Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-05-15
Tbs @ar.
The Surrender Of New Orleans.

The following correspondence taken
from the Richmond Enquirer, which
city it reached by telegraph, was re-
ceivcd at the War Department. The
correspondence is between the Mayor
of New Orleans and Flag. Officer Far
raGut,
UNtrEp STATES FLAG SHIP HAnrronp, !
Orr New ORLEANS, April 26.
To his Ercellency, The Mayor Of N'sr Orleans:
SIR Upon my arrival before your
city, had the honor to send to your
Honor Capt. Bailey U. S. n, second in
command of the expedition, to dc.
mand ofyou the surrender Of u Orleans
to me, as the representative of the
Government of the United States.
Captain Bailey reported the result of
an interview with yourself and the
military authority 1t must occur to
yonr honor Honor that it is not with
in the province Of a naval officer to
assume the duties of a military com
mandant. | came here to reduce
New Orleans to obedience to the laws
of, and to vindicatc tic offended mai
csty of the Government Of the United
States. The rights Of persons and
property shall be secured
therefore demand Of YOU, as its
representative, the unqualified surren-
der of the city, and that the emblem
of the sovereignty of the United States
be hoisted over the City Hall. Mint,
and Custom House by meridian this
day, aud all the flags and cmblems of
sovereignty other than this of the
United States be removed from the
public buildings by that hour. par
ticularly request that you shall exer-
else your authority to quell disturb
ancc, restore order and call upon all the
good people of New Orleans to return
at once TO their vocations, and | par.
ticularly demand that no person shall
be mo!ested in person, property, or
sentiments of loyalty to their Govern
mcnt. ....- ..s...... .s
shall speedily and severely pun
ish any person or pcrsous who shall
commit such outragcs as were wit
messed yesterday by armed men firing
upon helpless women and children for
giving expression to their pleasure al
the return of the " old fag" .
am, very respectfully, ...
d. G. FARRAGUr,
Flag Officer Western Gulf Squadron.
In reply to this demand for the sur
render of the city, the following pom
pous and amusing letter was returned
by the Mayor:
Mayors Office, City of New Orleans,
E City Hall, April 26, I
To Flqg Officer ID. G.. Earragm, United .Ssates
Flagship Hartford. ...
SIR:-m pursuance Of a resolution
which VIC thought proper to take,
out of regard for the lives of the wo-
men and children who still crowd the
Metropolis, Gen. Lowell has evacuated
it with his troops, and restored back
| to me the administration of its Gov
ernmcnt, and the custody of its honor.
l have, in council with the City Faith
ers, considered the demand you made
of me yesterday, of an unconditional
surrender Of the city, coupled with a
requisition to hoist the Flag of the
United States on the public cditiccs.
and haul down the flag that still floats
upon the breeze from the dome Of this
Hall. u
1t becomes my duty to transmit to
you an answer, which the universal
sentiment of my constituents, no less
than the promptings ofmy own heart,
dictates to me on this sad and solemn
occasion. .. ...r
The city is without the means of
defence, and is utterly destitute of the
force and material that might enable
it to resist an overwhelming armament
displayed in sight of it, am no mill
tary man, and possess no authority
beyond that of executing the munich
pal laws of New Orleans. 1t would
be presumption in me to attempt to
lead an army to the field il had one
to command, and know still less how
to surrender an undefended place,
held, as this is, at the mercy of your
gunners and your mortars.
To surrender such o place were an
idle and unmeaning ceremony. The
city is yours by the power of brutal
force. not by my choice or the consen,
Of its inhabitants. 1t is for you to dc
termipe the fate that awaits her.