The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-10-18
The Approach TO New Orleans.

-, The Phiiadeiphia Press says:-
Tho river at the Balize divides into
four branches, discharging them.
selves respectively through pass u
FOutre, North East pass. South
pass and Son,h- West pass. Above.
where tliese fonr outlets begin, there
ARE two for,s, almost opposite to each
other, nRmed Jackson and ST Philip
When this rebellion broke out they
were not efficiently mounted, and
could essily have been taken. -
What additions the tr"iior Twiggs
has made TO their defense 10 not
known. If they are well mounted it
would be very difficult tor a fleet to
pass up tho main body of the river.
There are. however, three other
mod,s Of appro .ch by wat. t, the
city. The one is through lakes Borgn
And PoDchartrain. another Mp the
Atchafalaya TO Berwick bay, and
ny bayous Torel and Plsquenine to
lberviile, one hundred miles 40 we
New Orleans. and a thi,d by way Of
Grand pass and bayou Latourche to
Donaldsonville, eighty miles above
the city. BY TIE first named route.
vessels Of from fifteen to eighteen
feet draught can be brought to the
Like house, located five miles from
the, city. The troops landed there
can be taken mp the canal by water.
0r can march at once up the she'll
road, the prcttiest road iD America
AloDg 1t any amount Of troops could
I've marched. On either side OF il or
the canal. which run parallel, the
ground falls away into a ewampI
covered with dense underground,
affording magnificent covers fcI
rkirmishers or riflemen. These,
however, could be easily brushed. -
There is not spot slorg the Who'll,
five miles Of road upon which there
is any kind OF fortiic tion, save bar
Ticadea.
II ia along this route that heavy
trade is carried on between Mobile
and the Crescent city; the length OF
these two lakes, including the Rig
Oletie, is about 40 miles. At the
entrance of Borgne, the easternmosl
OF the two. lie three islam 3 known
as Cat, Ship and Horse islands. -
Upon the main, right opposite to
them, is Mississippi City, the POST
said to have been lately seized and
fortified by our troops. Recent
sdviees Indicate that earthworks nrc
being thrown up on Cat and Ship
islands. These, with batteries con.
strUeteJ upon the North Eastc,n
tongue OF the parish OF st. Bernard,
would effectuslly cut off all com
merce between these two cities, and
prevent the entrance and d.p,riur
Oi any vessels coming from or going
~ sea. At least n single armed
vessel, in addition, would eflectually
close the wide strait where DJrgne
dcbohches into the CUFF.
The Atchafaya affords at the I
barrel stakes, only twelve feet water, I"
hot above that any depth need, d. :
thirty or forty miles. Through it. :
and the Plaquemine. vessels OF that q
drausht can Fpass to Iberville, into i
the Mississippi, at any time from t
the first Of December to the first o ,
June, when the river / full.
Hessela OF tn feet drought can gol !,
mp the Bayou Lafonrcbe during the I
same season OF tho year.
Moreover, tho Western extremity !
OF BorRns comes within twelve /,
miles Of the city itself, and from !
thence means could be found to
march troops aud munitions of war.
notwithstanding the swampy char |
acter OF the country for tho gre.,cr |
part Of the route. {
New Orleans can tasily be taken.
for the confederates havs not the I
means et defending all these flank q
as well as the approach
by the main river.
Doubtless other modes OF access,
as easy anJ prac!ic BILE IA those
pOinted ont, can he found, 8 ,ould 1t
becoinsBe necessary.
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Gen FREM INT WIrHaur Au1u RI