The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-25
now AND THEN.

companies OF tho United States infan-
try, which had marched from the neigh
borhood Of the State House, where they
have been In quarters for the last ten
months, and gone aboard Of q steam
boat bound for the United States Bar
racks, which occupies the extreme lower
) line of the very wide limits OF our CITY.
An immense assemblago OF citizens
greeted the march and embarkation Of
these soldiers with every manifestation
OF good feeling and joyfulness. These
soldiers for many months stood guard
In a citadel, to which a cruel md re-
fnorseless despotism had been driven
90 It's last defense In its wicked conspi-
Tracy 10 enslave and degrade brave but
helpless people; and the departure was
lhailed as the dawn Of q new era. In
which the civil authority shak reassert
It's supremacy over the military, and
the original Ideas and principles OF the
government shall prevail.
Fifteen years ago westood In the same
place and witnessed far different
scene. tt WAS the passage by the
river front OF our CITY OF one Of the most
powerful fleets OF modern times.
Some ten or twelve steamers OF the
a ret elass. with batteries of more power
and effectiveness than had ever before
approached, In hostile array, defense,
less city, moved majestieally through
our pest. threatening the whole city
| with their huge guns, and menaeing
the hebitations Of two hundred thous--
and people with destruction and instant
annihilation.
This was the renowned squadron Of
Commodore Farragut, Southern born
man and long a resident OF our State,
who. by long service and absence from
the State, where his boyhood and youth
had been spentand whence be started on
his first venture in the service. had been
alienated from his fidelity to her, or had
been disciplined into the subordinatien
Of State TO National pride and duty.
A sturdy and determined sailor, he
had crushed oil obstacles In his pro-
gress. Passing the forts below the city
under tornado OF shot and shell, dash
ing with desperate force and determine
ton upon our frail and improvised fleet.
and sinking or blowing up each indi-
vidual ship. his squadron moved up,|
stream, reckless or all opposers and
hardly pausing to return the fire OF the
shore batteries. which, with heroic but
Intellectual efforts, strove to arrest their
progress, this squadron soon reached
the Port and river front, and, without
change or interruption OF their order or
position. moved maiestieally up stream,
gracefully dipping their flag In respect
to fallen but brave foe. As the great
steamers moved along the river front
the portfolios were all open. The men
stood to their guns: the officers were
conspicuous in the yard-arms and on
the upper decks. But not sound of
exultation or menace escaped from their |
ships. At last, about 4 30 D. m. these |
ships came to anchor distance Of q
few hundred yards apart. In the
meantime fifty thousand people had |
collected on the levee to witness the |
sad and crushing spectacle. 1t Is
vain to say that this multitude was
stricken with grief and with wild fury.
Their impotence gave vigor to their
ferocity and honor. They saw In the
aspect and triumph of that fleet. the
failure OF a cause which had enlisted
their profoundest sentiments and pas
sions. The glorious victories In Virginia
paled their Intellectual Ares before, the
or,x .,Ia so ~ ar, r,r,, rsx IN Ar;,,n,,l ~
The enemy whom they had beaten on 80
many glorious fields.
Frenzy possessed the vast host of a
desperate and stricken people. Shouts .
u defiance, wild excesses, the fire OF
mall arms at the careless great float
ng batteries, indisorlminate violence
lgainst oil suspected sympathizers with =
he hatred invader, resistance to all .
fforts OF a uniformed force, to maintain
rider and respect for personal rights,
he ruthless scuttling OF costly docks.
he firing Of commercial vessels, and the !
obstruction OF millions of produce, and J
he obliteration OF every vestige OF the d
employed In the defense Of the
lily, and various other violent deeds of n
lry and devastation, marked that dark +,
st and most dismal OF all the days in 81
40 history Of this city. fe
In the midst of this wild scene, q sud OF
on storm OF wind. thunder and rain tt
prang up. This was fortunate inter.
option. The drenohed and tempest b
eaten multitude were dispersed, leav- al
'g black. desolate and smoking levee p
,e whole length of the city. The sc
eople sought the shelter of their D,
ouses and the consolation of prayer in
nd Impressions upon the victorious te