The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-04
A QUEER ENGAGEMENT.
.rur uArrrr M THE HANDKER.
cuuEps. IN WHICH SOME NEW
ou,.r.Ns LADIES FIGURED.

[Gsn. D H. strother in Phil. Weekly Ifmesl
1t was on Friday, the twentieth OF feoru-
Ary that we proposed to embark some loul
hundred Confederate prisoners On the steamer
Empire Parish to be sent up the river iof eA-
change. The day was fair, and as l turned
out for a walk was surprised to see the usu-
ally quiet streets filed with people, ch1eny
women and children in full gala dress, oil ap-
parently streaming in one direction. sup
posing it was some holy festival, driiteo
with the current, which thickened ana hur-
ried in It's progress until it at length ae-
bouched upon the great steamboat ieVee,
where it mingled with the surging waves OF
a human sea of extraordinary extent ana
character.
Tbts muftitufinUus assemblage OF excited
and buzzlng humanity was composer enleny
of women, with fair proportion VI cnliuleh
and q very small attendance OF gray-halfeo
papas and beardless youths, all dressed III
their holiday clothes and all waving tneif
white handkerthiefs with relentless energy.
The warehouses on the land ward side OF the
leyee we're also filled up to the parapets Win ,
the same 'kerchief-b airing company. Inc
cynosure of all these sparkling eyes was Jug
steamer Empire Parish and dusKy mass ~
oonleuelayo tbo toi f;nnra If Col. John 9.
WhiGI Ioweleu sn4 e. 'L h voc o1,nerintendinp
the embarkation. 1t seems that the guaTa
Wnlcn attenaeu e,id pa 1raat difiemltv in
Deen envelopG1u, ON ~ 800 rem heinn bodily
prevenIlng 0hsll ~ vnaa assiatleae current If H.
sWepI away W eHo ;,,xnnaau.nta 1uara sent
male influence. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; mona 9 1.ho
ior DuG ia Ine 1ea a,t ,I yuG pchserfni indf
nad acceptea tlie psI.un , I haada Tho boat in
ference, TSacneu eno ~ ~ b@s11, nrnanarad in
safely. 1ney Sa1 t,ar "a oltpnathar we'll clad
ana 10 goou eohuieo4 - tha hnat va s 60 fat
ing from one lste9 W al Ino sho,rd and in
aiiu Giusy 'i 10 80 dieno,erad that he was
rescullg nian ~ ~ Ma7 f ol,thas This lad to
e anaysi INFLAMMATION n which revealed extra
closns Enough - ha 10 thI., a,,trahand arti
oesldes quaesy ~, % .i a.,,a ~ ,nhieh CON
cles h,ii ~ ,gr,na+ion for the enemv
s ~ hiip tSa aamonntratinn continued To
deanWiie tll5 a.a sas,ne ei,,n 90, iutv
n - LEU o - HAT mass indvidnaIs *
~ h Mas .ahl hn athans IN their hrnnehes
hl.,l1eu iep5nou i+i a en- on If tho bnday
oohHe.s anu annt ts dminntive CoYfed
era+n aao@ in the faces of the national SOL
diers TIE TIE guard was fortunately relieved
from ;ta neri7nns nosition nv the arrival OF a
r aWr ~ infanfrv and q battery If Huht
artiIIarv i ~ a ioint, movement Of these
tronns the leyee in front of the boat was
CLEARED for the space of about 200 wards. AS
tho aoidiors were green and fender-hearted
NEST vi,,Idinp material. this was ACCOMPLISHED
without any tragic results. 1t was observed,
| however that the mud and dirt of the artil-
iery horses and vehicles inspired far more
taryor than fhe triv uniforms and Dolished
bavonets Of the infantry. >'
IL haDpened that In their forced retreat
norton 81 the crowd took refuge On board
the river steamer Laurel HILL which was at
i the leyee {, short distance above the prison
ers, boat. She was quickly occupied and flut-
terinr with handkerchiefs from the lower
danx tn the ton of the niIof-house. Al the
same time feet of ferryboats was seen
loaded with fair Alperines coming from the
nthar sida og the river To- Reinforce the ova-
an sl This ia e s Prnvoet MarshaI
anneared on the field. The ferrvboats were
arrestad before landing and Obliged to return
with their disappointed freiuhts. Without
warning the Laurel Hill was cast loose. float
al ont into tho strpam and thence drigtad
with the current, down TO the Enulish BEND
civ miles below the city. carrviip into can.
tiVitv women. children and babias over q
, Thousand of the handkerchief army The
!. drama On the leyee concluded by renanding
|, the e ronfederat r. their citv nriann from
whence thew were nyietiv nacI.,d IF ~ thei,
dastinatinn nv an earlw boat nsxt morninn
J Their denart,1ra frnm the Ieusa waS tho ainns
for a cessation Of hostiIiti.s one Marty p,clr.
ntina the, hanbarnh,afs aa .,oipa, b,Io =
la fha nthar sheathing their ha Yin. r. .nd
re ret, to earnn Ths ay..nruinnists IN III
aui 1ii I'D p,+ t+ ofr a. n,.siim n Th or,e
1 1vau detained at the Enuish Rend III ni1hf
and the hal heinz npita ,,nnrovid. n for s,,nh
but very limited distribution OF ''hArd
tack" and on being brought back
to the CITY next morning had TO take the Fed.
eral oath. for breakfast, ceremony exact.d
OF each falr captive as the price OF liberty. we
don't know which party Claimed the victory
~ this affair, put, as might by expected, some
champion OF tne ladies hung the last brick ..;