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answered." The malevolent folly of the municipal authorities served only to expose their city to destruction. A force landed from the Pensacola had hoisted, unopposed, a Federal flag over the Mint, and left it there unguarded. Ere it had thus remained many hours, a number of young Rebels mounted to the dome, tore it down, and dragged it through the streets. It would have been entirely justifiable and proper on the part of Farragut to have required of the authorities its immediate and respectful replacement, on penalty of the destruction of their city; but he forbore; and, even when he required them, two days afterward, to take down the flag of Louisiana, still floating over the City Hall, the Mayor positively refused. Capt. F. finally closed the absurd altercation by sending a

sist your force, do not allow themselves to be insulted by the interference of such as have rendered themselves odious and contemptible by their dastardly desertion of our cause in the mighty struggle in which we are engaged, or such as might remind them too forcibly that they are the conquered and you the conquerors. Peace and order may be preserved without resort to measures which I could not at this moment prevent. Your occupying the city does not transfer allegiance from the government of their choice to one which they have deliberately repudiated; and they yield the obedience which the conqueror is entitled to extort from the conquered. Respectfully,

"JOHN T. MONROE, Mayor."

"U. S. FLAG-SHIP HARTFORD, at anchor
off the City of New Orleans,
"April 28, 1862.

"To His Honor the Mayor and City Council of

the City of New Orleans:

"Your communication of the 26th inst. has been received, together with that of the City Council.

"I deeply regret to see, both by their contents and the continued display of the flag of Louisiana on the Court-House, a determination on the part of the city authorities not to haul it down. Moreover, when my officers and men were sent on shore to communicate with the authorities, and to hoist the United States flag on the Custom-House, with the strictest order not to use their arms unless assailed, they were insulted in the grossest manner, and the flag

force from his ships to take down tho flag: a vast crowd looking sullenly on, or giving vent to their wrath only in idle curses. They failed to comprehend their position; but they respected the two brass howitzers, well manned and supported, which stood in front of the City Hall while the operation was quietly and thoroughly performed.

Capt. Farragut had not waited to obtain formal possession of the city before moving up" to the two forts at Carrollton, eight miles above, where he was surprised to find the gun-carriages on fire and the guns spiked. The works were formidable, but constructed to resist an advance from above; so that, being taken in reverse, they had been adjudged indefensible.

Gen. Butler, having witnessed from

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Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed)
"D. G. FARRAGUT,
"Flag-Officer Western Gulf
Blockading Squadron."

It seems incredible, yet it is a fact, that Monroe sent a rejoinder to this letter; in which, amid bombastic and turgid babble about flagrant violation of those courtesies which prevail between belligerents, and shells tearing up the graves of those who are so dear to them, he whimpered out: "Our women and children cannot escape from your shells, if it be your pleasure to murder them on a question of mere etiquette." Even Pollard barely represses his disgust at the silly repetitions and vanity of literary style protruded by this Bobadil of a Mayor. 19 May 1. Afternoon of April 26.

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SURRENDER OF THE REBEL FORTS.

97

the Saxon the success of Farragut's | above the forts towed their ram attempt to pass the Rebel forts and Louisiana out into the current, set barrier and destroy their fleet for- her on fire and abandoned her, with bidding approach to New Orleans, all her guns shotted, expecting her made haste to join his land forces to drift down upon and explode in below, and to conduct them, under the midst of Porter's fleet; but, just Weitzel's piloting, through the shal- as she was abreast of Fort St. Philip, low bays and bayous in the rear of she blew up and sunk, injuring no Fort St. Philip, landing them from one but a Rebel soldier in the fort, his row-boats on the first firm ground who was killed by a fragment. Of that he reached above the fort; the three remaining Rebel steamers, thence occupying the levee and one had been scuttled; the others throwing a detachment across the surrendered without resistance: their river so as completely to isolate both officers, with those of the Louisiana, forts and their garrisons. While he being sent North as close prisoners, was effecting this, Commander Por- because of their attempt to destroy ter, with his mortar-fleet below, our fleet while a capitulation was in resumed and continued the bombard- progress. Commander Porter turned ment, sending up" a flag of truce to the forts and their contents immedemand a surrender, which was re- diately over to Gen. Phelps," and fused; but, next day, 250 of the they were very soon being repaired garrison of Fort Jackson, having and fitted for effective service; while heard, or inferred from the blackened Gen. Butler, leaving Gen. Williams fragments floating down the river, in command there, and having easily that New Orleans was captured, re- reduced Forts Pike and Wood, at fused to fight longer, and, spiking the entrance of Lake Pontchartrain, the guns on the upper side of the brought his steamers around into the fort, sallied out and surrendered Mississippi, and, taking on board themselves to Gen. Butler's pickets. 2,000 of his men, moved up to the Lt.-Col. Higgins, who commanded city and took possession-Capt. Farthe forts, seeing that all was lost, ragut very gladly relinquishing to now made haste to accept the favor- him the difficult and disagreeable able terms of capitulation previously duty of bandying words with its offered by Commander Porter, before spiteful, shuffling authorities, and dealthe latter should be made aware of ing with its ferocious and ruffianly Butler's position above and the mob, who would have taken exquisite mutiny and surrender of half the pleasure in making mince-meat of garrison. While the terms of capitu- either of them. lation were being reduced to writing, the Confederate naval officers just

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In the conferences which ensued between the commanding General

their gunboats, nor the Chalmette regiment encamped on the levee, which surrendered to Capt. Bailey. Our total loss of men in the bombardment, running the batteries, destruction of the Rebel fleet, and capture of the city, was but 40 killed and 177 wounded.

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his bands were able to play, and after having waited upon Capt. Farragut and heard his account of all that had occurred since our fleet first appeared before the city, ordered the immediate debarkation of his troops, which began at 4 o'clock that afternoon:" the crowd requiring to be slowly pressed back with the bayonet to obtain space on which our regiments were thus enabled successively to land and form; Gen. Butler and his staff-no horses having yet been landed-marching on foot at the head of the 31st Massachusetts and 4th Wisconsin to the music of the "Star-Spangled Banner," variegated by nowise complimentary observations from the mob, along the levee to Poydras street, thence through St. Charles street and Canal street, to the vast, unfinished Custom-House, where our artillery was duly posted and the men fitly quartered; while the General and his staff returned to his steamboat, and the 12th Connecticut, Col. Deming, bivouacked on the levee by its side.

and the municipality, Mayor Monroe | "Picayune Butler," which none of was counseled and prompted by Hon. Pierre Soulé, a gentleman whose ability and tact shone forth in striking contrast with the pitiable exhibition previously made of himself by the Mayor. In fact, if Soulé had had 10 or 15 good regiments and as many batteries at his back, he might have argued Butler out of New Orleans. A wide diversity as to premises rendered the progress and results of these discussions quite unsatisfactory to the weaker party. In the contemplation of Gen. Butler, New Orleans was a city of the United States, wherein Rebellion had been temporarily dominant, but which had now been restored to its rightful and lawful allegiance, and wherein no authority must be asserted, no flag displayed, but those of the Union. Soulé, Monroe, and the mob, could not see the matter in that light; but insisted on regarding our forces as intruders, who ought in simple decency to abscond; but who, since they refused to do this, should in all things consult the feelings and tastes of the patriotic and indomitable Southrons, who, from behind their barricades of women and children, delighted in hallooing, wherever Butler appeared or was expected, "Where's old cock-eye?" "Let me see the damned rascal!" "I see the damned old villain," &c., &c., interspersed with "Hurrah for Jeff. Davis !" "Hurrah for Beauregard !" "Go home, you damned Yankees !" &c., &c. It was amid a tempest of such outcries from the throats of 50,000 venomous Rebels, that the General, after vainly endeavoring to comply with a popular demand for

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That evening, Gen. Butler finished his proclamation and sent it to the office of The True Delta to be printed, only to learn that the application was too late. Next morning, it was renewed, and plumply refused by the proprietor. Two hours later, a file of soldiers drew up before the building, when half a dozen of their number entered the printing office and proceeded inoffensively to print the obnoxious paper. The True Delta of next day commenting rebelliously on this performance, Gen. Butler suppressed it till further orders: which brought the concern to reason. May 1.

The

BUTLER AND THE SHE-REBELS.

99

next day, its publication was re- the latter that is, by those of the sumed; and on the 6th the proclamation duly appeared in its columns.

ruling caste-as their patent of nobility; and they clung to it, and stood ready to sacrifice and dare for it, as aristocrats are always ready to

The great St. Charles Hotel having been suddenly closed, Gen. Butler rëopened and made it his head-stand by their order.' They talked quarters, summoning the Mayor and Council to meet him there at 2 P. M. next day, which they did; and, after considerable debate, were satisfied, first, that Gen. Butler was master of the situation; secondly, that he intended to remain so; thirdly, that any who should undertake to dispute or defy his authority would certainly get into trouble; and fourthly, that the mob, though it might hoot and howl with impunity, must stop short of actual violence and mutiny, or their streets would be swept by grape and their gutters run red with blood. It took some time to impress these truths clearly on the average Rebel mind; but the work was effectively done; and New Orleans ultimately confessed that she had not before in a generation been nearly so clean, so quiet, so orderly, so free from robbery, violence, outrage, and murder, as she was under the rule of 'Beast Butler' in the year of grace 1862.

Two conspicuous instances out of many must here serve as examples of his dealings with the spirit of

treason.

The women of New Orleans-that portion of them who arrogated to themselves the designation of ladies, with a large majority of their sisters throughout the Confederacy-had ere this become most impassioned Rebels. The aristocratic instinct being stronger in women than in men, Slavery, though it debauched the men and degraded the women of the South, had come to be regarded by

loudly of shedding their blood, if need be, for the Confederacy; they acted so as to insure the shedding in that behalf of the blood of their male relatives and neighbors. To proclaim a rigid non-intercourse with all young men who did not promptly enlist in the Confederate armies, and to exhort, entreat, and finally insult, those who hesitated to do so, was a very common exhibition of Southern female patriotism. To treat our officers and soldiers at all times, and under all circumstances, with indications of hatred, contempt, disgust, and loathing, was their still more natural and general practice. The display of a miniature Secession flag on their persons was a harmless, inoffensive exhibition of their feelings which was never objected to on our side. To vacate a church-pew, quit a street-car, or other public vehicle, upon the entrance of one of our officers, was admissible; to strum "The Bonny Blue Flag" on the piano whenever a Union officer entered the house, or a Union platoon marched by, could be endured; but when ladies, by breeding or brevet, saw fit to take several reefs in their respective noses, to make an ostentatious display of drawing aside their dresses, to oblique into the middle of the street and then back again, in order to avoid the possibility of contact with a passing officer, or being overshadowed by the American flag; still more, when, to contemptuous and insulting gestures, they added oppro

brious and venomous language, they | security of its inhabitants; and all

passed the limits of any indulgence which may properly be accorded to even feminine malignity. In New Orleans, the climax of these cowardly insults was only reached when something dressed like a lady saw fit to spit in the faces of two officers quietly passing along the street. It was this experiment on his forbearance which decided Gen. Butler to issue his famous Order No. 28. It reads as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, NEW ORLEANS, May 15, 1862. "GENERAL ORDER No. 28:

"As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subjected to repeated insults from the women (calling themselves ladies) of New Orleans, in return for the most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter, when any female shall, by word, gesture, or movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States, she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town ply

ing her avocation.

By command of Maj.-Gen. BUTLER. “GEO. C. STRONG, A. A. G., Chief of Staff.”

that need be added in explanation or in defense of the hated order is this: that no soldier under Gen. Butler's command ever acted upon the vile construction of that order which his enemies set up; and no woman in New Orleans ever pretended that she was anywise abused or insulted because thereof; while its success in arresting the scandalous behavior at which it aimed was immediate and complete.

The other case, wherein Gen. Butler especially displeased his enemies and those of his country, was that of Wm. B. Mumford, a New Orleans gambler, who had led the Rebel mob who tore down our National flag from the roof of the Mint, where it had been hoisted by our sailors detailed for that duty by Capt. Morris, of the Pensacola, on the 27th, after Lovell had evacuated the city, and its Mayor and Common Council had officially declared themselves incapable This order was subjected to the of making any resistance, and that, worst possible construction first by yielding to physical force alone, they Mayor Monroe and his secret prompt- would make none, to the forces of the ers; next by the Rebel Governor of United States. The outrage thus Louisiana and the Secessionists gen- committed by Mumford and his erally; and so on, until Lord Palmer- backers, furtive and riotous as it was, ston, in the British House of Com- drew a shot from the howitzers in the mons, took occasion to be astonished, main-top of the Pensacola, and might to blush, and to proclaim his "deep- have provoked and justified the deest indignation" at the tenor of that struction of the city by our fleet; order; Punch eagerly echoing his since the authorities did not disclaim, perversions. Gen. Butler was finally while the mob vociferously applaudconstrained, after too long enduring ed and adopted it. So The Picahis palterings and equivocations, to yune of next morning eulogized its send Mayor Monroe to prison, abol- gallantry and patriotism, and proish his municipality, banish Pierre claimed it an act of the city, and a Soulé, and appoint Col. G. F. Shep- proof of her "unflinching determinaley military commandant, to the sig- tion to sustain to the uttermost the nal improvement of the government righteous cause for which she has of New Orleans and the peace and done so much and made such sacri

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