did not concern outsiders. Captain Bailey remarked that it looked to him like biting off your nose to spite your face. The mayor intimated that he took a different view of the subject.

Cheers from the mob announced the arrival of General Lovell, who soon entered the office. The officers were presented to him. "I am General Lovell," said he, "of the army of the Confederate States, commanding this department."

Whereupon he shook hands with the Union officers. Captain Bailey repeated the demand with which he had been charged, adding that he was instructed by Captain Farragut to say, that he had come to protect private property and personal rights, and had no design to interfere with any private rights, and especially not with negro property.

General Lovell replied that he would not surrender the city, nor allow it to be surrendered; that he was overpowered on the water by a superior squadron, but that he intended to fight on land as long as he could muster a soldier; he had marched all of his armed men out of the city; had evacuated it; and if they desired to shell the town, destroying women and children, they could do so. It was to avoid this that he had marched his troops beyond the city limits, but a large number even of the women of the city had begged him to remain and defend the city even against shelling. He did not think he would be justified in doing so. He would therefore retire and leave the city authorities to pursue what course they should think proper.

Captain Bailey said, that nothing was farther from Captain Farragut's thoughts than to shell a defenseless town filled with women and children. On the contrary, he had no hostile intentions toward New Orleans, and regretted extremely the destruction of property that had already occurred.

"It was done by my authority sir," interrupted General Lovell. He might have added that his own cotton was the first to be fired. It was then concluded that the Union officers should return to the fleet, and the mayor would lay the matter before the common council, and report the result to Captain Farragut. Captain Bailey requested protection during their return to the levee, the crowd being evidently in no mood to allow their peaceful departure. The general detailed two of his officers to accompany them, and went himself to harangue the multitude. Mr. Soulé also addressed the

people, counseling moderation and dignity. The naval officers meanwhile were conducted to the rear of the building, where a carriage was procured for them, and they were driven rapidly to their boat. The crew were infinitely relieved by their arrival, for during the long period of their absence, the crowd had assailed them with every epithet of abuse, to which the only possible reply was silence. The officers stepped on board, and were soon alongside of the flagship, the parting yell of the mob still ringing in their ears. At the same time General Lovell was making his way to the cars, and was seen in New Orleans no more.

Captain Farragut was a little amused and very much puzzled at the singular position in which he found himself. There was nothing further to be done, however, until he heard from the mayor. All hands were tired out. New Orleans, too, was exhausted with the excitement of the last three days. So, both the fleet and the city enjoyed a night more tranquil than either had known for some time. "The city was as peaceful and quiet as a country hamletmuch quieter than in ordinary times," said the Picayune the next morning.

April 26th, Saturday, at half-past six, a boat from shore reached the flag-ship, containing the mayor's secretary and chief of police, bearers of a message from the mayor. The mayor said the common council would meet at ten that morning, the result of whose deliberations should be promptly submitted to Captain Farragut. The captain, not relishing the delay, still less the events of yesterday, sent a letter to the mayor recapitulating those events, and again stating his determination to respect private rights. "L, therefore, demand of you,” said the flag-officer, "as its representative, the unqualified surrender of the city, and that the emblem of the sovereignty of the United States be hoisted over the City Hall, Mint and Custom-House, by meridian this day, and all flags and other emblems of sovereignty other than that of the United States be removed from all the public buildings by that hour. I particularly request that you shall exercise your authority to quell disturbances, restore order, and call upon all the good people of New Orleans to. return at once to their avocations; and I particularly demand that no person shall be molested in person or property for sentiments of loyalty to their government. I shall speedily and severely punish any person or persons who shall commit such outrages as were witnessed

yesterday, of armed men firing upon helpless women and children for giving expression to their pleasure at witnessing the 'old flag.'

This demand of Captain Farragut, that the enemy should themselves hoist the Union flag, gave the mayor, aided by Mr. Soulé, an opportunity to make an advantageous reply.

The common council met in the course of the morning. Besides relating the interview with Captain Bailey, the mayor favored the council with his opinion upon the same. "My own opinion is,” said he, “that as a civil magistrate, possessed of no military power, I am incompetent to perform a military act, such as the surrender of the city to a hostile force; that it would be proper to say, in reply to a demand of that character, that we are without military protection, that the troops have withdrawn from the city, that we are consequently incapable of making any resistance, and that, therefore, we can offer no obstruction to the occupation of the Mint, the Custom-House and the Post-Office; that these are the property of the Confederate government; that we have no control over them; and that all acts involving a transfer of property must be performed by the invading force-by the enemy themselves; that we yield to physical force alone, and that we maintain our allegiance to the Confederate government. Beyond this, a due respect for our dignity, our rights, and the flag of our country, does not, I think, permit us to go.”

Upon receiving this message, the common council unanimously adopted the following resolutions:

"Whereas, the common council of the city of New Orleans, having been advised by the military authorities that the city is indefensible, declare that no resistance will be made to the forces of the United States;

"Resolved, That the sentiments expressed in the message of his honor the mayor to the common council, are in perfect accordance with the sentiments entertained by the entire population of this metropolis; and that the mayor be respectfully requested to act in the spirit manifested by the message."

While waiting for the deliberations of the council, Captain Farragut went up the river, seven miles, to Carrollton, where batteries had been erected to defend the city from an attack from above. He found them deserted, the guns spiked, and the gun-carriages burning.

April 27th, Sunday.--An eventful day; to one unhappy man, a fatal day. The early morning brought the mayor's reply to Captain Farragut: "I am no military man, and possess no authority beyond that of executing the municipal laws of the city of New Orleans. It would be presumptuous in me to attempt to lead an army to the field, if I had one at command; and I know still less how to surrender an undefended place, held, as this is, at the mercy of your gunners and your mortars. To surrender such a place were an idle and unmeaning ceremony. The city is yours by the power of brutal force, not by my choice or the consent of its inhabitants. It is for you to determine what will be the fate that awaits us here. As to hoisting any flag not of our own adoption and allegiance, let me say to you 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." With more of similar purport. The substance of the mayor's meaning seemed to be: "Come on shore and hoist what flags you please. Don't ask us to do your flag-raising." A rather good reply-in the substance of it. Slightly impudent, perhaps; but men who are talking from behind a bulwark of fifty thousand women and children, can be impudent if they please.

The commander of the fleet refused to confer farther with the mayor; but, with regard to the flag-hoisting, determined to take him at his word. Captain Morris, of the Pensacola, the ship that lay off the Mint, was ordered to send a party ashore, and hoist the flag of the United States upon that edifice. At eight in the morning, the stars and stripes floated over it once more. The officer commanding the party warned the by-standers that the guns of the Pensacola would certainly open fire upon the building if any one should be seen molesting the flag. Without leaving a guard to protect it, he returned to his ship, and the howitzers in the maintop of the Pensacola, loaded with grape, were aimed at the flagstaff, and the guard ordered to fire the moment any one should attempt to haul down the flag. I think it was an error to leave the flag unprotected. A company of marines could have kept the mob at bay; would have prevented the shameful scenes that followed.

66

At eleven o'clock, the crews of all the ships were assembled on deck for prayers: to render thanks," as the order ran, “to Almighty God for His great goodness and mercy in permitting us to pass through the events of the last two days with so little loss of life and blood." As the clouds threatened rain, the gunner of the Pensacola, just before taking his place for the ceremony, removed from the guns the "wafers" by which they are discharged. One look-out man was left in the main-top, who held the strings of the howitzers in his hand, and kept a sharp eye upon the flag-staff of the Mint. The solemn service proceeded for twenty minutes, with such emotions on the part of those brave men as may be imagined, not related.

A discharge from the howitzers overhead, startled the crew from their devotions! They rushed to quarters. Every eye sought the flag-staff of the Mint. Four men were seen on the roof of the building, who tore down the flag, hurried away with it, and disappeared. Without orders, by an impulse of the moment, the cords of the guns all along the broadside were snatched at by eager hands. Nothing but the chance removal of the wafers saved the city from a fearful scene of destruction and slaughter. The exasperation of the fleet at this audacious act, was such that, at the moment, an order to shell the town would have seemed a natural and proper

one.

New Orleans hailed it with vociferous acclamations. "The names of the party," said the Picayune of the next morning, "that distinguished themselves by gallantly tearing down the flag that had been surreptitiously hoisted, we learn, are W. B. Mumford, who cut it loose from the flag-staff amid the shower of grape, Lieutenant N. Holmes, Sergeant Burns and James Reed. They deserve great credit for their patriotic act. New Orleans, in this hour of adversity, by the calm dignity she displays in the presence of the enemy, by the proof she gives of her unflinching determination to sustain to the uttermost the righteous cause for which she has done so much and made such great sacrifices, by her serene endurance undismayed of the evil which afflicts her, and her abiding confidence in the not distant coming of better and brighter days-of speedy deliverance from the enemy's toils-is showing a bright example to her sister cities, and proving herself, in all respects, worthy of the proud position