New Orleans in the American Civil War

New Orleans, Louisiana, was the largest city in the South during the American Civil War. It played an important role by providing military supplies and many troops for the Confederate States Army. The city's location near the mouth of the Mississippi River made it a key target for the Union, who wanted to control this important waterway and stop the Confederacy's cotton exports.

In April 1862, the West Gulf Blockading Squadron led by Captain David Farragut attacked the forts protecting the river. They broke through the defenses and soon took control of the city without further fighting. A new military leader, Major General Benjamin Butler, worked to keep order, but his strict rules caused many protests from locals. Later, Major General Nathaniel P. Banks took over and helped improve the relationship between soldiers and citizens, though the city stayed under military control for some time after the war.

Because the city surrendered quickly, it avoided serious damage and many of its historic buildings remain today.

Early war years

New Orleans was a very important city in the early years of the United States. By 1850, it was the sixth largest city in the country, with over 168,000 people. It was the biggest city in the South and had lots of trade, especially with cotton, tobacco, and sugar.

When the Civil War began, Louisiana decided to leave the United States and join the Confederate States. New Orleans became a key place for providing soldiers, weapons, and supplies to the Confederate army. The city had skilled workers who built special ships, including an early ironclad named the CSS Manassas. The Union wanted to capture New Orleans because it was a major port and a big source of support for the Confederacy.

Fall of New Orleans

Main article: Capture of New Orleans

New Orleans was a very important city for the Confederacy because of its location near the mouth of the Mississippi River. In April 1862, Union ships under Captain David Farragut arrived near the city. They attacked two big forts guarding the river, Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, and also faced obstacles placed in the water to stop ships.

After several days of fighting, the Union ships managed to pass the forts and move up the river toward New Orleans. On April 25, Farragut reached the city, and soon after, the forts surrendered. Union soldiers then entered New Orleans and took control of the city without any fighting inside the city itself. This capture happened after 455 days of the city being under Confederate control.

New Orleans under Union Army

Major General Benjamin Butler took control of New Orleans and put the city under strict rules. Many people in the South were upset by his actions, like taking money from a Dutch office and adding a message to a statue in Jackson Square. The soldiers faced angry crowds but followed orders to stay calm and keep peace.

Butler worked hard to fix the city. He used telegraph lines to help his troops and chose a skilled man to get the system running again. At first, many people closed their shops to show dislike, but they reopened when they saw the U.S. government was staying. Relations improved under the next commander, Nathaniel P. Banks, but memories of the tough times remained.

Civil War heritage

Many important buildings and structures from the Civil War era still exist in New Orleans. You can see old defenses along the river, both below and above the city.

On Camp Street, the Louisiana's Civil War Museum, also called the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum, was started in 1891 by soldiers who fought in the war. It holds one of the biggest collections of items related to the Confederate military, second only to the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

Notable New Orleans people of the Confederate military

New Orleans had many important people who served the Confederate military during the Civil War. These included leaders like P.G.T. Beauregard, an inventor and general, and Judah P. Benjamin, who held several high offices including Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State. Other notable figures were generals Albert G. Blanchard, Harry T. Hays, and Richard Taylor (Confederate general), who was the son of Zachary Taylor. There was also Chatham Roberdeau Wheat, known for recruiting soldiers and founding a unit called Wheat's Tigers.