"The Millican Riot" (August 1, 1868)

The Millican Riot--The editor of the Hempstead Countrymen has been at Millican, and gives the cause and effect of the late riot as follows:

"A negro was reported killed in the Brazos bottom by a man named Holliday, and Parson Brooks, a negro demagogue and leader in the Loyal League, organized a party of about 75 negroes, armed and mounted them, and rode through Millican with the express intention of hanging Holiday[sic]. The latter bearing of this determination, hastened to Millican to inform the sheriff who summoned a posse of 20 men and started in pursuit, and overtook and halted the party a short distnace from Millican. A parley then took place, and while the leaders were trying to arrange matters, a negro foolishly discharged his gun, thus precipitating a fight, as the whites, thinking an attack was about to be made, fire a volley into their ranks, killing five. The negroes then scattered, and for the next two days fighting was going on, with a result of between 15 and 20 negroes killed. After the first outbreak a courier was sent to Bryan for help, and 100 men came down under the command of Captain Randlett, of the Freedman's Bureau, who commanded them throughout. It was reported to us by the Orderly Seargeant of the squad of troops, sent to help the whites, that they had killed three negroes, but the Lieutenant in command says it was not so. Which to believe we know not, as there is a mistatement somewhere."