Louisiana,
The central gulf State of the
United States, has for its southern boundary the
Gulf of Mexico, and south of 31° N. it extends from the
Sabine River on the west to the
Pearl River on the east, about 250 miles. North of lat. 31° N. its eastern boundary is the
Mississippi River, which separates it from
Mississippi, and the
Sabine River and
Texas form its western boundary.
That portion of the
State lying east of the
Mississippi River is bounded on the north by the
State of Mississippi, and that west of the
Mississippi River by
Arkansas.
Lat. 28° 56' to 33° N., and long.
89° to 94°
W. Area, 45,420 square miles, in ninety-nine parishes.
Population, 1890, 1,118,587; 1900, 1,381,625.
Capital,
Baton Rouge.
It differs from the other States in that its jurisprudence is based on the
Roman or civil law instead of the common law of
England, and the counties are called parishes.
Robert Cavalier
de la Salle descends the
Mississippi to its mouth, names the country
Louisiana, and takes possession in the name of the
King of
France......April 9, 1682
Pierre Le Moyne d'iberville enters the
Mississippi......March 2, 1699
D'Iberville, having settled
Biloxi, sails for
France, leaving his lieutenant,
Sauvolle de la Villantry, in command......May 3, 1699
Jean
Baptist Le Moyne Bienville (born in
Montreal, Feb. 23, 1680), brother of D'Iberville, returning from an expedition north of
Lake Pontchartrain, finds an English ship at the mouth of the
Mississippi, which sails away after being notified by
Bienville that
France had taken possession......Sept. 15, 1699
Sauvolle appointed governor of
Louisiana......Dec. 7, 1699
D'Iberville returns from
France in company with
Bienville, and establishes a fort on the
Mississippi, where they are visited by the
Chevalier de Tonti......Jan. 17, 1700 Sauvolle dying,
Bienville succeeds him......Aug. 22, 1701
De Muys, appointed governor-general of
Louisiana, dies on his way from
France, and
Bienville continues in command......1707
King grants to
Sieur Antony Crozat exclusive trading rights in
Louisiana for ten years......Sept. 14, 1712
Lamothe Cadillac arrives from
France as governor, and appoints
Bienville lieutenant......May 17, 1713
Bienville makes peace with the
Choctaw Indians......1715
Governor Cadillac, in search of silver, goes to the
Illinois country and incurs the enmity of the
Natchez Indians......1715
Bienville ascends the
Mississippi to subject the
Natchez, and establishes
Fort Rosalie in their country......April, 1716
M. de l'epinay arrives as governor from
France......March 9, 1717
Crozat surrenders his trading privilege to the
King......Aug. 23, 1717
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Company of the West chartered to foster and preserve the colony......Sept. 6, 1717
Three French vessels arrive with sixty-nine colonists and troops and
Bienville's commission as governor of
Louisiana......Feb. 9, 1718
Fort Naquitoches on the
Red River established by
M. Bienville......1718
New Orleans founded by
Bienville......1718
Eighty girls from a house of correction in
Paris arrive in charge of three Ursuline nuns......February, 1721
Balize or buoy established at the mouth of the
Mississippi......1722
Company of Germans, settlers on John Law's grant ( “Law's bubble” ) on the
Arkansas River, descend the river to near New Orleans and locate there......1722
Seat of government removed to New Orleans......1723
Black code for punishing slaves promulgated by
Bienville......1724
Bienville recalled to
France;
Perier becomes commander-general......Aug. 9, 1726
Some Jesuits and Ursuline nuns arrive at New Orleans, and a nunnery is erected......1727
Arrival of a cargo of girls sent from
France by the company, each provided with a small casket of
wearing apparel......1728
[Known as “Filles à la Cassette,” or casket girls.]
Chevalier Loubois, with allied French and Choctaws, advances against
Natchez Indians, who had massacred the garrison of
Fort Rosalie and occupied it; the Indians desert the fort and 200 prisoners in it......January, 1730
M. Perier makes another expedition against the
Natchez and secures their chief, Great Sun, and others......Jan. 24, 1731
[Great Sun died a prisoner, the others were sold as slaves to
St. Domingo.]
Company of the West surrenders its charter to the
King......Jan. 23, 1731
Superior council of
Louisiana reorganized by letters patent;
Perier continued in office......May 7, 1732
Settlement at
Baton Rouge......1733
Bienville reappointed governor......1733
Bienville repulsed in an expedition against the
Chickasaw Indians......May 26, 1736
Second expedition of
Bienville against the Chickasaws, who sue for peace......1740
Marquis de Vaudreuil appointed governor;
Bienville returns to
France......May 10, 1743
Marquis de Vaudreuil marches against the Chickasaws; unable to take their towns, he garrisons the fort on the
Tombigbee erected by
Bienville, and returns to New Orleans......1753
Louis Billouart,
Chevalier de Kerlerec, succeeds
Vaudreuil, who was appointed governor of
Canada......Feb. 9, 1754
First arrival of Acadians at New Orleans; they are sent to Attakapas and
Opelousas......1756
M. Dubreuil erects a sugar-mill in New Orleans (cane-growing having been started by the Jesuits in 1751)......1758
Garrison of Fort Du Quesne flee towards New Orleans, evacuating and setting fire to the fort......Nov. 24, 1758
France cedes
Louisiana to
Spain, and to
England all east of the
Mississippi River except the island of New Orleans, and makes the
Mississippi free to both nations......Nov. 3, 1762
Kerlerec succeeded by D'Abadie as director-general, who arrives at New Orleans......June 29, 1763
Delegates from all parts of the parish at New Orleans elect
Jean Milhet to petition the
King that the province be not severed from
France......1763
English troops occupy
Baton Rouge......February, 1764
Nyon de Villiers, who was in command, abandons the
Illinois district and reaches New Orleans......July 2, 1764
D'Abadie dies and is succeeded by
Aubrey......Feb. 4, 1765
Large colony of Acadians from
Maine arrive......February, 1766
Antonio d'ulloa lands at New Orleans with civil officers and soldiers to take possession of the province......March 5, 1766
Decree dictated by
Ulloa and proclaimed by
Aubrey that all captains of vessels from
France or
Santo Domingo report to
Ulloa on arrival with bills of lading and passports, and that the agents for sale of cargo submit to competent examiners the prices they propose to sell at, subject to reduction by the examiners if too high......Sept. 6, 1766
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An address to the superior council signed by nearly 600 men claims freedom of commerce with the ports of
France and
America, and demands the expulsion of
Ulloa; it was adopted by the council......Oct. 25, 1768
Ulloa, enjoined to leave the city, flees to
Havana.
The French flag is displayed,
Aubrey and
Foucault (a leader in the revolution) are summoned to govern the colony as before, and the people institute a republic......Oct. 29, 1768
Don Alexander O'Reilly,
captain-general, lands at the Balize, and demands the government in the name of
Spain......July 28, 1769
O'Reilly, with twenty-four Spanish vessels, appears before New Orleans, lands 2,600 Spanish troops, and assumes possession of
Louisiana......Aug. 18, 1769
Nine leaders of the revolution arrested and brought before
General O'Reilly;
commissary Foucault sent to
France and thrown into the Bastile......Aug. 21, 1769
Six leaders of the revolution are imprisoned, and six sentenced to be hanged are shot, no hangman being found......Oct. 25, 1769
O'Reilly abolishes by proclamation the superior council, and substitutes a cabildo of six perpetual regidors, two ordinary alcaldes, and an attorney-general syndic over which the governor presides......Nov. 25, 1769
Black code re-enacted by proclamation of
O'Reilly......1770
O'Reilly delivers up the government to Don
Luis de Unzaga......Oct. 29, 1770
Unzaga appointed captain-general of
Caracas, Don
Bernardo de Galvez assumes the government......Feb. 1, 1777
Galvez by proclamation grants privilege of trading with any part of the
United States......April 20, 1778
Settlement called New Iberia on the
Bayou Teche by about 500 immigrants from
Canary Islands......January, 1779
Galvez captures
Baton Rouge from the
British......Sept. 21, 1779
Galvez moves against Fort Charlotte on the
Mobile River and captures it......March 14, 1780
John James Audubon born at New Orleans......May 4, 1780
Galvez invests
Pensacola, which capitulates......May 9, 1781
Treaty of peace at
Paris between
Great Britain,
Spain, and the
United States......Sept. 3, 1783
Galvez succeeds his father in the viceroyalty of
Mexico in 1785;
Don Estevan Miro acts in his place and receives his commission as governor......June 2, 1786
Gen. James Wilkinson reaches New Orleans in June with a small cargo of tobacco and other goods.
Perhaps to advance mercantile schemes he has interviews with
Governor Miro and professes accord with him in seeking a rupture between the
western and
eastern United States, and increase of Spanish power in
America.
He returns to
Philadelphia......September, 1787
Settlers from
western North Carolina arrive, after failure to erect the
State of
Frankland......March, 1789
French refugees from
Santo Domingo reach New Orleans, and a few of them open the first regular theatre in the city......1791
Don Francois Louis Hector,
Baron de Carondelet, succeeds
Miro as governor and intendant of
Louisiana......January, 1792
Publication of the first newspaper in
Louisiana,
Le Moniteur de la Louisiane......1794
Genet, the
French ambassador to the
United States, plans an expedition against the
Spanish dominions, and a society of French Jacobins in
Philadelphia addresses an inflammatory circular to the
French in
Louisiana......1794
“Canal
Carondelet,” from New Orleans to
Lake Pontchartrain, projected, begun, and abandoned by
Governor Perier in 1727; recommenced and completed......1795
Étienne de Bore succeeds in producing sugar from cane, beginning a new industry......1795
By treaty
Spain grants the
United States “the right to deposit their merchandise and effects at New Orleans for the space of three years, and at the end of that time to continue, or an equivalent establishment to be assigned at some other point on the
Mississippi River” ......Oct. 27, 1795
Spanish
commissioner Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, and
United States commissioner Andrew Ellicott, meet at
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Natchez to define the boundary between Spanish and
United States possessions......Feb. 24, 1797
Carondelet refuses to surrender the posts on the
Mississippi, hoping for a separation of the
western United States from the eastern......1797
Carondelet appointed governor of the
Mexican provinces;
Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos succeeds in
Louisiana......Aug. 1, 1797
Don Juan Ventura Morales, Spanish intendant, refuses a place of deposit to
United States citizens in New Orleans......1799
On the death of Gayoso the
Marquis de Casa-Calvo succeeds as governor, and Don
Ramon de Lopez y Angullo as intendant of
Louisiana......July 18, 1799
By a secret treaty at St. Ildefonso the
King of
Spain retrocedes
Louisiana to
France......Oct. 1, 1800
Treaty at
Madrid confirms treaty of St. Ildefonso......March 21, 1801
Right of deposit restored to the people of the
United States......1801
Don Juan Manuel de Salcedo arrives as governor of
Louisiana and
Florida,
Morales succeeds
Lopez as intendant......June 15, 1801
By proclamation of
Morales, citizens of
United States are refused deposit in New Orleans, and importation in American bottoms is prohibited......October, 1802
Morales, fearing famine in the province, disregards his regulation and annuls the prohibition......1803
Laussat, the prefect appointed by Napoleon, arrives at New Orleans......March 26, 1803
By treaty at
Paris, Napoleon cedes
Louisiana to the
United States for 60,000,000 francs......April 30, 1803
Casa-
Calvo and
Salcedo, Spanish commissioners, present the keys of New Orleans to citizen Laussat, who takes possession of
Louisiana in the name of
France......Nov. 30, 1803
Gen. James Wilkinson encamps on the
Mississippi near New Orleans, and the
Spanish troops sail for
Havana......Dec. 18, 1803
Citizen Laussat as commissioner for
France delivers New Orleans to
General Wilkinson and
W. C. C. Claiborne as commissioners for the
United States, leaving left bank of Lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain to the
Spanish......Dec. 20, 1803
Congress divides
Louisiana into a southern territory of
Orleans and a northern district of
Louisiana......March 26, 1804
Territorial government in
Orleans begins:
William C. C. Claiborne governor......Oct. 1, 1804
Vessel bringing nearly 200 French prisoners of the
British government, who had captured the ship,
Governor Claiborne refuses to allow it to ascend the river; the
French desert the ship, which is seized by the United States marshal at request of British claimants......Nov. 3, 1804 New Orleans chartered as a city..1804
Territorial government giving the people no power, the “merchants, planters, and other inhabitants of
Louisiana” petition Congress, declaring its organization oppressive and degrading......Jan. 4, 1805
Congress provides for a government of the
Territory of Orleans in all respects like that of
Mississippi Territory, except as to the descent and distribution of estates and the prohibition of slavery......March 2, 1805
Col. Aaron Burr arrives in New Orleans, to remain ten or twelve days......June 26, 1805
Governor Claiborne orders the
Marquis of Casa-
Calvo and the intendant
Morales out of the country, and a source of great anxiety is removed......July, 1806
Territorial legislature meets......March 24, 1806
General Wilkinson, at
St. Louis, receiving a confidential letter from
Aaron Burr, denounces him in a message to
Washington; Nov. 27, 1806,
President Jefferson by proclamation makes known the traitorous enterprise; Oct. 29,
Wilkinson, by message to the
Spanish commander-in-chief, proposes the withdrawal of troops of both governments from advanced positions to
Nacogdoches and
Natchitoches respectively, which was agreed to;
General Wilkinson reaches New Orleans......Nov. 25, 1806
Arrest in New Orleans of several men charged with abetting
Burr's treason......December, 1806
Digest of civil law adopted, legislature adjourned......March 31, 1808
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General Wilkinson, ordered to New Orleans with troops, arrives April 19.
He is afterwards relieved by
Wade Hampton......1809
Citizens of
Baton Rouge territory attack the reduced garrison of the fort at
Baton Rouge, and in the skirmish the
Spanish Governor Grandpe is shot, and the garrison capitulates......September, 1810
Convention of the people of
Baton Rouge territory at
St. Francisville frame a constitution, elect a governor, and establish the independent Territory of
west Florida......Sept. 29, 1810
Under proclamation of the
President,
Governor Claiborne takes possession of
west Florida, and annexes it to the
Territory of Orleans......Dec. 7, 1810
An insurrection of slaves in the parish of
St. John is suppressed after sixty or more are killed.
The heads of sixteen who were captured and executed were set on poles along the river as a warning......January, 1811
Act to enable the people of
Orleans to form a State government signed by
President Madison......Feb. 20, 1811
Exclusive grant by legislature to
Livingston and
Fulton to build steamboats for eighteen years from Jan. 1, 1812......1811
Arrival from
Pittsburg of first steamvessel on the
Mississippi......Jan. 10, 1812
Constitutional convention at New Orleans adjourns......Jan. 22, 1812
Congress admits
Louisiana as a State......April 8, 1812
Congress extends the limits of
Louisiana to include all between the
Mississippi and
Pearl rivers south of lat. 31° N.......April 14, 1812
First session of State legislature at New Orleans......June, 1812
General Wilkinson resumes command in
Louisiana and arrives at New Orleans......June 8, 1812
W. C. C. Claiborne elected governor......Aug. 19, 1812
General Wilkinson superseded by
General Flournoy......June, 1813
Colonel Nicholas (British) by proclamation incites people of
Louisiana and
Kentucky to revolt......Aug. 29, 1814
Barataria Island occupied by pirates under
Jean Lafitte; the
British under
Sir William H. Percy invite them to hostility against the
United States;
Lafitte refuses......Aug. 30, 1814
Citizens of New Orleans and vicinity meet, pass resolutions of loyalty, and address the people......Sept. 15, 1814
Flotilla sails from New Orleans against the pirates, who prepare to resist, but abandon nine ships to the
Americans......Sept. 18, 1814
General Jackson arrives at New Orleans......Dec. 2, 1814
British threaten New Orleans and capture gunboats under
Lieut. Thos. A. C. Jones......Dec. 14, 1814
Battle at Villereas plantation, 12 miles from New Orleans; the
English advance repulsed by
General Jackson......Dec. 23, 1814
Battle at
Chalmette's plantation; British repulsed......Dec. 28, 1814
Battle at
Rodriguez Canal......Jan. 1, 1815
Battle of New Orleans....Jan. 8, 1815
Unsuccessful attack on
Fort St. Philip by the
British......Jan. 9-18, 1815
British
General Lambert abandons expedition against New Orleans......Jan. 19, 1815
General Jackson orders all French subjects having certificates of discharge to return to the interior, Feb. 28.
Has Louallier arrested as a spy;
Hall, as abetting a mutiny in granting a habeas corpus for Louallier; arrests
Hollander; releases all three; and for high-handed methods is tried and fined $1,000......1815
Frederic Tudor ships ice to New Orleans from
Boston......1820
Thomas B. Robertson elected governor......1820
Governor Robertson resigning to become judge of United States district court,
President Thibodeaux of the Senate acts as governor until inauguration of Governor-elect
Henry Johnson......December, 1824
Visit of
Lafayette; the legislature appropriates $15,000 for his entertainment......1825
Legislature grants $10,000 to
Thomas Jefferson Randolph for the family of
Thomas Jefferson, as a mark of gratitude from
Louisiana......March 16, 1827
Seat of government removed from New Orleans to
Donaldsonville......1829
Provision for running boundary-line
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between
Louisiana and
Arkansas Territory under act of Congress......1830
New Orleans again made the seat of government......Jan. 8, 1831
Pontchartrain Railroad, 4 1/2 miles long, opened for traffic......April, 1831
Branch mint at New Orleans receives first bullion......March 8, 1838
During this and the two previous years
Louisiana furnished 1,179 volunteers in the
Florida war......1838
New constitution adopted in convention......May 14, 1845
Legislature meets in new State-house at
Baton Rouge......Jan. 21, 1850
Steamer
Pampero, with 500 men under
Lopez, for expedition against
Cuba, leaves New Orleans......Aug. 3, 1851
Riot because of Cuban expedition in New Orleans; office of Spanish paper
La Patria destroyed......Aug. 21, 1851
Convention to revise constitution meets at
Baton Rouge......July 5, 1852
University of
Louisiana chartered......1853
Commercial convention of Southern and Southwestern States meets at New Orleans......Jan. 8, 1855
William Walker, with his expedition, leaves New Orleans, ostensibly for
Mobile, but really for
Nicaragua, eluding the
United States authorities......Nov. 11, 1857
Walker surrenders to
Com. Hiram Paulding; indignation meetings at New Orleans,
Mobile, and other Southern cities......Dec. 8, 1857
Political disturbance in New Orleans; 500 men as a vigilance committee seize the court-house and State arsenal; Knownothing party occupy Lafayette Square......June 4-5, 1858
Legislature in extra session provides for a State convention and votes $500,000 to organize military companies;
Wirt Adams, commissioner from
Mississippi, asks the legislature to join in secession......December, 1860
Immense popular meeting in New Orleans on announcement of the secession of
South Carolina......Dec. 21, 1860
Mass-meeting held at New Orleans to ratify “Southern rights” nominations for the convention......Dec. 25, 1860
Seizure by Confederates of
forts St. Philip,
Jackson, and
Livingston, arsenal at
Baton Rouge, and
United States revenuecutter
Lewis Cass .....Jan. 10-13, 1861
Ordinance of secession adopted in convention, yeas 113, nays 17......Jan. 26, 1861
Mint and custom-house in New Orleans seized by Confederates......Jan. 31, 1861
Convention to join Southern Confederacy; State flag adopted, a red ground, crossed by bars of
blue and
white and bearing a single star of pale yellow......Feb. 4, 1861
Louisiana ratifies the
Confederate constitution......March 22, 1861
Louisiana raises 3,000 Confederate troops, and at call of
Governor Moore 3,000 additional......April 24, 1861
First gun cast for Confederate navy at Phoenix Iron Works at
Gretna, near New Orleans......May 4, 1861
Port of New Orleans blockaded by United States sloop-of-war
Brooklyn;
Ship Island occupied by Union troops......1861
Banks of New Orleans suspend specie payments......Sept. 18, 1861
Confederate martial law instituted in New Orleans......Oct. 11, 1861
Federal steamship
Richmond, under
John Pope, while coaling near New Orleans, is struck by a Confederate ram......Oct. 12, 1861
State casts its electoral vote for
Jefferson Davis as president of the
Confederate States......Feb. 19, 1862
Admiral Farragut passes
forts Jackson and Philip with his fleet, morning......April 24, 1862
Surrender of New Orleans to
Admiral Farragut......April 25, 1862
Capture of
forts Jackson and Philip by the
Federals......April 28, 1862
Confederate capital transferred to
Opelousas......April, 1862
Maj.-Gen. Benjamin F. Butler takes possession of New Orleans......May 1, 1862
Baton Rouge occupied by Federals......May 27, 1862
William B. Mumford, for taking down the
United States flag from the United States mint after the surrender of the city to
Admiral Farragut, hanged at New Orleans by order of
General Butler......June 7, 1862
Federal troops in
Baton Rouge, besieged by Confederates, Aug. 5, evacuate by order from
General Butler......Aug. 16, 1862
Brig.-Gen. Geo. F. Shepley military governor of
Louisiana......Aug. 21, 1862
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General Grover occupies
Baton Rouge......Dec. 16, 1862
Maj.-Gen. N. P. Banks relieves
General Butler......Dec. 16, 1862
Election held by order of
President Lincoln;
Messrs. Hahn and
Flanders chosen to Congress; they take seats, Feb. 9, 1863, and occupy them until......March 3, 1863
Henry W. Allen chosen governor by Confederates; seat of government at
Shreveport......1863
Michael Hahn chosen governor at Federal election in New Orleans and vicinity......Feb. 22, 1864
Governor Hahn appointed military governor by the
President......March 15, 1864
Convention at New Orleans to revise the constitution......April 6, 1864
Bureau of free labor, predecessor of the
Freedmen's bureau, opened at New Orleans......1865
Governor Hahn resigning, is succeeded by
Lieut.-Gov. J. M. Welles......March 4, 1865
Confederate
Governor Allen resigns......June 2, 1865
Governor Welles re-elected......Nov. 6, 1865
[This government, though never recognized by Congress, continued until March, 1867.]
Constitution of 1864 left the negroes still disfranchised; a convention, chiefly of blacks who wished to frame a new constitution, meets in New Orleans and results in a riot; several hundred negroes killed......July 30, 1866
Congress passes the military reconstruction act......March 2, 1867
General Sheridan appointed commander of the 5th Military District,
Louisiana and
Texas......March 19, 1867
General Sheridan removes
Governor Wells “for making himself an impediment to the faithful execution of the reconstruction act,” and substitutes
Thomas J. Durant, who declines, and
Benjamin F. Flanders is appointed......June 8, 1867
Sheridan relieved and
General Hancock appointed......Aug. 17, 1867
Constitutional convention at New Orleans adopts a constitution prohibiting slavery, declaring the ordinance of secession null, and wholly disfranchising exConfederates......Nov. 22, 1867
General Hancock relieved by General
Buchanan as commander of the 5th Military District......March 18, 1868
State election; new constitution ratified, and
Henry C. Warmouth elected governor......April 18, 1868
Congress readmits the
Southern States......June 25, 1868
Fourteenth Amendment adopted by the legislature......July, 1868
Numerous political and color riots occur in New Orleans,
Opelousas, and other portions of the
State during the year ......1868
Passage of social equality bill, giving all persons, without regard to color or previous condition, equal privileges in public conveyances or places of public resort......Jan. 4, 1869
Fifteenth Amendment ratified by Senate, Feb. 27, and by
House......March 1, 1869
“
Crescent City Live-stock and Slaughter-house Company,” a monopoly in New Orleans which excited opposition, and was finally declared unconstitutional and restrained by perpetual injunction, was created by the legislature and went into operation......June 1, 1869
Legislature grants to the New Orleans,
Mobile, and Chattanooga Railway Company $3,000,000 in 8-per-cent.
State bonds, payable in four instalments......Feb. 21, 1870
Legislature unites
Jefferson City and
Algiers with New Orleans under one charter......1870
George M. Wickliffe, State auditor, impeached and convicted of extortion and fraud......March 3, 1870
A political contest between two factions of the Republican party.
The State central committee —
S. B. Packard, United States marshal at the head—call a convention to choose a State committee.
The opposition, under
Lieut.-Gov. Oscar J. Dunn (colored), meet in the custom-house.
Governor Warmouth and
P. B. S. Pinchback (colored) are refused admission, and the Warmouthites meet in Turner's Hall......Aug. 8, 1871
On the death of
Lieutenant-Governor Dunn, the election of
P. B. S. Pinchback by the Senate in extra session is claimed as unconstitutional by the opposition, led by
George W. Carter, speaker of the
House, and known as “Carterites” ......Nov. 22, 1871
Warmouth legislature meets at Mechanics' Institute; the Carterites over the
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“Gem saloon,” on Royal Street, Jan. 6.
Colonel Carter, by proclamation, proposes to seize the Mechanics' Institute building, and appears before it with several thousand men, but is prevented by
General Emory......Jan. 22, 1872
In extra session the
House, in the absence of
Colonel Carter, declares the speaker's chair vacant, chooses
O. H. Brewster speaker, and approves the course of
Governor Warmouth......1872
Act passed funding the indebtedness of the
State......April 30, 1872
Conventions of the two wings of the Republican party at
Baton Rouge, headed respectively by
Packard and
Pinchback.
The
Packard convention nominates
William Pitt Kellogg for governor......June 19, 1872
Adjourned meeting of the Pinchback convention nominates
P. B. S. Pinchback for governor......Aug. 9, 1872
Fusion of two wings of the Republican party by the State central committee nominates
Kellogg for governor and
Pinchback for Congressman-at-large......1872
Judge Durell, in December, declares
Kellogg elected governor at election held......Nov. 4, 1872
“Fusion legislature” in the City Hall, New Orleans, impeaches and suspends
Governor Warmouth......Dec. 11, 1872
Inauguration of
Kellogg as governor, also of
John McEnery, nominee of the
Democratic reformers and liberals......Jan. 14, 1873
Members of
McEnery legislature seized and marched to the guard-house by armed police......M arch 6, 1873
People submit to the Kellogg government “at the point of the bayonet,” as many express it. People's convention at New Orleans......Nov. 24, 1873
Crescent City White League formed, “to assist in restoring an honest and intelligent government to the
State of Louisiana” ......1874
Six Republican officials, arrested near Ooushatta, in
Red River parish, while being taken to
Shreveport, are shot......Aug. 30, 1874
People send a committee to demand the abdication of
Kellogg, and the McEnery faction, 10,000 strong, led by
D. B. Penn,
lieutenant-governor, appear before the State-house; a conflict takes place between the insurgents and police, the Statehouse is captured, and members of the McEnery legislature installed......Sept. 14, 1874
McEnery and
Penn surrender the
State buildings without resistance to
General Brooke......Sept. 17, 1874
General Brooke appointed military governor, and
Governor Kellogg resumes his duties......Sept. 19, 1874
Legislature meets and United States troops are called in to quell disturbance; great excitement throughout the
United States......Jan. 8, 1875
Claims of the several candidates are submitted to a congressional committee or board of arbitration, in which
William A. Wheeler is prominent, and the socalled “
Wheeler adjustment” is agreed to......April 14, 1875
Immigration convention held in the chamber of commerce, New Orleans, comprising delegates from the
Southern and Western States......March 1-2, 1876
At election held this day both Republican and Democratic parties claim the victory......Nov. 6, 1876
S. B. Packard, Republican, inaugurated governor at the State-house, New Orleans.
Francis T. Nicholls, Democrat, inaugurated at St. Patrick's Hall, New Orleans, and both legislatures meet......Jan. 8, 1877
Courts, police stations, and arsenal at New Orleans are peaceably surrendered to the Nicholls authorities......Jan. 9, 1877
Packard failing to receive aid from the United States government, and a commission appointed by
President Hayes to investigate the political situation in
Louisiana reporting public sentiment in favor of the Nicholls government, the Packard legislature is dispersed......April 21, 1877
Nicholls government occupies Statehouse......April 24, 1877
Legislature, by concurrent resolution, directs
Senators and Congressmen to use every effort to secure the passage of the Bland silver bill and of the bill to repeal the so-called resumption act introduced in the Senate......Jan. 19, 1878
Political disturbance in Tensas and
Concordia parishes, resulting in killing a man named
Peck, and the wounding by his companions of three colored men; investigated by Congress......1878
By act of Congress, March 3, 1875, a
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contract was made with
Capt. James Buchanan Eads for the construction of jettywork at the mouth of the
South Pass in the
Mississippi River, to secure and maintain a navigable channel 200 feet wide and 20 feet deep.
Captain Eads's work has already resulted in a clear channel of the required width and deeper than the 20 feet specified......1878
Constitutional convention at New Orleans frames a constitution.
Capital changed from New Orleans to
Baton Rouge......April 21, 1879
Louis A. Wiltz, Democrat, elected governor, and the new constitution ratified by the people......Dec. 8, 1879
Debt ordinance, fixing the interest on consolidated State bonds at 2 1/2 per cent. for five years, 3 per cent. for fifteen years, and 4 per cent. thereafter, and limit of State tax fixed at 6 mills, ratified by the people at the election......Dec. 8, 1879
Bureau of agriculture and immigration created......Jan. 14, 1880
Board of liquidation appointed in New Orleans to retire all the valid debt of the city, a total of $17,736,508.96, exchanging it for 4-per-cent.
bonds payable in fifty years......1880
University for the higher education of colored boys opens......1880
Death of
Governor Wiltz,
Lieutenant-Governor McEnery succeeds......Oct. 17, 1881
Suit begun against
Louisiana by New York and
New Hampshire on coupons on
Louisiana State bonds transferred to these States by the holders thereof......1881
Two hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the mouths of the
Mississippi by
La Salle......April 10, 1882
Chief-Justice Waite renders his decision in the New York and
New Hampshire suits against
Louisiana, that “one State cannot create a controversy with another State within the meaning of that term as used in the judicial clauses of the
Constitution, by assuming the prosecution of debts owing by other States to its citizens” ......March 5, 1883
Levee convention held at
Baton Rouge, recommending placing the entire convict force at work on the levees......June 19, 1883
World's industrial and cotton
centennial exposition held at New Orleans......1885
First Prohibition convention ever held in
Louisiana meets at
Shreveport......Aug. 19, 1885
North, Central, and South American exposition opens......Nov. 10, 1885
Legislature grants relief to wounded and disabled Confederate soldiers of the
State, and to the widows of the
Confederate soldiers killed or wounded in the war......1886
Charter of the
Louisiana State lottery expiring in 1894, the anti-lottery people, in convention at New Orleans, found an anti-lottery league to oppose its renewal......Feb. 28, 1890
Louisiana Lottery Company offers the
State $1,000,000 per year, double its former offer, for the privilege of maintaining a lottery......May 13, 1890
House of Delegates passes a bill amending the
State constitution, by granting a recharter to the Louisiana State Lottery Company for twenty-five years for $1,000,000 per annum......June 25, 1890
State legislature settles the lottery question conditionally by accepting $1,250,000 per year for the lottery privilege......July 1, 1890
Governor Nicholls vetoes the lottery bill......July 7, 1890
Anti-lottery league meets in New Orleans, 500 delegates......Aug. 7, 1890
Chief of Police David C. Hennessy, of New Orleans, is waylaid and killed by
Italian “Mafia,” to whose band he had traced a number of crimes, night of......Oct. 15, 1890
Killing in the parish prison at New Orleans of eleven Italians......March 14, 1891
Officers of the
Louisiana lottery indieted by the grand jury in
Sioux Falls, N. D., under
United States laws......Oct. 23, 1891
John A. Morris, in a letter, withdraws his proposition for the renewal of the charter of the
Louisiana lottery......Feb. 4, 1892
Convention of United Confederate Veterans meets at New Orleans......April 8, 1892
Proposed constitutional amendment to continue the
Louisiana State lottery for twenty-five years from Jan. 1, 1894, is rejected by vote at State election......April 19, 1892
Monument erected to
David C. Hennessy (assassinated by Mafia in 1890) by the
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people of New Orleans, is unveiled at Metarie Cemetery......May 30, 1892
Nicaragua Canal convention opens in New Orleans; delegates from every State and Territory......Nov. 30, 1892
United States Senator Randall L. Gibson dies at
Hot Springs, Ark.......Dec. 15, 1892
Donaldson Caffrey appointed by
Governor Foster United States Senator to fill unexpired term......Dec. 31, 1892
Gen. P. G. T. Beaurgeard dies at New Orleans, aged seventy-five years......Feb. 20, 1893
Destructive cyclone along the
Gulf of Mexico; over 2,000 lives lost......Oct. 2, 1893
United States Senator Edward D. White appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States......Feb. 19, 1894
Newton C. Blanchard, member of Congress, appointed
Senator by
Governor Foster to fill the unexpired term of
White......March 7, 1894
Ex-Gov. J. Madison Wells dies at
Lecompte, La......Feb. 28, 1899
Five Italians lynched at
Tallulah, La., for murder of
Dr. J. F. Hodge......July 20, 1899
Constitutional amendment authorizing $75,000 annually for Confederate pensions adopted......November, 1900
Constitutional amendment enabling New Orleans to issue bonds for water, sewerage, and drainage adopted......November, 1900
St. Charles College at
Grand Coteau destroyed by fire......Feb. 17, 1900
Conflict between police and negroes in New Orleans; fourteen persons killed, thirty seriously injured......July, 1900
The leasing of convicts to private contractors stopped......March 3, 1901
Maine 
