the Union to avoid more casualties. In 1862 and early 1863, both the Union Navy and Army. Due to these and other astute political maneuvers, Butler had been chosen to command the army expedition to New Orleans. CS Estimated Casualties: None Result: Union Victory . The capture of New Orleans was a huge coup for the Union War effort; David Porter later recalled that, On May 1, Union troops under Butler arrived to take official custody of the city. Given command of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in January 1862, Farragut arrived at his new post the following month and established a base of operations on Ship Island off the coast of Mississippi. Library of Congress Fort Pulaski, April 1862. From April 18 to 28, Farragut bombarded and then fought his way past these forts in the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, managing to get thirteen of his fleet's ships upriver on April 24. Having successfully cleared the forts with minimal losses, Farragut began steaming upstream to New Orleans. The most valuable asset Butler commanded in New Orleans was not his army but his formidable political heritage. The slaves in rebellion armed themselves with guns and newspapers, and fought to the death any attempts to infringe upon their newfound freedom. "[23] The British House of Lords called it a "most heinous proclamation" and regarded it as "one of the grossest, most brutal, and must unmanly insults to every woman in New Orleans." The capture of New Orleans (April 25 – May 1, 1862) during the American Civil War was an important event for the Union. Farragut, who had been in the US Navy since he was nine years old, was assigned 19 ships to do this work. The men watched it burn and then slowly slide off the shoal and drift downstream, exploding in a horrific manner. The capture of New Orleans. However, the controversial and confrontational administration of the city by its U.S. Army military governor caused lasting resentment. On January 8, 1815, future president Andrew Jackson began the Battle of New Orleans, two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent was signed. Fort St. Philip, manned by an American garrison and protected by privateers, defended the river approach to New Orleans. He had gained glory as a Massachusetts state militia general who had anticipated the war and carefully prepared his six militia regiments for the conflict. This policy rationalized the retention of slaves fleeing the seceding states by claiming that the Confederate military was using slave labor for military use in the construction of fortifications, moving military supplies, and constructing roads and railroad grades of use to the Confederate army. As such, military equipment and manpower were shifted up the Mississippi to defensive points such as Island Number 10. [29], Butler began his rule of martial law in New Orleans by sentencing anyone calling for cheers for Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Major General P. G. T. Beauregard to three months hard labor at Fort Jackson. The Union occupation of New Orleans was an event that had major international significance. Though he was initially unable to get all of his fleet past the forts, he succeeded in getting 13 ships upstream which enabled him to capture the Confederacy's greatest port and center of trade. They served both to add to his forces and to confront the former ruling classes of the city with the bayonets of their former slaves. During the Civil War, Grant's capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson contributed to Union control of. Farragut’s fleet reached New Orleans at 1 p.m. on 25 April, the day after the fight at the forts. One of these developments was the construction of Fort Jackson, Louisiana, a star fort suggested by and named after Jackson. On April 23, Farragut, impatient with the bombardment's results, began planning to run his fleet past the forts. [28], The spoils system created by the Democratic Party was also part of Butler's political heritage. On May 1, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler s army began landing at New Orleans and occupying the city. Lovell then sent a last message to the War Department in Richmond, “The enemy has passed the forts. After more than two years of fighting, American and British diplomats met in Belgium in December 1814 to talk peace and end the War of 1812. The history of New Orleans contrasts significantly with the histories of other cities that became part of the Confederate States of America. New Orleans, considered an international city and the largest city in the Confederacy, had fallen. Arriving off the city on April 25, he immediately demanded its surrender. Most of the artillery, ammunition, troops, and vessels in the area were committed to the Jackson/St. These "Robin Hood" aspects of his programs provided a broad base of political support, an extensive informal intelligence and counter-espionage organization, and provided law and order. The idea was championed by Banks, a New England political general eager to send cotton to mills in the Northeast. Its position by the mouth of the Mississippi River, which drained an important part of the United States, made New Orleans one of the most significant transportation centers in the early United States before the establishment of railroad and road systems. Forces* Governor William Charles Cole Claiborne's Command All Louisiana Militia were under his command but many fought under Maj. Gen. Jackson Jackson began a new political movement now known as the Jacksonian democracy. "American Civil War: Capture of New Orleans." 8. 1812, see, Jacksonian democracy and manifest destiny, The jewel in the mouth of the Mississippi, Building a political power base in New Orleans, The poorer classes as the key to the city, The impact of the occupation on slaves and slavery, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay, Learn how and when to remove this template message, New Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern Railroad, Commemoration of the American Civil War on postage stamps, General Orders, No. A Union naval squadron of 43 ships under Admiral David G. Farragut entered the lower Mississippi near New Orleans and soon breached the heavy chain cables that were stretched across the river as a prime defense. This capture of the largest Confederatecity w… Sending forward a detachment from the US Coast Survey, Farragut made determinations on where to place the mortar fleet. Steamboats had enough power to move upstream against the current of the Mississippi, making two-way trade possible between New Orleans and the cities in the interior river network. And while the fall of the city was anti-climactic, the Southern port soon found itself occupied by Federal forces—most notably Benjamin Butler. 1 [CS] While forts had historically held an advantage over naval vessels, successes in 1861 at Hatteras Inlet and Port Royal led Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus V. Fox to believe that an attack up the Mississippi would be feasible. The former, while a powerful ship, was not complete and was used as a floating battery during the battle. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Barataria Bay, where the Lafittes' colony was located, was an important approach to New Orleans, one of the most important ports in the US at the time. Only 13 percent of the 1810 population was Anglo-American. Rendezvousing at Head of Passes, Farragut's ships and Porter's mortar boats moved up the river towards the forts. After attempting a brief siege, Farragut withdrew back down the river to prevent being trapped by falling water levels. (Price $1.00) 7. Moving downstream, it was accidentally fired upon by the forts before moving to strike USS Brooklyn (21). Enjoy teaching your kids this unit study and God's work in American history. Butler was a former Democratic party official, lawyer, and state legislator. In his view, the forts could be reduced by naval gunfire and then assaulted by a relatively small landing force. In sum, the New Orleans campaign amassed an estimated 1,011 casualties. As his flagship, USS Hartford (22) cleared the forts, it was forced to turn to avoid a Confederate fire raft and ran aground. The inner ring of fortifications at Chalmette was only intended to resist ground troops; few of the gun batteries were aimed toward the river. The Battle of New Orleans thwarted a British effort to gain control of a critical American port and elevated Major General Andrew Jackson to national fame. Early in the Civil War, Union General-in-Chief Winfield Scott devised the "Anaconda Plan" for defeating the Confederacy. By the time the fighting ended, Manassas was downstream of the Union fleet and unable to make enough speed against the current to ram effectively. New Orleans, considered an international city and the largest city in the Confederacy, had fallen. In mid-January 1862, Flag Officer David G. Farragut had undertaken this enterprise with his West Gulf Blockading Squadron. The British reported their losses as 291 killed, 1,262 wounded, and 484 captured/missing for a total of 2,037. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/american-civil-war-capture-new-orleans-2361180 (accessed April 2, 2021). The California Gold Rush contributed another share to local wealth. Once this defense was breached, there remained to face Union troops and warships only three thousand militiamen with sundry military supplies and armed with shotguns. The history of New Orleans contrasts significantly with the histories of other cities that became part of the Confederate States of America. hindering shipping and transportation. ... USS Mississippi had suffered heavy casualties: 64 men killed. At the start of hostilities he immediately marched to the relief of Washington, D.C., and, despite a lack of orders, had occupied and restored order to Baltimore, Maryland. [13], Despite the complete vulnerability of the city, the citizens along with military and civil authorities remained defiant. The inscription echoed Andrew Jackson's 1830 toast in response to a speech endorsing "nullification," during what was called the Nullification Crisis. He was also nicknamed "Beast Butler" and "Spoons" for his alleged habit of pilfering the silverware of Southern homes in which he stayed. Despite the loss, American casualties numbered fewer than those of the British. The impression had been created by Confederate officials and sympathizers[18] that New Orleans and Louisiana were held by brute military force and terror. [31][32], Butler had already done the institution of slavery in the Confederacy considerable damage by instituting his "contraband of war" policy while commanding Fort Monroe on the Virginia peninsula. The capture of New Orleans (April 25 – May 1, 1862) during the American Civil War was a turning point in the war, which precipitated the capture of the Mississippi River. The first step to securing the Mississippi was the capture of New Orleans. Butler was a Jacksonian Democrat in all senses, and a populist and reformer. Since the Confederate government was counting on slave labor to offset the greater numbers of Union soldiers, Butler's innovative policy struck the Confederacy at a strategic level, destroying an asset counted on to win the military struggle for independence. Their flag officer, David G. Farragut, helped in leading the Union forces into Fort Jackson and Fort Phillip on the memorabl e day. The loss of New Orleans, the Confederacy’s most populous city, not only denied Confederate forces a major center of trade and industry, New Orleans’ capture gave Union forces … 28."[19]:108–9. Besides the ever-present danger of weather-caused breaks in the levees, now an even greater threat to New Orleans was the ability of the Union military to cause a break in a major levee that would lead to flooding most of the city, possibly destroying it within a day. Butler also used his commercial contacts in the northeast and Washington to revive commerce in the city, exporting 17,000 bales of cotton to the northeast and re-establishing international trade. There were led by Farragut and Captains Theodorus Bailey and Henry H. Bell. The battle was the only engagement of the war to take place within the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Spain, which was angered by the rapid withdrawal of British forces. Having fought past Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the Union was unopposed in its capture of the city itself, which was spared the destruction suffered by many other Southern cities. U.S. Historian John D. Winters in The Civil War in Louisiana (1963) noted that with few exceptions the Confederate fleet at New Orleans had "made a sorry showing. Because of his lack of military experience and military success, many were happy to see him go. His methods of preserving order were radical and totalitarian, even in the North and Europe, with the issue of Butler's General Order No. The census population of that time was made up of mostly French speaking refugees from the Haitian Revolution, the French and Indian War, and French and Spanish Creoles along with some smuggled slaves. It was a terrible year in American history, and the following battles are just a few of the major events of the American Civil War in 1862. A solid Democrat, Moore organized an effective and discreet movement that voted Louisiana out of the Union in a secession convention that represented only 5 per cent of the citizens of Louisiana. Southern women were highly offended by the order. New Orleans was the most populous city in the South, and was a very important port for the South. Plantation Houses on the Battlefield of New Orleans, by Samuel Wilson, Jr., F.A.I.A. Butler faced a difficult challenge securing the Confederacy's largest city with a relatively small force. The combination of all these factors resulted in an increase in the price of prime field hands of 21 per cent in 1848, and further increases as the value of trade grew through the 1850s. "American Civil War: Capture of New Orleans." The reaction to Butler's General Order No. If he had even been endowed with the ordinary magnanimity of a Red Indian, his revenge would have been satiated before now. The plantations of Jefferson Davis, located in the state of Mississippi on Davis Bend 20 miles (32 km) downriver from Vicksburg, were also disrupted by the Union invasion. U.S. This battle was the first battle on Northern soil and well as the single bloodiest day in the American Civil War with a total of over 23,000 casualties (including more than 4,800 killed). However, the controversial and confrontational administration of the city by its U.S. Army military governor caused lasting resentment. Enjoy teaching your kids this unit study and God's work in American history. On 8 February 1,500 men were landed at Fort Boyer, which surrendered with the honours of wars on 12 February, a few hours before the news of the end of the war arrived. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Having fought past Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the Union was unopposed in its capture of the city itself, which was spared the destruction suffered by many other Southern cities. It was popularly assumed that the Confederacy would launch a major counteroffensive to retake New Orleans. The value of goods passing through New Orleans had gone from $500 million to $52 million during the period 1860 to 1862. After four days of this, Farragut ordered his men to hoist the US flag over the customs house and city hall. [3]:10–11, 214, A formative event in the early history of New Orleans was the Battle of New Orleans. Jean Lafitte went from folk hero to war hero thanks to his role in protecting New Orleans during the War of 1812. Despite the loss, American casualties numbered fewer than those of the British. Battle of New Orleans, (April 24–25, 1862), naval action by Union forces seeking to capture the city during the American Civil War.A Union naval squadron of 43 ships under Admiral David G. Farragut entered the lower Mississippi near New Orleans and soon breached the heavy chain cables that were stretched across the river as a prime defense. Phillips position. (Published 1862)", Newspaper coverage of the capture of New Orleans, List of Union Civil War monuments and memorials, List of memorials to the Grand Army of the Republic, Confederate artworks in the United States Capitol, List of Confederate monuments and memorials, Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials. Realizing that resistance was useless, Confederate General … The Red River expedition proved to be a costly failure and resulted in more wanton destruction and looting than the Butler occupation. Why was the North's capture of New Orleans a serious blow to the South? [3]:10–11, 214, Before the steamboat, keelboat men bringing cargo downriver would break up their boats for lumber in New Orleans and travel overland back to Ohio or Illinois to repeat the process. New Orleans . New Orleans was a major US victory that saved the city and Louisiana from being devastated. A hero of the Mexican-American War, Scott called for the blockade of the Southern coast as well as the capture of the Mississippi River. The capture of New Orleans (April 25 – May 1, 1862) during the American Civil War was a turning point in the war, which precipitated the capture of the Mississippi River. Farragut did not destroy the city in response, but moved upriver to subdue fortifications north of the city. The explosion could be heard 80 miles away in New Orleans. This policy helped free the city from the anticipated summer yellow fever epidemic, possibly saving thousands of lives. Sending a force ashore, Farragut was told by the mayor that only Major General Lovell could surrender the city. This battle, fought during the War of 1812, enhanced the political career of Andrew Jackson, who, along with Martin Van Buren, in turn founded the Democratic Party. Seeing the Union ship in trouble, the Confederates redirected the fire raft towards Hartford causing a fire to break out on the vessel. As a testament to their bravery, 20 Union … Defense of the city against attacks from Confederate forces depended on an extensive outer ring of fortifications requiring a garrison of thousands of troops. [33], The flight of the slaves in the direction of the Union also diverted the resources of the Confederate military and its government in defense of the plantations and the discipline of their labor forces. This fortress was intended to support Fort St. Philip and bar the Mississippi Delta from invasion. After a hard-fought battle, the Confederate forces were driven out of the city, and both Confederate and Union forces withdrew after the battle. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/american-civil-war-capture-new-orleans-2361180. This latter move was designed to split the Confederacy in two and prevent supplies from moving east and west. Only 13 percent of the 1810 population was Anglo-American. The Confederacy's largest city and busiest port, New Orleans was defended by two large forts, Jackson and St. Philip, situated on the river below the city (Map). [14] By May 2, US Secretary of State William H. Seward declared New Orleans "recovered" and "mails are allowed to pass". From the outset of the war, plans for the defense of New Orleans were hampered by the fact that the Confederate leadership in Richmond believed that the greatest threats to the city would come from the north. Though he was initially unable to get all of his fleet past the forts, he succeeded in getting 13 ships upstream which enabled him to capture the Confederacy's greatest port and center of trade. By 1860 New Orleans was one of the greatest ports in the world, with 33 different steamship lines and trade worth 500 million dollars passing through the city. In addition, the city of New Orleans itself was just as indefensible for the Union as for the Confederates. In addition, the city was generally unhealthy and subject to devastating epidemics. "[10] Historian Allan Nevins argues the Confederate defenses were defective: Major General Mansfield Lovell, Commander of Department 1, Louisiana, was left with one tenable option after the Union Navy broke through the Confederate ring of fortifications and defense vessels guarding the lower Mississippi: evacuation. Butler's troops faced "all manner of verbal and physically symbolic insults" from women, including obvious physical avoidance such as crossing the street or leaving a streetcar to avoid a Union soldier, being spat upon, and having chamber pots being dumped upon them. Immediate oversight of the forts fell to Brigadier General Johnson K. Duncan. Following the embarrassing rout in the first Battle of Bull Run (also called Manassas), the Union devised a long-term strategy, dubbed the Anaconda Plan, to attack the Confederacy from all sides. New Orleans, considered an international city and the largest city in the Confederacy, had fallen. In sum, the New Orleans campaign amassed an estimated 1,011 casualties. He also issued order number 25, which distributed captured Confederate food supplies of beef and sugar in the city to the poor and starving. New Orleans also benefited more by the Industrial Revolution, international trade, and geographical position. This was countered when Lovell informed the mayor that he was retreating and that the city was not his to surrender. The Union occupation of New Orleans was an event that had major international significance. As a result, the use of slaves in the proximity of Union forces became extremely difficult and expensive, since these slaves would flee at first opportunity to Union lines, depriving the Confederate armies of their labor and their former masters of what they regarded as their valuable property. The victory at New Orleans on January 8 cost Jackson around 13 killed, 58 wounded, and 30 captured for a total of 101. Those new considerations reinforced the idea by Secretary of State William H. Seward, one of Butler's political opponents, that an invasion of Texas would be favorably received by a pro-union group of German American cotton farmers living there. Above the forts, the Union ships encountered the River Defense Fleet and Manassas. Banks undertook the siege of Port Hudson and, after its successful conclusion, began the Red River Campaign in pursuit of Texan cotton. [4], By the year 1860, the City of New Orleans was in a position of unprecedented economic, military, and political power. Butler was not made aware of the change until Banks arrived to tell him. To obtain the needed landing force, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles approached Major General Benjamin Butler.
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