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[63]
at the sight of a uniform not quite in fashion in the State since January 26, 1861.
Butler, with the provostmarshal spirit strong in him, spoke of them as ‘two citizens who persisted in insulting our troops.’
He also proceeded to confiscate the whole Jackson rail.
road as far as Manchac Pass.
By making sure of the Opelousas railroad he had cut off from the Confederates the valuable supply of cattle coming from Texas.
Besides this advantage he had gained possession of 6,000 barrels of coal, of great value to Farragut's fleet.
An example of his smaller expeditions, undertaken for plunder, may suffice: One day the U. S. gunboat Essex was, as it was wont, merrily shelling woods and fields along the Mississippi A transport was busy seizing sugar and cotton on the levee, waiting to be carried to Bayou Sara.
Of course the Essex, being there only to protect the confiscating transport, shelled Bayou Sara.
As it was a rule with a bayou, so it was a law with a railway.
With Butler, it was always Point Danger to be situated on either.
Pontchatoula had the ill luck of being situated on the Jackson railroad.
During 1862 the town was attacked no less than three times.
After awhile it turned into a game of see-saw.
On the days following the various attacks, the Confederates generally visited to the full upon the pillagers of the days previous.
Sometimes they took the first step in a skirmish, one of which, in December, is in point.
A scouting party of 25 men, under command of Lieutenant Evans, attacked the Federal steamboat Brown.
The Brown, counting two guns, was going up Bayou Boufouca, two miles from Fort Pike and sixty miles from Pontchatoula.
The Brown was more timid than daring.
After delivering one fire she backed down the bayou.
Being true to the newest tradition in Louisiana, the Brown shelled the woods as she steamed past to a safer place.
The easy success of his Brashear City expedition stimulated Butler to more important movements.
He dispatched
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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