New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-26

U1du no RESISTANCE Will Dc MADE TO the forces
of the United States"
On the twenty-seventh of April, the
Unitsd States flag was displayed by the
navy over the captured city. Admiral Far
ragut having, on the previous day, directed
that no flag but that of the United States
will be permitted to fly in the presence Of
this feet" etc.
On the twenty eighth, the Mayor informed
the Common Council that 1.-The city has nc
power To impede the exercise of such acts OF
forcible authority as the commander of the
exercise, and theresore no resistance would
be offered TO the occupation of the city by
the United States fogces''
New Orleans he said, sis not now a
military post; there is no military com
mander within .ts limits" He did moi
think it any part OF his duty as a civil ma 2.
istrate to haul down the rebel flags which
were still flying in several places.
Disguised with the tactiOus. frivolous
and offensive conduct of the Mayor, Ad
mirsl Farragnt declined further correspond
euce with him, and on the twenty ninth OF
April informed him that ''so soon as Gen
eral Butler arrives l shall turn over the
charge of the city to him, and assume my
nav Il duties
In the meantime, to enforce his orders
and compel the removal of the rebel sym
ninth of April, directed Fleet Captain II
Fl. Bell to 90 on shore with force of sailors
and marines, and haul down such rebel
flags as continued to be displayed in the
captured city.
The folio wing ia an extract from the Off
cial report Of Major Broom. at that time
captain, commanding the marines of the
Gulf squadron:
"On the morning of the twenty. sixth of
inril Iaar and dot. e. n a,
with Forts Jackson and St, Philip, and the
destruction OF the rebel fleet, the marines
under my command. by order of Admiral
Farragut, landed and took possession of
the quarantine, at the same time taking
prisoners the rebel troops with their office, ;
quartered in the quarantine buildings. and
hosting the flag of the Omitted States on
the same. Admiral Farragut having deter
mined to take military possession of the
city of New Orleans, until the arrival of
the troops of the tnited States army under
General Buffers command, battalion of
United States marines, under my command,
about 80 strong. were disembarked from
the fleet on the twenty ninth OF April last
and marched to the Customhouse, when
detailed Captain Ramsay, with a deUacn-
ment of marines, to occupy the Gust ON.
house and guard the United States flag. :
When the troops of General Butler's
first of May last, the force of marines on
duty in the city returned to the fleet"
General Butler and the troops arrived be-
tore the city on the first of May. On tie
evening of that day, and on the second of
May. the army disem parked and took pos
session OF the city, thereby relieving the
navy, that had captured and held it from
the twenty fifth OF April.
New Orleans had been captured by, and
was in possession of the navy 10 April. but
there was no army or soldiers present to
whom the flag officer could turn over the
custody of the city he had taken, to hold
and govern it. In all this time, and
throughout all this correspondence and dis
cussion, involving the retreat of the armed
rebels, and abandonment of the place BY
the Confederate General and his army
the surrender of New Orleans to the navy,
and the capture and control of the city,
which was taken possession of by the sail
ors and marines; tho rebel flag hauled
down and the United States flag hoisted, not
a single soldier of the army of the United
States participated or was present. Yet,
thirteen years after these events occurred,
it is authoritatively declared by the highest
judicial tribunal in the country, in an Off
cial document. which is to be an enduring
records through all time, that ION the first
of May, 1862, the army Of the United States
captured the city of New Orleans" 1.-The
facts are undisputed.'
1t is great wrong and most unjust that
the gallant Farragut and our brave naval
officers and sailors should be thus wholly
ignored and the credit of the result of one
OF the bOldest and most remarkable events
of the war and OF all history should be
taken from the navy and awarded to the
army. l do not suppose, nor would | be
understood to insinuate. that the Supreme
Court and party litigauts, who committed
this error. intended TO deprive the navy of
ust fame and give credit which it had not
earned to the army. But such, unfortu-
nately, is the fact 1t is an undeniable
truth that the most important, daring and
successful achievement in our civil contest,
and the most damaging and effective blow
to the Confederacy was performed by
the navy in the passage of the forts
of the Mississippi and the capture of
New Orleans. The expedition instituted for
this purpose was, in its conception and exc
cution, wholly naval Neither the War De-
partment nor the army had any part in its
origin or execution, except TO second and
assist the navy in its operations by taking
possession OF and governing the place which
the navy might capture. The movement
when. made and contaminated by the cap
ture OF New Orleans was surprise to the
army officers of the Union, as well as to the
rebels, who were each incredulous as to the
success, or even of an attempt from that
quarter. The blow inflicted was the first to
shatter the COnfederacy and precipitate its
downfall. 1t came upon the insurge nts in
the early days of the rebellion, while they
with strength unimpaired by defeat, or
weakened or discouraged by reverses. But
down to their final overthrow, they never
recovered from the effects of that blow.
+. In these remarks there is no purpose to
1etract one iots from the merits of the
Military. Far be it from me to rob the
Emy Of any Of its well-earned laurels.
you'd not pluck a leaf from the chaplet
that adorns their actual achievements. but
y is unjust TO give them credit tor deeds
hey nerer performed, and which rightfulIy
belongs to the navy. The justice who says
t is an undisputed fact that the army ca3.
sured New Orleans, has undoubtedly bed
nisled, as have others, by tine partisan re-
presentations and historical fctiOns of the
period The statements which l present
are from facts within my own knowledge
and extracts from public documents and re-
lords in the archives of the government;
hey can also be verified by living wit
,esses, who participated in those deeds.
There is an undisclosed history of neglect
'r failure, on the part OF the military, to CO.
operate with Farragut in the summer of
S62, and assist the navy in opening the
navigation of the Mississippi above New
orleans, after the capture of that city,
which should not be omitted in this con-
lection.
In the original instructions of the Navy
department to Farragut on the twentieth
f January, it will be recollected he was
ERECTED, after the capture of New Orleans
If the Mississippi expedition from Cairo
hall not have descended the river, you will
AXE advantage of the panic to push strong
orce up the river to take all their defenses
n the rearv