Sunday, August 2, 2009

The Burning and Destruction of Kilbourne, La.

Right after the happenings of Quantrill's Raiders and the ten Federal guerrillas, a Colonel Forsham, a splendid gentleman, (for all he was a Yankee officer), polished and humane, was sent here with his regiment, under sealed orders, to avenge the death of the ten guerrillas. When he reached the Seller's place (which was Oakland Plantation), he was allowed to break the seal of his orders. After reading them, he remarked to the lady (Mrs. S. P. Bernard), "Madam, I advise you and your husband to keep out of view for many days. I shall return to the Fort and resign, for I could never execute such fearful orders."
(The Fort was at Goodrich's Landing). He did resign, but this place was filled immediately by a blood-thirsty ruffian, Major Chapin, who at the head of a Negro troop, killed many innocent people.
They went to the residence of Mrs. Holmes, who lived where is now Kilbourne, and in whose house, convelescing from illness was a young man, Charlie Collins, a soldier, a gentleman, and a man of high character. He fearing capture, ran, but when he saw he would be overtaken by those hordes of Negro soldiers, he offered to surrender. They refused and beat him to death with the butt of their guns.
The raiders then proceeded down Bayou Macon, killing whomesoever they met, and finnally reaching Floyd, which was then the county seat of Carroll Parish, where they burned the entire town and left helpbless women and children, naked and homeless, to moan in the ashes of what had been a thrifty town of comfortable homes, with every man who was able to fitght away in the army.

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