Lin 2% 77^ peramlife* pH8^ AUG IS lyiti CIVIL WAR MEMORIES OCCUPATION OF NEW ORLEANS BY THE 31ST MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT AND THE FORCES UNDER COMMAND OF GEN. BUTLER, MAY 1, 1862. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES Paper Read Before the Biirnside Post, G. A. R.. Washing- ton, D. C, May 9. 1917, by J^ B. T. Tiipper, 31st Massa^ chusetts Regiment. Comrades: It is with great i)leasure tliat I greet you tliis evening, and will occupy a few minutes of your time with some per- sonal reminiscences of our "late unpleasantness." It was my good fortune to have been a member of the 31st Massachusetts Kegiment at the time of the occupation of New Orleans by General Butler and the force under his command in 1862. Fifty-five years have pa.ssed since then, and I have for- gotten a great many things, but there are some impressions which have remained on my mind, vivid as of yesterday. In the first place, let us glance at the situation at that time and the circumstances leading to the movement against New Orleans .which resulted in one of the most brilliant victories of the war and one most far-reaching in its conse- (luences. New Orleans was the largest and most important city in the Southern Confederacy. I^efore the war it was the chief sugar and cotton mart in the United States. In 1860-1861 it shipped $25,000,000 worth of sugar and $92,- 000,000 worth of cotton, its export trade in these article^ being larger than that of any city in the world.* Situated about 100 miles from the Gulf of iNlexico, it was the emporium and natural outlet of the Mississippi Valley. Its population in 1860 was nearly 170,000, more than that of Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and Richmond combined. From a political, as well as a military point of view, it was important that this strategic position should l)e in pos- session of the Union forces. Early in the war the attention of the Government was occupied with plans for its capture. * (.Jefferson Davis' ''Rise ami Fall of the Confederate Government. vol. 2, p. 210; Greeley's "The American Conflict," vol. 2, p. 85.) In November, 1861, (^'omnioddrc 1). D. ]\)rter re])orte(l to the Secretary of the Nnvv his plan for cai)turiii,o; the city. The (Secretary of the Navy pro])ose(l tliat the matter be laid before tlie President. President Lincoln approved the pro- ject, and remarked: "This shonld have been done sooner. The Miasissippi is the backbone of tlie rebellion ; it is the key to the whole .situation." The plan was to iHt out a naval expedition, witli a powerful motar llotilla, the army •!<.' furnish troops for occu]>yin,i2; the city after its capture. Edwin i\[. Stanton, who sncceeded Simon Cameron as Sec- retary of ^^'ar. was a man of o;reat ener,<2;y and comprehen- sive intellectual ,t2,ras]). 'A conference between him and (leneral Hutler resulted in a decision to make a vigorou.s effort to (•a])ture the city and hold the lower Mississippi. General ^h'Clellan. with his usual caution, thouoht the pro- ])osed expedition was not feasible, as.it wonld, in his opinion, take 50,000 men. General Butler asked for only 15,000. The rendezvous for the army of occupation was at Ship Island, about ten miles ofT the coast of the State of INlissis- .sippi, midway between New Orleans and Mobile. The naval forces were placed under the command of Capt. David G. Farragut, then sixty years of age. Farragut sailed early in .January, 1852. He was instructed when I'ortcr's mortar fleet arrived to collect such vessels as could be spared from the l)lockade and proceed up the Mis- sissi])pi River and reduce the defenses which guarded the approaches to New Orleans, take possession of the city, and keep possession until troops should arrive. The 31st Massachusetts, after a winter in camp at Pitts- field, sailed from Boston, February 21, 1862, and reached Sliip Island, after various adventures, the latter part of j\Iarch. After Farragut liad ari'anged the naval part of the i)ro- gramme, the military forces, under General Butler, weve placed on transports and followed the fleet to the mouth of the Mississippi. During the battle we were on the river, a few miles below, awaiting the result. Perfect security was felt by the people at New Orleans. One of the journals at that time said: "Our only fear is that the Northern invaders may not appear. We have made such extensive preparations to receive them that it were vexatious if their invincible Armada escapes the fate we have in store for it." The forts, Jackson and St. Philip, one on each side of the river, about 75 miles below the city, were depended upon as the main defense. After several days of inetfectual bombardment, Farragut decided to make an attempt to run by. In the early morning of April 24 he succeeded, after a desperate battle, in passing with the largest part of his fleet. He proceeded up the river to New Orleans, and the city surrendered to him April 2'6. The forts surrendered a few days later, allowing the trans- ports with troops to pass up the river. It would be siii)erfluous to rehearse the story of the bom- bardment, tlie passage of the forts by the fleet, and the de- struction of the Confederate gunboats and other obstacles supposed to render New Orleans secure from approach by a liostile force. Suflice it to say, the deeds of that eventful day added new luster to the history of our Navy and ad- vanced Farragut to the front rank among the naval heroes of the world. I recall the beautiful morning of i\Iay 1, 1862, as the 31st Massachusetts, with other regiments of the army of occu])a- tion, steamed up the INIisi^issippi after the battle. The birds were singing, and all seemed quiet and peaceful as we passed plantations and orange groves and saw the banks with their semi-tropical verdure. Our hearts were exultant. It seemed like a holiday. ^\e arrived before New Orleans about mid- day. The wide levee in front of the city wa.s occupied by a large and curious crowd of spectators, of both sexes and all 6 ages and races, gathered to see the "Yankees." A bright uniform was now and tlien conspicuous in the crowd. After what seemed a long delay, orders were given to a detail of the 31st ]\Ia.^sachusetts, to which 1 belonged, to clear the levee i)reparatory to disembareation. We were cautioned not to engage in any conversation with the onlookers, nor to answer any tainits or unpleasant remarks that might be made. There was no fear of any armed opposition, as the populace was in awe of the gunboats at anchor in the river, with their guns pointing to the city, but we did not know what might ha})i)en in case some excitable and irresponsible persons should make a demonstration. The crowd pres.sed back, without any trouble or resistance, making room for tlie trooi)S to land. The honor of Ijeing the hr.'-t to land was given to the 31st Massachu.'^etts. Then came a splendid regiment from Wis- consin, commanded by Colonel, afterwards General, Paine. A few pieces of artillery and a Connecticut regiment followed, in all a force of about 2,501) men. Line was formed and the troops began to march ; General Butler and staff at the head of the column, on foot, following the band, playing National airs, a file of the 31st jMassachu- setts on each side. No hor.>-es had been landed, and the battery of artillery was drawn by hand. We passed through some of the j)rinci})al business streets, crowds lining the sidewalks and pressing into the street, hurrahing for Jeff Davis and Beauregard. One thing I re- member, seeing bodies of cavalry riding rapidly across the streets a few blocks away and wondering what there was to hinder them swoo])ing down on us and stopping our march. I remarked to one of my comrades: "There are more rebel soldiers here than there are Union." I found out afterwards that they were the foreign legion, composed of foreign resi- dents, organized for home service to ])reserve order. They offered their services afterwards to General Butler, to assist in preserving peace, but he declined to accei)t. They were in sympathy with the Confederates, as shown later, when, upon being disbanded, they sent their arms to Beauregard. By the time we reached the Custom House, our camping place for the night, it was nearly dark. The Connecticut regiment bivouacked on the levee. The capture of New Orleans was the greatest victory that at that time had been achieved by the Union forces. A blow was struck that staggered the Confederacy, from which it never recovered. Union men took heart again, and its effects were felt in England and throughout Europe. Slidell wrote from Paris to l^enjamin, Secretary of State of the Confederacy, that if New Orleans had not fallen, the recognition of the Confederacy would not have been much longer delayed. General Butler's first order, issued at disembarcation, was against plundering by the soldiers. That did not prevent, however, those who were on guard the first night at the Custom House from ransacking the post- oftice in the same building and securing postage stamps and , specimens of Confederate money. I may have some yet. General Butler's administration was marked by rigor and decision from the moment of his arrival. On the same day (May 1) he issued a proclamation of some length, estab- lishing martial law, providing for taking the oath of alle- giance, notifying all persons holding allegiance to the Con- federate States that they would be treated as enemies and rebels, enjoining the inhabitants to pursue their usual avo- cations, forbidding assemblages of persons in the streets tend- ing to disorder, establishing a censorship of the press, etc. The New Orleans True Delta refused to print the procla- mation and its publication was suspended. May 13 an order was issued, stating that, as several churches were proposing to observe a day of fasting and prayer "in obedience to some supposed proclamation of one Jefferson Davis," no such observance be had. Churches 8 were to Ije kci)t ojjen, a.s in time of peace, but no exercises were allowed upon the supposed authority above mentioned. .Vnother order directed that six Confederate soldiers, cap- tured at forts Jackson and St. Philip, who violated their parole of lionor and were convicted by a military commis- sion, should '^)e shot to death. ] am hai)py to state, however, that clemency prevailed and the order was not carried out. Tlie celebrated "Woman Order," about which so nuicli has been said and Avritten, Avas issued May 15, Gen. Order No. 28, to the efi'ect that females who offered insults to officers or soldiers of the Union army were liable to be treated as "women about town" plying their aAocation. - In my experience in New Orleans, where I remained for several months, going about the city night and day, I never met an insult or experienced any trouble from man or woman. Others, however, report differently. I remember one gentleman in particular with whom I had frequeht discussions on the merits of the issues at stake be- tween North and South, and we aired our diverse views in a jovial and friendly manner, entertaining nothing but kind and cordial feelings to each other individually. Being detached from my regiment and assigned to duty with the quartermaster of the post, I had opportunities, when not on duty, of going about and mingling with tlie people, whom I found friendly disposed, as a rule, and willing to aid the Government by personal service for a suitable re- muneration, or to dispose of articles needed or desired for a quid pro quo. The use of Confederate notes as currency lasted Imt a short time, and many peo[)le were glad to get work under Uncle Sam and receive ])ay in greenbacks. No doubt bitterness rankled in the hearts of many, but who could blame them. AMiile the cannon was booming out- side, mothers and fathers, with sons in the Confederate Araiy, friends, neighbors, and sweethearts were naturally in sj'm- pathy. I respected the men or women who had the courage 9 and the conscience to register their names as "enemies," under Butler's order, and take the consequences. Kew (irleans had not been a radical seces.artment clerical and administrative. After him came General Banks, with a larger army. One day, in July, 18(33, an order was received at head- quarters from the Secretary of War, directing my discharge, to enable me ''to accept a position in the Navy Department." This order was unsought by me, as I expected to remain in the service for the period of enlistment, I took immediate steps, however, to comply without grumbling, as was my custom when I received orders, and, after fraternizing with the captured Confederates at Port Hudson and witnessing their parole and saying good-bye and good luck to comrades, left for home via the Mississippi and Cairo, I prize this certificate of discharge and the testimonial re- ceived from the State of Massachusetts as evidencing some participation, however slight and humble it may be, in the war in defense of the Union, and in events which called into exercise the best qualities of American manhood and added bright sjiots to the kaleidescope of American history. 10 It would lie interesting if I luul time to follow the fortunes of the regiment and tell of its exploits in fields and bayous, on the march and at the siege, and the "forlorn hope," till after four years of service the boys, -now liecome veterans, returned their tattered Hags to the State of Massachusetts to be ])reserved among her i)riceless relics. All lionor to these veterans! Their ranks are rajndly diminishing, but they are fortunate and to be envied, those that have gone and those that are left, for their eyes have seen the glory of the Lord. i«'««v or CONFESS liiiiir^^^^^ "*0 fQl gg^ 2 \ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 701 664 3