The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-05-15
How and When the Union Forces
took Possession of the City
Of New Orleans

der Confederate auspices, affVeu AZ Oai'o M
evening on the Dihgent ne Feaersis tG I
possession on Thursday, at p. NJ On ina
morning at halfpast 8, the irigates Hartford
BROOKLYN, Richmond, and five gunboats passe'
Forts St Phillip and jackson and steamed =
the CITY without being fred at,eXcept at poih
called Chalmetto. At the time OF the PasSag
there were eight or ten Conie1er"te s'e"n'o,
above the fort without steam up anu 'He -.
asleep When the Federal boats move i, s'snt
the Coniederates set 1re 20 tDcSe a.i1 ~
the splendid steamer Louisiana, wlthout hilhs
a shot Duriup the bombardment seYeral OF oui
IesseJa were badly damaged. When they pass
cd the forts three were asbed together, so thai
# one was disabled the others could cut loose
and proeeed on their way. In this manner they
succeeded in passing.
Az soon as the rumor of the passage of the
forts reached New Orleans, there was tremen
dous CONSERVATION in the city. The authorities
Immediately set fire to the transports, and the
town gunboats lying at the ievee.a few steamers
bsionS;i,s- to the tributaries of the Mississippi
Aed crowded with citizens, up the Arkansas
Red, White, Ouachia and 1azoo rivers. EY-
cry dray and vehicle suitable To- she service,
was impressed by the authorities to carry c2f-
ton, sugar and molasses to The levee, where they
were piled and burned All military stores were
removed to .he depot of the New Orleans and
jackson Railroad, except the powder, which
was tremendous, and the sky for several miles
was lurid with fame. The smoke was so thick
as TO completely darken the atmosphere.
Disorganized Confederate troops in compa-
MES and parts of companies fed IN wild dlser-
der to the depot to seek passage TO Poncha-
tular, fifty miles in the interior, wh"re the mill
tary rendezvous was located The negroes stole
molasses and sugar from the leyee, and women
and children could be seen in great numbers
10 Of sstz Tho N
their huts in the suburbs. The streets were so
slippery with the clippings that the cab horses
could hardly stand upright.
While affairs were in this confusion, the eight
Federal frigates and gunhoats i'll fighting trim,
with guns shotted and run out of the port holes,
and the s.ars and stripes flying from every mast
head, anchored one at the foot OF each principal
street leading to the river. the Hartford, with
Com. Farraguts blue pennant flying from her
foretop, taking her position at the foot Of Canal
street. After the ships were in position, Capt.
BaY.ess, second in command of the gulf squad
ron, in a pinnace unattended aud alone, landed
on the eVes. just before him man stood at
the levee with loaded pistol and threatened to
shoot him If he stepped his foot upon the shore
without flag of truce. Capt. j. pulled out q
white handkerchief and waving it, stepped up
on the levee and proceeded directly TO the City
Hall through :. crowd Of tull twenty-five thous
and men, women and chIldren. This act OF bra
very elicted a shout of admiration from the vast
Rssemblage. He called upon the Mayor, PIE
ssnted dispatch from Commodore Farragut
and demanded the surrender Of the city. He
required the louisiana State flag 10 be lowered,
and the Stars and Stripes to be hoisted upon
the Mint, Custom House, and all public build
ings The Mayor Informed him that the city
was under martial law, that Maj Gen. Lowell
was in command, and that he, the Mayor, had
no authority to act in the premises. At this
juucture Gen. Lowell appeared, refused TO sur
render the city. but offered to withdraw his
forces and surrender his authority to the civil
authorities. The Mayor then told Capt. Bay
less that he would convene session OF the Com
mon Council that evening, and send An answer
to the Commodore's dispatch in the morning.
The answer, as promised, was returned the next
day
OnTuesday the 28th,5 500 marines landed with
2 few small brass pieces and marched to the
City Hall, demanded TO be shown to the top Of
the building, hauled down the State flag, which
q marine rolled up and carried off under his arm,
and then proceeded to the Custom House, where
the remains of two hundred gun-carriages were
still burning, hoisted the National Emblem,
left guard to protect it, and returned to the
gunboat.
The day previous forts St. Phillip and Jack
son had surrendered, their own men spkiug the
guns and refusing to fight longer. In conse-
uuence Of this mutiny, Gen. Duncan was com
PEELED to raise the Ahite flag and surrender the
fort. Gen. Duncan and all his officers were re-
leased upon their parole and allowed to retain
their side arms. The former came up to the
City Hall and made speech, in which he coun-
seed the people not to despair, as everything
would come out right yet
The fort having surrendered, the way was
clear for transports, which at the time our in
formant left were hourly expect ID. Order was
Te-established in the city, shops were being
opened, but the st. Charles and principal hotels
remained closed more in consequence of the
currency and the scarcity of provisions, than
from any fear of the Federal soldiers
Considerable apprehension was felt that the
lower classes, Spanish, French Germans, and
foreigners generally, taking advantage of the
disorganized condition Of the city might com
init excess, and plumber the citizens the iuhab-
itants were more fearful of these than of the
Federals. Confederate scrip was sill current
but prices of provisions were enormously high.
The day after the gnnboats arrived, two Of
them steamed up the river to Baton Rouge,
hoisied the United States flag the capitol
building and arsenal and captured two steamers
for transport service. Thousands Of people
were constantly on the levee, gazing at the gun
boats and soldiers towards whom they mani
tested no i'll will or bitterness of feeling.
Our informant passed through General Low
ellis camp at pointcalled Songapoa about 1875
miles north of New Orleans, on the New Orleans
aud Jackson Railroad. Munitions of war troops,
provisions, &c, were lying about in the utmost
confusion. They were intending to join Gen
Bcauregard at Coriuth. People by thousands
were leaving Vicksburg and lacnez for Jack
son, which place was crowded to OVERLOOKING
There was an alarming scarcity Of provisions
Our informant reached Memphis the % inst,
aud left on the evening ufth 5th for point
or the Memphis K ONO Railroad, IA mi es
south of Humboldt. Just before, dispatches
were received confirming reports that COCO
troops had landed at New Orleans. The citizens
of Memphis were satisfied that upon the first
determined attacl, OF Fort Pillow il would sur
render On the Hatchee river, below Fl. Pill
low and twenty-five mites from It's mouth, an
Abide Camp of General Beauregard is super
intending the construction Of pontoon bridge,
to facilitate the retreat of troops from the fort,
in case an evacuation becomes necessary. Our
informant thinks that if OF. the contamination
of that event. a gunboat will run up the Hstchee
river it will be able to destroy the bridge and
cut off their retreat.
From Cape Gsirurdeau.
CT I