About the first of November, Baker crossed Red River with a small
force of possibly fifteen men. They committed a number of artocities in
Little River and Sevier counties. The Little Rock Daily Republican in
its issue of November 2, 1868, published the following extract from a
private letter relating to the circumstances in connection with the
murder of an unknown Negro and two government agents, Major J. P. Adrews
and Lieutenant H. F. Willis.
Judge Searle, Jacke Towsend, and McWorter came here last night with
the sad intelligence that Major Andrews and Liutenant Willis had been
assassinated by Baker and his damnable Ku Klux gang. Andrews,Willis,
and the sheriff (Standal, Sheriff of Little River County) were going
to Andrew's plantation and were bushwhacked by these cowardly villians
at the crossing of Walnut Bayou. Sheriff wounded. Baker's gang had a
plot to murder Searle, Townsend, and McWorter, but they got wind of
the affair, took another road and came here. This morning Townsend,
Searle, Casey, McWorter, Tanninon, and myself started for Rocky
Comfort to collect facts in the case, etc., but learned that Baker had
about one hundred men, and was looking for us. Two of Baker's gang
followed Searle and party to this place, and left to-day at 11 A.M.
(4).
- After killing Andrews and Willis, Baker went to the plantation of
Mrs. Sarah Taylor, and there killed several Negroes. These ourages
so incensed Governor Clayton, that he ordered out more militia under
command of R. F. Catterson, and Baker retreated into Texas. But
before leaving the state he went to the plantation of a Dr. Jones
and represented himself as a Federal officer in search of Cullen
Baker, several of the Negroes volunteering to help. After decoying
them off some distance he drew them up in line directly in front of
his men, whom he ordered to fire upon them. Six were instatly killed
and the others badly wounded.
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- 4. Ibid., 99ff.
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