The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-04
CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS.
General McCielIau,s Order to General
Butler.

McCielIau's Order to General
Butler.
L rom Inc New York Journal of Commerce.
Little by little, in spite of the efforts at
washington to suppress them, we begin
TO get at the details of the work done by
Gen. Mcclellan, and the greatness of the
debt of gratitude which the country owes
him: Mason Brothers, of New York, have
published Mr.. Parton's History of General
Butler in New Orleans, containing much
new matter. 1t seems that Gen. Mcclellan
is entitled to credit for laying down the
plan of operations in the Southwest. and.
if Gen. Butler had done all that he was
ordered to do, we should have had a very
different story from there. Gen. McClel
lan's genius and foresight are admirably
exhibited in the orders under which Butler
went to New Orleans, and whatever credit
is due to military operations there clearly
belongs to the young Commander-in-C Chief.
The following are the orders:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,l
February %, 1862.
Mayor General b. +. Butler, U. s. A.:
GENERAI-You are hereby assigned to the
command of the land forces destined to coop
crate with the navy in the attack upon New
Orleans. You will use every means TO keep
the destination profound secret, even from
your stan officers with the exception of your
Chief OF Staff, and Lieut.. Weitzel of the en-
gineers.
The force at your disposal will consist of the
hrst thirteen regiments named in your memo
randum handed to me in person, the 21st In
diana, 4th Wisconsin. and 9th Michigan (old
and good regiments from Baltimore)- these
Will
Monroe Two companies of the 21st Indiana,
are well drilled at heavy artillery. The cavalry
force already en- route for Ship Island will be
sufficient for your purposes. After full con-
sultation with officers well acquainted with the
country in which it is proposed to operate.
have arrived at the conclusion that three light
batteries fully equipped, and one without
horses will be all that will be necessary
This will make your force about ii, 400 in
fantry, 275 cavalry, $50 artillery; total, Ii, 255
men.
The Commanding General of the Depart
men of Key VESTS authorized to loan you, tenn
porarily, two regiments; Fort Pickens can
probably give you another, which will bring
your force to nearly $4,000. The object of
your expedition is one of vital importance
the capture of New Orleans The route Sc
leetsd is up the Mississippi River and the first
obstacle to be encountered, perhaps the only
one, is in the resistance offered by Forts Phil
lip and Jackson. 1t is expected that the navy
can reduce these works: in that case, you will,
after their capture, leave a sufficient garrison
in them to render them perfectly secure and
it is recommended that on the upward passage
few heavy guns and some troops be left at
the pilot station, at the forks of the river to
cover retreat in the case of disaster. The
troops and guns will of course be removed as
soon as the forts are captured.
Should the navy fail to reduce the works.
W dcio
endeavor to breach the works, silence their
fire, and carry them by assault.
The next resistance will be near the English
Bend, where there are some earthen batteries
here it may be necessary for you te land your
troops, to cooperate with the naval attack ell
though it is more than probable that the navy,
unaSsisted, can accomplish the result. If these
works are taken, the city of New Orleans ne
cessarily falls
In that event 1t will probably be best to occu-
Ply Algiers with the mass of your troops. also
the eastern bank of the river above the city-it
may be necessary to place some troops in the
city to preserve order; though if there appears
sufficient Union sentiment to control the city,
it may be best for purposes of discipline to keep
your men out of the city.
After obtaining possession Of New Orleans,
1t will be necessary to reduce all the works
guarding its approaches from the east, and
to gain the Nanchae Pass.
Baton Rouge, Berwick Bay and Fort Living
ston will next claim your attention.
feint on Galveston may facilitate the OBJ
jects we have icview. | need not call your at.
tention to the necessity of gaining possession of
all the rolling stock you can, on the different
railways. and of obtaining control OF the roads
themselves The occupation of Baton Rouge,
by combined naval and land force, should be
accomplished as soon as possible after you have
gained New Orleans then endeaver to open
your communication with the northern column
Of the Mississippi, always bearing in mind the
necessity of occupying Jackson, Mississippi, as
soon as you can safely do So either after or be-
iore you have effected the junction. Allow
lothing to divert you from obtaining full possess
ion of all the approaches to New Orleans.
When the object is accomplished to its fullest
'xtent, it will be necessary to make combined |
ttack on Mobile, in order to gain possession of |
he harbor and works, as well as to control the
allWay terminus at the city. In regard to this,
Will send more detailed instructions, as the
peratl0ns OF the northern column deyeloD
themselves. may simply state that the gen.
raj OBJECTS OF the expedition are first, the re-
uetlon OF New Orleans and all its approaches, !;
nen Mobile and all its defences, then Pensa-
ola, Galveston. &c. 1t is improbable that. nv
ne time New Orleans is reduced, it will be in
ne power OF the government to reinforce the /
md forces sufficiently to accomplish all these
9]ects; in the meantime you will please give
u the assistance in your power to the army |
1d navy commanders in your vicinity. never
sing sight of the fact that the great object to
achieved Is the capture and firm retention of
ew Orleans
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major General Commanding &c.