The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-05-14
Thus ended the battle. The Court Honse

mus eided the battle. The Court House
was now in flames, and eventually set five
to gallery of Ware House these we're then
thrown down by our men at some risk of
their lives, as a continuous DISCHARGE of
guns IN the burning building took place
for some time. AS far as / could learn one
negro was burned up in the Court House,
having been killed from the Ware House
ea'ly III the ~action-two orthree who were
shot down near the Cont House caught
fire from heat, but were dead before the
flames reached them There was no white
men in Colfax during the fight. The
s~eoundr.Is who bad fattened from Office in
their gift, and assisted in bringing them
into collision with the whites had coward.
y deserted them in the hour Of danger
Shaw, who claimed to be Sheriff, and who
the New Orleans Republican makes to
have commanded them as a civil posse.
was hiding somewhere in bushes dnring
the fight, and came in late in the evening
and delivered himself up. q
The fact is, Shaw had no authority
among them-they having been called ont
by Ward, under pretended authority AS
Captain OF militia. How a sheriff has au.
thorlty to call on militia. / do not know
and if Kellogg authorized it lie has so far
kept it secret. ] would addrhat the men
under my Immediate command and those
near me acted coolly and bravely ut all
times observed orders.
MT. Nash | found a cool, determined,
brave and sagacions man and no better
sheriff could be found in these troublesome
times to preserve order in Grant parish.
In regard to the ferocity displayed by
some men, so commented on by the. North
ern press, would say it happened after
seeing the treaCherous assassination of
friends and near relations and before COIL
demnihg wonld simply say, put yourself
IN his place." 1t you want a farther rea-
son 1t means n "war of races" TO the
NEST observant mind it must be apparent
that in 4 war of races under snch circum-
stances, there eau he no quarter Vide
ModOc war.
Exceptions to this rule may be made by
our race before being maddened by loss of
friends or kinsmen-after that the black
ftag must prevail.
The negroes at Colfax shouted daily
across the river to our people that they in
tended killing every white man and boy,
keeping only the young women to raise
from them "a new breed On their part If
S'Si SiSS'SNAiiy yum may SdlCiN ca itCt
that neither age, nor sex, nor helpless in
fancy Will be spared. With regard to he.
groes found uuder gallery of ware house,
reported by marshal DeKlyne as shot like
dogs, would state as coming under my per-
sonal notice as well as a score of others
that ny accident a negro was perceived
crouchipS under gallery. behind a block
with a shot gun in his hands, he was with
/ IL, {H,-. f,t - .Iet,,, ,.l.t,, IIa,, ,.r, 80
time 10 parley, as we already knew one of
artiilerymen had been shot from. under a
honse, he was shot aud gun taken from his
hands and can still he produced, Afterre-
port Of gun, one was shot under gallery
by Negro and several others We're then dis
covered further back and killed-being
too dark to perceive their guns. The gun
taken from hands of first mentioned-on
being unloaded next day was found to
cO%ltain-tirst load of bullets and u leaden
slug cut with q knife, second a load OF
powder mixed with shot, third a trenen-
dons load of powder, evidently loaded
during action while badly frightened or
excited In regard to how negroes fonght
and their generalship, considering
difference of race and Cd l.
%catinn, l would say Allen managed very
we'll until the charge, when he did what
50 ont of 100 of his race would do in SINH
lar circumstances fled.
Taking into consideration the time they
had to organize, their numbers, having
been drilled for some time, their strong
position. / consider 1t u fair test on a mill
tary point between the races, similar COLI
flicts can but lead to similar results
l confidently state the highest number
of our men that conld have been OF hand
was 16s l think it highly probable tlIrt
all told 140 would be a high estimate of
the number in line of battle. The organ
Of the negroes, the New Orleans Republic
can, of about that date says they number
ell 400, ey-Cnited States soldiers well for
titled aud drilled, it doubtless got figures
from Ward. the fugitive commander aud
others equally Well posted. Bass, the
sewing machine mai there q few days be.
fore says there were $50 armed negroes.
l am decidedly of the opinion that there
were 800 negro men at Colfax the day OF
the fight. many having left in the two
days previous probably by stealth. Some
few of these may not have been armed
and q few badly armed. Their position is
n very strong one, though Allen would
have done better to have held the build
ings with only u line of skirmishers in the
earthworks.
} With regard to the immense disparity
of loss / would say partly it proceeded
b from the general good conduct OF our mer
} and the cowardice and unftness toi
handling arms of the enemy-tllongh Al
times as the charge of skirmish line
through the town. of the Catalonia cavai