Saturday, December 21, 2013

Capt. Bailey's Experience In New Orleans

Capt. Bailey, from New Orleans, says that the wealthy citizens, the upper classes, and the creoles rich and poor are in sympathy with the rebellion; but the laboring classes, the mudsills of society, are almost all devoted to the Union.  Capt. Bailey was the bearer of the first summons to surrender, and on his way to the Mayor’s office was surrounded by a constantly swelling crowd, who hurrahed for Jeff. Davis and Beauregard, and shouted, “Kill him!”  “Hang him to a lamp-post!”  “Don’t let him go back alive!”

Every now and then, however, in the throng, his sleeve would be pulled, or his hand pressed, or a whisper dropped into his ear, such as “Glad to see you!”  “Why didn’t you come before?”  He was escorted back in a carriage by two officers detailed for that purpose by Gen. Lovell, who entertained the crowd while he was safely making his way to the boat, with the vainglorious assurances that he would never give up the city.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 19, 1862, p. 2

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