The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-01-07
MONROE LOUISIANA, SATURDAY. JANUARY Z 1854

| were carried Oh, aud the houses were
sacked and burned. Thus were de-
siroyed In few moments the most
beautiful buildings In the colony, nor
has any Ous dared attempt to restore
them, or to make any settlement up 10
this date. These savaaes had appeared
the most submissive OF all the natives
In the colony, and had rendered the
French almost as much services 40 the
Negroes. both as messengers, In the la
bors OF the field and In supplying them
in abundance with the products of the
chase, with oil and everything neces-
sary at trifiing prices.
| The colonists lived among them US
TRANQUILITY and with % much security
as ii they had been settled la the mid
die Of Paris. They treated them with
familiarity and went to their Villages
either by night or day without fear. A
little fort, erected some years before,
had fallen to decay, aud was open on
| all sides without causing any appre.S
| hension. Yet the French shameiully-
abused their women, took their lands
and ma'trsated them on several occa-
sions, which led the Matches to seek
revenge in the lnauner have describ-
ed, both on account Of the injuries they
had received, and, as some supposed,
furged by the English or by the savages
who were friendly to the latter.
The savages had expected the stroke
TO be general, as all the tribes Of the
district were leagued together TO de-
stroy all the whites Of the colony on
the same day, N'F1'V'' ''&'i - ~
1t is supposed, however, that the
Natchez anticipated the event bv some
days, through u mistake in counting
their sticks; that Is to say, the savaaee,
having agreed upon q day for q general
massacre, each tribe made little pack.
age OF canes equal In number 10 the
number OF days intervening before the
appointed time, one stick to be thrown
away on each day. The supposition is
that the Natchez had In mistake thrown
away two sticks at time, or had
dropped some. They wero thus in ad-
vance of the others and made the at
tack too soon, which mistake saved the
rest Of the colony. ases Ga
Whether this be true or not the saw
ages of the Yazoo initiated the conduct
of the Natchez in the following man
ner: The Rev, Father Du Poisson, a
Jesuit missionary in their village, .hav.
ing sent one Of the savages to Natchez
on some commission, the latter reached
the place just at the time OF the massa-
ere. Learning what had occurred he
retraced his steps at once and informed
his village of the event. Some OF the
Yazoos, unknown to tho rest, deter
mined to rid themselves of Father Du
Poisson and killed him rs he was de-
scending hill upon which he had
hv1ilf his hnp,oo Tho <,<haeo coernr.,
|stricken at that unhappy event, and
as father, killed, as it were, by their
own hands, bewailed his death with
bitter tears, for he was much beloved
in the village. The Yazoos, seeing
theinse Ives thus exposed to the resent.
nent OF the French, ffom whom they
knew they could expect no mercy,
joined with their enemies and initiated
the example Of the Natchez. Without
losing moment they collected to-
geiher, and carrying the calumet and
presents 10 the commander OF the. fort
they at the same time fell upon him
and massacred him, together with all
the French whom they found there, as
! also those who had settled in the neigh
borhoo", except soms women and chill.
dren, whom they CARRIED Of.
This was scarcely accomplished when
when the Rev. Father .D'Outrelan,
! coming from Arkansas to the mouth
of the Hazoo river on Sunday morn.
ing, and not knowing what had hap.
peued, wished to say mass before going
TO the fort. Whist he was saying
mass the men in the boat, seeing a
flock of geese flying overhead, seized
their guns and fired upon them, where
upon the Yazoos, who were lying in
ambush. seeing the guns of the French
were empty, fell upon them, killing
some and woundiug Others. Father
D'Outrelan with the rest escaped to
the boats and pushed out into the
river, under cover of gun only partly
loaded, which they pointed at the
savages. The Father, however, had
received several small shot or slugs in
his face.
After this it was necessary for the
colonists 10 bo constantly on their
guard, and they determined to blot
out the shameful stain of having 80
many women and children in slavery
to such barbarians. They therefore
armed all the forces OF the colony,
pursued the savages and shut them in
their fort, which they had made since
the massacre out Of large stakes driven
into the earth. They surrounded them
on all sides, erected battery of eau
non and commenced to batter down q
breach. They also opened trenches,