:

toss their battered old hats into the air, and watching over the public tranquillity; patrols shout, sing and caper in their wild picturesque of whom should be treated with respect, and fashion. Other gangs, held under stronger con- obeyed." General Juge and his command saved trol, kept on their work without so much as the city from plunder and anarchy-probably looking at the passing vessels, unless it might from universal conflagration. Night and day be that one or two of them, watching their they patrolled the city; and the general, by perchance, would wave a hand or hat, and straight sonal entreaty and public proclamation, induced to hoe again. some of the butchers and grocers to open their shops. A fear of starvation was added to the other horrors of the time; for the country people feared to approach the city, and the markets were alarmingly bare of provisions. And then the Confederate currency-would that be of any value under the rule of the United States? "It is as good now as it ever has been," said the mayor, in one of his half-dozen proclamations, "and there is no reason to reject it;" but "those who hold Confederate currency, and wish to part with it, may have it exchanged for city bills, by applying to the Committee of Public Safety." Another proclamation called upon those who had carried off sugar from the levee to bring it back; another promised a free market and abundant provisions on Monday; another desired the provision dealers to re-open their stores; another urged the people to be calm, and trust the authorities with their welfare and their honor.

None of those batteries with which the river was said to be "lined," were discovered. At three o'clock the ships were off Point la Hache, which had been reported to be impassably fortified. No guns were there. On the contrary, on a plantation near by thirty plows were going, and two hundred negroes came to the shore in the highest glee, to greet the ships. "Hurrah for Abraham," cried one. At eight o'clock in the evening, at a point eighteen miles below the city, the fleet came to anchor for the night. The city was not more than half that distance in a straight line, and consequently, the prodigious volumes of smoke from the burning cotton were plainly seen, exciting endless speculation in the minds of officers and crew. Perhaps another Moscow. Who knows? Nothing is too mad for secesh; secession itself being mad

ness.

At midnight, an alarm! Three large fires ahead, concluded to be fire-rafts. Up anchor, all! The vessels cruised cautiously about in the river for an hour or two; Captain Farragut not caring to venture higher in an unexplored river, Isaid to be lined with batteries. The fires proved to be stationery; and when the fleet passed them the next morning, they were discovered to be three large cotton ships burning-their blockade-running ended thus for ever.

At Chalmette, Jackson's old battle-ground, now but three miles below the city, the river really was "lined" with batteries; i. e., there was a battery on each side of the river, each mounting eight or ten old guns. The signal to engage them was made the moment they came in sight. The leading ships were twenty minutes under fire before they could return it; but then a few broadsides of shell and grape drove the unsheltered foe from the works, with the loss of one man in the fleet knocked overboard by the wind of a ball, and our Herald friend hit with a splinter, but not harmed. "It was what I call," says Captain Farragut, "one of the little elegancies of the profession-a dash and a victory."

At one o'clock, the fleet was anchored. The rain was falling in torrents, but the crowd near the Custom-House was still dense and fierce, the rain having melted away the softer elements. A boat put off from the flag-ship-inan-of-war's boats, trim and tidy, crew in fresh tarpaulins and clean shirts, no flag of truce flying. In the stern sat three officers, Captain Bailey, second in command of the fleet, Lieutenant Perkins, his companion in the errand upon which he was seut and Acting-Master Morton in charge of the boat. Just after the boat put off, a huge thing of a ram Mississippi, pierced for twenty guns, a kind of monster Merrimac, or fortified Noah's ark, came floating down the river past the fleet, wrapped in flames. At another time the spectacle would have been duly honored by the fleet, but at that moment every eye was upon Captain Bailey's boat, nearing the crowd on the levee.

We all remember the greeting bestowed upon this officer. It was by no means that which a conquered city usually confers upon the conqueror. Deafening cheers for "Jeff. Davis and the South;" thundering groans for "Lincoln and Round the bend at noon, into full view of the his fleet;" sudden hustling and collaring of two vast sweep of the Crescent City. What a scene! or three men who had dared cheer for the "old Fires along the shore farther than the eye could flag." Captain Bailey and Lieutenant Perkins, reach; the river full of burning vessels; the however, stepped on shore, and announced their levee lined with madmen, whose yells and defi- desire to see the mayor of the city. A few reant gestures showed plainly enough what kind spectable persons in the crowd had the cournge of welcome awaited the new-comers. A faint to offer to conduct them to the City Hall, under cheer for the Union, it is said, rose from one whose escort the officers started on their perilpart of the levee, auswered by a volley of pistol-ous journey, followed and surrounded by a shots from the by-standers. As the fleet dropped anchor in the stream, a thunder-storm of tropical violence burst over the city, which dissolved large masses of the crowd, and probably reduced, in some degree, the frenzy of those who remained.

The banks, the stores, all places of business were closed in the city. The mayor, by formal proclamation, had now invested the European Brigade, under General Juge, "with the duty of

yelling, infuriated multitude, regardless of the pouring rain. "No violence," says a Delta reporter, was offered to the officers, though certain persons who were suspected of favoring their flag and cause were set upon with great fury, and roughly handled. On arriving at the City Hall, it required the intervention of several citizens to prevent violence being offered to the rash embassadors of an execrated dynasty and government."

Mayor Monroe is a gentlemen of slight form | marched his troops beyond the city limits, but a and short stature; he was not equal to the ex-large number even of the women of the city had ceedingly perplexing situation in which he found begged him to remain and defend the city even himself. Supported, however, by the presence against shelling. He did not think he would be of several of the "city fathers," as he styled justified in doing so. He would therefore rethem, and aided by the talents of Mr. Soulé, he tiro and leave the city authorities to pursue what performed his part in the curious interview with course they should think proper. tolerable dignity. While the colloquy proceeded, the City Hall was surrounded by an ever growing orowd, whose cheers for Jeff. Davis and groans for "Abe Lincoln" served as loud accompaniment to the mild discord within the building. Captain Bailey and his companion were duly presented to the mayor, and courteous salutations were exchanged between them.

"I have been sent," said the captain, "by Captain Farragut, commanding the United States fleet, to demand the surrender of the city, and the elevation of the flag of the United States over the Custom-House, the Mint, the PostOffice, and the City Hall."

"I am not," replied the mayor, "the military commander of the city. I have no authority to surrender it, and would not do so if I had. There is a military commander now in the city. I will send for him to receive and reply to your demand.

A messenger was accordingly dispatched for General Lovell, who, though he had sent off his troops, remained in the town, a train waiting with steam up to convey him and his staff to

buildings by that hour. I particularly request | fended place, held, as it is, at the mercy of your that you shall exercise your authority to quell gunners and your mortars. To surrender such disturbances, restore order, and call upon all the a place were an idle and unmeaning ceremony. 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; and 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;

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 flag 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

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. officer commanding the party warned the bystanders 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 main-top of the Pensacola, loaded with grape, were aimed at the flag-staff, 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.

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 แ Resolved, that the sentiments expressed in clouds threatened rain, the gunner of the Pensathe message of his honor the mayor to the com-cola, just before taking his place for the ceremon 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 Carrolton, 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 muInicipal 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 unde

mony, 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 flagstaff 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.

my government I oppose it. If it is your resolution to bombard the city, do it; but I wish to state that you will have to account for the barbarous act to the power which I represent. In any event, I demand sixty days for the evacu

Captain Farragut and General Butler had visited Captain De Clouet on his arrival, and had received from him polite congratulations upon the success of the expedition. It was no fault of his that Captain Farragut's notification was so egregiously misunderstood.

New Orleans hailed it with vociferous acclamations. "The names of the party," said the Picayune of the next morning, "that distin-ation." guished 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 rightcons 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 she has achieved. We glory of being a citizen of this great metropolis."

"Calm dignity!" The four men having secured their prize, trailed it in the mud of the streets amid the yells of the mob; mounted with it upon a furniture car and paraded it about the city with fife and drum; tore it, at last, into shreds, and distributed the pieces among the crowd. Such was the calm dignity of New Orleans. Such the valor of ruffians protected by a rampart of fifty thousand women and children.

General Butler meanwhile perceiving that light-draft steamers were not to be had, and that nothing effectual could be done without landing a force in the city, hastened down the river to attempt the reduction of the forts with such means as he could command. Before leaving, however, he had the satisfaction of receiving the spy, engaged at Washington many weeks before, who had escaped in the confusion, and brought full details of the condition of the city. Mr. Summers, too, once recorder of New Orleans, fled on board one of the ships from the violence of a mob in whose hearing he had declared his attachment to the Union. A lady, also, came off, and delivered a paper of intelligence and congratulation.

On his way down the river, General Butler met the glad tidings of the surrender of the forts, and had the pleasure, on the 28th, of walking over them with Captain Porter among the joyful troops. Colonel Jones, of the Twenty-sixth Massachusetts, was appointed to command the Garrison, and Lieutennat Weitzel began forthwith to put the forts in repair. All the rest of Captain Farragut was equally indignant and the troops were ordered up the river with the embarrassed. Seldom has a naval commander utmost speed. General Phelps was already found himself in a position so beset with con- at the forts, and the transports from Sable Island tradictions-defied and insulted by a town that were making their way under General Williams lay at his mercy. A few hours after these to the mouth of the river. The news of the events, General Butler arrived to share the ex-surrender of the forts, which reached the fleet asperation of the fleet and join in the counsels of its chief. He advised the captain to threaten the city with bombardment, and to order away the women and children. Captain Farragut, in part, adopted the measure, and sent a communication to the mayor warning him of the peril which the city incurred by such scenes as those of Sunday morning. He informed him of the danger of drawing from the fleet a destructive fire by the spontaneous action of the men. "The election is with you," he concluded, "but it becomes my duty to notify you to remove the women and children from the city within forty-eight hours, if I have rightly understood your determination." The authorities of the city chose to interpret this note as a formal announcement of a bombardment at the expiration of the specified period. So, at least, they represented it to Captain De Clouet, commanding a French man of war which had just arrived before the city. That officer thought it his duty to demand a longer time for the removal of the women and children. "Sent by my government," he wrote to Captain Farragut, to protect the persons and property of its citizens, who are here to the number of thirty The work of the European Brigade was apthousand, I regret to learn at this moment that proaching a conclusion. The portion of it callyou have accorded a delay of forty-eight hours ed the British Guard, composed of unnaturalfor the evacuation of the city by the women and ized Englishmen-unnatural Englishınen rather children. I venture to observe to you that this-voted at their armory, day or two after, to hot delay is ridiculous; and, in the name of send their weapons, accouterments and uniforms

on Monday, relieved Captain Farragut from embarrassment. He could now afford to wait, if New Orleans could, though the fleet still beheld with impatience the flaunting of the rebel flags. General Duncan, that day, harrangued the crowd upon the levee, declaring, "with tears in his eyes," that nothing but the mutiny of part of his command could have induced him to surrender. But for that, he could and would have held out for months. "He cried like a child," says one report. The tone of the authorities appeared to be somewhat lowered by the news. They dared not formally disclaim the exploit of Mumford and his comrades; but Captain Farragut was privately assured that the removal of the flags from the mint was the unauthorized act of a few individuals. On the 29th, Captain Bell, with a hundred marines, landed on the levee, marched into the city, hauled down the Confederate flag from the Mint and Custom-House, and hoisted in its stead the flag of the United Statos. Captain Bell locked the Custom-House and took the keys to his ship. These flags remained, though the marines were withdrawn before evening.

to General Beauregard's army, as a slight token | bandmasters possessed the music; so the genof their affection for the Confederate States. eral was obliged to forego his joke, and fall back Some of these "neutral" gentlemen had occa- upon Yankee Doodle and the Star Spangled sion to regret this step before the month of May Banner. Others of the crowd cried: "You'll was ended. never see home again." "Yellow Jack will There was a general coming up the river, who have you before long." Halloo, epaulets, lend had the peculiarity of feeling toward the rebel- us a picayune." With divers other remarks of lion as the rebel leaders felt toward the gov-a chafing nature, alternating with maledictions. ernment they had betrayed. He hated it. He General Butler waited upon Captain Farragut, meant to do his part toward putting it down by and heard a narrative of recent events. The the strong hand, not conciliating it by insincere general announced his determination to land palaver. The reader is requested to bear in forthwith, and Captain Farragut notified the mind this peculiarity, for it is the key to the mayor of this resolve; adding that he should understanding of General Butler's administra-hold no farther correspondence with the authorition. Consider always that his attachment to ties of New Orleans, but gladly yielded the şituthe Union and the flag was of the same intense ation to the commander of the army. Returning and uncompromising nature, as the devotion of to the Mississippi, General Butler directed the South Carolinians to the cause of the Confed- immediate disembarkation of the troops, and the eracy. His was indeed a nobler devotion, but operation began about four o'clock in the afterin mere warmth and entireness, it resembled the noon. A company of the Thirty-first Massachuzeal of secessionists. He meant well to the peo-setts landed on the extensive platform raised ple of Louisiana; he did well by them; but it above the levee for the convenient, loading of was his immovable resolve that the ruling power cotton, and, forming a line, slowly pressed back in Louisiana henceforth should be the UNITED the crowd, at the point of the bayonet, until STATES, which had bought, defended, protected, space enough was obtained for the regiment to and enriched it. Think what secessionists would form. When the Thirty-first had all landed, have done in New Orleans, if it had remained they marched down the cotton platform to the true to the Union, and fallen into their hands in levee, and along the levee to De Lord street, the second year of the war. That General But- where they halted. The Fourth Wisconsin was ler did; only with exactest justice, with ideal then disembarked, after which the procession purity; employing all right methods of concilia- was formed in the order following: tion; rigorous only to secure the main objectthe absolute, the unquestioned supremacy of the United States.

CHAPTER XII.

LANDING IN NEW ORLEANS.

THE troops had a joyful trip up the river among the verdant sugar-fields, welcomed, as the fleet had been, by capering negroes. The transport Mississippi, with her old complement of fourteen hundred men, and Mrs. Butler on the quarter-deck, hove in sight of the forts at sunset on the last day of April. The forts were covered all over with blue-coated soldiers, who paused in their investigations to cheer the arriving. vessels, and, especially, the Lady who had borne them company in so many perils. It was an animated and glorious scene, illumined by the setting sun; one of those intoxicating moments which repay soldiers for months of fatigue and waiting. The general came on board, and, at midnight, the transport steamers started for the city. At noon on the 1st of May, the Mississippi lay alongside the levee at New Orleans.

A crowd rapidly gathered; but it was by no means as turbulent or noisy as that which had howled at Captain Bailey five days before. There were women among them, many of whom appeared to be nurses carrying children. Mulatto women with baskets of cakes and oranges were also seen. Voices were frequently heard calling for "Picayune Butler," who was requested to "show himself," and "come ashore." The general, who is fond of a joke, requested Major Strong to ascertain if any of the bands could play the lively melody to which the mob had called his attention. Unluckily, none of the

First, as pioneer and guide, marched Lieutenant Henry Weigel, of Baltimore, aid to the general, who was familiar with the streets of the city, and now rose from a sick bed to claim the fulfillment of General Butler's promise that he, and he only, should guide the troops to the Custom-House.

Next, the drum-corps of the Thirty-first Massachusetts. Behind these, General Butler and his staff on foot, no horses having yet been landed, a file of the Thirty-first marching on each side of them. Then Captain Everett's battery of artillery, with whom marched Captain Kensel, chief of artillery to the expedition. The Thirty-first followed, under Colonel O. P. Gooding. Next, General Williams and his staff, preceded by the fine band of the Fourth Wisconsin, and followed by that regiment under Colonel Paine. The same orders were given as on the march into Baltimore: silence; no notice to be taken of mere words; if a shot were fired from a house; halt, arrest inmates, destroy house; if fired upon from the crowd, arrest the man if possible, but not fire into the crowd unless absolutely necessary for self-defense, and then not without orders.

At five the procession moved, to the music of the Star Spangled Banner. The crowd surged along the pavements on each side of the troops, struggling chiefly to get a sight of the general: crying out: "Where is the d-d old rascal ?" "There he goes, G-d d-n him !" "I see the d-d old villain !" To which were added such outcries, as "Shiloh," "Bull Run," "Hurrah for Beauregard !" "Go home, you d-d Yankees." From some windows, a mild hiss was bestowed upon the troops, who marched steadily on, looking neither to the right hand nor to the left. The general, not having a musical ear, was observed to be chiefly anxious upon the point of keeping step to the music-a feat that had never