The next few articles will deal with the Civil War. I confess, I am having difficulty putting the finishing touches on this first article because of tears. In the history classes I have had, very little was taught about the Union campaigns in Louisiana. Major Civil War battles further north were primarily discussed. So I am learning as I go along and am in shock. Very little of Louisiana was left untouched by the war. New Orleans and Baton Rouge fell somewhat early in the war and the rest of the state was vulnerable. Can you imagine the stress of living minute by minute wondering if you will be able to go about your gardening or cooking of taking care of livestock or educating your children without the shock of seeing Union troops in your yard?
And I am reminded of my family's years in Richmond, Virginia. Our morning commute to downtown took my daughter and I down Monument Avenue, an extraordinary street with early 20th century townhouses and Civil War monuments. I would take the opportunity to teach my pre-school daughter history by telling her about Civil War generals as we passed each one's statues. She asked one day, "Mama, why do we hate Yankees?"
I was puzzled and asked her, "Why do you think we hate Yankees?"
Her answer, "Well, we had generals and men to shoot them. We must hate them?"
"Oh," I answered, "They came here to take our food and stuff and burn our houses and businesses down. So, we tried to shoot them to stop them."
Arriving at her pre-school, I would be spared from answering the next question, "Why did the Yankees want to burn Richmond?"
Working on this series of articles, I am confronted with the widespread violence and destruction of the Civil War. We hear about the big fires, Richmond and Atlanta, but other cities and the countrysides were also devastated by various war efforts. Life is hard enough without us destroying each other, each other's property and the gifts of nature. May we forevermore live gently and peaceably with our close and our faraway neighbors.
The Fall of New Orleans
New Orleans had fallen to Union troops led by David Farragut in late April, 1862. On April 25, naval officers had raised the Union flag over the New Orleans mint. Two days later they took the New Orleans city hall, effectively gaining control of the city.*
Baton Rouge is Taken
