The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-05-02
THE LOUISIANA FIGHT


Treaehery OF the Negroes In the
Court House Battle.
CoL7Ax, GsAYr PARIsH,
Tuesday. April q, 1873.
To tie Eiitor of tM Picayuns:
The Uoited States troops, consisting
Of two com pauies, c and D. OF the 18th
Infantry, uoder MAJOR j. q. Smith,
snd Captains Wiuuey aud Muse and
Adjutsat Tole, arrived in this place
last evening al 8 o'clock, They imne.
distsly Landed and went into eucamp-
msnt q. Colfsx, where they will re-
main for some time.
THsIR POSITION.
1t is claimed that they hsve no or
ders to arrest white citizens, General
Emery corumsudlug them to keep the
peace aud as far a, possible to induce
the white aud ooIorei people to return
to their homes. This had, however,
been already done; but sS soon as their
arrival was known some OF the princl-
pal white residents fed to the woods
the negroes gathering courage on the
arrival OF the troops, and the whites
fearing to be murdered. Major Smith,
however, assured the peace would be
preserved, aud they partially returned.
THE NEGROES,
Immediately after the troops landed,
began 10 dock into the town o. Col'sx,
and several OF them exultipgly demand
ed that the white men should be ar
rested and shot but this was Of course
refused, when they became somewhat
ind gusnt. They were, however, told
that peace must be preserved, and
were set to work by the soldiers burying
their dead conpeers who were killed in
the fight These were buried in the
trench which was dug for the torth'
cations, and into which they had beet
imper ectly thrown By the DeKiyne
party.
ooLFAx, THE TowN,
Is q place OF about twenty small shan
ties aud large warehouse, the court
house which was burned being nothing
more than q email, square BRICK build
ing OF about ffty by sixty feet. The
forihcsiions made by the negroes were
made by throwing up dirt, behind a
baricade made OF fubost plsnks, OBJ
tained from the floor OF the ware
house.
PARTICULARS OF THE FIGHT.
1t appears the negroes assembled at
the iusligation OF Ward, Register, Flowe
ers and Brantley, about five hundred
strong, and proceeding to the court
house, broke open the doors and took
possession of the records. This was on
the 29th OF March, and they remain ed
in possession until the 18th Of April,
Easier Sunday.
90 the lst of April meeting OF
white people aud conservative negroes
was going to be held for the purpose OF
protesting against the outrages perpe-
trated by Register and his associates
But this was broken up by the crowd
Of negroes, aud shots were fired at the
lug ,tives, who were Obliged to fee Tor
their lives Amongst these was Sheriff
Nash, who had been conmssior ed by
Kellogg (5ee Republican, March 27,)
who WAS pursued Tor eight miles
through the woods.
Upon this, he icing unable to pre-
serve the peace, he legally summoned
as posse comitatus about one hundred
and twenty-five persons, some coored'
to suppress the rioters These proceed
ed, on E .ster Sunday about II clock,
to Colfax and demanded them to dis
perse, which was refused, and firing
was then opened. The posse, led by
the Sheriff, had by slow approaches
captured all outer de'enses and had
cooped the negroes up in the court
house. when they hung out flag OF
surrender. Mr.. James Hsdnot and
Others Immediately advanced, to save
as much blood as possible, when they
we're trescherousIy fred upon by the
negroes, and
YELL wELTERING IN BLOOD.
This act OF 6eodish peridy was spec
cially directed at the le Of the leadng
man and most respected citizen OF the
party. 1t WAS an strocity perpetrated
bv design, very similar to the murder
OF General Canbv by the Modocs 1t
exasperated the white men to fury and
q determination TO svenge the toul
,reachery BY making memorable ex-
ample OF the miscreants who had thus
broken faith for a bloody purpose.
The posse led by the sheriff then
opened FIRE on the building, which bad
been set on Are by the negroes, who
Aed. Nearly one hundred and ten
were killed.
CONSERVATIVE NEGROES IN THE FIGHT.
With the posse OF the sheriff was a
SQUAD of coiored men, conservatives,
who had been driven from their homes
by the rioters. These were led by
Elias Montgomery, rom Montgomery,
Grant parish, and George Cary, from
CoIfax. Indeed, there were large
number OF conservative negroes who
greatly deprecated the outbreak. How
they we're treated the following state
neut will ssow:
STATEMENT OF GEORGE oAEY.