Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-04-28

From the New Orleans Picayune.l
COLFAx, GRANT PARISH, Tuesday,
April %, IS73.-The United States
troops, consisting of two companies, c
and d. of the nineteenth infantry, un-
der Major J. H. Smith and Captains
Winney and Muse, and Adjutant TOle,
arrived in this place last evening, at six
O'Clock. They Immediately landed and
went into encampment at COlfax, where
they will remain for some time.
THEIR POSITION.
1t is claimed that they have no orders
to arrest white citizens, General Emory
commanding them to keep the peace,
and, as far as possible, 10 induce the
white and cOlored people TO return to
their homes. This had, however, been
already done; but as soon as their arri-
val was known, some of tho principal
white residents fled to the wOOds-the
negroes gathering courage ON the arrival
of the troops, and the whites fear.ng to
be murdered. Major Smith, however,
assured them peace would be preserved,
and they partially returned.
THE NEGROES,
Immediately after the troops landed,
began to flock into the town of Colfax,
and several of them exlluingly demand
ed that the white men should be arrested
and shot; but this was of course refused,
when they became indignant. They
We're, however, told that peace must be
preserved, and were set to work by the
soldiers buTying their dead cOmpeers
who were killed in the fight. These
were buried in the trench which was
dug for the Notifications, and into which
they had been imperfectly thrown by
the DeKlyne party.
C0LFAX, THE TOWN,
is a place ofabout twenty small shanties
and large warehouse; the courthouse,
which was burnt, being nothing more
than small, square brick building of
about fifty by sixty feet. The fOrtifica-
tions made by the negroes were made
by throwing up dirt, behind a barricade
made of fiatboat planks obtained from
the floor of the warehouse.
PARTICULARS OF THE FIGHT.
1t appears that the negroes assem-
bled at the instigatiOn of Ward, Regis
ter, Flowers and Brantley, about five
strong, and proceeding to the
broke open the doors and
took possession of the records. This
was on the twenty-siXth of March, and
they remained in possession until the
thirteenth Of April, Easter Sunday.
On the first of April meeting of white
people and conservative negroes was
going to be held, for the purpose of pro-
testing against the outrages perpetrated
Oy Register and his associates. But this
was broken up by the crowd of negroes,
and shots were fired at the fugitives,
who were obliged to flee for their lives.
these was Sheriff Nash, who
lad been commissioned by Kellogg
see Republican, March twenty
jeventh), who was pursued for
light miles through the woods. Up
IN this, he being unable to preserve the
leace, he legally summoned as a posse
,0H1itdtts about one hundred and TWEEN
y-five persons, some cOlOred, to sup
press the rioters. These proceeded, on
Easter Sunday, about one o'clock, to
Jolfax and commanded them to disperse,
which was refused, and firing was then
opened. The posse, led by the sheriff,
lad, by slow approaches, captured all
)uter defenses and had cOOped the ne
yroes up in the courthouse, when they
hung out flag of surrender. Mr.. Jas.
HadnOt and others Immediately adj
1anced, to save as much blood as possi-
Die, when they were treaeherously fired
IpOn by the negroes, and
FELL wELTERING IN BLOOD.
This act Of fiendish perfidy was spe-
,ially directed at the life of the leading
nan and most respected citizen of the
party. 1t was an Etrocity perpetrated
Jy design, very similar to the murder of
General Candy by the ModOcs. 1t eX-
the white men to fury, and a
to avenge the foul treach-
cry by making memorable example of
The miscreants who had thus broken
iaith for bloody purpose. The posse
ed by the sheriff then opened fire on
the building, which had been set on fire
Dy the negroes, who fled. Nearly one
hundred and ten were killed.
CONSERVATIVES NEGROES IN THE FIGHT.
With the posse of the sheriff was a
squad of cOlOred men, Conservatives,
who had been driven from their homes
ly the rioters. These were led by Elias
from Montgomery, Grant
parish, and George Cary, from Colfax.
indeed, there Were a large number of
negroes, who greatly de-
)recated the outbreak. How they were
reated the following statement will
show:
STATEMENT OF GEORGE CARY.
George is a colored man, one of the
most respectable in the neighborhood,
md is owner of the ferry at Colfax. He
made statement as follows: 'On the
night before the fight the colored people
,ame and took my skiff and two flat
boats; in the morning got them back,
aud they wanted me to come over to
hem, but | refused. They wanted my
coats to cross over and burn the houses
)f the whites on this side, and all along
f they had whipped in the fight. When
refused to give them up they shot at
ne several times as l crossed the river,
and even now threaten to take my life
n case l come to Colfax.n
AFTER THE FIGHT.
Immediately after the difficulty Sheriff
Nash called up his posse, and, thanking
hem for their services, they quietly dis
)ersed to their homes. The prisoners,
about twenty in number, were released,
some of them being seen by your cor
NUMBERS KILLED.
OF the negroes there were at least
.hree hundred and fifty in the fight;
heir breastwOrks having been taken by
4 charge and the rioters driven in the
court house; of these eighty-one were
killed, sixty-two We're buried on the
field, fen were shot in The woods, and
he rest have since died Of their wounds.
Only two white men We're killed,
SIessrs. HadnOt and Parish, and these
we're murdered as described. They were
both highly respected, and their death
in the discharge Of their duty as citizens
IS much lamented.
THE SHERIFF NASH,
who led the posse of citizens, was duly
L