New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-20
Military ,royemen nts on Monday.

street Wild Cno 1OllOWl0S Omca0l meWOSdu'
dun OF military movements on Monday
last. An official report Of the battle will
not be made until General Badger has suf2s.
ciently recovered to attend to its compila.
ton:
The State forces were posted: Metropoli.
tan Brigade. about five hundred men (artil-
lery and infantry at jackson square; First
Brigade, four hundred and seventy.hve in.
fantry, at the State House. The plan was
TO hold these positions until the insurgents
came out and attacked at jackson square,
as We had learned that they had arranged
to do.
A plan was also arranged for active oper.
alton with the State troops. in case 1t be-
came necessary or important that such
operation should be ordered.
This plan was to move tho troops from
Jackson square up the levee. incl uding the
main artillery force. with the less er column
from same position up Peters street, in
echelon with the main column, the force at
the State House remaining stationary. as
pivot of operations and eche1Op to two NOV.
ing columns.
Troops remained in position acco riding to
original plan until 3 P. NJ, when from infOr.
nation received it was supposed that the
insurgents had changed their plan, and
were assembling at Clay statue on Canal
street. The Governor then ordered the
State forces to move out in accordance with
the plan for active operations.
Arriving at Canal street, the leading col.
umn. composed Of two companies, of in.
fantry and one Of artillery. deployed. The
mounted force. eight men, were then
ordered forward to the Clay statue to warn
non-combatants to clear the street. The
commander of the Metropolitan brigade
was then to ride forward, read the riot act
and order the insurgents to disperse. The
cavalry men, however, reported that there
was no organized force on Canal street.
The officer in charge of these men on his
return reported one of his men wounded by
some straggler on Canal street. In . very
few moments after the insurgents were
reported to be moving from Lafayette
square to the levee through Poydras and
other streets.
The position Of the main force Of Metro.
politans was changed, making the line Of
battle at a right angle to line of levee.
When this new line was established the in
surgents were seen advancing. apparently
| to attack, covered and protected by slowly
moving freight train on the railroad track.
It soon became evident that the attack
was at hand, when the Metropolitan artil.
| lery opened with it's Gatling gun and two
| Napoleons. The insurgents still advancing,
| returned fire with infantry. ther artillery
| seeming to be in disorder or confusion.
Under the fire of the insurgents. Captain
| McCann, commanding one of the companies
| of Metropolitans. gave false alarm and
| drew his company from its position, and he
| soon went over to the enemy. This move.
menr. together with the accurate fire of
| sharpshooters from windows and roof tops
! in all directions. had very demoralizing
| influence upon the other infantry company,
| which fell back under the severe fire and
| lett the artillery exposed ana unprotected.
General Badger, commanding the Metro.
politans, dismounted and assisted in serv.
ing his guns. He soon fell. however, very
| severely land it was feared mortality
| wounded. The Metropolitans then retired
in some confusion through Tchoupitoulas
street as far as the Customhouse street front
of the Customhouse building, many of them
entering the building. Those who did aot
enter the building retreated to jackson
Square.
During the night application was made
for a supply OF ammunition for troops at
the State House and Jackson square, the
State ammunition having been exhausted,
except about eight rounds per man at the
State House and probably thirty at jackson
square. The United States could not sup.
ply this ammunition, and none could be had
from other sources. Under such clrcum-
stances it was thought better not to hold
the State House Tuesday. as there was not
ammunition enough to resist more than one
assault, that the surrender which must of
necessity speedily follow would not justify
| further loss of life.
The want of ammunition and military
supplies in State arsenals was d ue to the
! Attorney General OF the State, who had
| enjoined the militia appropriation of twenty
thousand dollars. made by the Legislature
| at its last session.