RIGID RULE OF BUTLER. capturing the works, with a loss of only seven killed and nine wounded. After this success Osborn returned with his troops to Washington. The chief interest in North Carolina, however, was in the political movement in behalf of the Union, encouraged by the presence of the United States troops and of the new military governor. The Honorable Edward Stanley, a native of North Carolina, and formerly a popular politician in that State, but latterly a resident of California, had been appointed to fill this office. Much was expected from his personal influence in evoking the Union sentiment, which, though repressed by the domination of the enemy, was presumed to exist in the State. On Governor Stanley's arrival he was May welcomed by many of his country 26. 287 At New Orleans, General Butler enforced obedience to the authority of the United States with all the severity of martial law. Disaffected leaders who resisted the demands of loyalty were imprisoned, and the violence of the unruly was repressed by the halter, the guard-house, and the most rigid police regulations. The mayor of the city was deprived of his civic honors and office, and Pierre Soulé, the eloquent senator of Louisiana, was arrested and sent to a Northern prison. The audacious citizen who had ventured to haul down the United States flag was hung. Tradesmen were forced to open their shops, and to refuse Confederate money in exchange for their wares under threats of the heaviest penalties in case of disobedience, and clergymen were denied the privilege of closing their churches or praying for "the destruction of the Union or the success of the rebels." The banks were compelled to unearth their hidden treasure, and to credit their obligations in the legal currency of the United States. The sacred precincts of even the representatives of foreign nations were exposed to After a long inactivity, preparations the scrutiny of military inspection. "An men, and his ardent expressions of loyalty were listened to with complacency and even applause at various "Union" meetings held in the State. The Governor's fastidious regard for the institutions and laws of North Carolina served, no doubt, to confirm his popularity with its citizens, but excited the eager reformers of the North to opposition. The latter accordingly became clamorous for his removal, since they suspected that his policy was inimical to their schemes for the moral improvement and emancipation of the negroes. The United States Government answered the discontented with a repudiation of the policy attributed to Stanley, but retained him in office. 10. officer wearing the uniform and arms May of a captain of the United States army, accompanied by a squad of six or eight men under his command," surrounded the office of the consul of the Netherlands and forbade the exit of any person or property from the premises-which were yielded up, after an emphatic protest by the indignant foreign official, to the possession of the armed band. Eight hundred thousand dollars in specie, claimed to be the property of the Messrs. Hope, of Amsterdam, were thus taken by Major-General Butler, while the sacred person of the consul himself was held in sacrilegious durance for several hours. This induced the rest of the foreign representatives at New Orleans to join in a formal protest against the act. General Butler, in answer, justified his conduct by declaring that "the flag of the Netherlands was made to cover and conceal property of an incorporated company of Louisiana, secreted under it from the operation of the laws of the United States." The ambassador of the Netherlands at Washington subsequently adding the weight of his protest against this bold act, the United States Government was induced to restrain the military authorities at New Orleans from any interference with property in possession of foreign officials. women calling themselves 'ladies of New Orleans,'" General Butler ordered: "When any female shall, by word, gesture, or movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States, she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation." This order* has been liberally interpreted as meaning only that women so forgetful of the grace of their sex as to be guilty of such indecorum, should be amenable to the municipal law of New Orleans, by which prostitutes plying their vocation are liable to arrest. If this was the intent, as it is charitable to suppose, it was unfortunate for the fame of Butler that he had not been more precise in the use of words. This want of nicety in expression, if it were nothing else, has, by naturally suggesting a gross interpretation, induced a suspicion of his chivalry The following is the famous order of General Butler : "As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from the women calling themselves ladies of New Orleans,' in return for the most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter, when any female shall, by word, gesture, or movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States, she shall be re garded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation. By command of "GEO. G. STRONG, A. A. G." MAJOR-GENERAL BUTLER. General Beauregard shrewdly availed himself of the indiscreet words of Butler to envenom the hostility of his soldiers against the defenders of the Union. The follow The loyal ardor of General Butler was ing was his address to his army: even more indiscreetly manifested by an order in regard to the women of New Orleans. "The officers and soldiers of the United States having been subject c repeated insults from the "Men of the South, shall our mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters be thus outraged by the ruffianly soldiers of the North, to whom is given the right to treat at their pleasure the ladies of the South as common harlots? Arouse, friends, and drive back from our soil these infa mous invaders of our homes and disturbers of our family ties. (Signed) G. T. BEAUREGARD, Gen. Com'd'g." VICKSBURG AND ITS BATTERIES. 289 and evoked the denunciation of all gal- that city, General Butler was enabled lant men.* to concentrate his energies upon the military operations on the Mississippi, where he was acting with his troops in conjunction with the fleet of gun-boats under Farragut and Davis. The President having sent the Honorable Reverdy Johnson, of Maryland, as a commissioner to New Orleans, to assist in regulating the government of Farragut and Porter on the Mississippi. - Capture of Baton Rouge, Natchez, etc.-Obstinate resistance of Vicksburg.— The city of Vicksburg and its position described. -The Enemy's force.-General Van Dorn in command.-Bombardment of Vicksburg-No result.-The batteries passed by Farragut. --Junction of the rams under Ellet.-Resumption of the bombardment.-No result.-The Canal expedient. The appearance of the Arkansas.—Her exploits.--The conflict with the Union gun-boats.-An attempt to board.-No foe to be found.-Escape of the Arkansas.-Attack upon the Arkansas at Vicksburg.-Failure.-Farragut moves below Vicksburg.-Another attack.-Result. 1862. THE fleet under Commodore Farragut, soon after the capture of New Orleans, being joined by the mortar flotilla, in command of Captain Porter, proceeded up the Mississippi, with the view of reducing the various positions still held by the enemy on the river. Baton Rouge, Natchez, Grand Gulf, and Warrenton yielded without serious opposition, but Vicksburg obstinately resisted. Here the enemy, availing themselves of the natural advantages of the place for defence, and concentrating all their efforts, were enabled to make a firm stand. • Earl Russell, in the House of Lords, and Lord Palm erston, in the Commons, only expressed the universal sen timent of England in their official denunciations of Butler's order as it was generally though it is believed erroneously interpreted. This city was shelled and burned by the Union fleet in retaliation for firing on the transports. The city of Vicksburg is built upon the acclivities of the Walnut Hills, which rise to a height of 400 feet above the alluvial borders of the Mississippi. Batteries had been raised, tier above tier, at the edge of the river, on the high bluffs, and up the slopes to the summits of the hills. The enemy's troops, under General Lovell, which had retreated from New Orleans on the capture of that city, had finally, after temporarily occupying several intermediate positions, encamped near Vicksburg. This force was subsequently strengthened by detachments from Beauregard's army, after its retreat from Corinth, and the whole, numbering some 8,000 or 9,000 men, placed under the command of General Van Dorn. A Union land force, under General Williams, had followed the fleet in trans |