Year: 1862

Ine devoted people of the city of New Orleans


IN leVerlsh state OF excitement for the past week
had yesterday to witness an act that caused tH8
heads to hang in deep humiliation, and their hearts
to throb and swell with emotions of the keenest
grlef but not despair. The Federal commander
having learned that the forts had surrendered and


feeling secure in the possession of the heroic Dun
can. and with the knowledge that his transports
crowded with troops, were on their way up the
river, resolved at once to reduce our city if
possible to abject submission to his iron rule.
Accordin&lY Q body of armed men, some one hun.
dred andy in number, were marched through


our Streets and after placing tho symbol of their
Government on the public edifces-the Custom.
house and Mlnt-were marched to Lafayette Square


and drawn up in line of battle in front of the City
Hall. Preceded by officer, a marine bore the


United States flag, and file of soldiers bringing


up the rear, they entered the halls of our noble


ana stately ediice, around which clusters thou.


sands of grand and glorious associations, and


where but recently many OF our gallant dead


have lain in state, their lives a voluntary sacri-


nee upon the altar of their country. parley


was held in the Mayors apartments, the tenor
or result of which we did not learn, but in
the course OF fifteen minutes an officer and marine
were seen on the topmost height of the building
to rapidly approach the fag--the emblem of the
State which has nuttered amid sunshine and storm,
through victory and defeat, almost from the time
our troubles began. In minute that flag was
lowered and fell to the roof-in a second the ewes
Of the Southern multitude dropped to the ground,
and the mind, heart and soul of the mighty con
course there assembled were filled with sensations
which no pen can possibly portray. Old, grey.
haired men wept tears of anguish-mothers, with
babes in their arms, bedewed their offspring with
great drops of afiction-the middle aged and the
young of both sexes were lost in deepest woe, and
the solemn silence of the scene, over all. gave the
melancholy picture an air Of sublime grandeur to
which our "young experience can find no par.
allel.'


AS if arousing from dreadful reverie, all eyes
were again uplifted, expecting to behold in the
place OF the chosen emblem of our State sover-
eighty, the vaunted flag of the free." For no
act thereafter could have surprised our people, no
greater affction could be visited upon them-their
misery was complete. But they were spared the
sight Probably through protest, or from the fact
that this edifce was exclusively muuicjpal. the
stars and stripes were not raised, and the soldiers
and marines, bearing with them their trophy, filed
away in the distance and were soon lostto The de.
tested sight.


As if to relieve the burdened heart, the manly
form of Gen. Duncan was seen upon the portico,
and then arose such loud and earnest huzzahs as
made the air reVerberate and seemingly the very
earth to shake. The multitude were then ad-
dressed by the Mayor and probably other citizens
of prominence, but sick and weary at heart, we
betook ourselves in quiet away to mourn the
saddest day in all our chequered existence.


During the day the fleet was strengthened by
the arrival of other vessels, bringing intelligence
that the transports were rapidly nearing the city,
and thousands lined the levee front, watching
with disdainfu look the mighty array of men and
metal brought here for our subjugation. Thesgunss
of the vessels were all day long exposed as if for
sudden action and, altogether, the sight was one
to inspire mortal dread in other than the breasts
Of those resolved to noby perish or be free"


We have briefly recounted the saddest event of
our experience, and have few words of comment
thereon. We are encompassed, and must needs
restrain the deep and terrible surgings of our
bosoms. Courage and confidence must be the
watchword of every one who owns himself a
man." Despair not, righteous cause will event
ually triumph, and the invncible spirit that
animates the Southern heart will yet speed, like
the wildfre of Rhoderic Dhu throughout the
length and breadth of the land, and millions vet
unborn will reap the glorious harvest of our tolls
and melancholy privatons.