Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-09-18
The Coushatta Massacre.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.


them is Henry A. Scott of Townshend,
Vermont. He served through the war
in the Union army. He was First Lieu
tenant in the 18th Vermont Artillery,
and came to Coushatta TO settle with
other Northern men in January last.
The other white person is Seth Weston,
native of Louisiana, and an old officer
in the Confederate cavalry. These re-
ugees left Coushalta two days after the
murder Of the six prisoners. They re-
port that they were warned by the cap
tain of one of the White League"
companies that they must escape if pos
sble, for he would be utterly unable to
protect them on account Of their sup
port of the General Government, which
was generally known. The refugees say
that the swamps stink with putrefying
corpses of the slaughtered negroes.
The six murdered white men were
told the day before their murder that
they must take their watches and jewels
with them, as their captors would not
otherwise be responsible for the safety
of their property. They did SO, and af-
ter they were murdered their bodies were
robbed of everything that had any value.
They were entirely stripped. Four of
these persons were married, with fami-
lies. Only one of them was permitted
to see his wife. Three of them had mar
ried Southern ladies, and were living
there with their families The guard
that conducted the six men out to be
murdered were 50 in number, we'll
mounted and armed with double barrel
led shot guns. The refugees state that
the "White League" was constantly
receiving reinforcements up to two days
after the murder.
1t will be remembered that of the six
white men murdered, three, H. |. Twitch.
ell, M. g. Willis, and Clark Holland
were natives of this State, having beer
born in Windham county.
SKETCH OF THE MURDERED MEN.
A correspondent of the BrattleborC
Phoenix gives the following sketch O
the Vermont men so brutally murdered
Capt. Marshall Twitchell, the presen
State Senator of Louisina, was reared s
farmers son in Townshend, Vt, enlisted
as private soldier in the 4th Vt. Reg
lment, and was severely wounded in tn,
head at the battle of Antietam. Ate
his recovery, and upon the organization
OF the colored regiments, he received
captains commission in one of those reg
iments and was stationed in Louisiana
Here he won the hand of southern
lady. The close of the war found hin
established on Red river plantation
near Coushatta. This enterprise proved
to be decided financial success, and h,
erected steam saw mill and took hol,
of bushes as he had of war, to max
things move. He entered into the polit
cal reorganization of the State with tn
same energy and determination to win
establishing and editing for time Re
publican journal at Coushatta. Mids
|
all this business and political warfare
ne has been the object of deep rebel hat
red. Many times has his life been threat
ened aud but narrowly has he escaped il
a number of instances. He doubles
owes his life to-day to the fact that h
was in New Orleans when this famil
butchery occurred Thus much we hay
felt it necessary to say of the living t
make complete the story of the dead.
| Monroe G. Willis and Clark Hollan,
we're both farmers boys, born and reare,
in Newfane, Windham county, and bot
graduated at the same district schoo,
In the early part of the rebellion Willis
oldest and only brother enlisted as s
sharpshooter, and was killed during Gen
Pope's disastrous campaign in Virginia
When the call came for nine month
men, young Willis was ready to 90 an,
avenge his brothers death. He enliste,
IN the Sixteenth Vermont regiment, an,
was in his place on that forced march t
Gettysburg and nobly did his part OF
that field of carnage, As night wa
closing In on the day of the final rebe
rout, he was wounded by stray shot
lie came home with his regiment. re
ceived his honorable discharge, and agail
took up the labor of the farm with hi
aged father, who is to-day past thre
score years and ten. Somewhere be
tween the years 1867 and so, youn,
Willis, King and Holland, married tn
Iwitchell sisters. In 1S70Capt. Twitch
ellis business in Louisiana had become g
extensive that he found himself in
situation to offer his brothers and brott
ers-in-law good business positions
ducements which they saw fit to accep
They went to Louisiana in 1870, sine
which time they have been engaged i
husinees Last vaa- r.r.o: t. =,