December 1865 Murder of Lt. William H. Sanders Source: from the 'Ouachita Telegraph' Submitter: Timothy D. Hudson, Date: 4/2004 ................................................................................. ************************************************ Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ Newspaper article from the 'Ouachita Telegraph' Captain George W. McCranie founded the 'Weekly Telegraph' in Monroe, Ouachita Parish beginning in September 1865. In December, he decided to change the name to the "Ouachita Telegraph'. The following death notice was penned by Captain McCranie, the former captain of Company M, 12th Louisiana Infantry Regiment. The victim was McCranie's subordinate during the war, his lieutenant William H. Sanders. ====================================================================================== 4 January 1866 page two, columns 3 & 4 ====================================================================================== HORRIBLE MURDER -- PASS HIM AROUND Never in a journalistic experience of several years have we discharged a more unwelcome, melancholy task than that now about to devolve upon us. Death in any form and with even the aged for its victim is an unpleasant theme. When the young die, we are more than usually sad; when they die suddenly, our grief is still greater. But when a young man, full of promise and hope, the object of a father's and mother's love and a kind sister's devotion is hurried into eternity by the bloodied hand of an assassin, for no cause whatever, humanity shudders, society weeps, and men stare each other in the face for want of language to express their emotion. William H. Sanders, 1st Lieutenant, Co. M, 12th Louisiana regiment, late C. S. A. was the soul of generosity, courage and magnanimity. For nearly four years we served with him side by side in the late war, and during that whole period, as his superior officer we never once had an occaion to complain of a single derelict on of duty on his part. He was uncommonly kind and forbearing; temperate in all his views and prudent in all his acts. With an extraordinary mild disposition, he combined great refinement of feeling, so that one had but to know him well to prize as invaluable his sterling worth and cherish his many noble qualities of heart, as possessions rarely to be met with in one young and inexperienced as himself. It is of the cold-blooded murder of this young man we have now to speak, and by one who was his play-fellow, his school mate, and afterwards his comrade in arms - by one who never exhibited a single manly virtue, who ___manenerd his career in vice and immorality, who to theft added desertion and to desertion assassination. This felon's name is W. H. Calcote, a young man of some 21 years of age and singularly blood-thirsty for one so young. Calcote with his brother John, younger by two or three years than himself, attended a militia drill at Woodville, Jackson Parish, on the 23rd ult. Mr. Sanders was also present. Several times during the day these brothers were heard to threaten Sander's life, of which fact he was horified. Acting upon the information, he prudently avoided a collision until late in the afternoon he was returning from a tan yard near town, whither he had gone on some business, when he met the Calcotes in the road, that being their route home. Reining his horse to one side of the road, he sought to pass around them and thus avoid a difficulty. But his good intentions were wholly thrown away and probably served only to invite the trouble he wished to avoid. The Calcotes advanced towards him with pistols drawn and one of them seizing the reins of his horse's bridle informed him that they intended to have satisfaction, or words to that effect. A colloquy then ensued, which wound up by yound Sanders remarking, "Well, I will sell my life as dearly as I can;" and reaching back he drew a pistol but was prevented from using it by the younger Calcote catching his hand. While in this position Harrison Calcote fired at sanders, the bullet taking effect in his head. Brains oozed from the wound which was inflicted with a revolver, and so near as to be powder burnt. Mr. Sanders expired in great agony at 9 o'clock, p.m., having been wounded at 4 p.m. His tragic death and many sterling virtues and a deep-felt sympathy for his loss brought a large number of people together to pay the last sad rites to his memory. Immediately after committing the damnable deed the elder Calcote mounted his horse and fled, the younger by threats and acts intimidating two young men who were present from pursuing until he was out of reach; whereupon, mounting himself he followed in pursuit of his brother. A posse of citizens speedily organized a search for the assassins. John Calcote was apprehended; has since been tried, refused bail and committed to jail at Bienville parish, that in Jackson Parish being insecure. Being less hardened in crime a disposition has been manifested to palliate his complicity in the bloody deed. If it be true as we have heard, that he vauntingly asserted after mature reflection he was one of the men who committed the crime, we have no hesitancy in saying he deserves the extreme penalty of the law. Harrison Calcote, so far, has made good his escape, despite of every effort to procure his arrest. Whilst fleeing the scene of his bloody work he passed some parties, to whom he said, "I have just committed a cold blooded murder" and hurried on in his flight. We know this young villain well - defended him when his life was in peril for the crime of desertion; heard his solemn vows for reformation and witnessed his apparent contrition for his crime. Convinced now, as we expected then of his utter depravity we can but hope that all good men will keep a good watch out for him, and if seen, arrest or kill him on the spot. ########################################## Background information about the military records of the above three men from Booth's Index: ** Editor McCranie, former captain of Company M, 12th Louisiana Regiment ** Lt. Sanders, the murder victim ** William Harrison Calcote, the murderer McCanie, George W., Capt. 2nd Co. M, 12th La. Inf. En. Feb. 12, 1862, Camp Carondelet, Va. Present on all Rolls to Dec., 1862, Roll March and April, 1863, Absent on sick leave April 15, 1863. Rolls May, 1863, to Oct., 1863, Present. Roll Nov. and Dec., 1863, Absent on leave since Dec. 12, 1863, order Gen. Johnston. Rolls May, 1864, to Aug., 1864, Present. Det. as Provost Marshal, April 29, 1864, order Gen. Scott. Sanders, William H., Pvt. 2nd Lt. 2nd Co. M, 12th La. Inf. En. Feb. 12, 1862, Camp Carondelet, Va. Present on Rolls to Aug., 1863. Rolls Sept. and Oct., 1863, On leave of absence of 34 days, order of Gen. Johnson, since Oct. 6, 1863. Rolls Nov., 1863, to Aug., 1864, Present. Federal Rolls of Prisoners of War, Captured Nashville, Tenn. Dec. 16, 1864. Forwd. to Military Prison, Louisville, Ky., Dec. 20, 1864. Transfd. to Johnson's Island, Ohio, Dec. 22, 1864. Released on Oath of Allegiance to U. S. from Johnson's Island, Ohio, June 17, 1865. Res. Woodville, La., age 23 years, complexion dark, hair dark, eyes hazel, height 5 ft. 9 in. Calcote, William (also Calcote, W. Harrison), Pvt. Co. H. 12th La. Infty. En. Aug. 13th, __, Camp Moore, La. Present on all Rolls to June, 1863. Roll for July and Aug., 1863, Absent without leave Aug. 27th, 1863. Roll for Sept. and Oct., 1863, Absent in arrest at Canton, Miss., Sept. 10th, 1863, by order of Col. Scott. Present on Roll for Nov. and Dec., 1863. ##########################################