The New York herald., 1862-04-28
The Capture OF New Orleans by the Union

The Capture OF New Orleans by the Union
Forces.
We have to chronicle to-day one Of the mos'
important events In the progress of the wal
against rebellion According to statements
received at the War Department yesterday
from General Wool, at Fortress Monroe, and
General MCDOWELL on the Rappahannock, the
rebel journals at Petersburg aud Richmond
announce that New Orleans is occupied by the
Union army. The particulars OF the capture
are not given, but the kilograms published iu
the Petersburg Express and Richmond Eraminer
are positive and explicit. According to these
accounts portion of the inhabitants OF New
| Orleans destroyed as much property as they
! could, upon the approach of our troops, and
all the steamboats, they could lay hands upon
except those required 20 carry ammunition and
! coin up the river into the interior
This news looks startling at the first blush,
| yet it was hardly unexpected. The strong
Union force at Ship Island-with General But
Ter commanding the military, Commodore Far
ragut at the head Of the naval portion of tie ex-
pedtion, and Commodore Porter conducting
the operations OF the mortar boats-has moi
been idle. We know that for several days past
our feet was lying in great strength directi,
below the forts defending New Orleans, which
they were bombsrding in a fashion described
by The rebel General Mansfield Lowell as "tsr
rife" One Of our gunboats had got past For
Jackson, a fact which caused the utmost con
steynation in the Crescent City. But II appear,
that the rebels relied upon two iron gunboat
for the final defence Of the city: one o
them, the Louisiana, commanded by Cap
tain Pegram, being said to excel the
Merrimac in power and armament If neN
Orleans, then, be in our possession, these twC
our hands, unless the rebels succeeded IL
destroying them with the other boats which
they are said to have demolished With Fort'
Jackson and St. Philip captured, AZ no doub
they were, ~ our feet, and Pass Christian
occupied, as it has been for some tipe the otbe,
defences would not present front too formi
iable for the force which our gallant officer.
could bring against them.
But there was an element of disloyalty TO The
rebel government existing in New Orlean,
which may have operated almost as potsntly
in favor of the Union army as the valol
OF our men or the skill OF our officers
We know that for a long time past the mos,
crushing military despotisIn has prevail ed there
The prices OF provisions, and the free action o
the citizens, have been controlled and regulated
by military committee headed by Pierre
Soule, and backed up by the bayonets aud
general orders Of Major General Lowell. Til.
condition Of this once prosperous and lux.
urious city had become intoersble, and it is moi
presuming too much upon probability to as
sumo that many Of the overridden citizens were
bat too glad 10 hail the prospect Of delivsrance
which the sight Of the good old flag held out ~
them
We are told that in thirty hours after the
capture Of Forts Jackson and st Philip "our
brave men contaminated their victory, and APP
pssrsd before the great city Of the Southwest
to receive ito submission We opins that
despite the wanton destruction Of property
which is said to have followed the approach Of
our troops, the submission was made cbesrfully
aud thankfully by the mass Of the people
Thus, while we have been conducting FOR.
midable and expensive expeditions on the Mis-
sissippi river and on the sea coast to assail the
rebel strongholds in the South, and subduing
them one by one, the creates. cotton port Of
the rebels has fallen into our hands, an event
which must change the whole features Of the
war In the South and West, baffie the plans oI
Beauregard at Corinth and Memphis, parslyze
the action Of Johnston al Yorktown, and re.
duce this nefarious rebellion 10 a last feeble
struggle.
.-.-.-------------------
HEALTHY SYMPTOMS or THE USIoS SENrIMrNI
AT THE REBEL CAr1TAL.--Wc recently published
authentic statements showing that while United
states demand notes were selling at par, and
even commanding a premium wherever our
flag was planted in the Southern States and the