The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-29
The :ji$y Of New Orleans.

The uopnlatlon II New ORLEANS, by the la5G
census, was I60 Az. lh.s mas, undoubtedly,
been largely decreased, since the rebellion: Lie
commerce of the city, which was Its main sup
port has been totally ruined, aud thousands Or
the people have llrd to the countTy,or anywhere
that They couid find a scAnty auD5istence' "nI!c
other thousands have been drafted into the rebel
army. The city is the emporium OF the
Mississippi Valley and ls situated on the lel5
bank OF the river, about Il hundred miles from
its mouth. The older portion OF the city Is
built on the convex side Of IL bend OF the river,
which here Sweeps around In u northeast, east,
and sou theast course. From this location 1t
derives it's familiar soubriqueJ Of the 9 Crescent
City" In the progress of Its growth up stream,
the CITY has now 50 extended itself as to ill the
hollow OF a curve in the opposite direction, so
that the river front presents al outline somewha
resembling the letter 5. 1t stretches or struggles
along the bank Of the river some b or miles,
with an average depth of one mile, 1t only being
possible to build on the narrow strip vi lana
lying Immediately on the edge OF the river, the
highest point being IN front, and then rapidly
sinking In the rear until lost in intermiuable
swamps. In the rear of New Orleans, a half a
mile, perhaps, is the Metare ridge, narrow
strip Of high land two or three teet above high
width then you come again to the swamp,
which continues to the shores of the lake be-
yonu, almost as dense as any in the surrounding
valley, gloomey and peculiar and unInhablted
except by alligaturs and bitterns. Ihe front of
New Orleans is of course on the river, and from
the popularity of the country, and the levee
which serves 10 protect the city from being over
flowed by the Spring rise, our fleet When it
reached The city must haze been above The ground
on aU1aich the Clty IS built, and commanded II as
from an enaldeuCe.
This circumstance, with the fact that the
breaking OF the levee by IL cannon shot, or
few minutes work with the spade wOuM sub.
merge the whole place, makes New Orleans, with
its defenceless rear, the weakest and least pro-
tected place Of any commercial Importance in
the world.
Along the river front Of The city the levee, or
artificial embarkment to keep the city from in
undaton, ls extended by continuous series of
wooden wharls. a. sort of esplanade is thus form
ed, several miles IN extent, which, during the
busy season, presents scene of wonderful yari-
ETY. and animation. Cotton bales. sugar hogs
heads, negroes and mule-drays are in great ab
undance Among the notable buildings are the
branch mint OF the United States-which the
rebels selzcd year ago and stole a part of the
colH--Ihe costomhouse, one of the most massive
structures IN America, but not vet completed,
the cathedral Of st. Louis, and sixty other
churches, the St. Charles Hotel, which cost
$9Jo GOO; the Hospital, banks and benevolent
institutions. On Jackson-square is Il bronze
equestrian statute of Gen JACKSON, by CLARK
MILLS.
The population of New Orleans has long been
remarkable for the diversity Of its clements
About one half Of the whites are of foreign birth
and among these tie French and Spanish are
predominant. There is also a large number OF
NorthenerS. Those who know tho city best be-
lieyed that it would surrender when the forts
defending it should fall. The mass Of the per
nanent population is composed Of Intelligent
men, and the commercial interests have always
had more clear idea of tho folly Of this REBEL
ion than the the people ia the interior At all
events, after The forts alluded 10 ian, and the
gunboAts, which are not really formidable, are
taken New Orleans is hcpess-more helpless
indeed than any other city can be-