The following graphic account, and the only one we have seen
of the taking of the city of New Orleans, was transmitted by telegraph on
Monday from Cairo to the Chicago Tribune:–
A gentleman who left New Orleans on the 29th ult., o the
last train which departed, under Confederate auspices, arrived at Cairo this
evening on the Diligent. The Federals
took possession on Thursday at 2 P. M.
On that morning at half-past 3 the Hartford, Richmond, Brookland, and
five gunboats passed Forts St. Philip and Jackson, and steamed to the city
without being fired at, except at a point called Chalmetto. At the time of the passage there were eight
or ten Confederate steamers above the fort without steam up, and the crews
asleep. When the Federal boats hove in
sight, the Confederates set fire to these and blew up the splendid gunboat
Louisiana, without firing a shot. During
the bombardment, several of our vessels were badly damaged. When they passed the forts three were lashed
together, so that if one was disabled the others could cut loose and proceed on
their way. In this manner they succeeded
in passing.
As soon as the rumor of the passage of the forts reached New
Orleans, there was a tremendous consternation in the city. The authorities immediately set fire to the
transports, and two gunboats lying at the levee, a few steamers belonging to
the tributaries of the Mississippi, fled crowded with the citizens, up the Arkansas,
Red, White, Ouachita, and Yazoo Rivers.
Every dray and vehicle suitable for the service, was impressed by the
authorities to carry cotton, sugar and molasses to the levee, where they were
piled and burned. All military stores where
removed to the depot of the New Orleans and Jackson Railroad, except the
powder, which was thrown into the river.
The conflagration was tremendous, and the sky for several miles was
lurid with flame. The smoke was so thick
as to completely darken the atmosphere.
Disorganized Confederate troops in companies and parts of
companies fled in wild disorder to the depot to seek a passage to Ponchartulas,
fifty miles in the interior, where the military rendezvous was located. The negroes stole molasses and sugar from the
levee, and women and children could be seen in great numbers rolling barrels of
sweets over the pavements to their huts in the suburbs. The streets were so slippery with the
drippings that the cab horses could hardly stand upright.
While affairs were in this confusion, the eight Federal
frigates and gunboats in firing trim, topmast, guns shotted and run out of the
port holes, and the stars and stripes flying from every masthead, anchored on
at the foot of each principal street leading to the river, the Hartford, with
Com. Farragut’s blue pennant flying from her foretop, taking her position at
the foot of Canal street. After the
ships were in position, Capt. Bayless, second in command of the gulf squadron,
in a pinnance, unattended and alone, landed on the levee. Just before him a man stood at the levee with
a loaded pistol, and threatened to shoot him if he stepped his foot upon the
shore without a flag of truce. Capt. B.
pulled out a white handkerchief and waving it, stepped upon the levee and
proceeded directly to the city Hall through a crowd of full twenty-five-thousand
men, women and children. This act of
bravery elicited a shout of admiration form the vast assemblage. He called upon the Mayor, presented a
dispatch from Commodore Farragut, and demanded the surrender of the city. He required the Louisiana State flag to be
lowered, and the Stars and Stripes to be hoisted upon the Mint, Custom House,
and all the public buildings. The Mayor
informed him that the city was under martial law, that Maj. Lovell was in
command, and that he, the Mayor, had no authority to act in the premises. At this juncture, Gen. Lovell appeared,
refused to surrender the city, but offered to withdraw his forces and surrender
his authority to the civil authorities.
The Mayor then told Capt. Bayles that he would convene a session of the
Common Council that evening, and send an answer to the Commodore’s dispatch in
the morning. The answer, as promised was
returned the next day.
On Tuesday the 28th, 500 marines landed with a few small
brass pieces and marched to the City Hall, demanded to be shown to the top of
the building, hauled down the State flag, which a marine rolled up and carried
off under his arm, and then proceeded to the Custom House, where the remains of
two hundred gun carriages were still burning, hoisted the National Emblem, left
a guard to protect it, and returned to the gunboat.
The day previous forts St. Philip and Jackson had
surrendered, their own men spiking the guns and refusing to fight longer. In consequence of this mutiny, General Duncan
was compelled to raise the white flag and surrender the fort. Gen. Duncan and all his officers were
released upon their parole and allowed to retain their side arms. The former came up to the City Hall and made
a speech in which he counseled the people not to despair, everything would come
out right yet.
The fort having surrendered, the way was clear for
transports, which at the same time our informant left were expected. Order was re-established in the city, shops
were being opened, but the St. Charles and principal hotels remained closed,
more in consequence of the currency and the scarcity of provisions than from
any fear of the Federal soldiers.
Considerable apprehension was felt that the lower classes,
Spanish, French, Germans, and foreigners generally, taking advantage of the
disorganized condition of the city, might commit excess, and plunder the
citizens, the inhabitants were more fearful of these than of the Federals. Confederate scrip was still current, but
prices of provisions were enormously high.
The day after the gunboats arrived, two of them steamed up
the river to Baton Rouge, hoisted the U. S. flag on the capital building and
arsenal, and captured two steamers for transport service. Thousands of people were constantly on the
levee, gazing at the gunboats and soldiers, towards whom they manifested no ill
will or bitterness of filling.
Our informant passed through Gen. Lovell’s camp at a point
called Songapoa, about 125 miles north of New Orleans, on the New Orleans and
Jackson railroad. Munitions of war,
troops, provisions, &c., were lying about on the utmost confusion. They were intending to join Gen. Beauregard
at Corinth. People by the thousands were
leaving Vicksburg and Natchez for Jackson, which place was crowded to over
flowing. – There was an alarming scarcity of provisions. Our informant reached Memphis on the 2d
inst., and left on the morning of the 5th, for a point on the Memphis and Ohio
Railroad, 14 miles south of Humboldt, just before dispatches were received
confirming reports that six thousand troops had landed at New Orleans. The citizens of Memphis were satisfied that
upon the first determined attack on Ft. Pillow it would surrender. On the Hatchee river, below Ft. Pillow, and twenty-five
from its mouth, an Aid-de Camp of Gen. Beauregard is superintending the
construction of a pontoon bridge, to facilitate the retreat of troops from the
Fort, in case an evacuation becomes necessary.
Our informant thinks, that if, on the consummation of that event a
gunboat will run up the Hatchee river, it will be able to destroy the bridge
and cut of their retreat.
A mile and a half below Memphis, 4,000 bales of cotton are
piled ready for the torch, as soon as the fall of Ft. Pillow is ascertained;
there are also several thousand hogsheads of sugar and molasses ready to be
rolled into the river. There is no
telegraph from the Fort, and if, on the occupation; a gunboat will steam
directly towards Memphis, then anchor opposite the pile, the entire lot can be
secured from the station on the railroad.
When our informant left, he went by land to within fourteen miles of the
Mississippi, to a point twenty miles above Ft. Pillow. By this means he evaded the Confederate
pickets and reached the river in a dug-out through the backwater. On his way thither he passed hundreds of
deserters from the Confederate army. On
the 10th he reached the encampment of the 47th Indiana, at Tiptonville, and
reported to Col. Slack, Commandant.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette,
Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 14, 1862, p. 2
