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

crate hands the city of New Orleans. The
letter is instigated by the language used by
| Justice Swayne in decision wherein he
| says: "On the first of May, 1862, the army
OF the United States captured the city of
New Orleans" If the judge had used the
word occupied" in place of Captured" )" he
would have been entirely correct, and would
letter. Mr.. Welles states nothing which is
not matter of record. The capture of
New Orleans was a naval victory. The
success of the expedition depended upon
reducing Forts jackson and st. Philip,
where it was known the army in trans.
ports could not be used The navy made
and led the way, the army followed. On
the twenty fourth of April, 1862 Captain
Farragut arrived opposite the city with his
fleet. At that date General Butler was t
the Passes with his troops, and did not
reach the city until the first of May. The
Picayune, with the sagacity which has ever
characterized its editorial columns, had
assured the good people of the city that NO
United States forces could ever reach here.
1t said on the fifth of April:
Between New Orleans and the forts there
| Is constant succession of earthworks. At
the plain of Chalmette, near Janin's prop
erty, there are redoubts armed with rited
cannon, which have been found to be effec-
tive at five miles range. A ditch thirty feet
VIDE and twenty feet deep extends from
tne mississippi TO La Clprlure. In forts st.
Philip and jackson there are 5000 men, of
whom goodly portion are experienced ar
tiilerymen and gunners who have served in
the navy. At New Orleans itself we have
$4,000 infantry, and as many more quar-.
tered in the imme aiate neighborhood. In
discipline and drill hey are far superior to
the Yankees. We lave two very able and
active generals, who possess our entire CON
tidence General Mansfield Lowell and
Bligadier General Ruggles. For Commo.
dOre we have old Hollins, Nelson in his
way.
When Farragut sailed in at one end of
the town this superior force of "32, 600 in
fantry, and as many MORE" quietly marched
out at the other end, to seek other blood
less fields of warfare, leaving the women
and children to the protection Of the Amer
can flag. For three days there was par.
ley between the Mayor and the navy. 1t
was The desire of Farragut that the city
should accept the situation, run up the
Union cOlors, and at least make a show of
loyalty. We can all now see how New Or
lsrns might have voluntarily placed herself
in accord with Union sentiments, and left
nothing for General Butler to accomplish.
But Mayor Monroe, knowing that the fleet
would not open fire upon helpless women
and children, was defiant. He said to Far
ragut, on the twenty y-seventh of April
The city is yours by the power of brutal
force, not by my choice or the consent of
its inhabitants. As to hoisting any flag
not of our own adoption and allegiance. let
me cay to you that the man lives not in our
midst whose hand and heart would not be
paralyzed at the mere thought of such an
act; nor could l find in my entire con I'll
tuency SO desperate and wr-tched a rene
gade as would dare to proiane with his
hand the sacred emblem of our aspirations,
New Orleans never did surrender to the
Enited States. For his spirited defense of
the city Mr.. Monroe was again made Mayor
in 1866, after the war was over, and when
the paroled Confederate soldiers had op-
pol tunity to vote.
1t was necessary that the Union flag
III
over United States property, and Captain
Morris was sent ashore from the Pensacola,
and put the stars and stripes up over the
United States Mint This was before Gen
eral Dix had recommended, "If any man
pulls down the American flag shoot him on
tie spot" Four ciuzens of New Orleans
volunteered to rid the United States Mint
building of the hated Uuion emblem, and
tore down the flag. The act was very gen.
orally approved. The Picayune, which was
then Democratic organ, said the next
morning:
The names of the party that distinguished
themselves by gallan,ly tearing down the
flag that had been snrreptitiously hosted,
we learn, are w. B. Mumiord, who cut it
loose from the flagstaff amid a shower of
grape; Lieut. n nc N. Holmes, Sergeant
Burns and James Reed. They deserve
great credit for their patriotic act.
After Butler arrived order soon grew out
of chaos. The mob of non -combatants, from
whom General Lowell was obliged to pro-
tect private property by martial law, soon
grew to respect the martial rule of the new
commanding General, and the press as
sumed more conservative tone. The Bee
was particularly lavish of praise for Gen
eral Butler. 1t said on the eighth of May:
The Mayor and municipal authorities have
been allowed to retain their power and
privileges in everything ncOnnected with
military affairs. The federal soldiers do
not seem to interfere with the private prop
erty of the citizens, and have done nothing
that we are aware of to provoke difficulty:
The usual nightly reports of arrests for
vagrancy, assault, wOunding and killing
have unquestionably been diminished. The
city is as tranquil and peacable as in the
most quiet times.
Mr.. Welles thinks due credit has not been
given the navy for the capture of New
Orleans. 1t matters not what is written in
red tape reports and musty public docu-
ments. The intelligent people of this coun
try know that the Union flag was brought
back to the Crescent City by the gunboats
of our navy. We have always inclined TO
the belief that Farragut was never accorded
the praise he earned on the Mississippi
river. Perhaps the Navy Department
itself Was responsible for that. Farragut
was Southern man; he was given glori-
GUS opportunity, and he SO improved it that
when he stood on the deck of the Hartford,
in front of New Orleans, he was the hero of
the war; he had collapsed all ether naval
officers in the brillisnoy of his exploits.
There may have been directed against him
envy and jealousy. Farrasut continued to |