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Lovell.
His lordship said he would surrender nothing, but at the same time he would retire and leave the Mayor unembarrassed.
This morning the Mayor sent his secretary and the chief of police to see me and say that he would call the City Council together at ten o'clock and give me an answer; that the General had retired, and that he had resumed the duties of his office as Mayor, and would endeavor to keep order in the city and prevent the destruction of property.
I sent him by his secretary the letter No.
One, (copy enclosed.) I also sent him a letter demanding the surrender of the city, in conformity with the demand made by me yesterday through Capt. Bailey, (copy No.
Two.)
This morning at six A. M. I sent to Capt. Morris, whose ship commanded the Mint, to take possession of it and hoist the American flag thereon, which was done, and the people cheered it. At ten I sent on shore again and ordered Lieut. Kortz, of the navy, and Lieut. Brown, of the marines, with a marine guard, to hoist the flag on the Custom-House; but the excitement of the crowd was so great that the Mayor and Councilmen thought it would produce a conflict and great loss of life.
At eleven a signal was made to the fleet for divine service, under a general order, (copy No.
Three.)
April twenty-sixth, in the afternoon, having been informed that there were two forts eight miles above the city, at a place called Carrolton, I determined to take a look at them and demolish them.
We accordingly ran up, but to our surprise we found the gun-carriages all on fire, and upon examination found the guns all spiked.
It was a most formidable work for Foote to encounter on his way down, but we took it in the rear.
They had also a long line of defences extending back from the river to Lake Ponchartrain, both above and below the city, on which were twenty-nine and thirty guns each.
Immediately on my getting above the Forts, I sent Capt. Boggs, who is now deprived of a command by the sinking of his ship, (which he had so nobly defended,) down to Capt. Porter, through the bayou at quarantine, directing him to demand the surrender of the Forts.
His demand was at first refused, but the soldiers told their officers that we were in their rear, and that they would not be sacrificed.
So this morning the gallant Bailey brought us the intelligence in the Cayuga, Capt. Harrison, that the Forts had surrendered, the ram blown up, and that the American flag floats over both Forts.
I have sent down for Gen. Butler's troops to come up and occupy this city, and will soon be off for Mobile.
Depend upon it, we will keep the stampede upon them.
I send Capt. Bailey home as bearer of despatches.
He has done his work nobly, and that while suffering under an infirmity which required attention and repose.
I am, very truly and respectfully, your friend and obedient servant,
D. G. Farragut, Flag-Officer Western Gulf Blockading Squadron
The papers enclosed in the foregoing letter are as follows:
reply of the Mayor of the City of New-Orleans.sir: Upon my arrival before your city I had the honor to send to your Honor Capt. Bailey, United States Navy, second in command of this expedition, to demand of you the surrender of New-Orleans to me, as the representative of the Government of the United States. Capt. Bailey reported the result of an interview with yourself and the military authorities. It must occur to your Honor that it is not within the province of a naval officer to assume the duties of a military commandant. I came here to reduce New-Orleans to obedience to the laws and to vindicate the offended majesty of the Government of the United States. The rights of persons and property shall be secured. I therefore demand of you, as its representative, the unqualified surrender of the city, and that the emblem of sovereignty of the United States be hoisted over the City Hall, Mint, and Custom-House by meridian this day. All flags and other emblems of sovereignty other than those of the United States must be removed from all the public buildings by that hour. I particularly request that you shall exercise your authority to quell disturbances, restore order, and call upon all the good people of New-Orleans to return at once to their vocations; and I particularly demand that no person shall be molested, in person or property, for professing sentiments of loyalty to their Government. I shall speedily and severely punish any person or persons who shall commit such outrages as were witnessed yesterday, by armed men firing upon helpless women and children for giving expression to their pleasure at witnessing the old flag. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,D. G. Farragut, Flag-Officer Western Gulf Squadron.
sir: In pursuance of a resolution which we thought proper to take, out of regard for the lives of the women and children who still crowd this great metropolis, Gen. Lovell has evacuated it, with his troops, and restored to me the administration of its government and the custody of its honor.
I have, in council with the city fathers, considered the demand you made of me yesterday, for an unconditional surrender of the city, coupled with a requisition to hoist the flag of the United States on the public edifices, and haul down the flag that still floats upon the breeze from the dome of this Hall.
It becomes my duty to transmit to you an answer, which is the universal sentiment of my constituents no less than the prompting my own heart dictates to me on this sad and solemn occasion.