Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-04-07
From the Richmond Enquirer.
THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS.

IL
The Lowell version of the facts relative to the
der or occupation of New Orleans by the Federals,
which throws upon the ope of that city the chief re-
sponsibiIty for what has been regard d. by some,
act of weak submission and preci pate aboudment
of duty and manhood, has heen adopted by MIR. Pol
lard in his Second Year of the War;" and embodied
in sentence full of bitter and st unmered I'm
and rcprQach On page 49, this trenchant and vigor-
Gus, but often too precipltate and mpusiVe writer
marks
"The immediate sufferers Of the disaster at New Or
leans the people of the city. 1t apty re-
warded for its easy submis lion by the scourge ct
tyrant."
Again, on page %. this writer says: "The expert
ercelot New Orleans gave valuable lesson to the
South 1t exhibited the of submission to
the enemy in confscaton, brutality, military domino
ton, insults universal poverty, the beggary CT thou
sands the triumph of the vest individuals in the
munity, the abasement of the honest and Gdustrous
and the outlawry OF the slaves The spirit resistance
in the South fortified by the enemys e1ultation Of
triumph and the resolution gained ground that it
much better to consgn the cities OF the Conderacy
flames than to surrender them t. the enemy. A time
we9 approaching when Yankee gunboats to lose
their prestige of terror, when cities logger to
c3 abandoned surrendered the approach of tC ,,
and when the freemen of the South wee to be taught
how, by spirit above fear and ready for all sacrifice,
they might defy the NEST potent agencies of modern
warfare.
The pages of this history which Immediately follow
this exultation the awakened devotion and hero
of the people, record with the approval of the wri
ter, the retreat from Yorktown aud the abandonment
OF Norfolk which, the writer adds, censured by
those who were IN ignorance of the plans OF the eau
tous and tacturn strategist the head Of forces
in Virginia"
We think it will hardly be questioned that Norfolk
was quite defensible New Orleans, and it
|. deniabie that the miS3res and insults which were
brought upon New Orleans by it's aledged submission
fell with equal weight upon Virginias principal and
only seaport with all the advantages of its contg
uous navy yard and dock. And yet, Mr.. Pollard AS
no censure reprcot for the people of the latter
for their apparent resistance nor does he record
any manifestation by them OF that spirit above tear
2 and ready for all sacrifices which would DEFY the
most potent agencies of modern warfare" of that
desperate haroIsm which would prefer con5gn cities
to the flames than surrender them to the enemy
Surely this writer Is TOO manly and just to apply t(
the city and people of New Orleans tests OF patriotism
and devotion to which be would be unwilling to sub
ect the ancient seaport of the chVaric Old Domin-
lon And yet Norfolk POSSESSED means and resource
for defence the presence OF large army thrice al
great as That assigned tha defence of New Orleans
and in such al abundance of the mat 3ria of
would have been more than adequate for the def nee
# New Orleans and would have rendered its evacuation
by e. the most cautious and taciturn OF generals
utterly upiustitiable Norfolk, besidc7 possessed nat
ura advantages fox defence, and exempt from hos
t natural dangers and obstacles which envroned Ne'
!. Orleans and hich far than the valor poWe
e of the enemy coerc a its fall. Had the forts whic
guarded the Access 10 New Orleans possessed, i9sea
o OF the guns of large cahore, upon winch Inc
could alone der end for effective resistance against tt
two hundr ed guns of the enemy of equal and create
: callbre an armament equal 10 power to ouetnrd
e that sacrIiccd at Norfolk, We question very much
is Mr. PolfArds patriotism would have been subjected
g the modification OF recording Its easy SUBMISSION
further reproof OF the pusiIanimity of New Orleau
and in striking contrast herewith, Mr.. Pollard CIV
Re Us glowing picture of the loter bearing and big
er heroisu of the authorities of Virginia and OF
E people of Richmond, when the news OF the approa