the New Orleans Republican
Of yesterday we copy the following
of the massacre:
The steamer b. L. Hodge, which
arrived in this city yesterday after
noon, brought back to the city Colonel
L. w. Deklyne aud Colonel William
Wright, of General Longstreet's staff,
who had been sent on the Saturday
previous to investigate the troubles
in Grant parish.
We publish below the official report
of these officers to the Adjutant Gen
eral of the State:
HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIy1sIoN,)
Louisi,n;. State National Guard, ;
New Orleans, April II, 1873. }
GENERAL-In obedience to special
order No. %, current series, Adjutant
Generals office, the undersigned Off
rers left New Orleans OH Saturday,
April 10, instant, to proceed to Colfax,
Grant parish. =M
We reached Pineville, opposite
at about 9:3O. A. NJ, on
Monday, the fourteenth instant, where
we were informed that Il severe action
had taken place at Colfax the day be-
fore (Sunday); that from $50 to 200
,olored men had been killed; that
TWO white men, named Hadnot and
Harris, were wounded, the former
and that Colfax, or part of
It, had been burned.
Upon crossing the river to Alexan-
lria we became cognizant of the ex-
stence Of a violent, though suppressed
popular excitement. Numbers Of men
rom the parish Of Rapides had parti-
:ipated in the struggle, and were now
'eturning to Alexandria. Parish Off
;ials expressed themselves as appre-
lensive of an outbreak in Alexandria,
directed against the colored men and
he officials holding Office under the
administration Of Governor Kellogg.
We were urged to procure the presence
If troops us speedily us possible. At
5empts had been made to induce Mr..
De Lacy, the Sheriff of Rapides, to go
o Grant parish, and failing, the
person claiming to have been elected
Sheriff on the Fusion ticket accom-
panied the party that went from AL
We left Alexandria at about 1l:3O
l. NJ. During our stay there mounted
men were constantly crossing the
liver, coming from the direction of
,oltax, and just as we left a party of
,wenty, mounted, and armed ap-
with shot-guns, crossed the
liver in body.
Relieving that COlfax was DESTROYED. |