Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-09-11
HEHURDERED MEN or co TSITAT
III.
who Were They and what Is Their
HIntOryl

History.
These and many questions of kindred
nature arise in the mind of every Northern
man, and especially do they come home to
ever Vermonter, for the press has herald
ed the fact that three of the victims of the
fatal tragedy were sons of Vermont. 1t is
of these three that we propose to speak,
having known them from childhood to the
day of their tragic death. To make their
story complete we mast first present the
readers with a short sketch of Capt. Mar
shall Twitchell, the present State Senator
of Louisiana. He was reared a farmers
son in Townshend, W., and if our memory
serves us right, he first enlisted rs II pri-
vate soldier in the 4th VT. regiment, and
was severely wounded in the head at tho
battle of Antietam. After his recovery,
and upon the organization of the colored reg
inents, he received Captains commission
in one of these regiments and was stationed
in Louisiana. Here he not only fought and
conquered rebels in the field but crossed
that last ditch, the threshold aud tireside Of
the ex planter, and wooed and won the
heart and hand of southern lady. The
close of the war found him established as
a citizen Of Louisiana, with all his Eank ec
ambition and intuition, wide awake and
ready to embark in the first laudable mon
ey-mak ing business enterprise that might
present itself. The opportunity was at
hand, and he established himself on Red
river plantation near Coushatta. This en-
terprise proved to be a decided financial
success, and by way of proving his title to
Yankee blood he erected a steam saw mill
and took hold of business as he had of war,
to make things move. lie entered into the
political reorganization of the State with
the same energy and determination to win ,
establishing and editing for time Re
publican journal at Coushatta. Midst all
this business and political warfare, he has
been the object of deep rebel hatred. Ma
ny times has his life been threatened and
but narrowly has he escaped in a number
of instances. He doubtless owes his life
to-day to the fact that he was in New Or
leans when this family butchery occurred.
Thus much We have ielt it necessary to LAY
of the living to make complete the story Of
the d cad.
Monroe c. Willis and Clark Holland
were both farmers boys, born and reared
in Newlane, Windham County, VT. both
graduated at the same district school both
were worthy sons of the old Green Noun
tain State. In the early part of the rebel
lion Wills's oldest and only brother en-
listed as sharp shooter, and was killed
during Gen. Pope's disastrous campaign in
Virginia. When the call came for niue
months men, young Willis was ready to "a
and avenge his brothers death. He en-
listed in the 10Th Vermont regiment, and
was always found at his post. lie was in
his place ON that forced march TO Getlys-
burg and nobly did his part on that field o
| carnage. As night was closing in ON The
| day of the final rebel rout, he was wound
| ed by stray shot in the wrist and forearm
and only saved his hand from the surg
cons amputing knife by dint of Yankee
| pluck, taking care of the wound himself
| after its tirst dressing. lie came homo
with his regiment, received his honorable
discharge, and again took up the labor o
the farm with his aged father, who is to-
| day past three score years and ten. Some
where between the years 1867 and 80
| young Willis, King and Holland, married
the three Twitchell sisters, Ellen, Bell and
Katie, and the widow Twitchell removed
from Townshend with her son Homer ant
| took up her residence with Willis in New
| fame. In 1870 Capt. Twitchell's business
in Louisiana had become so extensive tina
he found himself in situation to offer hi'
| ,,1 In In
| ness Observation-Disclosures which they
saw tit to accept. We think that Homer
went 10 Louisiana in the spring ant
| Mrs. Twitchell with her daughters and
their husbands in the fall of 1870, sine,
| which time they have been engaged il
business, and Two of them, as we hay,
seen, have become Office holders. Las
year Capt. Twitchell came north to visi
his friends, and employed Henry Scott anC
family of Townshend, who went on Their
early this year. Homer Twilchell last win
ter married Charlotte, daughter of Samuel
p. Miller of Fayetteville, and joined TN
new colony. In a word, Coushatta has
been growing community, not of rov
ing, shiftless men, but of thrifty, enter
prlsing Northern families. Mr.. Willis Wis
tied his friends here last May and CAV
them graphic description of Southern lif
and society, the sum total of which showed
that the Southern rebel still hates th,
Northerner and looks upon the Yankee Al
a mudsill, treating him and his family will
contempt. Southern life to him had PROVED
such in social point of view that he hat
made:up his mind to remove North will
his family next year. lie returned Soutl
about the first of July, taking John Mile
(son of S. p. Miller) of Fayetteville will
him.
We close without comment on this terri
BILE ending of a family history, for ever.
parents heart will do its own commenting
| q.
A special despatch to the Boston Journa
1 II A o. a