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Twenty-four years later ( 1833), there was a great debate in the United States Senate between Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun. Webster, who was from Massachusetts, declared that the Constitution of the United States did not permit a State under any circumstances to withdraw from the Union. Thus Massachusetts had changed her opinion of the Constitution since the days of Josiah Quincy. Calhoun, who was from South Carolina, maintained that the right to withdraw from the Union belonged to every State; for, in ratifying the Constitution, the States had reserved to them- selves this power. Such was the famous "State Rights Doctrine." In general the North took the side of Webster, while the South took the side of Calhoun .* The debate in
* It is interesting, however, to note that Webster's distinguished biographer, Henry C. Lodge, though a Northern man and a violent opponent of secession, ad- mits that, in this great debate, Calhoun proved his interpretation of the Constitu- tion to be the true one.
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this case had arisen over a tariff law passed by Congress. As this law was regarded as a violation of the Constitution, South Carolina " nullified " or refused to obey it, and prepared to secede, in case the President attempted to enforce obedience. The trouble, however, ended in a compromise. Each side gave up something, and a tariff diminishing yearly till it ceased, was finally adopted. Thus the great question of what rights belonged to the States and to the General Gov- ernment respectively, was not settled, but only deferred.
When, therefore, some years later, the party in the North opposed to slavery grew very strong and seemed to be on the point of getting possession of the Government, the South naturally began to discuss once more the question of seces- sion. Would the North dare to interfere with slavery, which had so long been an established institution in the South? If a Southern State submitted to such interference it would lose its self-respect ; secession was the only means of pre- serving its rights. This was the general feeling in the South ; while the North was determined to preserve the Union at all hazards. Each side thought itself in the right, and it looked as if the long contest over the question of secession, which slavery had thus brought to the front once more, could be decided only by a war between the two sections.
As soon, therefore, as the Republicans, in 1860, succeeded in electing as President Abraham Lincoln, the Southern States prepared to secede from the Union, and to defend their action, if necessary, by an appeal to arms.
Louisiana Secedes .- The first State to pass an ordinance of secession was South Carolina, which many years before had so boldly asserted her rights through the statesman, John C. Calhoun. Other Southern States followed. In Louisiana a convention was called at Baton Rouge to decide what course the State should pursue. The officer elected to preside on this important occasion was the venerable Ex- Governor Alexander Mouton, a man highly respected by all
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the people of the State. By a vote of 113 yeas to 17 nays, the convention decided that Louisiana would join her sister States in withdrawing from the Union (January 26, 1861) .* This decision was destined to bring sorrow and disaster upon the State, but the Louisianians believed that under the Con- stitution of the United States they had the right of secession, and they were determined to fight, if necessary, to maintain it. The governor of Louisiana at this time was Thos. O. Moore ( 1860-64), a rich planter and man of large influence. He strongly supported the course pursued by his State.
The New Government .- In February, 1861, the various States that had seceded sent representatives to a Southern
*The ordinance of secession was as follows:
" THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
"An ordinance to dissolve the Union between the State of Louisiana and other States united with her under the compact entitled
" ' THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA '
" We, the people of the State of Louisiana, in convention assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared and ordamed, that the ordinance passed by us in convention on the 22d day of November, in the year 1811, whereby the Constitu- tion of the United States of America, and the amendments of the said Constitution, were adopted ; and all laws and ordinances by which the State of Louisiana became a member of the Federal Union, be and the same are hereby repealed and abro- gated; and that the Union now subsisting between Louisiana and other States, under the name of ' The United States of America,' is hereby dissolved.
" We do further declare and ordain, That the State of Louisiana hereby resumes all rights and powers heretofore delegated to the Government of the United States of America ; that her citizens are absolved from all allegiance to said Government; and that she is in full possession and exercise of all those rights of sovereignty which appertain to a free and independent State.
" We do further declare and ordain, That all rights acquired and vested under the Constitution of the United States, or any Acts of Congress, or treaty, or under any law of this State, and not incompatible with this ordinance, shall remain in force and have the same effect as if this ordinance had not been passed."
On the 1Sth of February, IS61, the legislature passed the following joint reso- lution :
"1. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana, in general assembly convened, That the right of a sovereign State to secede or withdraw from the Government of the Federal Union and resume her original sovereignty when in her judgment such act becomes necessary, is not prohibited by the Federal Constitution, but is reserved thereby to the several States, or people thereof, to be exercised, each for itself, without molestation.
"2. Beit further resolved, etc., That any attempt to coerce or force a sovereign State to remain within the Federal Union, come from what quarter and under what- ever pretence it may, will be viewed by the people of Louisiana, as well on her own account as of her sister Southern States, as a hostile invasion, and resisted to the utmost extent.
" C. H. MORRISON, " Speaker of the House of Representatives. " B. W. PEARCE, " President of the Senate. " THOS. O. MOORE, " Governor of the State of Louisiana."
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Congress, which met at Montgomery, Ala. A new govern- ment was formed under the title of the "Confederate States of America," a new constitution was adopted, and Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, was elected President .*
The Fall of Fort Sumter .- For a short time it was thought that the North and the South could agree on some plan of compromise and that there would be no war. But on April 12, 1861, General G. T. Beauregard, f of Louisiana, who was in charge of the South Carolina defences, was in- structed by the Confederate Government to fire on Fort Sum- ter in Charleston Harbor. This step was taken because a fleet, with a large supply of provisions, was on its way from New York to aid Sumter in withstanding any attack. The fort was at this time occupied by United States troops under Major Robert Anderson, and it refused to surrender until it had been bombarded for thirty hours. This bom- bardment opened the war, for the "Fall of Sumter " aroused the North, and President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to com- pel the South to come back into the Union. The terri- ble contest lasted four long years. Its course was mark- ed by famous battles and great deeds of valor. Among GEN. G. T. BEAUREGARD. the soldiers of the South none gained greater fame than those from this State, but if
* The list of Confederate States was as follows: South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Missouri and Kentucky did not secede, but the Southern sympa- thizers in these States formed revolutionary governments, which were recognized by the Confederacy.
t General G. T. Beauregard became one of the most prominent generals on the Confederate side. As we have seen, he opened the war by the capture of Fort
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we followed them in all their campaigns, we should have to give an account of the whole war. In this little volume, therefore, we shall relate only those events that occurred on Louisiana soil.
Preparations for War .- When the cry To Arms! was heard in Louisiana, the greatest enthusiasm filled the hearts of the people. Business was forgotten, and preparations were made to send as many troops as possible to Virginia, which, it was known, would be the chief battle ground of the war. Those who failed to enlist were regarded as traitors to the South. The famous Washington Artillery paraded the streets of New Orleans amid the cheers of the people, and after listening to a stirring address from an eloquent preacher, took its departure for Richmond. Other companies followed, until the old city had few troops to defend her in case she was attacked. The soldiers of Louisiana had gone to win laurels for themselves on battle fields far from their native State. At this time hardly any one thought that the war would ever reach Louisiana ; for the South believed she could successfully defend her territory against the Northern armies.
QUESTIONS.
Describe the approach of war. Give the causes of the war. Who was elected President in 1860? When did Louisiana secede? Name the Confederate States. Describe the fall of Sumter, and the prepara- tion for war in Louisiana.
Sumter. Subsequently he won great fame at Manassas and on other battle fields. After the war General Beauregard lived in New Orleans, where he died February 20, 1893. His body lay in state at the City Hall. In his honor the business of New Orleans was practically suspended and all public institutions were closed.
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CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE WAR IN LOUISIANA.
Importance of New Orleans. Its Defences .- For nearly a year the State remained undisturbed; but in the
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winter of 1862 a Federal fleet and an army arrived at Ship Island, with the intention of attacking New Orleans. The main object was to get possession of the great highway of
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.America, the Mississippi river, and thus cut off the troops and supplies which the South could bring over from Louisi- ana and Texas to aid her army. But the North knew that unless New Orleans were captured, it would not be possible to hold the lower Mississippi. Extensive preparations, there- fore, had been made to seize the Crescent City.
On the other hand, the Confederate Government does not seem to have appreciated the importance of New Orleans, for again, as in the days of the English invasion, the city was by no means well protected. At the Rigolets, Barata- ria Bay, and other inlets, there were some batteries, but they were very weak, and the only strong defences were on the Mississippi, about thirty miles from its mouth. These were Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, the latter of which had resisted the English so successfully in the days of Andrew Jackson. Besides the guns of these forts, there were in the Mississippi, just above them, eighteen war vessels to protect the passage of the river and prevent an enemy from slipping past. Below the forts the river was obstructed by a line of mastless vessels, placed across the channel and bound together by a number of iron chains. The entire river de- fence was under the command of General J. R. Duncan.
Farragut's Fleet .- The Federal fleet at Ship Island was under Flag-Officer David G. Farragut, who was afterwards made an admiral for his splendid services on the Mississippi. He was a Southern man, and had once lived in New Orleans, but when the war broke out he remained in the Northern service. He was one of the bravest and most skilful com- manders that the American navy has ever had. His fleet con- sisted of four powerful sloops of war, each one carrying oyer twenty guns, together with a number of gunboats and mor- tar schooners-amounting in all to forty-three vessels. Part of these were under Commander D. D. Porter.
Farragut's plan was to come up the Mississippi, bombard the forts, and try to reach New Orleans. If this could be
THE CIVIL WAR-1861-65. 217
accomplished, General B. F. Butler, at the head of 15,000 troops, was to follow him and occupy the city.
The Passing of the Forts. April 23, 1862 .- When this formidable fleet came within about half a mile of the forts, a terrible bombardment began and continued several days. Fort Jackson received the greatest part of the attack, and re- turned the fire of the Federal vessels with great spirit and accuracy. On the second day, the 19th of April, a shot from this fort struck one of Farragut's schooners, passed through her bottom, and sunk her. As there seemed to be no chance of reducing the forts, the bold Flag-officer determined to break through the obstructions and run past. On the 20th, after dark, two vessels were sent forward to investigate. One. of these, the Itasca, ran boldly against the chains which bound the old hulks together. These chains, not being suffi- ciently strong, snapped in two, and an opening large enough for the passage of the war vessels was made. For three more days, however, Farragut continued to bombard the forts, while he was busy making preparations to run the gauntlet. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 24th, every- thing was ready, and the signal for the advance was made from the flag-ship. The excitement on both sides was in- tense. The forts knew that an attempt to run by them was about to be made ; but in the darkness the gunners could not aim very accurately. Still they made ready, and as the fleet began to pass, they poured upon it a terrible discharge of shot and shell. Fire rafts were sent down to render the passage dangerous, and the flag-ship Hartford was soon in flames ; but her crew extinguished the fire and she pressed on. The little Confederate fleet above the forts fought gallantly to defend the passage. The Governor Moore, a Confederate gunboat, commanded by a skilful officer named Beverly Kennon, rammed and fired into the Federal vessel Varuna, which was so disabled that she sunk. But the Northern fleet was too powerful to be stopped, and though many of his gun-
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boats were riddled with shot, Farragut soon scattered or de- stroyed the Confederate vessels.
The Confederates had made an heroic defence, but the enemy had fought their way through, and New Orleans was lost. On the 25th of April Farragut reached some bat- teries placed by the Confederates on both sides of the river near Chalmette. Having quickly silenced these, he anchored before New Orleans.
Burning of the Cotton .- As soon as the news reached New Orleans that Farragut had passed the forts, the dismay of the inhabitants was so great that at first nothing was done. Then as the people realized that the troops in the city were not sufficient for its defence, they decided to destroy every- thing that might aid the enemy. The South had refused to let any cotton be exported, imagining that the factories of the North would thereby be crippled, and that the want of this important staple would force foreign nations to aid the Confederacy. "Cotton is king," was the cry, "and by withholding it from the markets the South will win the day." Hence, there was at this time a large quantity of cotton in New Orleans, and the authorities were determined that it should not fall into the hands of the invaders. Twelve thou- sand bales were quickly piled upon the levee and set on fire ; warehouses were broken open, and barrels of sugar and molasses were added to the burning mass. The very gutters ran with molasses, and the banquettes were covered with sugar. Many of the steamers at the levee were set on fire ; and a powerful gunboat called the Mississippi, which had not been finished in time to be of any use, was sent down the river a mass of flames to meet Farragut's fleet. A cloud of black smoke rested over the city like a symbol of ruin and destruction.
New Orleans Occupied by the Federals .- When Far- ragut had anchored in front of New Orleans, he sent an offi- cer to Mayor Monroe to demand that the city should be sur-
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rendered and that the Louisiana flags should be removed from all public buildings. The mayor, probably hoping that something might still be done to save the city, refused to surrender, and for some days negotiations were carried on between him and Farragut. In the meantime, however, the Confederate forces in New Orleans under Gen. M. S. Lovell, being too weak to make a successful resistance, retired from the city. If any resistance had been made Farragut would have bombarded New Orleans and killed thousands of the inhabitants. The retreat of Lovell, therefore, was a wise measure. Moreover, the forts on the river had surrendered to Porter, who had been left in charge of the mortar schoon- ers. Finally, on the 30th of April, Farragut sent two of his officers, with a strong guard, to the present City Hall, with orders to pull down the flag that waved there, and run up the "Stars and Stripes" in its stead. An immense crowd of citizens looked on; but resistance was now useless, and none was made. New Orleans was in the hands of the enemy .*
On May I, the city was handed over by Farragut to the control of General B. F. Butler, who had followed with a large army. Butler was a coarse, rough man, who treated the people with great indignity. His tyrannical behavior will long be remembered in New Orleans. The only thing that has been said to his credit is that he cleansed the city and kept it in the best sanitary condition that it has ever known. This task, however. was rendered easy by the fact that the city had been deserted by a large number of the in- habitants. Moreover, the absence of foreign trade during the war helped to keep all Southern cities free from disease.
* Before Farragut had taken possession of New Orleans, a United States flag was placed over the Mint by the crew from one of his vessels. As the city had not surrendered, this act caused a great deal of indignation. Three bold youths, Har- per, Burgess, and Canton, under the leadership of W. B. Mumford, determined at the risk of their lives to pull it down. Adolphe Harper was the first to reach the flag. He and his companions handed it over to Mumford, who dragged it through the streets in triumph. When Butler took command of the city he had Mumford arrested, tried, and hanged. The three youths escaped. As the flag had been placed on the Mint without the orders of Farragut, the execution of Mumford was unjust and cruel.
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The fall of New Orleans was a great blow to the Southern Cause. It was held till the close of the war by Union sol- diers, who thus controlled the mouth of the Mississippi, and at the same time had a convenient point from which to at- tack the Confederates.
QUESTIONS.
How was New Orleans defended? Why was New Orleans an im- portant city to capture? Describe the passing of the forts. What was the effect of the news in the city? Describe the occupation of New Orleans.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE WAR IN LOUISIANA -CONTINUED.
The Opening of the Mississippi .- As a Federal fleet had already descended the Mississippi to a point some dis- tance above Vicksburg, Farragut determined to join it and thus complete the "clearing" of the river, Accordingly, after the capture of New Orleans, he sent up the river seven of his war vessels. When these reached Baton Rouge, that town, which was not fortified, quickly surrendered. Such, also, was the fate of Natchez; but Vicksburg refused to sur- render. Farragut now arrived from New Orleans, and taking a number of his vessels, he ran past the batteries at Vicksburg to join the Union fleet above. As he went by, the guns on the heights of Vicksburg rained down shells upon his fleet, but though they killed fifteen of his men and wounded thirty, they did not succeed in stopping him. His guns answered those on the heights, but did no damage to the Confederates.
Thus Farragut had shown that he could pass the fortifica- tions, though he had clearly seen that Vicksburg was too strong to be captured without the help of a land army. After
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joining the upper fleet and remaining with it awhile, he 1e- turned to New Orleans. The river was falling rapidly and the malaria had attacked so many of his sailors that he was glad to escape from the unhealthy district around Vicksburg: Some powerful vessels, however, were left above Baton Rouge to watch a dangerous Confederate ram named the Arkansas. This ram was armed with ten guns and covered with railroad iron three inches thick; and when Farragut was above Vicksburg she had come down the Yazoo river, run the gauntlet of the whole Union fleet, and taken refuge under the batteries of the city.
The Confederates Attack Baton Rouge. - When Far- ragut retired, a strong Federal force under General Thomas Williams took possession of Baton Rouge. This was the Capital of Louisiana, and the Confederates determined to make a desperate attempt to drive away the Federals and re- cover the town. If Baton Rouge could be retaken, the Mis- sissippi from that point to Vicksburg would be practically under the control of the South, and the Red river, from the banks of which all sorts of supplies could be brought for the support of the Southern army, would be open to Confeder- ate steamboats. Accordingly a large force under General John C. Breckinridge, a brave Kentuckian, was sent down from Vicksburg to attack General Williams. As the Fed- eral gunboats were still in the river, General Breckinridge ordered the ram Arkansas to drop down the Mississippi, clear the river, and join him at Baton Rouge. With the as- sistance of the ram on the water side, he hoped to make a successful attack upon the town. As soon as the Arkansas left Vicksburg, the telegraph announced the fact to Breckin- ridge, and he waited to hear her guns upon the river. But alas ! the famous boat never reached Baton Rouge. Her engines, which had been badly constructed, were now out of order. As she descended the river every effort was made to repair them; the loud blows of hammers were distinctly heard from
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the banks. Nothing, however, could be done, and when she reached a point a few miles above the town, there was a crash in the machinery, and the Arkansas lay almost helpless upon the Mississippi. Without the power to move quickly she was useless. And now the enemy began to draw near.
What was to be done? The decision was prompt. Head- ing the vessel for the bank, the men jumped ashore, and her commander, Lieutenant Stevens, set her on fire and turned her adrift. It was a memorable scene. The Confederate flag still waved above her, and every gun was loaded. As the flames began to spread, her great guns pealed out, one after another, threatening destruction to the approaching enemy. Then when the fire reached her magazine there was a mighty report, and the fragments of the powerful Confederate iron-clad were hurled in every direction. Though no Arkansas came to his aid, Breckinridge bravely attacked the Federal troops in the town, and in his first assault carried everything before him. General Williams on the Union side was killed at the head of his men, and if Breckinridge had been supported from the river, the capture of Baton Rouge would have been complete. But in the face of the Federal gunboats, which were now rapidly firing, the Confederates could not hold their position, and Breckinridge was compelled to order a retreat. The attack was one of the boldest feats of the war, for the Federals were superior in numbers and were splendidly equipped, while Breckinridge's soldiers were, many of them, without coats, shoes, or socks. Already the greater wealth of the North was shown by the bountiful sup- plies that came for her soldiers ; the poor Confederates often lacked the necessaries of life. The very table covers in New Orleans had been cut into coats for Southern soldiers shiver- ing with cold upon the bleak hills of Virginia.
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