Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/684

678 LOUISIANA as far N. as British territory, and comprises the whole or part of the present states of Ar- kansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oregon, the Indian territory, and the territories of Colorado, Da- kota, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wy- oming. The American flag was first raised in New Orleans on Dec. 20, 1803. By the act of congress of March 26, 1804, the territory was divided into two governments, that of Or- leans including the present state of Louisi- ana W. of the Mississippi and a portion E. of that river, and that of Louisiana all the coun- try N. and W. of it. On Feb. 11, 1811, an act of congress was passed to enable the inhabi- tants to form a constitution and state govern- ment ; and by a subseqent act of April 8, 1812, the territory of Orleans was admitted into the Union under the title of the state of Louisiana. By the act of April 14, 1812, the remainder of the region E. of the Mississippi now under the jurisdiction of the state, which, claimed by Spain, had been taken possession of the year before by the United States, was added. On June 4, 1812, the territory theretofore* known as Louisiana had its designation altered to Missouri. The share that Louisiana took in the war of 1812 is familiar to all. The great battle fought at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815, in which the British sustained a total defeat, was the crowning event of the period, and the last hostile engagement between the two nations. New constitutions were framed in 1845 and 1852. The vote of the state at the presidential election in 1860 was : for Breckinridge, 22,681 ; Bell, 20,204; Douglas, 7,625. Soon after the election of Lincoln became known the gover- nor issued a proclamation convening the legis- lature for Dec. 10. This body met at the ap- pointed time, and on the following day passed an act calling a convention of the people to meet Jan. 23, 1861. The election for delegates was held Jan. 8, and the convention passed an ordinance of secession on Jan. 26 by a vote of 113 to IT, having by a vote of 84 to 45 refused to submit the question to the people. The vote for delegates, subsequently published un- der the auspices of the secessionists, stood 20,448 in favor of secession to 17,296 against. On March 21 the constitution of the Confeder- ate States was ratified in convention by a vote of 101 to 7; ordinances were also passed trans- ferring to the confederacy all fortifications, arsenals, lighthouses, &c., within the state. On Jan. 10 Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on opposite banks of the Mississippi, 75 m. below New Orleans, and commanding the approach to that city, had been taken possession of by state troops, and about the same time Fort Living- stone on Grande Terre island, Baratariabay, and Fort Pike at the entrance of Lake Pontchar- train, were also occupied. The arsenal at'Baton Rouge was seized on Jan. 11, with 50,000 stand of small arms, a number of cannon, and con- siderable ammunition; and the United States mint and custom house at New Orleans, with a large sum of money, were seized on the 31st. The first military movement of importance in the state was the capture of New Orleans. The federal fleet consisted of 47 armed vessels, with 310 guns and mortars, under command of Capt. (afterward Admiral) Farragut ; the land forces were commanded by Gen. Benjamin F. Butler. The fleet reached the vicinity of Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 17, 1862, and found the river defended also by an ironclad carrying 16 guns, the formidable ram Manassas, and a number of gunboats, fire ships, chains, and other obstructions. After several days' bombardment and the removal of some of the obstructions, Capt. Farragut ran past the forts on the 24th with some loss, destroy- ing the confederate fleet, and reached New Or- leans the next day. On the 28th the forts sur- rendered, and on May 1 Gen. Butler took pos- session of the city, the confederates under Gen. Mansfield Lovell having abandoned it. Forts Pike and Wood at the entrance of Lake Pontchartraih were also taken. On the 7th Baton Rouge was reduced by the fleet, and on Aug. 5 an attack of the confederates on the Union force stationed here was repulsed, with a Union loss of 90 killed and 250 wounded ; the confederate loss being probably about the same. On Dec. 14 Gen. Banks superseded Gen. Butler, who turned over to him 17,800 men, including three regiments and two bat- teries of colored troops. Early in January, 1863, attempts were made to open the Atcha- f alaya, but the forces were withdrawn to assist Admiral Farragut in running past Port Hud- son, which he accomplished on the night of March 13-14. A movement was again begun on the Atchaf alaya early in April ; Opelousas was occupied on the 20th, and on May 2 the Atcha- falaya was open to the Red river. On May 5-9 an advance was made to Alexandria. All the state except the N. W. corner was now in possession of the federal forces. Port Hudson was invested on the land side on May 25, and was besieged until July 8, when it surrendered, Gen. Banks having in the mean time made two ineffectual assaults. Early in June the confederates under Gen. Richard Taylor reoc- cupied Alexandria and Opelousas, and on the 22d took possession of Brashear City, and over- ran the adjacent country ; but after the fall of Port Hudson they retired W. of the Atchafa- laya, evacuating Brashear City on July 22. The Red river expedition, which took place the fol- lowing year, had Shreveport for its objective point. Gen. Banks was aided by a force under Gen. A. J. Smith and by a fleet under Admiral Porter. The rendezvous was at Alexandria, which was occupied March 16, 1864. The fleet, embarrassed by low water, could with difficulty get beyond Grand Ecore, 100 m. from Shreve- port. The troops advanced to Sabine Cross Roads, where they were met, April 8, by supe' rior forces under Gens. Kirby Smith, Taylor, Mouton, and Green, and compelled to retreat, with heavy loss. The next day the enemy at-