ventured upon this most positive act of insubordination and disobedience of his own volition, I waited upon the Collector at the Custom-House, and had with him a full and free conversation upon the whole sune ject. In the course of it, Mr. Hatch admitted to me that he had caused the cutter to be brought to the city of New Orleans by an order of his own, dated January 15th, so that she might be secured to the State of Louisiana, although at that time the State had not only not seceded, but the Convention had not met, and in fact did not meet until eight days afterwards. This, I must confess, seemed to me a singular confession for one who at that very time had sworn to do his duty faithfully as an officer of the United States; and on intimating as much to Mr. Hatch, be excused himself on the ground that in these revolutions all other things must give way to the force of circumstances. Mr. Hatch likewise informed me that the officers of the cutter had long since determined to abandon their allegiance to the United States, and cast their fortunes with the independent State of Louisiana. In order to test the correctness of this statement, I addressed another communication to Captain Breshwood, of the following tenor: NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 29, 1861. SIR: By your note of this date I am informed that you refuse to obey the orders of the honorable Secretary of the Treasury. As, on accepting your commission, you took and subscribed an oath faithfully to discharge your duties to the Government, and as you well know, the law has placed the revenue cutters and their officers under the entire control of the Secretary of the Treasury, I request you to advise me whether you consider yourself at this time an officer in the service of the United States. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEW ORLEANS, SIR: You are hereby directed to proceed forthwith under sail to this city, and anchor the vessel under your command opposite the United States Marine Hospital, above Algiers. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, To Capt. J. G. BRESHWOOD. In the latter part of January, the Collector at New Orleans, acting under instructions from the State authorities, refused to deliver foreign goods that had been imported by merchants in the cities of the Northern States or bordering on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, unless the duties were paid at New Orleans. Applications for instructions were made by the Collectors of these cities to the Treasury Department at Washington, and the answer was returned "that duties on imports collected by the State of Louisiana, at New Orleans, will not be recognized by the General Government." On the 7th of February, an ordinance was passed by the Convention conferring the right of citizenship on all persons residing in the State of Louisiana at the date of the adoption of the secession ordinance. Subsequently a State flag was adopted, consisting of a red ground, upon which appears a single star of pale yellow. The ground is crossed by bars of blue and white, making of the three colors fifteen stripes. offence for pilots at the Balize to bring over the An ordinance was passed making it a penal bar any United States vessel of war. Another ordinance was adopted to accept the criminal code of the United States District Court. In the House of Representatives of the Legisla ture, on the 15th of February, a joint resolution was introduced and referred, inviting the southern portion of Indiana and Illinois, which gave large majorities against Mr. Lincoln, to form a pro-slavery State and join the Southern Confederacy. The speech of Mr. Lincoln, at Indianapolis, was regarded by the Legislature in session at Baton Rouge as foreshadowing coercion, and that war was inevitable. It was then declared that, "upon the first demonstration by him, the Provisional Government would send immediate ly a large army North. The South would never wait to be invaded." An appropriation bill amounting to one m lion and a half passed the House on the 19th, and one hundred thousand dollars were asked to put the forts on the Mississippi in a cornplete state for defence. A regular force of three regiments was to be raised, which, with the volunteers, were supposed to be sufficient for any emergency. At the same time, the bishop (Polk) of the Protestant Episcopal Church for the Diocese of Louisiana, issued a pastoral letter, arguing that secession likewise embraced that portion of the Church, which thereby separated from the Church in the Northern States. He thus expressed his views: And "Our separation from our brethren of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States' has been effected, because we must for low our nationality. Not because there has been any difference of opinion as to Christian doctrine or catholic usage. Upon these points we are still one. With us it is a separation not a division-certainly not alienation. there is no reason why, if we should fa the union of our dioceses under our Nationa Church impracticable, we should cease to fel for each other the respect and regard with which purity of manners, high principle, and manly devotion to truth never fail to inspire generous minds. Our relations to each other hereafter will be the relations we both now hold to the men of our mother Church of Erg land." On the 4th of March the State Conventa re-assembled at New Orleans. On the same day a resolution was passed, that the Convestion will unite in a public reception of General Twiggs, and inviting him to a seat on the for of the Convention. A resolution was adopted instructing the Louisiana delegates in the Southern Congress not to cede any part of the public domain to the Confederation. On the next day General Twiggs was entha siastically received. A salute was fired, and immense crowds gathered along the route of the procession. The military, the members of the State Convention, and others escorted him to his residence. In reply to an address of welcome, he said, "It was his hope that Providence would grant him sufficient strength to take part in the momentous struggle which threatened the country." While the procession was moving, a ludicrous mishap occurred. A file of the neatly-attired citizen soldiers was drawn up along the street in front of a building in course of construction, and close in their rear was a long mortar-bed, two feet deep, with that plastic composition ready for the workmen. The space between the files for the passage of the carriages being rather narrow, the officer ordered his men to take a step back. They did so, and about twenty feet of them instantaneously disappeared from sight backwards, the front file, in close order, preventing the rear rank from recovering themselves, when their heels stumbled against the mortar-bed. They were submerged, and every soldier had his uniform spoiled. They took cabs and disappeared. By another ordinance, $536,000 were transferred to the Government of the Confederate States as the amount of bullion found and revenue from the customs seized by the State. At a later day, an ordinance to submit the Constitution of the Confederate States to a vote of the people for their acceptance or rejection, was defeated in the Convention by a vote of ayes 26, noes 74. The popular vote of the State for delegates to the Convention was not known until some time after the passage of the ordinance of secession. The names of the delegates who were elected only were sent to the Convention, without the popular vote of the different parishes. It was finally made public, however, as follows: For secession, 20,448; against secession, 17,296. At the Presidential election in November, 1860, the vote was as follows: Lincoln, ; Douglas, 7,625; Breckinridge, 22,681; Bell, 20,204. At the time when the vote was announced, the distinction between cooperation and secession had lost much of its force. It was, however, asserted in different parts of the State that there was a majority from two to three hundred on the popular vote for coöperation. The right of secession was discussed at this time, and it was proposed to amend the ordinance ratifying the Constitution by adding thereto the following: And it is hereby solemnly declared and ordained, That the true meaning and interpretation of this ordinance of ratification is, and shall be, construed as follows: Whereas a free State cannot be too jealous in guarding its fundamental rights; and whereas many citizens of Louisiana had grave doubts whether separate secession was a peaceable, constitutional remedy for their grievances in the late Union; and whereas those doubts arose from the silence upon that subject, both of the Constitution of the United States of America and of the act by which the State of Louisiana gave in her adhesion thereto; and whereas the Constitution of the Confederate States of America appears in this, as in most respects, to have been modelled after this Constitution of the United States: now, therefore, to prevent misunderstandings, and to secure harmony in future, It is further ordained by the People of Louisiana, in tion of the Confederate States of America, the soverConvention assembled, That, in adopting the Constitueign State of Louisiana does expressly reserve to herself the right peaceably to withdraw from the Union created by that Constitution, whenever, in the judgment of her citizens, her paramount interest may require it. Mr. Marks, of Orleans, moved to lay the amendment on the table; and the yeas and nays having been called for, the motion was carried by yeas 92, nays 11. So the Convention refused to entertain the proposition. The Permanent Constitution was, on the 21st of March, ratified in Convention by a vote of ayes 101, noes 71. On the 26th, a resolution was introduced declaring in favor of entire free trade with the Western States, slave and free, by the Confederate States. An ordinance was passed transferring the fortifications, arsenals, lighthouses, and revenue cutters of the State to the Confederate Government. The ordinance on banking was passed, prohibiting the issue of notes of less than ten dollars, and this issue was not to exceed three-fourths of the capital paid in; the liabilities were to be represented by one-third specie and ninety days' paper. The State debt at this time was about $11,000,000, and the apparent surplus in the Treasury was $193,416. The demand for troops made upon the State by the Confederate Government, was responded to with alacrity. The parishes poured into New Orleans large numbers of troops who were sent forward to Pensacola. They also made liberal appropriations for their support. Tensas parish appropriated $16,000 for the use of the State, and paid $20 a month to each soldier, besides supporting his family during his absence. East Feliciana subscribed $50,000 for the same purpose, and at a large meeting passed a resolution that the Planters' parish in East Feliciana stand pledged to tender to Louisiana and the Government of the Confederate States, should it be needed, the whole of the annual proceeds of the crops, deducting only what may be necessary for current expenses during the continuance of the present hostilities. The state of affairs at New Orleans at this time is thus reported: "The war fever here is raging intensely, as it is also in all parts of the State, and in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, and other cities and towns in the Confederate States. Indeed, so extensive are the preparations for the coming and inevitable conflict, that every thing in the way of business is lost sight of, and thousands are arranging their personal effects in anticipation of the worst. In this city the ardor and enthusiasm have never been exceeded, and twenty-five thousand men could be mustered into the Confederate army. Business here is well nigh suspended. There are few ships here, and these get high figures for freights, especially British bottoms, which have the preference." On the 24th of April, Governor Moore issued an address calling for 3,000 additional troops. It was as follows: To the People of Louisiana: The Government at Washington, maddened by defeat and the successful maintenance by our patriotic people of their rights and liberties against its mercenaries in the harbor of Charleston, and the determination of the Southern people forever to sever themselves from the Northern Government, has now thrown off the mask, and sustained by the people of the nonslaveholding States, is actively engaged in levying war, by land and sea, to subvert your liberties, destroy your rights, and to shed your blood on your own soil. If you have the manhood to resist, rise, then, pride of Louisiana in your might, in defence of your dearest rights, and drive back this insolent barbaric force. Like your brave ancestry, resolve to conquer, or perish in the effort; and the flag of usurpation will never, never fly over Southern soil. Rally, then, to the proclamation which I now make on the requisition of the Confederate Government. A number of parishes in the State appropriated ten thousand dollars each for the support of the volunteers, and pledged themselves to pay fifty thousand dollars a year, each, as long as the war should last. This quota of 3,000 men, when made up, would raise the number to 6,000, which had then been sent forward. This last call was completed within thirty days. By the 1st of June Louisiana had not less than sixteen thousand men under arms. Of these, seven thousand were on duty, as follows: Pensacola, 2,100; in Virginia, and on the way, 2,300; in Arkansas, 1,000; sea-coast and harbor defence, 1,700; marines, 250; total, 7,350. At Tangipaha, in camp, there were, in addition to the above, 4,000, and at New Orleans 5,000. At the ship yards at Algiers several vessels were put in condition for privateers, as the Star of the West, captured in a port of Texas; the McRae, once the Marquis de Havana; and the Sumter, once the Miramon, all of which were strong steamers. On the 10th of July the condition of affairs is thus described by a citizen and permanent resident of the State: "What do we see? A treasury which a few months ago was full to repletion now collapsed, a great city comparatively defenceless, a people full of chivalrous feeling discouraged, an ardent and zealous local militia disappointed and disgusted; and, while all this is notoriously so, the imbecility which has produced it is perpetually taxing its ingenuity to devise some new expedients, finding fresh pretexts for rewarding hangers-on of disgraceful antecedents or useless appendages of the old militia system." There are four routes by which New Orleans may be approached. The first is by the Mississippi River; the second is through lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain; another is up the Atchafalaya to Berwick Bay, and thence by bayous Torrel and Plaquemine to Iberville, one hundred miles above New Orleans; and the fourth by way of Grand Pass and Bayon Lafourche to Donaldsonville, eighty miles above the city. The Mississippi River at the Balize divides into four branches, discharging themselves respectively through Pass a l'Outre, Northeast Pass, South Pass, and Southwest Pass. Above, where these four outlets begin, there are two forts, almost opposite to each other, and Jackson and St. Philip, which were well manned by a Confederate force, and mounted one hundred and seventy guns. By the route through lakes Borgne and Postchartrain, vessels drawing eleven feet can be brought to the Lake House, which is five es from New Orleans. Troops landed there right be taken up the canal by water, or marched at ease in any numbers up the shell road, ole of the finest in the country. On each side of it, and the canal, which runs parallel, the ground falls away into a swamp covered with a derse undergrowth, affording excellent covers for skirmishers. There are no fortifications of any kind on this road, except barricades. Ca this route a large trade is usually carried between New Orleans and Mobile. The lengh of the two lakes is one hundred and ten mies At the entrance of Borgne, the more eastern of the two, are three islands, known as Cal Ship, and Horse Islands. Upon the mainland opposite is Mississippi City. The Atchafalaya route affords, at the barred stakes, only twelve feet water, but above th any depth needed, for thirty or forty mies Through it and the Plaquemine, vessels of that draught can pass to Iberville, thence into the Mississippi, at any time from the 1st of Decem ber to the 1st of June, when the river is full Vessels of ten feet draught can go up the Bayou Lafourche during the same season of the year. The western extremity of Borga extends within twelve miles of the city, and from thence troops and munitions of war cod be transported, notwithstanding the swamp! character of the country, for the greater par of the route. During the summer, New Orleans became so embarrassed, as a municipal corporation, as to be regarded as bankrupt. This was acribed to large expenditures to aid the m tary movements, although the real cause was undoubtedly the utter destruction of her crec.t and business, and the destitution to which large portion of her citizens were exposed. All her foreign commerce was destroyed by the blockade. In September, the banks of the city suspend ed specie payment, at the request of the Governor of the State, who issued a proclamsi =`a stating that the step was necessary to maintain the credit of the one hundred millions of treaury notes issued by the Confederate Gover ment, in order to obtain the means with which to carry on the war. The banks were required to receive and pay out these notes at par. Under the confiscation act of the Confederate Congress all branches of northern firms doing business in the city were required to present a full balance sheet to the authorities. For instance, a co-partner of a northern commercial firm was required to close at once and adjust the balances. If there was any thing due to northern co-partners it was at once sequestrated. In October the Governor issued an order directing all military captains to drill their companies once during each day, and he authorized them to force the attendance of their men by placing all who refused to do duty upon the list of persons who were suspected of being unsound in their allegiance to the Confederacy. The report of the markets for the 9th of November presented the following facts: "The receipts of cotton since September 1 were 1,789 bales; stock on hand, 11,907 bales. Flour was selling at $11 25 to $12 25 per barrel; week's receipts 4,970 barrels. Corn had advanced to $1 25 per bushel for white; and red wheat $2 25 per bushel. Oats $1 25 per bushel. Western hay $50 per ton, and prairie grass $35 per ton. Mess pork was retailing at $45 per barrel; the stock in private hands was only 99 barrels, the rest of the stock (3,929 barrels) being held for Government stores. Hams were retailing at from 25 to 27 cents per pound, and lard 27 to 28 cents. There had been no receipts for a week of either pork, bacon, or lard. Western butter was quoted at 35 to 40 cents per pound. Kentucky bagging was selling at 24 cents per yard, and India at 24 cents. Gunny bags sold at 30 cents each. Whiskey $1 per gallon, and the week's receipts only amounted to 31 barrels. In regard to the article of coffee there was none in first hands, and the amount held by grocers was very small, the stock being almost exhausted. Sales of Liverpool salt brought the following rates: $10 to $10 50 per sack for coarse, and $11 to $11 50 for fine; packing salt has advanced from $550 to $6 per bag of two bushels. Lard oil sold at $2 50 to $2 60 per gallon." The Governor, in his Message to the Legislature in November, stated that the taxes for State purposes were payable on or before the 1st of December in each year. The amount paid in to the 15th of November was $614,816; the amount then unpaid and due was $1,113,948. Only about one-third of the amount assessed had then been paid in. The amount of funds in the State Treasury on the same day was $383,622. The appropriations for military purposes made by the last Legislature amounted to $960,000. Of this sum there had been expended $768,446. In addition $670,000 had been borrowed of the banks, of which there had been expended $646,761. The total expenditures for military purposes were $1,415,207. There were at the same time outstanding debts for the same objects amounting to $181,000. Total military expenses, $1,596,807. This sum is charged to the Confederate States, and was at that time before the authorities at Richmond to be audited and paid. The amount, when allowed, would be an offset against the Confederate tax laid upon the State, and would help the State to settle with the Confederate authorities and assume the collection of the quota of Louisiana through her new officers, and at her own convenience. In making these expenditures, the Governor had obtained a loan of $670,000 from the Bank of New Orleans, of which his balance in hand was $106,101. The debts to the banks for advances to the quartermasters and for estimated military expenditures, reached $950,000. There were the balance with the banks and the balance of unexpended appropriations, so that new appropriations were required for $653,944, and new means to the amount of $845,499. These are for military advances. The money in the. Treasury belonging to the several branches of domestic administration was $383,622, of which sum only a trifle of $12,860 belonged to the general fund applicable to appropriations. Such was the aspect of the Treasury, and it was one evidently requiring the wisdom and sagacity of the Legislature to find means for sustaining the public credit. The willingness of the people to contribute unstintingly to the public wants was constrained only by the lack of ways in which to make their property and means serviceable to the cause in which they were embarked. The measures recommended by the Governor were the following: An extension by the Legislature of the time for the collection of taxes. An act to make Confederate notes receivable for taxes. Authorizing planters to issue "supply notes," or notes negotiable for the purchase of plantation supplies which should be a lien on crops. The suspension by the Legislature of the duty imposed on the Attorney-General to institute proceedings for a forfeiture of the bank charters for suspension of specie payment, with provision to submit their action to a convention of the people, to be held after the conclusion of peace. The issue of small notes by the banks, for the purpose of abating the nuisance of illegal private circulations. The question of a stay law had been much discussed, and the Governor advised the Legislature to proceed with extreme caution in relation to it. He discouraged any interference with the regular course of probate and judiciary proceedings, and was disposed to approve generally of such legislation as should merely stay executions and secure the lien of creditors on the property of debtors. At this session of the Legislature an act was passed to suspend all judicial proceedings against persons in the military and naval service. Another to suspend forced sales, known as a stay law, was also passed. Property, however, might be sold, when nine-tenths of its appraised value, according to the standard of valuation on the first of June, 1860, were offered. The position of Louisiana at a distance from the Federal force, enabled her to devote all her military strength to the assistance of the Confederate Government. The number of her troops in service at the close of the year was eight regiments and two battalions in Virginia, three regiments in Kentucky, one in Missouri, and five more within the State. Besides these volunteers, fourteen companies of infantry had been mustered directly into the Confederate service. There were also thirteen companies at Camp Lewis near New Orleans, and it was estimated that 3,891 men had been raised in the State and mustered into the Confederate service directly by the War Department. The aggregate of soldiers furnished by Louisiana up to November was therefore 24,093 men, which was about half of the number of voters. According to the report of Adjutant-General Grivot, there were, on the 20th of December, 23,577 troops from Louisiana in the Confederate service. The report of the organized militia of the State was incomplete, as many parishes had made no returns. In nine parishes there was a force of 5,898. The first division under Major-General Lewis was 30,499 strong; the regiment of Confederate Guards numbered 752 men, making a total military force report ed as organized in the State, of 37,149. The grand total of Louisiana troops in and out of the State was 60,726. The only hostile movements within the limits of the State in 1861 were made at the mouths of the Mississippi. On the 12th of October, near four o'clock in the morning, as the Federal steamship Richmond, under the command of John Pope, was lying at the Southwest Pass receiving coal from the schooner J. H. Toone, a floating ram, as it was called, was discovered close upon the ship. By the time the alarm could be given, she had struck the ship abreast of the fore channels, tearing the schooner from her fasts, and forcing a hole through the ship's side. Passing aft, the ram endeavored to effect a breach in the stern, but failed. Three planks on the ship's side were stove in about two feet below the water line, making a hole about five inches in circumference. At the first alarm the crew promptly and coolly repaired to their quarters, and as the ram passed abreast of the ship the entire port battery was discharged at her, with what effect it was impossible to discover, owing to the darkness. The sloops of war Preble and Vincennes, and the smaller steamer Water Witch, were lying at anchor a short distance below. A red light was shown from the Richmond as a signal of danger, and the vessels, having slipped their cables, were under way in a few minutes. Soon, three large fire rafts stretching across the river were seen rapidly approaching, while several large steamers and a bark-rigged propeller were astern of them. The squadron, however, moved down the river, and, under the advice of the pilot, an attempt was made to pass over the bar, but in the passage the Vincennes and Richmond grounded, while the Preble went clear. This occurred about eight o'clock in the morning, and fire was opened on both sides. The shot of the fleet fell short, while shells of the enemy burst around them, or went beyond them. About half-past nine o'clock the commander of the Richmond made a signal to the ships outside of the bar to get under way. This was mistaken by Captain Hardy of the Vincennes as a signal for him to abandon his ship. Accordingly, with his offcers and crew he left her, after having lighted a slow inatch at the magazine. But as ro explosion occurred for some time, he was ordered to return and attempt to get her off shore. At ten o'clock the eneiny ceased firing. No one was killed or wounded on the Federal feet. No damage was done to any vessel except to the Richmond. The schooner J. H. Toone was captured, having about fifteen tons of coal on board. The ram, as it was called, was the hull of s steamer, iron-plated with railroad iron, and having a projection on her bow beneath the water line, sufficient to punch a hole in the hull of a wooden vessel when struck with force. It was under the command of Capt. Hollins, formerly of the United States navy, the officer who was in command at the bombardment of Greytown, Nicaragua. LYON, NATHANIEL, a general of volunteers in the United States army, born at Ashfri Windham Co., Connecticut, July 14, 1819 killed at the battle of Wilson's Creek, Misantri August 10, 1861. His mother was a dacgter of Lieutenant Daniel Knowlton, who served through the old French war and the Revi tion. Gen. Lyon graduated at the Military Academy at West Point in 1841, and immed ately received the appointment of second-lentenant in the second regiment of infantry. Hs first field of service was Florida, during the cter part of the Seminole war, where he dist guished himself as an able and energetic officer. He was subsequently stationed for several years at different posts on the western frontier. in 1847 he was promoted to a first-lieutentner, and upon the commencement of the war with Mexico was again ordered to active service, He joined Gen. Taylor at Monterey, and companied his regiment when it was detached from the command of Gen. Taylor and placed under that of Gen. Scott. He served at the bombardment of Vera Cruz and the battles o Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churubuseo, ard for "meritorious conduct " received the brevet rank of captain. At the close of the war with Mexico, Gen. Lyon was ordered to California, and detailed to service among the Indian triba who had become troublesome, and while en |