Obit: James S. Grayson, 1869, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Submitted by: Christine Lennon ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** He was supposedly assasinated by Black Federal soldiers in Ouachita Parish between Monroe and Trenton. He served as a private in Co. B, "Ouachita Blues" 4th la. Battn. The article concerning his tragic death appeared in the Ouachita telegraph on 31 mar.. 1869 as follows: Robbery and Murder- Again we are called upon to chronicle another foul deed. On Monday night week, was perpetrated the murder of James S. Grayson, near the residence of Capt. (J.P,) Crosley on the west side of the Ouachita River, by some party of parties unknown. Mr. Gryson, the unfortunate victim, was found about 8 o'clock lying upon the public highway, struck senseles by a brick-bat, and conveyed to the residence of his father-in-law, where he died on Tuesday night about 9 o'clock, having remained after the committal of the assault till his death, utterly unconscious. He was robbed of his pistol and money by the perpetrators of the deed, whose motive was plunder. No one saw the deed. The evidence criminating the perpetrators, is si far entirely circumstantial. Two arrests of soldiers in the camp were made, and examination had before Robert Ray, Parish Judge, last week, the result of which was the comitment for trial of John Phelps, one of the parties charged with the murder, while the other, a young man named Bishop, was discharged. In the meantime Eugene Reary was arrested upon the affadavit of Major Webb, and is now in jail awaitig his examination. Circumstantial evidence strongly points to these as the guilty parties. We hope that the perpetrators of his outrageous murder(s) will be ferreted out and brought to condign punishment. James S. Grayson, the victim, was respectably connected with some of the most influential families here, and was altogether a most upright and inoffensive citizen. His death is lamented deeply by all who were acquainted with him. While we would make no comments which would cast unmerrited stigma upon those not justly implicated, we sincerely hope that the authors of the foul deed may be brought to answer with their lives for the crime. It is but an act of justice to major Webb, the commander of the post, to say that he has furnished every facility in his power to asxertain the authors of the crime, that justice might be meted out to the guilty parties.