The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-03-22
WHY McENERY'S MILITIA FAILED.


The following letter from Gen. Wag-
gaman explains fully the causes Of the
failure of McEnery's militia to carry
the Orleans Courthouse. The most inn
plicit faith may be rcposed in the
statement of Gen. Waggaman than
whom Louisiana has no Drawer or bet
ter son:
To tho Editor Of the Piceyune:
Some little misconception of the af-
fair Of Wednesday week has led to
some modification on the part of our
friends, and to undue elation Oh the
part of our enemies, and l will en-
deavor in 4 few words to bring back
both to the proper level of feeling.
For some time past there has been
great eagerness on the part, not only OF
the people at large, but more particu-
larly among those who were to take a
part in active proceedings: in the char
acter of State troops, to establish the
fact that what had been recognized at
Washington as the de .j,ue Government
should be made lie .fttctO Government.
This eagerness was very difficult to
repress until proper preparations had
been made to crafty it. These pre-
parations,- i'll our position, were neces-
sarily difficult, and on Wednesday
were decidedly incomplete, as we were
without arms, and yet it was a day
when hope long deferred expected to
see n realization; but from causes which
could not be controlled, there were no
arms except such rs could be found by
Il few on the spur Of tho moment. This
was an important item in the question
of aggression, and yet those who had
been called together with the hope, en-
Outraged by me, Of securing them,
urged me, even, when that hope was
deceived, to permit them to act.
yielded tacit consent, with reluctance,
and a few men, unorganized, without
arms, save with tho exceptions men,
toned above, and they had not half a
dozen rounds of ammunition, were
hurried into ranks, having nothing OF
the soldier, except courage, to assault a
position that was like n fOrtress-Well
garrisoned, encouraged to hold out by
tho assurance that they would be re-
lieved by large force, we'll organized,
thoroughly armed with tho most effec-
tive weapons that the science of mod
ern warfare has invented, including
Gatling guns, and under the perfect
control of Il skillfui and brave officer,
backed again by another, who, how
over obnoxious (and most justly OBJ
noxious he is to us), we must still &C
knowledge to be brave-braVe in the
fields where lie won his laurels, MS he
is bold and brazen in the field in which
the burning breath of his betrayed
countrymen aud fcllow-sO1diers have
blasted them.
Is it strange that II command Of this
character, not meeting with immedi-
late surrender of the post summoned,
| attacked in the rear with artillery
| while taking measures to force an en-
trance, should have been checked and
retreated for nomento 1t was then
that the United States troops inter-
fered and summoned me to disperse
our force, and it was then that 1 in
sisted that that summons should be
made in the name Of tho United States !;
which being done, l consented to obey
| tho summons, for my orders III that
regard We're imperative.
But let me state this, that but for the
Interference of the United States troops
| with the achievements, that the very
! roar of guns had ;lWakcncu, pouring
| In, we would have been nlaStcrS-not
only of that position, but of the en-
tire city by daylight, and McEncry's
government would have been the "de
fucto" as it is the ''1e jt,c' govern
mcnt of tho State.
EUGENE WAGG.AMAS.
Ono thing strikes us rs peculiarly APP