Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-03-28
Probable Capture Of New Or.
leans.

we cHp the following speculation
from the Cincinnati Commercial, as t.
the probable capture Of New Orleans
That it will be taken eventually, we hav,
no doubt, but are not SO sanguine, tha
it has been accomplished already. But
we will, no doubt, have stirring new,
from that region shortly. The CONNER
ciol says:
The impression seems to prevail Al
Washington that New Orleans has, by
this time, been captured by the com.
bined forces of the army and navy. I,
ID we'll known that Formidable land
force, including several Western regi
ments, has been quietly aceumulating at
Ship Island. Alarge number of trans
ports. gunboats, and lastly Commodore
Porter's mortar feet were there, and at
last advices were all ready to sta rt on an
expedition, which undoubtedly had for
its object the capture of New Orleans.
Assuming that the expedition has ac-
complished Its mis- ission, we are at liberty
to speculate on the probable movements
that preceded the capture of the city.
The defenses of the enemy, SO far as We
have been able to obtain intelligent in :
formation, seem mainly to have been
constructed with view to repelling an
attack by the river, the rebels trusting
to the casemated Fort Pike at the Rigo-
let's, commanding the channel from
Lake-Borgne into Lake Pontchartrain.
and earthworks for the protection of the
city from the rear. Passing up Lake
Borgne, the first obstacle encountered
would be the fort, the reduction of which
would doubtless give some difficulty
That out of the way, it would not be
troublesome matter for the gunboats to
she'll out such earthworks as the rebels
may have thrown up; which done, the
expedition would proceed up Lake
Ponchartraia, the transports disembark-
ing the land forces at or near Lakeport,
the terminus of short railrsad crossing
the narrow strip of land separating the
lake and river.
The country is low and swampy; an
attacking force would probably have to
march along the famous shell road.
which the rebels have undoubtedly
guarded by batteries and rife pits, and
which will have to be taken in the same
way that Burnside's forces captured the
fortifcations guarding the approach to
Newbern.
The rebels had large force in camp
at New Orleans, from twenty to thirty
thousand, but poorly drilled and worse
armed. The best Louisiana troops have
been sent forward to Virginia and Ten
nessee, and it is impossible that any
considerable force could have been sent
home in time to take part in the de-
fense of the city. Unless part of the
expedition went up the Mississippi-an
operation that would be attended with
considerable difficulty, as two strong
forts guard the approaches from that di
rectiop, to say nothing of several bat.
teries-the reduction Of the city would
have to be accomplished mainly BY the
land forces. The distance across the
country from the point where the NOR
tar and gunboats in Lake Ponchartrai
would probably cooperate. is between
Six and eight miles. The land forces,
therefore, could be protected in their
advance for not more than half the way. |
We cannot, therefore, expect that the
capture of the most important city in
he Cenfederaey, will Re accomplished
without severe fighting and great loss of
life; but we have perfect confidence that
t will be accomplished at any cost, and |
'hail look for the announcement of |
brilliant victory within few days.