The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-05-13
THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS.
Full PurticuidrS.

L lie gun boats OF lnc cHeulJ tei'ioiy III
their attempt to pass Forts Jackson and st. Phil
lin. The Confederate gun boat Gen Quitmau ran
into one of them and both sunk in very few
minutes. with all on board. The McRae also
went down. firing her last broadsde just as she
was sinking beneath the waters. The Yankee
boats, which succeeded in getting up to the city.
bore honorable testimony Of the spirit of our men
and the accuracy of their aim. Some of them
were completely rdded by shot, and all were
more or less damaged. They were not lron-clad,
or did not appear to be-
At the moment it announced that the ships
had passed the forts it became evident to all re-
f1cctin..a persons that the city was defencecss.
Steps were then taken to render it barren con-
quest BY order of the Governor and military
authorities, all the Government munitions and
stores sent away Such material of war
as could not be removed was destroyed. Or
dcrs were also issued to destroy all the cotton in
this city. This was done. The troops under the
command Of Gen Lowell were marched to the in
terror lines of the city-af few miles below, these
! lines would have been formidable against an army
advancing by land but the batteries near the river
were quite weak and ineffective against the ships
especially in the present stage of the river
the high surface of the water enabling them com
pietcly to command the surrounding country. AS
ships approached the batteries, about six or seven
miles below the city, our arllerlsts opened upon
them from both sides of the river, but the guns
were only 24's they produced but little effect
The ships replied with several broadSides, which
showed that they completely commanded our bat
! teries. The batteries though manned by unprac-
ticed gunners, kept up the fire for some time, out
with no effect, and under such discouraging cir
cumstanccs as to render it an obvious policy to
withdraw the gunners and the troops. The bat
| teries accordingly abandoned and the troops
were marched to the Jackson Railroad. In the
meantime, the hostile squadron steamed up the
river A terrible and melancholy spectacle was
presented to the victorious ships The whole
levee, for miles. was wrapped in smoke, from the
burning cotton and gun carriages which the an
,horitics had ordered to be consumed. In the
river were many bulls o. burning ships. the debris
of our fleet and of the merchant vessels and stea
merS which contained cotton.
As the boats were coming up the river crowd
was collected on the levee, among whom was
small knot Of traitors, who hurrahed for the mon
| An immediate response to this demonstration was
given by revolvers in the hands Of the citizens
who fired into them, killing three and woundng
six. The statement by Commodore Farragnt that
women and children were shot and killed, is a
base fabrication When the officer bearing the
demand for the surrender of the city landed the
| levce. he was greeted with n welcome and shake of
| the hand from solitary individual. The officer
passed on bnt his friend soon after paid the penal
ty of his treason with his life. The Crescent says
It is with feelings of the deepest pride that
point the Federal officers to the fact that no Union
sentiment exists in mdst-that, with almost
| one vcicc. and with tongue, the community
entirely rcpudatcs all allegiance to the old Govern
mcnt, and warmly and devotcdly adherers to the
new. And we respectfully but firmly assert that
this sentiment, this feeling, is so firmly implanted
in the breasts of our people, that no time, no cir
cumstance TO change, can serve to eradicate it, or
still their free souls in their struggle for their in
dependence They have suffered, they may suf
fer unspcakablv in the future, but we hazard
nothing in saying that no sacrifice, even to the
life. will be too much 20 accomplish the one great
mighty and glorious undertaking. This we honest
" believe and while VIC do not utter our convic-
tons in vain glorious spirit we will not shrink
from their free and independent expression. The
| Yankee flag placed over the Mint was torn down
on Saturday evening, 10Th ult., by some spirited
citizens
The shots fred by the Federal vessel came very
near dcmolishing several houses in the neghhor
hood Of the Mint. and shell lodged in the roof
of the dwelling of Mr. J y. Lacour. We could
not have believed that a civilized people could
have so far forgotten their dignity to have per-
mittcd themselves to have endangered the lives of
| unntfcnding women and children, in thus want
only firing into a city.
| The flags Of the different Consulatcs or the
representatives. of European Governments all
displayed from their respective offices, excepting
| in two or three instances. The Consulate of Bre
men has no flag. and two three other nations
have representatives. here. Several private
citizens, foreign Subjects have hoisted their coun-
! try's emblem over their residences
The destruction of property has been immense;
much more so than necessary
On Saturday, about noon, party Of men, who
have recently returned from Beauregard's army,
went down on the lcvee with band of music and
! a Confederate flag, to give vent to their feeling
in face of the Fcderals The levce was dcnsely
crowded with People, among whom were great
number of women and children; but this did not
| deter the sharp-shooters board the vessel
nearest the shore from opening fire upon the men
engaged in the harmless exhibition of patriotism,
which resulted in the death Of innocent bvstan-
der and the wounding of two others We do not
commend the action Of the young who pro-
from condrmning the cruelty of the parties who
could level their guns at a crowd for the fault of
two or three.
Gen. Level's army which has been represent
ed at 10000, amounted 20 only FIVE or six
thousand, and but few OF these soldiers
/ Most Of them were the milita-thc drilled and or
ganzed citizens, who left their counting-rooms
and other business. with their safe keys in their
pockets when the enemy first came. expecting, to
get into fight at As fight had taken
place, and prospect existed of an early encare