The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-14

st. Charles and Poyfras. An
CELLS Battalion. Capts. Bor-
and. MeGloin. lsicissrdsos,
blanchard, Lincoln and Hill,
wore In line on st. On srles.
some OF them being stationed
In the Crescent Hall, and Others
- along Canal street as skirmisb-
Egrs.
The rear line was formed on
IJulia street, where Colemsu's
BATTERY. and Capts. Augustine g
lMitchelfE and Pfados' com
lmands were stationed. There
Iwere altogether twen' y-flve
companies on duty: fow of
them. however. were strong In
: numbers. the whole force Of
linen with musksts or rifles
amounting to probably less
lthan 300. The new recruits
Iwere drafted into these COM
bpbnies. while many lockers
on, armed only with pistols.
fell into limo and prepared to
do battle for Louisiana.
/ A few minutes after this line
Twas formed the news spread
aiong the limo that tho police
were advancing to attack them.
Thsrs was intense excitement.
T'he men knew that the police
we're better armed and better
drilled than they. were nearly
Ieaual In numbers and boasted
of n large artillery force; they
fofesaw, therefore, u desperate
and bloody fight, but not u
Isingle man wavsred MI this
Thought. Every onS' was deter
mined to fight to the bitter end,
to give up his life II necessary
:. in defense of tho rights OF Lou
isiana. Fortunate. indeed. was
1T for the Metropolitans That
Aday that tbey were so easily
Hbeaten aud so early In the nc
tion. for had they been tempo
rarily successful. had they
gained some slight advantage
at tho beginning. their defeat,
(which ultimately must have
come. such was the flrm deter
mination and spirit Of the peo-
ple. would only have been The
bloodier and more destructive
TO them.
/ Tine Police.
| At the sans time that the cit
izens were organizing the po-
lice were preparing for battle.
ETbe Jackson Square Station
Twas selected as their head
luunrters from It's proximity to
lthe arsenal and State- House.
Here they rendezvoused early
on the morning Of the t4tb, and
organized and armed. The
other stations were wisely de-
serted 80 as not TO weaken
and divide their forces. The
Supreme Court room and the
station we're transformed into
barracks, and the greater part
Of the police stationed In these.
under arms. and ready for an
Immediate sortie. The cannon
in the arsenal we're hitched to
the horses. 50 as to be moved
kout ut q moments notice. The
total police force, which had
fbeen largely increased In the
gprevious few days. numbered
kabout $50 men, with six cannon,
two Gatling guns. three Napo-
Icons and q howitzer. In the
Estate. House. two squares dis-
tant. was stationed an addi-
Itional force Of militia, about 600
strong, for the most part ne
groes, well armed, but without
'artillery.
Scouting pnrties and spies
were frequently sent out dur
Ing The morning to report the
action and feeling of the citi-
zens. About 9 o'clock thssc re-
ported that the citizens we're
organized and armed. and pre-
pairing to march to the steamer
Mississippi. lying opposite the
station, to protect the landing
Of the guns she contained. A
conference was mt once held,
and 1t Was determined TO adj
vance to Canal street and give
battle there.
A picked body Of men, or
ganlzed into three companies.
chosen for their conspicuous
courage. very few Of whom, by
the-by. were colored, was ac-
cordingIy marched down to-
ward Canal street, under the
command OF Gems. Badger and
Longstreet. At Canal these
took UP a position In the CEN
tre OF the street. just in front
Of the Custom House, with
four guns pointing northward
toward st. Charles 50 as to
sweep 1t.
A squad Of mounted police
rode up both sides Of the street
calling to the citizens to dis
lice were about to open fire. The
ii street was, at that time,
particularly around Clay
OF these were non-com-
rs-on. and not q few Of
t. here and there armed men
the crowd and. at the corner Of
lpany A, Of Angells command,
vas stationed as skirmishers.
the police were really going to