Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-05-01
CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS

A'o" ciicahs mas Iallen lhiS glorl
Gus intelligence comes to us from the re.
bells, and we therefore have no right t.
doubt its correctness. The mortar anC
gun fleet of Captain Porter is in front O
the city. The rebels have fled in con,
sternation, after destroying by military
order, all the cotton in the presses and
warehouses in the place, and burning all
the steam craft at the wharves, except
such as were required to carry off the mu-
nitions and supplies of the army for which
they would seem to have no use at home.
The news comes through rebel sources
and on the point of resistance, after Por-
ter had successfully passed Forts Jackson
and Phillip, the dispatches are some
what blind. The inference is that the re-
bells evacuated after making mere show
of resistance.
The city depended for its defense, not
upon any Notifications within its own lin
its, but upon the forts at distance-on
the lakes in the rear, and on the Missis-
slppl below it. These once passed, on
either side, the city must fall unresisting-
ly before sufficient force. This. with.
out doubt, is the explanation of the fact
that the fall of Forts jackson and St.
Phillip was so quickly followed by its
surrender. ~.. "a
No city in the world of any CONNER
clal Importance is so defenceless, when
once reached, as New Orleans. 1t stretch
es along the left bank of the river for six
or seven miles, on narrow strip of land,
averaging only about two miles in width,
In the rear the land sinks into mere
swamp, uninhablted and uninhabitable =
The city itself is lower than the bed of
the river, and is protected from overflow
by levee, a partly artificial embank-
ment. A fleet at anchor before it is ac
tually higher than the city itself, and COM
mands it as if from an eminence.
A few hours labor, under the protec-
lion OF the feet, should there be any resis-
lance, and should there be necessity of
resortlng to so desperate a measure.
would put New Orleans fathom or two
deep under the waters of the Mississippi.
But 1T is not likely that the inhabitants
have provoked any such destruction, or
thai : tha loyal pol.;;con of them would per-
init any resistance that would invite II, ,,
1T all the forts below the city have not
oeen reduced, our commanders have only |
to let them alone, and with the city above |
and the mouths ofthe river in our posses.
SION, they will be found to be Door pieces
Of property for the rebels.
The next movements will he awaited
With great interest. Probably a force
1as been landed in New Orleans sufficient
o hold it without MISUNDERSTANDING if in
he power of portion of the feet to pro-
'eed up the river to Natchez, Vicksburo
md Memphis. So far as is known. there
re no forts of any account until Fort
NOV is reached, which is Just above
lemphis. And that fort, as also Fort
randolph and Fort Wright still further
P was bulit solely with reference to t
commodore Foote'seperations down tbe t
Ver' Ii may be, howevts, that it will 6
necessary to reduce other workssofI {
hllar character at Natchez and also il
here. .8Afy-8El 0''0
1t this is SO, Com. Porter has arma. i
eht sufficient to do all the fighting, that f.
VI be imposed upon him, At all events sh
may consider it settled that the whole re
1gth Of the river viii soon be in orr mr. lis lis
session. s4.-- -.... .~' va Sc,
The capture of New trleans. lust at a ns
5 time, is most inopportune for Beau tn tn
gard The great battle at Coriath oc. thi
IS about this time. The intelligence Of 1
'all of the great city of the South
81 : must greatly demoralize his troops !
. !. thoroughly unfit them for conflict ~
len even before was almost homeless ~
beaten, as it would seem he certainly .ii
ST be, he has no place for retreat His III
'nues Of communication with the rebel u:
" or, Oh the East are all cut off. He will l'n
ckly md himself hemmed in on all nv ~,
es-and his only alternative will he II
Ter to surrender his entire army. or TO re-
tier it. .... = r. - ii a I
mere was va an element of disloyalty to n ~
.reoei Government existing in New poi
cans which may have operated almost STA
,otentiy In favor of the Union cause aie
ne movements of our troops. For -"
time past, the most crushing militia
iespotlsm has prevailed there. Every o.
g affecting citizens, even to the most IA Ia
u'e matters, has been controlled by mn
!ary committee, headed by Pierre 7
ie' ana backed up BY the orders Of r,
or General Lowell. The condition of
once prosperous and luxurious CITY ni
become intolerable, and no doubt ma. hio
q the :, overridden citizens were right
TO han the prospect of deliyersnce said
en- the sight OF the old flag suggested the
hem. ooN''s"