Expedition to Capture New Orleans – Legends of America

Before the tumult of the Civil War engulfed the nation, New Orleans, Louisiana, stood as a beacon of economic, military, and political might. The year was 1860, and the city boasted a sophisticated railroad network, one of the world’s most vital ports, bustling with 33 steamship lines facilitating trade worth a staggering $500 million. Its population dwarfed that of any other city in the South, a testament to its allure and prosperity.

As the winds of political change swept through the nation with the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, Louisiana’s Governor Thomas Overton Moore envisioned a unique destiny for New Orleans: a "free city," a neutral sanctuary amidst the impending conflict between the North and the South. Even before Louisiana formally declared its secession from the Union, Governor Moore, with resolute determination, commanded the Louisiana militia to seize key Federal assets. These included the Federal arsenal at Baton Rouge, the formidable Fort Jackson, Fort St. Philip guarding the Mississippi River’s mouth, Fort Pike safeguarding Lake Pontchartrain’s entrance, the New Orleans Barracks south of the city, and Fort Macomb, which secured the Chef Menteur Pass. These strategic military maneuvers, set in motion on January 8, 1861, underscored Louisiana’s unwavering commitment to its chosen path. On January 26, 1861, Louisiana officially declared its secession from the United States, solidifying its place in the unfolding drama.

The Civil War erupted on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces unleashed their fury upon Fort Sumter in South Carolina. In response, the Union strategists devised the Anaconda Plan, a brainchild of General-in-Chief Winfield Scott. This comprehensive strategy aimed to strangle the Confederacy by implementing a rigorous Union blockade of Southern ports while simultaneously advancing down the Mississippi River, effectively bisecting the South. To execute this plan, the seceding states’ ports were subjected to an unyielding blockade, and the Mississippi River became a crucial artery for penetrating the heart of the Confederacy.

One of the initial objectives was the capture of New Orleans, a move that would grant the U.S. control of the Mississippi River from its source to its mouth. The Union Blockade triggered a Confederate naval counterattack, resulting in the Battle of the Head of Passes. Months later, New Orleans would fall into Union hands, marking a turning point in the war.

Battles:

Head of Passes, October 12, 1861: This naval engagement, though bloodless, was an integral part of the Expedition to Capture New Orleans. The prospect of a Union fleet establishing a base at the Head of Passes was intolerable for the Confederates, as it would sever New Orleans from the sea. In response, the Confederate river defense fleet, affectionately dubbed the "mosquito fleet" by local media, launched a daring raid on the Union Blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. The mosquito fleet, supported by three fire rafts, ignited the scene and paved the way for the ironclad ram CSS Manassas. The attack, which commenced in the early hours of October 12, 1861, scattered the Union fleet, sending them fleeing in disarray down the Southwest pass of the delta. However, as dawn broke, Commodore George N. Hollins ordered the mosquito fleet to retreat upriver. The Confederate victory resulted in no casualties on either side, but the Union suffered damage to two sloops-of-war and one schooner, while one Confederate ironclad sustained damage.

Forts Jackson and St. Philip, April 18–28, 1862: As part of the Expedition to Capture New Orleans, early Union strategies focused on dividing the Confederacy by seizing control of the Mississippi River. A crucial step in this operation was to navigate the mouth of the Mississippi River, ascend to New Orleans, and capture the city, effectively sealing off the entrance to Rebel ships. In mid-January 1862, Flag Officer David G. Farragut embarked on this mission with his West Gulf Blockading Squadron. The path lay open, save for the formidable Forts Jackson and St. Philip, situated above the Head of the Passes, approximately 70 miles below New Orleans. In addition to the forts and their formidable armament, the Confederates had strategically placed obstructions in the river, and several ships, including two ironclads, stood ready to defend. Farragut based his operations on Ship Island, Mississippi, and on April 8, he assembled 24 of his vessels and Commodore David D. Porter’s 19 mortar schooners near the Head of the Passes. Starting on the 16th and continuing for seven days, the mortar schooners relentlessly bombarded Fort Jackson, but failed to silence its guns. On the night of the 22nd, some of Farragut’s gunboats cleared a path through the obstruction. In the early hours of the 24th, Farragut directed his ships northward to pass the forts and advance toward New Orleans. Despite the Rebels’ valiant efforts to thwart the Union ships, most successfully navigated past the forts and proceeded to New Orleans, where Farragut accepted the city’s surrender. With the forts breached, nothing could halt the Union forces. Cut off and surrounded, the garrisons of the two forts surrendered on the 28th. The Union victory resulted in 229 casualties, while the Confederates suffered 782.

New Orleans, April 24-25, 1862: Following the successful passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip near the mouth of the Mississippi River on April 24, 1862, the Union occupation of New Orleans became inevitable. Union Flag Officer David G. Farragut, leading a squadron of 43 ships, continued up the Mississippi River toward New Orleans, encountering heavy chain cables stretched across the river as a primary defense. However, after demanding the surrender of the City of New Orleans, Confederate General Mansfield Lovell withdrew his 3,000 troops northward. The city surrendered on April 25. On May 1, Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler’s army began landing at New Orleans, and 15,000 Union troops occupied the city. New Orleans, an international hub and the largest city in the Confederacy, had fallen. Remarkably, the "capture" of the city spared it the widespread destruction suffered by many other Southern cities. During the city’s surrender, there were no casualties on either side.

The permanent loss of New Orleans was a devastating blow to the Confederacy in the Western Theater of the war. The Union occupation of New Orleans carried significant international implications. This capture also marked a turning point in the war, paving the way for the Union’s eventual control of the Mississippi River.