Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/188

 182 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the New Orleans Picayune, December I, 1895.]

REMINISCENT OF WAR-TIMES.

Eventful Days in New Orleans in the Year 1862.

Comprised in the Diary of a Youth at the Time, who Since Became

a Well-Known Clergyman The Arrival of Butler's Army

and Farragut's Fleet.

April 23, 1862. With heart-sickening feelings I seat myself for the purpose of inditing what I have seen and heard on this memora- ble day. To give one a connected idea of transpiring events, it is necessary that I should take a start a few days back. About a week since the news came of the bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. All was very cheering from our forces stationed in those forts until our city was suddenly startled by the disheartening yet too true news of the passage of some of the Yankee steamers by the forts at an early hour of yesterday morning. An extra Delta was soon issued, and, like an electric shock, the news spread all over the city. At once the stores commenced to shut up, and this gave full vent to the panic, which was soon at its full height. Be- fore long, at about 10:30 A. M., the general alarm of twelve distinct taps was sounded by the fire-alarm telegraph all over town. As previously agreed upon by our military and civil authorities, it was understood by our citizen soldiery to be the signal for every soldier to report at his armory or headquarters immediately. I went to the armory of the Crescent Reserves and awaited orders. None were sent except to hold ourselves in readiness to answer another general alarm, should one be given in the course of the day or night. The French Legion were exerting themselves carrying on board our floating battery at the foot of Customhouse street large guns and other munitions of war. The regular steamboats, merchant-boats, got up steam at once, and, crowded with passengers, a great many of them left the city during the afternoon and ensuing night. All the draymen of the city were pressed into Government service from 2 P. M. until about 2 or 3 and later this morning, hauling cotton- bales to the respective places which our patriotic authorities had chosen to be the scenes of their conflagration. Away into the "wee