Reconstruction Era: Burning of Luca Radescich's barn, 1867, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: Reproduced from the National Archives Obtained by Professor Jeff Reeves Submitted by Greggory E. Davies Hd. Qrs. U.S. Troops Sparta, La. July 21, 1867 General, I have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions from District Hd Qrs I have investigated the case as thouroughly and impartially as I could to ascertain the status of the parties and everything else pertaining to the burning of the within named Cotton Gin. I. Luca Radisach [sic] is an Italian by birth, is 64 years old, has lived in Louisiana 40 years, has by his own industry become quite wealthy for this country, is honest and upright, and perfectly reliable in every way and a good law abiding citizen. He was strongly opposed to secession and would not vote for it, but after the state had seceded he done all in his power to aid the rebellion by furnishing provisions etc. and had a son in the rebel army. II. The parties named in this indictment 13 in number accused of burning the Gin I find all but one without any character, none of them being considered reliable. Mr. William Thornton who is represented as Captain of the gang was always until this affair occurred considered a very good citizen, and it was not (until they were compelled by the most positive proof) believed that he was concerned in the burning. I find in regard to their being Union Men as represented in the petition that Frederick Thornton and Hugh Campbell volunteered in co. "E" 28th Louisiana Volunteers; Thomas Crawford in Co. "H" 28th Louisiana Volunteers; James Hudson in Captain Coopers Company in the 27th Louisiana Volunteers; and John Mooney belonged to the Reserve Corps; and the others are represented by the best citizens of Wain [Winn?] and Jackson parishes as being Jay hawkers and men of no character. The circumstances of the burning are these: -- On Friday night the 27th of May 1865, a party believed to be the same men robbed an old man named Pipes, one of Mr Radisach's neighbours, and it was reported that they were to visit Mr. Radisach's house for the same purpose; consequently the old man prepared his guns and pistols to resist them should they come. On Sunday night the 29th May 1865 at 11 o'clock P.M. he heard his dogs make a noise and got up and saw several men approaching his house. He called his little son and his daughter to assist him, telling them the Jayhawkers had come and took his double- barrelled gun and met them at the door and bid them stand back or he would shoot them. His daughter appeared and begged them to go outside the gate or her Father would certainly kill some of them. In the meantime Mr. Radisach's little son and a negro boy appeared gun in hand to help him, and these men went outside the gate. Mr. Radisach then sent his daughter to ask them what they wanted, he himself speaking very broken English. They told the daughter that they were a company of Confederate Soldiers just arrived from Mobile on Parole, and wished for something to eat. She reported to her father and he told her to look at their parole, and if they were soldiers to tell them to remain outside the gate until morning and he would furnish them plenty to eat. They refused to show their parole and moved off -- in a few moments they struck a fire and fired the Gin House, containing 80 bales of cotton, his crop for three previous years, and 100 bushels of wheat also 100 bushels of rye, and all his farming utensils. In the morning Mr. Radisach notified his neighbours, and they all took to the tracks and followed a few miles when they found a coat belonging to John Mooney, and covered with a peculiar mud from a creek in Mr. Radisach's plantation. They then found Mooney. He said it was his coat; and they arrested him; and without any threat he acknowledged that he was there and informed on all the others, stated that William Thornton was the Captain and Thomas Crawford the Lieutenant of the Company; and that they and everyone believed that the old man Radisach had a large sum of money in his house and they went to rob him, but he was too well prepared and they could not get him out of his house and could not get in themselves. So they fired the Cotton Gin, thinking he would come out to try and put out the fire, but he did not come. Upon this statement they arrested Mr. William Thornton much against their wishes for they were his neighbours and always thought him a very excellent man. He (Thornton) denied it and swore he was not there; whereupon they released him and let him go. They then arrested five men said to be engaged in it and amongst them Frederick Thornton, his son, who, together with the others, said his father was there. -- when they returned and re-arrested William Thornton and brought him into the presence of his son and the other prisoners, and he acknowledged he was there, but said he was opposed to burning the Gin; and went to see a Mr. Wyatt that lived about 18 miles away. The citizens then talked of hanging them to a tree; but concluded to turn them over to the Federal Troops at Natchitoches, as the troops had arrived there and they took seven, all they could find to Natchitoches and turned them over to the Military Authorities there. They kept them a few days, and had some kind of a trial composed of three officers; but they only swore two witnesses and them unimportant ones and let them loose. I am told that it was a mock trial; but I cannot find out who composed the court. These men have nearly all left the country and gone to Texas. I do not think more than four can be found in this State. This, General, I believe to be a correct statement of this case; but I do not believe the parties will ever be tried by a civil court in this Parish. I am Sir Very Respectfully Your Obdt. Servt. (Signed) N.B. McLaughlin Capt 4th U.S. Cavalry Bvt. Brig. Genl. USA to Bvt. Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower New Orleans, La.