The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-24
Ane Grant Parish Rfot--Onscial Report
or the Between 100 and 200
Colorcd Mem Killed.

Soforcd Men Killed.
The New Orleans Republican (Radicar)
contains long report on the Grant Parish
riot from two officers of General Longstreet's
stan who were detailed to investigate It..
me Following extract is interesting:
FROM what information we could get VIC
."'icVe that the fight commenced on Sunday
Tue l3'h instant between 10 and II A. NJ,
ana continued until nearly dark. Of the
numbers engaged on either side it Il impossi-
oic Tor lis to form any definite idea, though
we are satisfied that the parties holding the
COURTHOUSE were less in number than their
asSalant>. 1t is asserted by the colorcd peo-
pie that the as>aiIants consisted Of parties
from the parishes Of Winn. Rapidcs,
Narhit"chcS, Calahoula. and Caddc. In
addition 10 those from Grant: but they
were either unable or unwilling to
give us the names Of any parties par
ticlpatlng in the attack. This iuforma-
too. however, will doubtless be obtained
hereafter. All statements that we have heard
agree substantially in the main particulars.
1t Is agreed that the attacking party vas COM
manded by &. {. Nash, aud The a>sailed by a
man named Lev. Allen; that surrender was
demanded aud refused that the bcsiercd
women and children, and that at the expil.l-
ton Of that time the fight was commenced
by the assaling party. Appended hereto,
and marked a, is the statement of meet
iu@ between Columbus e. Nash and Colo
mel De klyne. The attacking party had
in their possession small cannon,
taken from the steamboat James L.
Moore, from which they fired bolt>, II
sample of which We deposit in your Office.
The hcsicgrd had rugged up couple of guns
hy faStrnius lengths Of grs-ppc on rafier
limbcrS. blocking up one cud with n pine
plug, aud drilling u touch-hole. One OF
these was burSted while trying it, some days
before the fight, aud the other has not The
appearance of having been used. Some time
during the afternoon the besieged were
drawn from the tight and from their breast
works into the courthouse. One end of the
building was without windows, nor bad the
hr>icgcd prepared loop-holes. 4 coiored man
banned Isaiah Atkins informed rs that Mr..
Nash had forced colored man called Pink
TO come 10 this end of the building and hold
pine torch TO the edge of the roof until
it caught fire. 1t is our opinion that few Of
the colored men had been killed up to this
time, but that when forced by the fire to
leave the courthouse they were shot down
without mercy. The position and condition
of many of the bodies go far to prove this.
Under the warehouse. between the court
house and the river, were the dead bodies OF
six cplored men. who had evidently gone
under FOR conccalmcnt, and were there shot
like dogs. Many were shot in the back of
the head and neck. One man still lay with
his hands clasped in suppleation; the face
of another was completely fattened by
blows from broken stock Of double
barreIled gun lying on the ground near
him; another had been cut across the
stomach with knife after being shot, and
almost al! had from three to dozen wounds.
Mluy of them had their brains literally blown
out. 1t is asserted by the colorcd people that
after the fight thirty-four prisoners who were
taken before the burning Of the courthouse
were taken to the river bank, two by two,
executed, and hurled into the river. We
caused to be buried in the ditch near the
ruins Of the courthouse the remains OF nifty
four tclored men, three Of whom were so
badly harmed is TO be unrecognizable. There
were inside the court house the charrcd
bones OF one other, and five bodies we gave
20 their friends for intermcnt elsewhere. We
saw also twelve wounded colored men. two
of whom will certainly die, and others Of
whom are very unlikely to recover. We are
informed that since the fight parties of armed
men have been securing the country SUR
rounding ColtaX, taking the mules and other
property of the colorcd people
Sine writing tic above report we have
seen on board the steamboat the colored
man Leo Alien, who commanded the parties
holding the courthouse. He assures us that
not single colorcd man was killed or
wounded unit, after their surrender, and
that then they were shot down without mer-
cy. We will obtain his sworn ststament
hereafter. On orr return to Alexandria yes
tcruay we were again implored by citizens
to have troops seat there at once Is the only
means OF avcrting Il disturbance.