New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-13
ARKANSAS.

The Condition of Affairs at Austin-Ne-
groes in Charge Of the Town The
Difficulty not Political-Colonel Nor.
gan Gets scared, and General Cham
bers Takes Command Of tho Attacking
Party.
MEMPHIS, August l2. Captain James
Lee, of the steamer st. Francis, which ar
rived from below this morning, says that
after the negroes who had Austin surround
ed were repulsed yesterday, they disap
peared, and the story soon circulated that
they were numbering the women and chill
dren left unprotected on the surrounding
been defending the place to start for their
homes to protect their families. sH
Austin was soon lett without any de-
Tenders except one or two white men, and
the negroes came in and took possession,
and proceeded to break open saloons and
stores and helped themselves. At last ac-
counts they had committed no acts OF
violence towards the few whites who we're
unable to get away; but as they were be-
coming drunk, there were fears of tLeir
burning the village.
They sent a messenger to Captain Lee
asking him to land there, but he had a
large number of refugees on board, some of
whom the negroes had threatened to kill,
among whom was DR.. Philips late Re-
publican member of the Legislature. The
refugees begged him not to land, and he
passed on up.
General Chalmers came up on the st.
Francis to Peters landing, where the st.
Francis met the White with reinforcements
from here: He was requested by the dep
uty sheriff, in the absence OF the sheriff, to
take command of the men, and went back
with them.
They will land at O. X. landing and en-
deavor to cut of the retreat Of the negroes
from the bills, and doubtless ere this the
whole force has been captured, as the ne
groes had no suspicious of the approach of
this force, and we're too buslly engaged in
debauch to be prepared to meet them. Gen
eral Chalmers is man OF we'll known
courage and coolness, and his being in coIn-
unnecessarily shed.
1t is proper to state that politics has
nothing to do with this trouble, and that
Mayor Woodson and number of the men
who have been prescribed by the negroes
are Republicans.
News from Austin is anxiously expected
this morning, but as it is twenty miles to
the nearest telegraph station it is not
probable that anything definite will be OBJ
tanned before noon.
The Appears special from Helena this
Of Austin by the negroes, as already re-
ported, says:
At the Benefits landing Colonel Morgan
held council and stated that it was too
hazardous to make an assault upon the
blacks entrenched at Austin for want of
proper authority, suitable numbers and am
munition, and he preferred landing at
Moons, above Austin, where he could put
himself in better plight and await executive
authority.
General Chalmers came on board and
objected to landing at Moons, and insisted
on landing at 0. K, or Shoe Fly, most OF
the officers agreeing with him. To this
Colonel Morgan objected, as being in the
midst Of the enemy and subjecting the
command to danger of immediate attack
from all sides while unprepared for It,
He then ordered back the commissary
supplies which had been landed, and Cap
tain Finley's company. which had been
thrown out as skirmisbers, and calling the
officers together told them he felt it Was
his duty, under the circumstances, not to
take the risk they demanded, and that he
would carry the command back first. =. /
/, To this most Of the officers objected, and
Colonel Morgan resigned and General Chal-