The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-04-19
poLITIcAI WARFARE.
The Troubles In Louisiana War Of Ra-
ces in Grant Parish "A Bloody Com.
bat 100 Negroes Killed.


Tho dispatches from Louisiana give an
account Of . serious collision between the
Whites and blacks in Grant parish. The
Franklin I, La. Raater's BdaAer of Wed
nesday gives the following account Of the
origin ut the difficulty. The Banner says
On Wednesday, 9Th instant, crowd OF
negroes, armed with double-barrel shotguns
and headed BY a colored man named Ward,
entered the town Of Coliax, took posses
sion Of the courthouse, and ousting the
parish officers assumed their functions 1t
appears that after the election two sets OF
officers were appointed, one BY Pinchback
and the other by the McEnery govern
ment The parish is conceded to be white
These appointments led to a disagree
ment, and few days ugo a delegation,
headed by Mr. Rutland on the fusion side
and Ward on the other, visited Governor
kellogg. High words ensued between the
contestants. Rutland saying that they
had the offices and were determined TO
keep them, and Ward rejoining, in effect,
that there would be no trouble about the
colored men seating themselves when once
they made up their minds.
Both left for home, and, as before stated,
Ward opened the ball on "Wednesday
After having secured possession, Rutlands
house Was attacked, sacked, and himself
and family driven from the parish. Ward
is described as negro of a most insolent
manner, and, if report is to be credited, he
has been the ringleader in several distur-
Dances.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
New ORLEANS, April l5.-The steam
boat Southwestern, which arrived about
l.2U this afternoon, brings stirring and
important news from Grant parish, The
whites have retaken Coliax from the ne
groes who took possession of the town some
days ago, and there is not u negro to be
found for miles around From passen-
ger on the Southwestern we CLEAN the fol-
lowing: The negroes had strongly en-
trenched themselves in the courthouse,
and built breastworks three and four feet
high. There were, it is said. about 100
men armed and equipped thoroughly,
On Sunday, about O'Clock, about 100
men, who had gathered from the surround
ing parishes, made an attack on the breast.
works and brisk fight was kept up until
somewhere near 3 O'Clock. The breast
works were then stormed and captured, the
negroes taking refuge in the ourt-house,
the doors of which were barricaded. After
some further fighting the negroes threw
out flag Of truce, and several attachments
Of men advanced on it, when they were
fired on by the besieged party, wounding
several, of whom was Capt Hadnot, who
was shot in the bowels and it is feared
fatally wounded They retreated on the
outside of the breastworks, and as the
only means of dislodging the negroes the
courthouse was set on fire; and they were
shot as they came from the burning build
ing. 1t is reported that between eighty
and one hundred negroes were killed, and
there were none to be found for miles
around.
The captain Of the steamboat South.
western makes the following statement
1--WE arrived ut Colfax Sunday evening
about 8 o'clock. Found that the white
people and sheriff, suppose at their head
had captured the town after having con.
flict with the negroes. 1t was reported to
me that about loo negroes had been killed
many others wounded. We saw from the
boat fifteen or twenty lying around on the
bank dead One white man was reported
killed, whose name did not learn, and
two very seriously wounded. Messrs. Had.
not and Harris. Mr.. Hadnot was shot
through the bowels and supposed to be
mortally wounded. We brought Harris
and Hadnot down from Colfax to Alexan-
dria. Three or four other white men were
slightly wounded. About 100 negroes
escaped, but it was reported the whites
were still pursuing them. Allof the lead.
ers Of the riot escaped, especially the white
men.
'The negroes having ambuscaded them
selves in the courthouse, and the whites,
finding there was no other mode Of attack
left them, set fire to the building. The
whites numbered in the neighborhood Of
$50 men, The fight lasted from II clock
until nearly p NJ. The whites are now
in possession of Colfax, and when | left
last Sunday night, everything was very
quiet"