personal memoirs-2-第35章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
legislation directed against the freedmen; that led to flagrant
wrongs in the enforcement of labor contracts; and in the remote
parishes to numbers of outrages and murders。
To remedy this deplorable condition of things; it was proposed; by
those who had established the government of 1864; to remodel the
constitution of the State; and they sought to do this by reassembling
the convention; that body before its adjournment having provided for
reconvening under certain conditions; in obedience to the call of its
president。 Therefore; early in the summer of 1866; many members of
this convention met in conference at New Orleans; and decided that a
necessity existed for reconvening the delegates; and a proclamation
was issued accordingly by B。 K。 Howell; President…pro…tempore。
Mayor John T。 Monroe and the other officials of New Orleans looked
upon this proposed action as revolutionary; and by the time the
convention assembled (July 30); such bitterness of feeling prevailed
that efforts were made by the mayor and city police to suppress the
meeting。 A bloody riot followed; resulting; in the killing and
wounding of about a hundred and sixty persons。
I happened to be absent from the city at the time; returning from
Texas; where I had been called by affairs on the Rio Grande。 On my
way up from the mouth of the Mississippi I was met on the night of
July 30 by one of my staff; who reported what had occurred; giving
the details of the massacreno milder term is fittingand informing
me that; to prevent further slaughter; General Baird; the senior
military officer present; had assumed control of the municipal
government。 On reaching the city I made an investigation; and that
night sent the following report of the affair:
〃HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF;
〃NEW ORLEANS; LA。; Aug。 1; 1866。
〃GENERAL U。 S。 GRANT:
〃You are doubtless aware of the serious riot which occurred in this
city on the 30th。 A political body; styling themselves the
Convention of 1864; met on the 30th; for; as it is alleged; the
purpose of remodeling the present constitution of the State。 The
leaders were political agitators and revolutionary men; and the
action of the convention was liable to produce breaches of the public
peace。 I had made up my mind to arrest the head men; if the
proceedings of the convention were calculated to disturb the
tranquility of the Department; but I had no cause for action until
they committed the overt act。 In the meantime official duty called
me to Texas; and the mayor of the city; during my absence suppressed
the convention by the use of the police force; and in so doing
attacked the members of the convention; and a party of two hundred
negroes; with fire…arms; clubs; and knives; in a manner so
unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to say that it was murder。
About forty whites and blacks were thus killed; and about one hundred
and sixty wounded。 Everything is now quiet; but I deem it best to
maintain a military supremacy in the city for a few days; until the
affair is fully investigated。 I believe the sentiment of the general
community is great regret at this unnecessary cruelty; and that the
police could have made any arrest they saw fit without sacrificing
lives。
〃P。 H。 SHERIDAN;
〃Major…General Commanding。〃
On receiving the telegram; General。 Grant immediately submitted。 it
to the President。 Much clamor being made at the North for the
publication of the despatch; Mr。 Johnson pretended to give it to the
newspapers。 It appeared in the issues of August 4; but with this
paragraph omitted; viz。:
〃I had made up my mind to arrest the head men; if the proceedings of
the convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the
Department; but I had no cause for action until they committed the
overt act。 In the mean time official duty called me to Texas; and
the mayor of the city; during my absence; suppressed the convention
by the use of the police force; and in so doing attacked the members
of the convention; and a party of two hundred negroes; with fire…
arms; clubs; and knives; in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious as
to compel me to say it was murder。〃
Against this garbling of my report…done by the President's own order…
I strongly demurred; and this emphatic protest marks the beginning of
Mr。 Johnson's well…known personal hostility toward me。 In the mean
time I received (on August 3) the following despatch from General
Grant approving my course:
〃HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES;
〃WAR DEPT。; WASHINGTON; D。 C。; 〃August 3; 18665 p。m。
〃MAJOR…GENERAL P。 H。 SHERIDAN;
〃Commanding Mil。 Div。 of the Gulf;
〃New Orleans; La。
〃Continue to enforce martial law; so far as may be necessary to
preserve the peace; and do not allow any of the civil authorities to
act; if you deem such action dangerous to the public safety。 Lose no
time in investigating and reporting the causes that led to the riot;
and the facts which occurred。
〃U。 S。 GRANT;
〃Lieutenant…General。〃
In obedience to the President's directions; My report of August 1 was
followed by another; more in detail; which I give in full; since it
tells the whole story of the riot :
〃HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF;
〃NEW ORLEANS; LA。; August 6; 1866。
〃His EXCELLENCY ANDREW JOHNSON;
〃President United States
〃I have the honor to make the following reply to your despatch of
August 4。 A very large number of colored people marched in
procession on Friday night; July twenty…seven (27); and were
addressed from the steps of the City Hall by Dr。 Dostie; ex…Governor
Hahn; and others。 The speech of Dostie was intemperate in language
and sentiment。 The speeches of the others; so far as I can learn;
were characterized by moderation。 I have not given you the words of
Dostie's speech; as the version published was denied; but from what I
have learned of the man; I believe they were intemperate。
〃The convention assembled at twelve (12) M。 on the thirtieth (30);
the timid members absenting themselves because the tone of the
general public was ominous of trouble。 I think there were about
twenty…six (26) members present。 In front of the Mechanics
Institute; where the meeting was held; there were assembled some
colored men; women; and children; perhaps eighteen (18) or twenty
(20); and in the Institute a number of colored men; probably one
hundred and fifty (150)。 Among those outside and inside there might
have been a pistol in the possession of every tenth (10) man。
〃About one (1) p。 m。 a procession of say from sixty (60) to one
hundred and thirty (130) colored men marched up Burgundy Street and
across Canal Street toward the convention; carrying an American flag。
These men had about one pistol to every ten men; and canes and clubs
in addition。 While crossing Canal Street a row occurred。 There were
many spectators on the street; and their manner and tone toward the
procession unfriendly。 A shot was fired; by whom I am not able to
state; but believe it to have been by a policeman; or some colored
man in the procession。 This led to other shots and a rush after the
procession。 On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some
throwing of brickbats by both sides。 The police; who had been held
well in hand; were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder。 The
procession entered the Institute with the flag; about six (6) or
eight (8) remaining outside。 A row occurred between a policeman and
one of these colored men; and a shot was again fired by one of the
parties; which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through
the windows by the policemen。 This had been going on for a short
time; when a white flag was displayed from the windows of the
Institute; whereupon the firing ceased; and the police rushed into
the building。
〃From the testimony of wounded men; and others who were inside