This is probably one of the most tragic newspaper articles I have ever read about our history. The article doesn’t say that the family were slaves, but you can probably safely assume they were. No names were given. The parents had probably gone out to work in the fields, leaving the older children to watch the younger ones all day. How absolutely horrific and tragic. This article was reprinted in papers as far away as London, England.
National Standard (Middlebury, VT) September 3, 1822, Page 2
A recent and most shocking casualty occurred on the 21st of June, at Monroe, in Louisiana. Five negro children were left in a cabin which by some accident caught fire. The door being locked the wretched inmates were unable to make their escape. The father and mother of the children, who were at some distance, upon discovering the fire, hastened immediately to their assistance, but all their attempts to reach the door, or to effect a rescue, were unavailing – and they were compelled to witness their unfortunate offspring perish in the flames, without being able to assist them. On clearing away the rubbish, next day, scarcely a vestage of remains could be discovered.
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 