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Entered according to act of Congress 1867 by Johnsen, Fry &C in the clerk office of the dispu

CH. XIII]

NEW ORLEANS CAPTURED BY FARRAGUT.

157

1862.

tion at the earthwork forts, six miles Mayor Monroe's answer was both inbelow New Orleans; but, after some flated and arrogant in its tone; e. g., sharp firing, they were speedily silenced; "To surrender such a place (as New and, passing through burning vessels, Orleans) were an idle and unmeaning fire-rafts, and the like, Farragut, at one ceremony. The city is yours by the P.M., anchored with his squadron in power of brutal force, not by my choice front of the city. or the consent of the inhabitants. It is for you to determine what shall be the fate that awaits her. As to the hoisting of any flag not of our own adoption or allegiance, let me say to you, sir, that the man lives not in our midst whose hand and heart would not be paralyzed at the mere thought of such an act; nor could I find in my entire constituency so desperate and wretched a renegade as would dare to profane with his hand the sacred emblem of our aspirations. You have a gallant people to administrate during your occupancy of this city; a people sensitive to all that can in the least affect their dignity and self respect. Pray, sir, do not fail to regard their susceptibilities."

The levee was one scene of desolation. Ships, steamers, cotton, coal, were all in a blaze, and it taxed the ingenuity of our men to avoid the floating conflagration. Capt. Bailey was sent on shore to demand the surrender of the city. Great excitement prevail ed, and the mob insulted Bailey and his party in the grossest manner. Lovell, the rebel commander, having left the city with his troops, some 3,000 or more in number, the mayor and common council positively refused to pull down the Louisiana flag and hoist that of the United States. The next morning, April 26th, Farragut wrote to the mayor, J. T. Monroe, announcing that the rights of persons and property would be held secure, and peremptorily demanding "the unqualified surrender of the city, and that the emblem of sovereignty of the United States be hoisted over the city hall, mint, and custom house, by meridian this day, and that all flags and other emblems of sovereignty, other than those of the United States, shall be removed from all public buildings by that hour." He closed his note in very plain terms: "I shall speedily and severely punish any person or persons who shall commit such outrages as were witnessed yester day, armed men firing upon helpless Women and children, for giving expression to their pleasure at seeing the old flag."

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By order of Farragut, the United States flag was hoisted on the mint, early in the morning, and some of the people ventured to cheer it, despite the threats of the mob. The flag was pulled down and dragged through the streets by one of those desperate charac ters in which New Orleans abounded ;*

*The man's name was W. B. Mumford. Three

other persons were with him, and the act was performed on Sunday morning, April 27th, during the time of

religious service on ship-board. Early in June, when

Butler was in command in New Orleans, Mumford was tried by military commission, convicted of treason, and and Mumford was executed, in the presence of a large sentenced to be hung. Butler approved the sentence, crowd, on the 7th of June. He was thenceforth added

December, issued a proclamation, denouncing Butler

to the roll of southern "martyrs ;" and Jeff Davis, in

as an outlaw, to be hung instanter, as soon as caught.

this touched the old commodore to the quick, and he felt so outraged at the conduct of the mayor and people that he declared, if it were persisted in, it would subject the city to the fire of the fleet at any moment. After receiving another insulting note, Farragut, on the 30th of April, declined all further intercourse with J. T. Monroe and men of his stamp.

parole the officers, and sent them to the
North as prisoners of war.
The army
officers and men were paroled, and con-
ducted themselves with a propriety in
striking contrast to the behavior of
Mitchell and others in the rebel navy
on this occasion. Fort Jackson was
greatly injured by the bombardment,
nearly 2,000 shells having been thrown
into it, besides some 3,000 in the
ditches and outer works.* Fort St.
Philip was but little injured, as its fate
depended on its companion across the
river; when Jackson surrendered, St.
Philip fell as a matter of course. By
order of Butler the forts were garrison-
ed by the 26th Massachusetts, he him-
self proceeding with the rest of his
troops to take possession of New Or-
leans; which, we may here state, he did,
on the 1st of May.

Porter, who had been left with his bomb vessels to secure the reduction of the forts, proceeded actively with his work. A demand was made for their surrender, which at first was refused; Porter thereupon opened fire upon them again, and sent six of his schooners and cut off the supplies and means of escape in the rear of Fort Jackson. Butler also, having landed at Quarantine in the rear of Fort St. Philip, cut off reinforcements from that quarter. The reThe entire casualties in the fleet dursult was, that the men in the forts ing the bombardment and ascent to the showed evident signs of mutiny, and city were 40 killed, and 177 woundDuncan, on a second demand, concluded ed. The rebels reported their loss to accept Porter's terms. This was on in Fort Jackson at 14 killed, 37 the 28th of April. Porter understood wounded; probably their loss as that the three steamers and the Loui- a whole was larger than was ever siana, an immense iron-clad battery of 4,000 tons, which Farragut had unwittingly left behind him, had also surrendered, or were ready to surrender; but instead of that, the person in command Pontchartrain; beside two large of the vessels, named Mitchell, behaved earth works above the city. most dishonorably, by setting fire to Some 1,200 prisoners were taken. the battery and sending it to explode in the midst of our fleet. Providentially, the battery blew up when near Fort St. Philip, and our ships escaped without injury. Porter denounced the act of Mitchell as infamous, and on capturing the rebel steamers, he refused to

acknowledged.

The rebels lost six forts, Jackson, St. Philip, and Chalmette, on the river; Livingston, on the Gulf; and Pike and Morgan, on Lake

1862.

* Pollard, quoting Duncan's purposely exaggerated statement, says that 25,000 shells were thrown by our mortar boats without injuring Fort Jackson to any ex place. He surrendered in fact to his own garrison. The post probably could have been held, if the men

tent. Duncan "had no alternative but to give up the

on the levee to the people, and while stating it, cried had stood to their guns. He stated this in an address like a child."—" First Year of the War,” p. 319.

CH. XIII.]

HEAVY BLOW TO THE REBELS.

iron rams and other expensive works, were taken or destroyed. The ram Mississippi, on which some $2,000,000 had been spent, was blown up to prevent its falling into our hands.

159

Eighteen gun boats, including three confesses, a disaster which astounded the South, shook the confidence of the world in the boasting "confederacy," and led, by unavoidable steps, to the abandonment of the great Valley of the Mississippi. And though it is true that other strong points on the Mis sissippi, as Port Hudson, and especially Vicksburg, were not taken for more than a year after the fall of New Orleans, yet this was the heaviest blow of all, and this demonstrated both the energy and power of the loyal states, and their settled determination to restore and preserve the integrity of the Union, at any and every cost.*

The importance of this great victory over the rebels cannot be too highly estimated. Its effect was deeply felt in the loyal states, as well as in those which were in arms against the government. It taught a lesson to enemies as well as friends at home and abroad. The rebels were unwilling to credit, nay, had scouted, the possibility of the capture of New Orleans. The supporters of the Union had hoped and wished for, rather than confidently expected suc

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1862.

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CHAPTER XIV.

1862.

CAMPAIGN BEFORE RICHMOND: BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES.

The rebels retreat from Yorktown - Pursuit by our troops towards Williamsburg - Attack on the enemy → Victory over the enemy at Williamsburg— Advance towards Richmond — Rain and mud — Capture of Nor folk - Destruction of the Merrimac-Fortifications at Craney Island, and Gosport Navy Yard abandoned James River, and affair at Drury's Bluff - The rebels, and line of the Chickahominy - Bottom's Bridge Importance of- Encampment at White House-Approach towards Richmond - Views of the rebels as to holding it-Chickahominy crossed by Keyes'-and Heintzelman's corps - Casey in advance at Seven PinesBridges to be built - Rise in the river - Porter's victory at Hanover Court House Plans of Johnston to prevent McDowell joining McClellan - McDowell ordered to go to Banks's help - Very unfortunate for McClellan —Johnston's hopes in the attack — Violent storm — Attack, May 31st, at Seven Pines — Johnston's forces Keyes and Casey's condition-Casey driven back-Fierce onslaught of the enemy Sumner's opportune arrival - Night ends the conflict-Renewed early next morning, June 1st - Severe fighting for several hours-Rebels put to flight-Losses on both sides heavy -Pollard's statements - Prince de Joinville's remarks.

The retreating forces, it was found, had taken the direct road from Yorktown to Williamsburg, some 12 miles nearer Richmond. There was another road on the left, which crossed Warwick River at Lee's Mills, and unit. ing with the former made a fork near Williamsburg. At this point the rebels had erected a strong bastioned

1862.

EARLY on Sunday morning, May | is also in our possession. I shall push 4th, 1862, McClellan entered Yorktown, the enemy to the wall."* and the flag of the Union was planted upon the vast and formidable works just abandoned by the rebels (see p. 140). It was mortifying, certainly, to have been thus kept at a stand-still for a whole month, and to have been so effectually deceived by the rebels, as that they were allowed to escape without harm or loss, and to carry off with them everything except such bulky articles as could not be moved. But the commanding general did not waste time in useless complaining. He immediately sent off all his cavalry and horse artillery in pursuit, supported by infantry. "No time," he said, in his dispatch," shall be lost. The gun boats have gone up York River. Gloucester

* McClellan denounced the fiend-like behavior of those who were so constantly asserting that the Union army was a horde of savages, and the like: "The

rebels have been guilty of the most murderous and barbarous conduct, in placing torpedoes within the

abandoned works, near wells and springs, and near flag

staffs, magazines, telegraph offices, in carpet bags, barrels of flour, etc. Fortunately, we have not lost many

men in this manner-some four or five killed, and per

haps a dozen wounded. I shall make the prisoners remove them at their own peril.”

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