Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-11-20

different vessels of the feet, with or.
ders to proceed on shore, taking &C
rounds of ammunition and two small
howitzers. The party was commanded
by Capt. Henry II. Bell, Of the Hart
ford.
On landing we proceeded to the city
hall, from which building we hauled
down what was supposed to be a Louis
lana state flag, and which the mayor
of the city had refused to remove
We then marched in two ranks to the
custom house, located, I believe, on
Canal street, short distance from the
levee. We were followed by an angry
crowd, who gave unmistakable evi,
dence of their displeasure, and the SUI
periority of their numbers was such as
would have enabled them to make
short work of us had they been so dis
posed. They were not at all select If
the expression of their sentiments to-
ward us. ,...
On our arrival at the custom house
we assembled to the roof, and on flag
staff already erected we raised a new
American flag 80 feet long. The build.
ing was soon surrounded by the angry
crowd who followed us and others who
had meantime arrived. Conspicuous
in the crowd were members of the
Home Guards, Louisiana. Tigers, the
Foreign Legion, and others in confed-
crate uniform.
There were over 5000 confederate
troops in New Orleans at that time,
and as there were only 300 of us in the
landing party, we felt decidedly un-
comfortable for awhile. and the pros
pect of ever getting back to our vessels
seemed very remote indeed, as the as
sembled crowd gave every evidence of
their hostility to our presence; but,
fortunately for us, no violence was at
tempted, and through the trying or
deal the utmost stiffness prevailed.
From the roof Of that building the
writer looked down on the angry
crowd below on the streets, and while
we admired their good behavior so far,
VIC were not sure how long it would
last.
Fortunately for us, there were two
elements that contributed to our safe
ty. The mayor of the city, John T.
Monroe, had on that day issued a
proclamation calling upon the citizens
to be peaceful, law-abiding and order
1y in the presence of what he was
pleased to term a "hostile enemy
Another thing in our favor was the
presence of five sloops-of-war and ten
gunboats anchored just in front of the
city, and almost within hailing dis
lance. Which of these contributed
more to our safety while on the roof
of the custom house l am unable to de-
termine at this late day.
Mansfield Lowell, who commanded
the confederate forces at New Orleans,
refused to surrender, but the presence
of our flag on the custom house con-
WINGED him that his days of usefulness
were over in that particular locality.
So he wisely concluded to evacuate the
city, taking his men to join Gen. Smith
at Vicksburg, where we met them
again few weeks afterwards.
The mayor of the city also refused
to surrender, and expressed his indig-
nation at our presence in very plain
terms, stating, among other things,
that the flag we had raised in their
midst had been deliberately repudiat-
ed by his people,
About May 1, 1862, Gen. B. F. Butler
arrived in New Orleans with a brigade,
and we were relieved from our perilous
position and returned to our respective
vessels, fully convinced that we were
not adapted for shore service anyhow,
and determined that in future, so far
as possible, our operations would be
confined to the water.